The LORD is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion. The LORD protects the simplehearted; when I was in great need, he saved me. Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the LORD has been good to you. Psalm 116:5-7

Over the weekend John had to take care of the trees and limbs which had fallen with the snow. We were so thankful not to lose power despite the tree limbs resting on the electrical wire for 2 days. We also were thankful that the tree which fell did not damage anything. It missed the house, the deck, the van, and the basketball goal. We thought it was amazing and were thankful to God.

There was even more. When John started cutting up the tree, he walked up into the neighbors yard. He saw a bunch of branches lying there. He wondered how they would have gotten there. On closer inspection he realized it was actually part of the tree. The top of the tree fell out of the tree into the neighbor's yard while the rest of the tree fell into our yard. The tree just missed hitting our deck. The extra feet that it needed to hit the deck were lying in the neighbor's yard. Isn't that amazing? And I'll be honest here. We didn't pray that no trees would fall over. We didn't pray He would spare our basketball goal (let alone the house). He did it not because we asked, but because he wanted to.

God is awesome. He's awesome when bad stuff happens too. Let me add the verses before and after the verses I quoted above.

The cords of death entangled me, the anguish of the grave came upon me; I was overcome by trouble and sorrow. Then I called on the name of the LORD : "O LORD, save me!" The LORD is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion. The LORD protects the simplehearted; when I was in great need, he saved me. Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the LORD has been good to you. For you, O LORD, have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before the LORD in the land of the living. Psalm 116:3-9

Because even when bad stuff happens and the tree does go through the roof and the electricity does go out, he still is good. He saved me from death, gave me eternal life, though I didn't (and don't) deserve it. And for that, I always have reason to sing praise to Him.