To many of you out there, this will be an unfamiliar face, but not to me. Karen Carpenter had a truly amazing voice and is missed. In a way, this picture is a bit unusual, for it appears to be an early one, that is, before she started to show the deadly effects of the eating disorder that eventually killed her. The song the Carpenters sing is a sad one and after listening to it, frankly, it took the positive "edge" off my day. And then I remembered...
2 Corinthians, Chapter 1 (NASB)
2Co 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,
2Co 1:4 who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
2Co 1:5 For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ.
2Co 1:6 But if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; or if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which is effective in the patient enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer;
2Co 1:7 and our hope for you is firmly grounded, knowing that as you are sharers of our sufferings, so also you are sharers of our comfort.
2Co 1:4 who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
2Co 1:5 For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ.
2Co 1:6 But if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; or if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which is effective in the patient enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer;
2Co 1:7 and our hope for you is firmly grounded, knowing that as you are sharers of our sufferings, so also you are sharers of our comfort.
Need encouragement? Who doesn't from time to time? Remember this passage of Scripture and realize that no matter how tough life is- God will always be there to comfort. The thing is... HE is always there, but do you allow HIM in?