But.......

Such a tiny word.  Only three letters.  Yet such an annoying word!

Some examples.......

It's raining today.  I love that it is raining.  I am so thankful for the rain.  BUT......I'm not loving the aches and pains that come with it.  Some of you may understand what I mean.

I love the view from our front porch.  I love looking out the front windows and seeing the fall colors.  I love the beauty of the mountains around me.  BUT......I don't love the isolation.  I don't love the very steep gravel road we must come up to get home.  I know we chose to live here.  If we could have a do-over, we would probably make a different choice, for a number of reasons.  BUT.....we don't get a do-over. 

I love my grandchildren (and their parents!).  I love being a grandmother far more than I ever thought I would!  BUT......I don't love that I see those grandchildren (and their parents!) so seldom.  I don't love that we are so far apart......separated by miles as well as by busy schedules.  I don't love that I am a "part-time" grandparent.  BUT......that's just the way it is right now.

I love ice cream.  I particularly love Blue Bell Ice Cream!!!  BUT......I don't love the pounds it packs on my hips, or what it does to my cholesterol levels.

However, occasionally I come across that little word and I love it!  There are certain Scriptures that bring delight to my heart.  That are such an encouragement!

A few of my favorite examples:

"My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."  (Psalm 73:26 NASB)

"But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."  (Romans 5:8 NASB)

"But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus."  (Ephesians 2:4-7 NASB)

Puts that little word into a different perspective, doesn't it?!  In that context.......BUT GOD......it becomes one of my favorite words!