Blessed Be His Name

I have been thinking a lot about the recent events in our lives...not selling our LR house, all the changes, and most recently, Darby's diagnosis of diabetes. They seem to invade my thoughts, even when I think that I am busy doing or thinking about something else, these other things creep up in my brain, quickly moving from the back to the forefront overtaking all else. Ever have that happen to you?

In the midst of thinking of all of this, I heard the song "Blessed Be Your Name". I was driving the van with all the girls to an outing to the bookstore, talking to them, but not really focusing on the conversation, but instead on all the other things. Through the thoughts came the words to the song:

blessed be your name in the land that is plentiful
when the streams of abundance flow, blessed be your name

So I thought, WOW!, that's easy to do! To praise the Father when things are going my way; when it is obvious that He sees me and cares about me and my good.

blessed be your name on the road marked with suffering
when there's pain in the offering, blessed be your name

This is when it gets interesting! Do I praise Him when our second house, affectionately called our "vacation home" is still for sale? Do I praise Him amidst all the changes in our family life and routine? Do I praise Him when I see Darby have bruises on her stomach from insulin shots?

If He is a good God all the time, as the Bible says and I have stated that I believe; and if I think the "good" things He gives me are awesome and worthy of my praise and thanks, then I need to be praising Him when He gives me "good" things that don't look so good on the surface and then He is still worthy of my praise, devotion, and my whole life!

blessed be your name when the sun's shining down on me
when the world's all is it should be, blessed be your name

The Son is always shining down on me, and I need to remember that the world is all as it should be. He is in control! Praise the Lamb!