Stop and smell the roses

Today we are taking a field trip away from the normal blog entry. Pretty much every post prior to today's has had a Wellspring theme or connection. Maybe before this one is complete God will have tied it together too.

But for today, I'd like to invite you into my recent trip to the "Rose Garden". Not that it was a formal garden of any kind, and there weren't really any roses, but just glorious displays from God's hand over the past week of our lives.

Most of you probably know that my daughter Jenn was pregnant with our little Charlotte Ruth. Dr.'s had seen some problems with Charlotte's heart months ago. So we were all prepared for a heart surgery after her birth. Jenn was scheduled to be induced on 7-13-08, But GOD had a different plan. Instead He sent her a week early on 7-7-08. We were thrilled that He had a say so and had relieved the Dr's of that little duty.

All the days ordained for me were written in
your book before one of them came to be. Psalm 139:16

Then they told Jenn the maternity floor had no spaces and she would have to move to the 7700 hallway. 7730 to be exact. Hmmmm... sevens and threes.

Charlotte made her debut looking all pink and beautiful, that was great because Dr's had warned there was a chance that she might be blue. But there was none of that for her.

Then came the day before her surgery - Jenn told me that Charlotte had a surprise for me. I couldn't figure out what kind of surprise it could be. Then when I walked into her little p-icu room I saw it for myself... a beautiful LIME GREEN ribbon in her hair. Many have accused me of pulling that one off, but i have to confess that it must have been a gift from God, because He surely knows what LIME GREEN means around this part of the country!

Like the bow wasn't enough for us to know that God had Charlotte tucked securely away in the palm of His hand. There was a horrible storm in the area with wild winds, thunder and lightening. Jennifer and Tim were on their way home that night and called me when they were almost there. I was instructed to run outside and see what was hovering over their house.

You might have guessed a rainbow, and if you did you were close. It was a brilliant double rainbow that you had to see from the front door as well as the back door to see the entire thing. Just like God had purposely hung it right over their house. Who knows, maybe He did!

There were no worries, just sweet and peaceful sleep until the morning.

Surgery day started just like the night before ended. The trip to the hospital was as peaceful as it could be. Jenn and Tim got to spend some precious time with their baby girl before they took her to surgery. The hospital staff could not have been any better to Charlotte or her mom and dad. This part was really sweet to me. After they took Charlotte to surgery and we had gotten a bite to eat we made our way to the Children's wing of the Hospital. As Jenn sat down I noticed the quilt she was sitting under...

As Jenn sat under that picture i was reminded that this time last year she was heading to Botswana and all God's provisions in getting her there, her time there and her trip home. Especially of a dream, a prayer and a belief of Jenn and many black feet.

Then there was this whole song thing going on from the day Charlotte's diagnosis came until this past Sunday morning after her arrival. To put it in a nut shell worship service to worship service came full circle with the playing of this song then and now, with scripture from the song and the words on a quilt sandwiched in between.

This was the song He used ... Made Me Glad by Hillsong

So, that was a lot to follow for an untrained soul. You know I have to go around a block several times to get my point across. There are tons more I could have shared, but I have about tuckered myself out!

I would like to ask a personal question. Have you noticed all the little "roses" that God has planted along your journey? Have you been so bothered by your circumstances that along the way you have forgotten that you have the best ever tour guide who really knows His way around the garden? You know that was the first place He ever had a relationship, a friendship with His prize creation. Slow down, trust Him in all things big and small. Notice the things that are personal to you like lime green ribbons and rainbows or whatever that He has placed along your path to let you know you are not alone! I love whoever you are that may be reading this! I hope and pray that through the crazy ramblings of this Jesus girl you appreciate His love for YOU!