Row the Boat Gently

I worked today, it was pretty uneventful. But something caught my attention that never has before. A lady i work with always does exercises with the residents after dinner. She sits them in the "middle" and does simple little exercises like right leg over left leg 5x, or touching elbows to knees 8x. Every time she does these exercises she always has them do this certain one where you move your arms as if you were rowing a boat and everyone sings the song "row row row your boat." We always chuckle with her when she sings "merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily, life is but a nightmare." The residents sometimes get on her for being so negative and other times they laugh as if it were the funniest thing they've ever heard before in their life. Tonight was one of those nights. The residents got their kick out of it and then kept on with whatever exercise was next, but i just sat and thought. Life really can be a nightmare sometimes. In my head i decided the words needed to be something more like

row row row your boat

roughly down the stream

scarily scarily scarily scarily

life is but a nightmare

Life can just be so rough on a person can't it? Just think about all the terrible things that go on in our world today. Exactly 8 years ago today one of the worst things in the history of America happened. The world trade center attacks. People around the world are aborting babies and destroying life only to turn around and act as though life had ever even begun to grow inside them. Some people are living with the terrible mistakes they made. Some people are living with the terrible mistakes others have cast upon them. This world is so full of sin and deceit its a wonder we can even function on a daily basis. Women are walking around rejected from their own husbands who swore to love them unconditionally for the rest of their lives. The same is happening to men whose wives made the same promise and broke it. Sometimes i just sit and ponder all this and wonder how it is that humans can still walk around the way they do. Still in one piece. But then i remember.... God. When i think of all these depressing things that happen on a daily basis the verse from John comes to mind,

In this world you will have trouble.

But take heart! I have overcome the world.

John 16:33

Okay God, so I'm supposed to trust you and find peace in you because you have taken the world in your grasp and overcome its temptations. But what can come out of all this? Whats the point God?

You intended to harm me,

but God intended it for good to

accomplish what is now being done,

the saving of many lives.

Genesis 50:20

Even though bad things happen because there is sin in the world, God uses it for good. He often turns a sinful heart towards him so that he can speak to many through that voice to save lives and win people to Christ. Thank you Lord for your undying love for us. We are unworthy of such grace and mercy and are indebted to you for your lovingkindness. We love you Lord. Until we see you face to face Lord, row the boat gently.