I fall down, He lifts me up

Tuesday morning, sunshine, bright blue skies, crisp air and quiet time before I headed out to run some errands.

I had a giddy son who had been working on an S10-pickup for 3 years, who had just gotten it road-ready. He purchased his little truck when he was 13 from ebay. Over the course of said time, he disassembled it-ALL OF IT, like the box, the cab, the dash, the motor- everything was taken apart and put back together. I'm tellin' you, his glee blessed my heart-you know how that is?

Now I had the motherly privilege of being a part of his little dream, part of which was taking in his tire to get fixed. He loaded it in the back of my Tahoe the night before, and asked me with such a grin, I felt privileged to do the task for him. I also had the title, checkbook, and $10 for the fees of switching the title and getting him his new license plates.

So, I dropped off the tire and proceeded to the police department which has recently moved to a new location. I parked the Tahoe, walked around another vehicle and bee-lined for the door completely blind to the fact there was a curb between me and said door...I clipped it with my toe, and went sailin'. I tried to catch my fall (which I am sure looked amazing!) but landed with a thud on my hip after scraping my palm, knuckles, elbow, and knee.

Guess what the first thing I did was...yep, look to see if anyone saw me. I guess the Lord was keeping me from humiliation, though I took note that He didn't keep me from falling... I was grateful (about the not being humiliated part) and as I went into the police station and bemoaned my trial to the officer, she looked at me with little sympathy and said, "Well, at least you are not hurt."

Huh? I wanted to cry.

And no, I am not mad at God! I know that I fell because I had my sunglasses on and the glare happened to inhibit my peripheral, that is why I missed-well- didn't see the curb.

The LORD upholds all those who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down. Psalm 145:14

My scrapes and bruises prevented me from sleeping well. I got to thinking about "falls". How we trip over something unforseen, and it affects our life in the daily ways, and yet, with Jesus, there is always healing. The wonderful redeeming love of our God comes in and works it all out for good.

What good came from my fall? Humility perhaps, percieving my frailty.

I trip often. In a spiritual sense. I trip over my tongue and hurt someone's feelings, or disrespect my husband. Or I forget to fulfill a promise, or I lack trust in an area and step in to fix it myself and make a mess. Everytime I confess (bow down), He picks me up. He upholds me when I fall.

Praise you Lord, for your redeeming love that upholds me and picks me up when I bow down! For little life-lessons learned, for always working on me, making me more like you.