This afternoon I took the time to have lunch with women from our church. Doug wanted me to get out and do something besides stay with him. He was happy to eat lunch that I made for him and to take a nap and watch some TV this afternoon. It was nice for me to get out and he was such a good sport to be on his own for a while.
This week has been an interesting and fast week. Several friends have shared with me things they are struggling with. They have made stop and think, how do we get through difficult things. Well, one day this week, when I was driving home I accidentally bumped the radio and the channel changed to a Christian Radio station. I have never listened to this station before. I decided to leave it on for a few minutes to see what the preacher had to say. He talked about Christian joy. Essentially he said that the reasons that Christians experience joy is not because everything in their lives are wonderful, but because the joy they experience is deeper, it comes from a strong belief in our God and the new life that we are offered through Christ. It comes from living a life of faith. So many things happen in our lives that can rock us and distress us. We may bounce about like a leaf in a stream, unless we have an anchor.
I am thankful for having God as an anchor in my life. I am thankful in knowing that we are in for the long game not the short game. When things are really challenging I try to step back and remember what all I have to be thankful for. I try to remember the joy that is deep in my heart, where God lives. Knowing that God is with us, gives me confidence to keep taking the next step. In sitting with a friend today, I shared with her a quote that has helped me since Doug was diagnosed with M.S., "Life is not about waiting for the rain to pass, but in learning to dance in the rain."
God of Joy and Dancing, we thank you for your invitation to the dance. We thank you for your presence in all things in our lives. We thank you for the anchor you give to our souls. Today we thank you for Doug's standing. Be with us in all our troubles, lighten our hearts when we are distressed and help us to see you in all things. Help us to dance. In your name we ask it. Amen
Amen. Sometimes we forget to dance in the rain and instead we drown in it. It's up to us and sometimes we forget that it is all a choice. Today it was wind and not rain. I cursed its presence as I tried to paint the house with a paint sprayer in gale force winds. Then I tripped over a bucket. Finally, my japanese maple tree dipped its leaves in my paint bucket and slapped me in the face as the wind wipped it back. I was definitely not "dancing" in the wind. But my Japanese Maple seemed to be enjoying itself.
ReplyDeleteI forgot to add that when the Maple slapped me in face, it covered my face with a spray of grey paint. Some things weren't meant to be.
DeleteOne more comment for your blog....Tom taught both our foster kids (former and present) to ride a bike this week! Now that is joy.
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