72 HOUR RULE: THE EARTH MOVED!!! 3.6

kelly rae roberts

Maryland earthquake shakes up Nation's Capital

Maryland earthquake, measuring 3.6 magnitude, was centered just outside Washington, D.C. just after 5 AM ET Friday

So I woke up this morning before the clock went off. Actually I woke around 2:45am because the dog usually has to go at 3:00, but lately he's been off. So I woke up again around 4:00 am, before the 4:30 alarm. I tried to talk myself into sleeping until 5 but I got up anyway. I had a lot to do.
Last Sunday I gave a short talk in church  on Faith and Hope. There is so much info on that talk, I feel that we need an on-going seminar. Lately I feel that people only want to hear what is convenient to them and usually 15 minutes is all they want.
So,I was grumbling to myself, a habit I am trying to overcome daily. I think that complaining or grumbling negates the effect of the many blessings we receive daily. I also believe that blessing are in a state of effectiveness in our lives and we don't necessarily have to "ask" for them daily, but to have faith that we have been blessed and that when a blessing is necessary, our faith will initiate it. In 2 Peter 1:3, the scriptures testify that we have been fully equipped for every thing necessary to make it in this life.

2 Peter 1:3According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:

One thing,OK a few things that continually aggravate me is that my house/home is in a state of perpetual messiness. We have been using the excuse that we are renovating, but it's been 10 years since we gutted everything, now its just poor housekeeping. I realize that we have to allow people in our house and we have to motivate to clean it up. My husband and I have a stand-off, and sooner or later, someone has to call it. I realize that by our selfish reasons for not doing what is needed and also not allowing each other the ability to do what is needed, we are deferring hope. In reality,there is no logical  reason to defer or delay the process. It is a controlling tool. The end result is that if a process is continually delayed for one reason orf the other, then the expectant party will soon give up hope,will forget about it and go to another project. Proverbs 13:12 says:

Proverbs 13:12 Hope deferred make the heart sick: but when the desire come, it is a tree of life

As I was thinking about this,my reaction was to complain (to my self) about my husbands behaviour and his historic lack of motivation concerning our home and its appearance. I felt that I would just give up, and say uncle because I know this is what he hopes I will do. I was sad at this thought. I realized that  our hope in anything rests not in just our tomorrows, but also in today. This is that day the Lord has made and we will glad and rejoice in it. So I noticed that the house was getting a little shaky and I let the dog in. He has a habit of jumping on and off the back porch, causing shakiness. The shakiness continued after he came in and ran under the dining table. Have you heard the expression "the sound and the ensuing fury?. There was a sound  like a big Mac truck speeding toward the cul de sac, a sound like a train heading toward you. The house rattled and moved for about a minute or two. My thought was that there was a hideous accident on 270 and there goes my commute. I couldn't think of anything else that could happen, just short of an airplane crashing into a tall building. Not many of those around my neighborhood. I waited for the sirens, but none came. Which is unusual, because there seems to be a standing order for screaming sirens around 0600 am and 0630 am every morning. I don't remember hearing anyone's anti theft alarm going off either. Imagine my shock and horror, when I turned on the news and saw "Breaking news, 3.6 earthquake in Gaithersburg, Md. This is just a few blocks from where I live. I called my husband and of course he was clueless.
So I thought, what a miracle. But then, I thought, the miracle is that the earthquake happened at all.The blessing is that  there was no damage and most people slept through it all A peaceful nights sleep is a blessing of the Lord. Those whose heart's are filled with gladness and hope will reap this reward:

Psalms 4:7  You have put gladness in my heart,More than in the season that their grain and wine increased.
8 I will both lie down in peace, and sleep;For You alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety

So,one more crazy thing to talk about, but more reasons to continue on in faith.I realize that I have no more excuses not to motivate myself to do anything. It is now or never, and this morning proved that. I thought about the negative impact of a much stronger earthquake and I realize that this was the "wake up call" I was waiting for this morning.