Thursday Morning

Before I get ready to go off to work on the "modified holiday" schedule (12 noon-5:30pm Monday-Thursday this week) I wanted to share the following that I got from my long time friend, Lynnette, this morning. 

The weather has changed here in the Northwest...it's been in the middle 40's and raining off and on.  I certainly prefer that to 18 degrees or 32 degrees and raining which equals snow. OK, here goes;

The only survivor of a shipwreck was washed up on a small, uninhabited island.  He prayed feverishly for God to rescue him, and every day he scanned the horizon for help, but none seemed forthcoming.  Exhausted, he eventually managed to build a little hut out of driftwood to protect him from the elements, and to store his few possessions.

One day, after scavenging for food, he arrived home to find his little hut in flames, with smoke rolling up to the sky.  The worst had happened, and everything was lost.  He was stunned with disbelief, grief and anger.

"God, how could you do this to me?" he cried.

Early the next day he was awakened by the sound of a ship that was approaching the island.  It had come to rescue him.  "How did you know I was here?" asked the weary man of his rescuers.  "We saw your smoke signal," they replied.

It's easy to get discouraged when things are going bad, but we shouldn't lose heart, because God is at work in our lives, even in the midst of pain, and suffering.  Remember that, the next time your little hut seems to be burning to the ground.  It just may be a smoke signal that summons the grace of God.

You may want to consider passing this on, because you never know who feels like their hut is on fire today.