Solid Rock Foundation

"And the wolf huffed and puffed and blew the house down." That's a line from "The 3 Little Pigs", a children's story where one little pig built his house with straw, another built his house with sticks and the third built his house with bricks. We all know the story -- the first two pigs' house fell because of the weak construction, but the 3rd pig, because he built his house using bricks, saved the day for all 3 pigs -- especially when the wolf couldn't blow that house down, but determined to go through the chimney to get the 3 little pigs, only to jump into a pot of boiling water. He ran away and never returned.

That story always comes to mind when the boys and I start working on their Gingerbread Houses. After a couple of years of really iffy construction and those walls and that roof just wouldn't stay together, I one-upped the directions. Instead of using the icing for the mortar....this year I used Gorilla Wood Glue! Alas, this year we had uneatable, but most certainly, a solid structure. This last photo is one that my nephew posted -- the easiest-to-build Ginger-Bread House ever! LOL!

Speaking of solid construction, in Matthew 7:24-27, Jesus was sharing about how, if we build our lives on His proof-positive-for-success teachings, and adhere to them, we'd be like the man who built his house on solid rock. The rains, floods, and winds came, but the house stood because it was built firmly on the solid rock. Unlike the "shifty" guy who built his house on shifting sand....the things of this world....the house succombed to the elements, and the house fell.

I'm convinced the fast track to our ultimate success in this new year, is to hear and do the words of our Master Carpenter -- and build on the SOLID ROCK. While we'd like to think that this 2017 year will be storm-free, it's quite unlikely that it will be -- whether it be a literal storm that can damage or destroy our home, a storm that comes with a challenging illness, or a time of great financial or relationship stress. Bottom line -- a good foundation is essential, for buildings AND for our lives. It's inevitable....the storms will come. Just as a tornado can come up out of nowhere to buffet a building, problems and tragedies can arise unexpectedly in the happiest lives. But, those who build their lives on a firm foundation, will take the storms in stride.

We've, personally, encountered some devastating storms, but those storms only proved the stability of our faith's foundation. We'd say in the toughest times, "I'm not sure how we're still standing, but we're still trusting in God, and there is peace in His presence in this storm, and we will come through this storm stronger." And, we did.

As I send out my best wishes, prayers, and thoughts to all of my FB friends and family for the most blessed new year EVER, I'm also sending out the "how to" message of weathering the storms. If we start this year out with putting God first and foremost in our lives, ONLY trusting in Him and His Word, we'll be standing on the sure foundation that never fails. I sing these words today for you and me from an old hymn written in 1834, "On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand." If this author penned those words before electricity was invented, and before all the conveniences and technology we know, how much more applicable are they to us in a "shifting" world today.