All of a sudden my dogs started to scatter. I looked at the place where they were scattering from. Water was splashing onto the basement floor from above. I looked up. There was a slow flow of water coming from the hole in the ceiling. My stomach was weak. No one had eaten breakfast yet. I started to pray for mercy. “Please Lord! Not now! Don’t let this happen! I know I don’t deserve your mercy-but please!”

Times such as this remind me of how great the number of times we have no control over what happens in our lives. We can only try to keep control of how we react to them. No problem if it’s something good that comes out of the blue. It’s the bad stuff that makes such a demand on our emotions, and how to deal with life.

My most used prayer for the bad happenings is “Lord-Have mercy on this poor fool.” I just say it; over and over I say it. I take deep breaths. I tell myself to stay calm, or I won’t be able to think straight. Then comes the steps I need to take to deal with this happening. When it’s over I try to remember to tell God, “Thank you Lord! I made it through another time!”

You know God surely does like to hear from us, that we know God is still in control. This does not promise us a “rose garden” kind of life. We will see awful things happen to others, and wonder at how well they made it through it all. Then, we realize the same could come to us. And all the time-God is there.

God goes through all the people’s problems with them. We hear the prayers, and can see the tears, and feel it all. This is the life we have. It’s the human condition for now. We can only wonder at what it must be like to live in Heaven. But hold on a minute!!!

Life here is not a lot of trouble and heartache. Look around and think of all the good stuff that is happening around you and to you. And God wants you to enjoy it all too! Just please remember to thank God for both the good and the bad times-and what we learn from both.

Mary C. Albertson

Albany, Kentucky