Disclaimer: Serious post here. Well at least most of it anyway. I can't promise that there won't be a LITTLE sarcasm strewn throughout. That's just silly. I've been thinking a lot this week about the hurt and pain going on in the world with the horrors that we've all seen through images on the news regarding Haiti. No one prepares you when you come out of college and the "life is all about me" mode for the fact that life and circumstances just sometimes, well flat out suck. I don't know about you, but sometimes it makes me wonder why our loving holy omnipotent Father would allow terrible things like this to happen. And a lot of the time, happen to really good people. Sweet innocent babies never making it past their mother's womb, massive earthquakes hitting an already impoverished and needy country, pastors doing work for the Lord being struck by heart attacks or cancer. But the Lord doesn't MAKE or cause these things happen. He is waiting with open arms when they do. They are a reflection of sin in a broken and bruised world. A sin that the Lord has so much hatred for that He sent His one and only Son to rid us of it. To wash us clean and white. So that, in the midst of that sin and calamity striking our lives we have someone to run to. To cling to. To rest in. Natalie Grant sings an amazing song called "Held". Really, all her songs are amazing. If you have the chance, listen to Held as well as "The Real Me". She really sings straight to women's hearts. The song speaks of heart breaking occurances that make you ask the question of "why" like I spoke of above. The chorus is as follows:
This is what it means to be held
How it feels, when the sacred is torn from your life
And you survive
This is what it is to be loved and to know
That the promise was when everything fell
We'd be held
And that's what I cling to. Anytime the world is hurting. Anytime I, in my personal life am hurting. Or anytime I have a loved one that is faced with a situation that is just too devastating to bear. We weren't promised perfection. Or even tomorrow. But we were promised that we'd be held. By our Maker. By our Father. Who knows every emotion that comes from these pains. He lived a human life and hung on a cross, so that He could bear ALL our sin, that we would never have to.
At the SAME time I've been thinking about ...
(in case you didn't catch that ...) JOY (I know, complete opposite ends of the spectrum, huh?) With this promise. The promise of a better place after we leave this life. The promise of being bought by the blood of our Lord. The promise of being held in unspeakable circumstances. Comes JOY. Unspeakable joy. And I'm not just talking about a "giddy, non-chalant, everything's perfect, Prozac kind-of-a joy" I'm talking one that abounds even in the midst of the life-shakers that I spoke of above. Psalm 40:16 says "Let all who seek you rejoice and be glad in You; let those who love Your salvation say continually, the Lord be magnified!" I am guilty of letting other people's circumstances and misfortunes, saddening things going on in the world, and even things as stupid as frustrations at work, ROB me of my joy! WHAT?!? Why on EARTH would I allow such small things, like ahem, TRAFFIC ... or, ahem, rude people (can I get an amen here?), steal my joy away! When His Word tells us "You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth (I'm going to translate this into today's lingo, flippin' ugly clothes and/or trash bag) and clothed me with joy" Psalm 30:11. CLOTHED me with joy? How awesome is that? That trumps even a designer outfit from head to toe! And yet I let daily irritants get in the way of this promise. And that is why, on my work screensaver (that comes on far too often and I CAN'T MAKE IT STOP) I have changed the scrolled words to read "Choose Joy". And I am making that my choice. Every day. So that hopefully, someone will see the joy in me and it will cause it to well up in others. Hopefully that is what this has done today for you. And speaking of joy, these are a few little things that remind me of my joy. Have a JOYOUS day loves!!!
(OLD picture from an OLD camera phone ...)
I just love you, and I just love this post! Yes, it may be serious, but it is absolutely fabulous...and something that we all (or at least I) need to be reminded of each and every day! Like so many people, I often find myself asking why. As in, why did God cause this to happen? Why didn't God stop this from happening? and so on and so forth. But you are totally right, and thank you for reminding me that I need to focus more on the JOY in my life. I really do have so many things to be joyous about (such as all day long email fests with you when I should be working)! I have a great life and wonderful friends and family. Even though it's easy for me to get consumed with the negative things that are going on (like the mean lady at PB kids hinting that I may be preggers), I am going to try to make the conscious decision to step back and focus on all the things I have to be happy about! :)
ReplyDeleteThe tragedy in Haiti is definitely something that we all have to think about - in terms of recognizing the horror and pain and knowing that we are so very fortunate to be living in a country where something so sad could not occur in such a way. Thanks for posting on this =0)
ReplyDeleteP.S. GO BUY THAT SIGN! =0)
What a great post.. thanks for reminding me that I too Need to Choose "JOY" everyday, sometimes I let the littlest things get me down.... we have so much to be thankful for...I am praying for Haiti, It is so devastating.. I could cry my eyes out everytime I watch it on TV...
ReplyDeletehave a great day sweetie and thanks for following!!!
Thank you for the joyful reminder, I need one from time to time. It's easy to get caught up in our own lives when there are people that are in need everywhere. Loved the pics, especially the last one...looks like one of my baby girls!
ReplyDeleteWHat a great post girl!!!
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