Bad can be good?

At the beginning of this year I started a Bible reading plan. It was the first time that I've ever picked up the Bible for the sole purpose of daily reading. I do read for different Bible studies or if I need to look something up. I've just never read through it just for reading. My pastor encouraged the church to have a daily reading plan and I felt like it was as good a time as any to start. I picked up my smart phone and started to put that Bible app to use. I can say that I have been consistent with my daily reading and each day I feel so fed and so full. There are days when I simply read through it for it to be checked off. There are days when I read through and keep going because I want more. There are days when I have three different Bibles out to study deeper. I let the Spirit lead and when He says to dive deeper, I do! Joseph was a story that touched me and I dove deeper. I have heard the story of Joseph and his coat of many colors as many times as any Christian. I've never had it change me the way that it did when I recently read through it. The story of forgiveness. How God can take a bad situation and use it for good. How Joseph was aware that God had His hand on him and used him and was thankful even through all of his mess. The story of a man that loved his family and wept on his brother's neck. Genesis 45:14 gets me every time I read it. The whole story just touched me when I read it. I got to use the story as an example recently with the boys. Of course it wasn't as evil a situation as brother's selling the youngest into slavery, but it was a teaching moment nonetheless, and I jumped at the chance. We are Disney people. Doug and I have always loved it and now the boys are coming along. We go a couple times a month and have a blast! The boys each have a little bag that they carry their Disney stuff in and in all of our trips have been very responsible with keeping up with it all. We just came back from a 3 day mini-vacation on Friday with Doug's parents. We were all armed with our Disney bags and started our day. Our 4th ride in and Eathan leaves his bag in one of the attractions. Panic sets in and Eathan is crushed. All of his treasures he has been collecting possibly gone. He was upset. We were also in a completely different part of the park than the attraction when he realized he didn't have his bag. Doug's parents, Garrett, Caleb, and I decided to wait at the carousel while Doug and Eathan went back to find the bag. It took a good while. The Sword in the Stone (which happens to be one of my boys' favorite movies) is right by the carousel that you can try and pull. We usually hit it each time we're there and the boys try their hardest to pull it out. We were there one time with friends a while back and they have some of the Fantasyland residents come and do a little skit and have some people try to pull and we got to see a child pull the sword! It was awesome! The boys knew for sure that it wasn't just a sword in a rock and that it could be pulled. They have tried even harder to pull it out ever since. The boys rode the carousel while we were waiting and then we wandered over to the sword. The boys each had their turn and we stood waiting. Here comes the Fantasyland residents! I knew what was fixing to happen. They were going to pick someone to pull the sword. They do their skit and it comes time to pick the sword puller and she picks Garrett. We were so excited! Doug and Eathan stroll back just in time to see Garrett pull the sword from the stone!! It was a cool moment for a Momma to see such happiness in her boy's face! Eathan even had his bag in tow! It all worked out well. While we were waiting in the short line for the next attraction, Joseph came to my mind. Had Joseph not been sold by his brothers they would have starved to death. He was aware that God sent him and used him to preserve the life of his family. (Gen 45:1-8) I felt this was a less dramatic example for us. I huddled the boys and I talked to them and I had told them that had Eathan not left his bag on the other attraction then Garrett wouldn't have gotten the opportunity to pull the sword. We wouldn't have been waiting around and been there at the right time. It was a stinky situation and God still used it as a blessing and a sweet moment for our little family. I know, I know. It seems so frivolous in comparison to Joseph. I still feel like it was an example of how God works things for good. (Rom 8:28) He still has a plan and I was totally giving HIM the glory for our little situation and I wanted the boys to see the goodness of God. He cares for us in the big things and the little things. At the end of the day was the bag that important? No. It was material things that can be replaced. Was this a precious moment for our family that we will cherish and thank God for allowing us to have? ABSOLUTELY!! I love that the boys were excited for Garrett and that they thought it was so cool that God can use something bad and turn it all around for good.

I'd like to encourage you to pick a daily reading plan and read your Bible each day. It's been such a blessing to me and I know it will bless you, too.