Carrie Cox’s Corner

“This is the day that the Lord hath made. I will rejoice and be glad in it. This is the day (this is the day) that the Lord hath made.”

Each morning when the kids ride with me to school, we sing this little song together. It has become a little prayer of my heart. A little worship with my kids where we turn our eyes to heaven before we begin our day. No matter the struggles getting out of the door, it helps us (and me most probably) to remember what is most important, what our goals are, and it truly helps our attitudes.

But this song, and especially this verse has a very special meaning to me. It reminds me of the time when the Lord gave me a word at the exact moment that I needed it.

Back in 2016 when Claira was getting ready to start to Kindergarten, we decided that it was the right time for me to get my teaching certification. I had graduated in 2010 with an English degree and had a minor in Education, but because I was expecting Claira in November, I did not complete the required student teaching. So I looked into my options and did an internship with Texas Teachers. I could redo a few education classes, get a job for a year, and while I was working at the internship, it would satisfy my certification hours.

I looked and found a school nearby that offered Kindergarten for Claira (our school only started at 1st grade at the time). They even used Abeka curriculum and were only 3 miles from the house. Wow! This is perfect.

It seemed like a good plan-I would go back to work when Claira started school.

So our plan was working well. I completed all my classes easily, the school had availability, and I had found a job. Claira was ready to start her first day of school.

We bought her a little uniform, got all of her supplies, a new back pack, and we were ready to send our little girl off into the big world. That was scary.

She was supposed to start the next day and then someone had shared some news with me that they had heard about that school that was not good. That was really scary.

That night I was filled with doubt. Was this the wrong choice? Should she not go there?
I remember sitting in my rocking chair the night before and worrying. I talked to Nathan and he didn’t feel like we needed to change plans, but this was my baby girl. I had to know it was right. I needed peace!

I stayed up late reading my Bible and asking the Lord to give me some understanding. As I was reading he gave me a verse, and I finally had peace. We could move forward with our plan. I was able to sleep well that night.

The next morning I woke up early. I was going into work late so we could both take Claira to her first day of school. We were excited, but I still was nervous, the peace that I had got the night before somehow had kind of leaked out that morning. I decided to make breakfast. As I opened my carton of eggs, inside there was a message printed right on the carton:

“This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.”

Woe…how did that get in there? Why had I never seen it before? I was as surprised as I was excited! I really felt like the Lord gave me the extra blessing that I needed to enjoy this monumental day, instead of spending it with dread and worry. I smiled as I scrambled my eggs and we went to Claira’s school with joy.

When we got inside they said they would have an assembly with the church’s pastor there for the students and parents before they got started. We all were standing in the crowded lunch room as the older man starting speaking. He told of their plans, their schedules, their holidays, and then he said something and my jaw dropped open.

“I never start a school year without first saying this verse: Psalms 118:24 ‘This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.’”

I’m pretty sure a few tears streamed down my face as well.

How good is God? Three times he spoke to me from the same verse in less than 24 hours. He spoke it from his word, he wrote it in my eggs, and he placed it in the message of a man I had never met. I guess I was fearful like Gideon and God wanted me to know for sure that He was with me and He was with Claira. He saw me, my mother’s fearful heart for her baby to take her first big step with people we didn’t really know about, and he gave me just what I needed—even more than I needed. More than I asked for.

What a good God! He wasn’t mad that I was afraid, he lovingly reassured me over and over until I could rejoice in the day.

Claira’s school days started with this verse, and even now as she is in her last year of Junior High school, we still have this prayer and song on our lips. Every time I hear it, my heart smiles. I heard it taught on in Sunday School last week, and I was reminded of how the Lord gave me such a precious and personalized promise.

Today I’m thankful for this little song, this verse of scripture, that has become our little morning prayer.

But more I’m thankful for the Savior’s little ways where he reveals undeniably that he truly cares.