Hannah's love

1 Samuel 17:19 And his mother used to make for him a little robe and take it to him each year when she went up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice.

I felt like Hannah this morning. I am packing for my third trip to Liberia for the third visit to see my son Michael. He is a whole year older and bigger since last time I saw him, held him. I went through the boxes in the closet of clothes carefully stored away for his homecoming and once again packed up things to take to him. 

I felt comforted by the story of Hannah. She knew just what it feels like to pack clothes for an annual visit to see your son.  Questions come to mind that I don't allow to linger long, but long enough. Will he still let me hold him? Does he wonder why I don't come for him? But, if I have learned anything it is to trust. God sees the beginning from the end. He always does what is right and good. I am small and foolish and weak. Who am I to give advice to the Most High? Nope, not me. I will be still and know that He is good.

May my heart sing as Hannah's did. (1 Samuel 2)

 ¹ Then Hannah prayed:
   “My heart rejoices in the LORD!
      The LORD has made me strong.^[a]
   Now I have an answer for my enemies;
      I rejoice because you rescued me.
 ² No one is holy like the LORD!
      There is no one besides you;
      there is no Rock like our God.
 ³ “Stop acting so proud and haughty!
      Don’t speak with such arrogance!
   For the LORD is a God who knows what you have done;
      he will judge your actions.
 ⁴ The bow of the mighty is now broken,
      and those who stumbled are now strong.
 ⁵ Those who were well fed are now starving,
      and those who were starving are now full.
   The childless woman now has seven children,
      and the woman with many children wastes away.
 ⁶ The LORD gives both death and life;
      he brings some down to the grave^[b] but raises others up.
 ⁷ The LORD makes some poor and others rich;
      he brings some down and lifts others up.
 ⁸ He lifts the poor from the dust
      and the needy from the garbage dump.
   He sets them among princes,
      placing them in seats of honor.
   For all the earth is the LORD’s,
      and he has set the world in order.