I feel as though we are in constant peril. I feel as though we've become a burden to many, or that some may roll their eyes when they see yet ANOTHER prayer request for the McLaughlin Clan. Personally, I know that I over analyze many things, but somehow, I can't shake the feeling that some of these fears are true. I totally get that. ya'll. Embarrassingly enough, I would likely feel much the SAME WAY in your position, hearing about this "Calamity Family" of sorts.
Oh, you guys! I want to assure you - I don't like calamity. I wanted a calm, "normal"/ typical life (although I'm learning that life doesn't really exist). Mike and I wanted to be able to give generously and dreamed of doing so many other things in our marriage, in our lives, with and for our children. It isn't exactly what we've dreamed of.
That being said, even though our lives don't look the way we though they would, I will tell you - our lives are SO MUCH richer than I ever knew it could be! Life is so much deeper; it's so much more than our earthly hopes and dreams. As Believers, our lives are so much more than ourselves! They are more than ANYTHING we could DARE to dream or hope or look forward to. The things that seem the heaviest take us to the deepest levels with the Lord Jesus!
What could be better than trusting the One Who Knows it ALL? What could be more exciting than following Him into the valleys and over the mountains of life? What is more fulfilling than your life being used for things SO FAR outside of yourself that you ever thought possible?! I chose Christ early in life and He recaptured my heart shortly after college. I choose Him now and I will choose Him over and over again. Why? Because I KNOW - His ways are SO much better than mine. HIS dreams are so much deeper than mine. His yoke is so much lighter than mine! Jesus is the ONLY way to survive life, you guys - especially a life of calamity.
If you know of a "Fellow Calamity", it's okay to get frustrated with hearing about their struggles. Here are some things to remember during their continuous trying times:
- It's okay to take a "break" from being so involved in the lives of your friends
- Don't stop praying - even if they are just simple, short prayers
- Don't stop being friends
- Don't cut them out
- Don't stop communication
- Don't leave them out and don't stop inviting them to things; even if they can't attend
- Texts and emails go a long way
- meals help - even when they aren't in official, "crisis"!
- little treats help - even when they aren't in "crisis"!
- If the Holy Spirit nudges you to do it, don't hesitate!
- Don't expect "thank you" notes - I was the queen of these at one time, but with life the way it is, I can barely sign the kids' homework, much less put my thoughts together, letting my friend know how much they've blessed me. Don't let this hurt your feelings. Have grace.
- When in doubt - have grace.
We ALL face trials in our lives. We ALL have difficult times, going through DEEP valleys of darkness. Some of our valley are darker and deeper than others and that's okay. It doesn't mean that one is less "Christian" than they other: it doesn't mean that one is "more faithful to Christ" than the other, or that they are working harder or are taking more of the right steps than the one continually in suffering.
Romans 8:18(ESV)
" For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us".
I assure you, our brothers and sisters in Third World Countries suffer more than we could ever know or understand! Look at the Apostles, Friends - their lives were FULL of calamity and crisis! And they praised God for it because it only caused them to NEED CHRIST MORE! Isn't that what we all should want as Believers - more of Christ?
Ryan
- Please pray for Lucy as she is entering a new specialty - Nephrology - for the cystitis symptoms she's been having (UTI, pain in kidneys, similar to my IC symptoms, we believe).
- Pray for Henry as he continues to be in a PANDAS flare, this time with OCD symptoms, severe separation anxiety (can't go into a room by himself), and a severe fear of going to school
- Pray for Conner as he finishes out the 6th grade; pray for special surprises to come his way; for him to feel loved and exalted (NOT left-out or forgotten).
- Pray for Mike as he had his pink cast taken off today. He is now in a walking boot and has many strict instructions to follow in order for healing to occur.
I struggle with many of the same feelings. It seems like time is measured from crisis to crisis, and if life is not burning to the ground, then I feel negligent if I'm not spending all my time filling water buckets back up. My neck and back hurt from tension, and it's hard to shake the feelings of impending doom. And it's isolating. I was always the kind of guy to give the shirt off his back, the person you could call in the middle of the night, and the one that you could count on through good times and bad. I don't have that luxury anymore, and sometimes I feel guilty when others take on that roll in my life, because I feel undeserving if I can't give much back.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad I stumbled on your blog today, because it made me feel not so alone, that perhaps it's a perfectly normal response to extraordinary circumstance, and not a failure on my part....
Randy Croft