Words of wisdom from Gandalf

The last two Sunday's have been really tough for me. So many thoughts and emotions run through my head I feel like a teenager again with so many doubts and insecurities. Emotions can run over me at any time and I just lose it, I think this is how a pregnant woman feels....or so I've been told.

God answers prayers in lots of different ways but today I found encouragement watching a movie I don't particularly like that much. My younger daughter Stephie asked me if I would watch the first Lord of The Rings movie (sorry to all you lovers of this movie, it just doesn't do much for me) with her. I told her if I could snuggle with her on the couch and sleep through it, I would be glad to "watch the movie". I had a great nap, all comfy and warm, snuggling with Stephie and my two dogs. I woke up to find the Fellowship entering entering the mines of Moira. They are forced on this path because all other passages are blocked and a creature from the logoon has sealed the path out of the mines with a cave in of rocks and debris. Gandalf is not sure what path to take and so the fellowship is sitting waiting for Gandalf to decide on a direction. Frodo tells Gandalf, "I wish none of this had ever happened." Gandalf is a wise wizard and replies with sage words. "So do I," said Gandalf, "and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us."

This is a common piece of wisdom I pass on to my kids often when they are going through a tough time. There is much about our circumstances that are out of our control, but we are in control of how we respond to adversity that confronts us. I know God can speak to us in a multitude of ways but today I was encouraged by silly movie, thank you God!!

Reminds me of Romans 8:31-39

^31-39So, what do you think? With God on our side like this, how can we lose? If God didn't hesitate to put everything on the line for us, embracing our condition and exposing himself to the worst by sending his own Son, is there anything else he wouldn't gladly and freely do for us? And who would dare tangle with God by messing with one of God's chosen? Who would dare even to point a finger? The One who died for us—who was raised to life for us!—is in the presence of God at this very moment sticking up for us. Do you think anyone is going to be able to drive a wedge between us and Christ's love for us? There is no way! Not trouble, not hard times, not hatred, not hunger, not homelessness, not bullying threats, not backstabbing, not even the worst sins listed in Scripture:

They kill us in cold blood because they hate you.
We're sitting ducks; they pick us off one by one.
None of this fazes us because Jesus loves us. I'm absolutely convinced that nothing—nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable—absolutely nothing can get between us and God's love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us.