I have an excellent excuse!

For some wacky reason, after creating a g-mail account, now every time I try and log into blogger from my home computer, it autofills with the g-mail account info. So I can't sign in. Weird. Going to try running ad-aware tonight and see if that helps!

But since I usually get to work 15-20 minutes early every morning (I DO love my job), I feel reasonably sure I can take a few minutes to type something from here!

I've been enjoying thinking about the Valley of Achor lately.

"Huh?" you might say ...

The Valley of Achor is where Israel's sin was discovered ... a man named Achan had stolen some things when they conquered Jericho, directly disobeying God's wishes for that city. As a consequence, Israel was routed when they attacked the next city - Ai ... and in the Valley of Achor, all was discovered, and Achan and his family lost their lives as a consequence of his behavior.

So, I'm thinking ... first of all ... our sin (MY sin) has consequences that will forever impact those dearest to me ... my family, my church, my friends ... I don't live in a vacuum.

The name "Achor" means "trouble" or "disturbance" ... and any time it was mentioned, it would have immediately brought to mind this terrible incident in Israel's history. When we hear "Oklahoma City" or "the World Trade Center" ... there is an immediate context of tragedy and loss ... so it would have been with Israel - with the added element of humiliation and sin.

What really blessed my heart was the other two times the Valley of Achor is mentioned.

In Isaiah 65:10
"Sharon will be a pasture land for flocks, And the valley of Achor a resting place for herds, For My people who seek Me."

The place where our sin is dealt with ... and all the nastiness is exposed ... one day that will be a place where we'll return for sustenance. Our of our shame will come a desire to seek Him, and a place of rest for ourself and others. He can take the worst ... and ...

Hoseah 2:15 "Then I will give her her vineyards from there, And the valley of Achor as a door of hope. And she will sing there as in the days of her youth, As in the day when she came up from the land of Egypt.

This is Hoseah talking about Gomer - his wife who was a prostitute (and a picture of God's people in their constant unfaithfulness to God) ...

After our constant following after other lovers ... God still seeks us ... still brings us home ... and the valley of Achor is a door of hope to us. When our wandering is dealt with, we'll return to the songs we sang when we first came to Him ... when we were first delivered from our bondage.

Isn't it amazing that God can take the worst, and somehow bring good from it?

OK ... boring exercise stuff ...

I had company for a long weekend, and exercise suffered somewhat, but we did a LOT of Dance Dance Revolution, so that probably compensated! :) I've gotten to the gym a couple times, though not as regularly as I need to.

Trinka