Rejoice in the Lord always! I said ALWAYS!!

You know, sometimes you just have to laugh and rejoice anyway. 

I came home from a wonderful trip to Wisconsin, full of several awesome and Spirit filled events, including a blessed retreat I was honored to give to an incredible group of women at St John the Baptist church in Marshfield, and visits to a few schools there as well, to talk to and sing to the kids. I was on a high, as is the case whenever I return from such a trip, Holy Spirit coursing through my veins.

I proceeded to visit two Catholic Schools in my hometown, speaking and singing to the kids there, and enjoying every minute of it. 

Then reality hit a week later when a pipe burst in one of the downstairs bathrooms here in SC, and flooded five rooms in my home. 

You know satan, I understand you hate it when we bring others closer to God, and when we make closer connections to Our Heavenly Father ourselves. I get it. But really? I've cleared your hurtles before and I will do it again. 

I had just finished reminding the ladies on my Wisconsin journey how we must rejoice in the Lord always, even during the ugly and messy and craziness that is life. 

I had just finished lifting other people up in their difficulties and grief, suffering and healing, abuse and forgiveness.....

and here I am in a flooded house with six kids and my husband, wondering how on earth this is ever going to get cleaned up. 

You know what? It will get cleaned up. It's Lent. Just like we will get our souls cleaned up, I will get my home in order somehow. I thank God for this reminder of how temporary our time here is on this earth. How temporary things are. How temporary sanity can be when you're a mom, a wife, a teacher, a woman....  and how much we need each other. 

I thank the Lord that we have homeowners insurance that will cover all of our losses in this mini-disaster. 

Yes, I may be looking at a few weeks without a kitchen, and camping out at friends houses with the kids, but THANK YOU LORD for those friends, willing to open their doors to us. 

I'm heading to New York tomorrow to reach out to more people through my ministry of music and presentation, and I will leave this mess behind. I am thankful that I get to bring four of my girls with me so they too can have a bit of a respite from the chaos...

Yes, when we get back the real demolition will begin, but I will be that much stronger, and that much more ready for whatever God needs me to push through this Lent. So I will go on as I always do, day to day, moment to moment, trying to do the right thing by my Lord and Master. Failing and resetting, through joy and sorrow, embracing every moment. 

Whatever your setbacks may be this Lent, let's thank God together for letting us share in a tiny bit of our Savior's suffering.

God bless you and keep you!!

Until next time, Your servant in Christ,

Laura