"I don't feel so good." I tossed on my bed, tangled in my sheets. I remembered my Mom's voice. "Well, Susan. You don't feel so well."
Her voice was as if it was right now. How many times I shuddered as she corrected my grammar, or posture, or to lower my voice? I'm grateful for all my childhood's refinement hints. It makes it comfortable to relate to people.
I remembered when my daughter, Sarah, called home, excited about a job interview at the University of Minnesota. "We are eating out at a restaurant to see how we can eat and entertain guests over a meal." I rattled off some things to watch for - your napkin, conversation topics, what eating utensil to use when eating salad, fish, beef or desserts served on a plate or in a bowl.
I drifted back to sleep, only to submit to the restlessness that had awakened me throughout the night. Fears and dark thoughts continued to plague me. I couldn't sleep, but I was not ready to meet the day. I got out my Bible and read under a lamp about Abraham.
Even Abraham from our Old Testament was fearful and overwhelmed by the darkness in his soul. Writings of his Psalms aptly described some of the fears and restlessness I felt inside. He felt God had abandoned him. I fear God will abandon our country. Why couldn't life be simple, like when I was a child?
How I loved going to the haymow to sing and dance praises to God. I was free to go to church and learn about God, memorize His words to me as set down in scripture. But He was not limited to the haymow or any other one place. He was at school, in the woods along the river; yes, God was everywhere with me.
So where is God now, when I want to sleep? I've not often had restless nights. But now the fear for our country stole my sleep.
"Trust God," Stan encouraged. Then, smiling, he slipped into his favorite scripture: I want you to trust in me in your time of trouble, so I can rescue you and you can give me the glory. Psalm 50: 13-16.
Stan's love and trust in God are a great help to me.
Of late, I wondered where God was in my life; He seemed distant. I prayed about any disobedience toward Him. Were His purposes at odds with my grand plans? His plans did not always agree with mine, especially when He said "wait."
But Lord, I want to feel better and sleep now.
Was this another "test" to determine if I am going to wait for God in my life or go ahead with my ideas? Tests like those are found in the Bible and especially in our everyday life.
Times of your life
What do you remember about World War II and are any of the happenings in the world familiar from that time to now?
What are some tests God put to you and how did/do you respond?
Does God ever seem to disappear from your life when you need Him?
Like the Psalmist, give some scripture to validate God's existence in your life.
...
Sue Peterson has been writing "The Yield" column since 1978 and has been a staple of The Land. She may be reached at sustan2@bevcomm.net or 1010 East 5th St., Blue Earth, MN 56013.
Matthew 6; Psalm 37:5-7
Home/Hearth
Related Photos
-
Sue Peterson
Discussion
The Yield: You would do well to see the good in your life
Originally published in the June 11, 2010, print edition.
- Home/Hearth
-
-
Back Roads: Direct and to the point
Whole Farm Cooperative, Long Prairie, Minn.
-
Back Roads: Baby needs new shoes
“Most horses are remarkably gentle, even patient during the shoeing process.”
-
Back Roads: Deep thoughts
The Great American Think-Off was an ambitious project in the early 1990s when local free thinkers created the idea for a philosophy competition. Since then people from around the country, and world, have come to debate some of life’s central questions.
-
Back Roads: Schweiss menagerie
Arnie Schweiss’ herd of horses — three Quarter Horses and two Arabians — stand at attention to honor those who drive by the Schweiss home in New Ulm, Minn. They never flinch. The fact that they are made of fiberglass doesn’t lessen the effect.
-
Back Roads: Greetings from Amish country
Have you ever seen a handmade Amish greeting card?
-
Back Roads: Sweet Finnish
In days gone by the old Finns were short on leavening for their bread. So they made flat bread. That Finnish flat bread was one of the things that defined your Finnishness. These days Finns, and those of us not lucky enough to be Finnish, can get old-time flat bread at the Menagha Bake Shop in Menagha. Well, it’s not really the same as old-timers bread.
-
Back Roads: A world apart
Many look to escape the summer heat of the southern plains, others come to kayak the beautiful autumn shoreline of Lake Superior, and the adventurous brave the frigid northern winter to experience dogsledding.
-
Back Roads: Prairie giants
When visiting the bison at Blue Mounds State Park in southwest Minnesota, watching them graze on the plentiful prairie grass, be sure to keep one eye on their tails.
-
Back Roads: Preserve & protect
You don’t need a spotting scope to watch swans but the high quality scope allowed us to look right into the gold and black eyes of a drake ring neck duck preening himself in the lily pads.
-
Back Roads: Twisted memorial
If you think the sculpture at 5th Street and Highway 14 in Tracy looks like scrap metal that’s been twisted by a tornado, you’ve got the right idea. But there’s more to it than that.
- More Home/Hearth Headlines
-
