Loose Ends

I like to read. I like TV mystery shows. I like movies. Part of the reason I like these things is that there is normally a beginning, middle and end. By the time the book is read, the show is over or the lights come on, I usually know how things turned out.  Good or bad, at least I know.

I was having a conversation with my husband about some people we knew from work. We have not seen them in a long time. It seems odd that for so long you spend most of the days and weeks with these people. Then circumstances and jobs change. We move on. We lose touch and don't keep in contact as much as we'd like.

I think of workers/volunteers at a pregnancy resource center. A girl comes in, possibly considering abortion. She gets all the information and leaves without making a decision. She may or may not be back. The workers have to realize that they may not know how it turns out. Yet they come back the next day and do it all over again.

Recently, I have had some situations where I didn't get to hear the end of the story. It's frustrating! It seems so....unfinished. (And I'm a procrastinator princess so I am familiar with unfinished!) It is overwhelming to think that this is just ONE situation or ONE person...there could be many others with similar issues.

However, we can't let the frustration of not knowing how something will turn out keep us from getting involved. If you see something that doesn't look right, don't be afraid to get involved.

 

“To the world you may be just one person, but to one person you may be the world."  

      Brandi Snyder/Heather Cortez (depending where you look!?!?!)

Sometimes we have to trust that God brought us across someone's life journey, we do what we can and trust the next person to complete the mission.

We may have many loose ends in this life. There will come a day though when all will be made clear. No more questions and we'll know how the story ends.

Revelation 1:1-3 (NIV) The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who testifies to everything he saw—that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.

Love....from a distance.....at least for now

Have you ever been around someone that is hurting? You just want to offer a hug, a listening ear and ask what you can do to help soothe the hurt. Sometimes you do. Sometimes the person is receptive. Sometimes not. What if the person hurting is someone you love? It is difficult to watch someone we love hurt, especially when he/she does not want or is not ready for us to do what we can to heal the hurt...even if it is to just listen.

Why is it we usually end up hurting those we love the most? Those that are closest to us? It would be easy to say it's because our homes can be the safest place to vent.....especially if trying to hold it together all day in the "real world". That can be true...up to a point. However, it is also an excuse. It is an excuse because we can feel like our family should love us regardless of our attitude. Most of the time, they do.

There are days though when the last thing you want to do is have to make one more effort. So sometimes we don't. Sometimes we make more of an effort to pray over a struggling relationship. In the meantime, we wait and maintain our distance....for now. We look for opportunities to let them know we still care and are there for them no matter what even if they can't or won't see that right now.

Depression can be part of the equation. Depression puts blinders on us so we see only what is right in front of us and that looks overwhelming and huge and it will never end. Depression messes with and intensifies the negative emotions so much that it is difficult to reach out to anyone. It seems easier to retreat. For a little while, it might be. However, when it becomes weeks and months instead of just days...it is time to bridge the distance and get some help for yourself or the one that is so loved, but feels unlovable.

There is a lot of good info at this site about depression and other "health challenges". There is also an "emotional skills toolkit" that is worth checking out.  HELPGUIDE.ORG

“Making the decision to have a child is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body.” Elizabeth Stone

John 3:16-17 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

I believe that God loves us from a distance as well....at first. He watches as we struggle and try and do life on our own just muddling through. He looks for opportunities to let us know He still cares and is there for us no matter what even if we can't or won't see that right now. He waits until there comes a day when we are willing to bridge that distance that has come between Him and us. He offers to listen to us and welcome us back to the love that has always been there.

Teenage Butterfly

Teenage Butterfly

Wrapped in a cocoon of childhood

Life is about to change

Parts begin to rearrange

Life is weird – all so strange

All this changing seems so slow

One wing breaks free

And then there’s two

Need to stay, but want to go

Beauty unfolds

And takes flight

1 Timothy 4:12 (NIV) Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.

(The Message) And don't let anyone put you down because you're young. Teach believers with your life: by word, by demeanor, by love, by faith, by integrity.

There's a song that says breaking up is hard to do.....growing up is hard too. I am coming to grips with the fact that I as a parent have to change along with my kids as they grow up. I thought I was done "growing up". However, the more I think about it....I'm not sure any of us is ever done. Different stages maybe, but each one involves growth and growing. I think that's why I started thinking about butterflies....and teenagers. Males and  females go through SO many changes those teen years. It really is a metamorphosis. 

As parents, we are blessed to be able to accompany our kids on this journey. As our kids strive for their independence there will be friction. There will be days you will wish they would stay in their cocoon - safe in your house where you feel you can protect them. There will be days you will watch them struggle to break free. There will be days when you will see those wings...knowing what is to come. There will be a day when you will see them soar.....there may be tears, but you will smile.  

Water and Fire and Problems/Blessings

We have had lots of issues lately and previously involving water. Rental house with leaky pipe, another where sump pump didn't function correctly = ugh. There has also been much flooding in many areas. Lots of photos of water much higher than it should be.

So I had started thinking about how some things, in moderation....or controlled, are good. However, left unchecked and too much? Bad, sometimes VERY bad.

Water and fire were two that immediately came to mind.

Water, controlled by the tides, controlled by a faucet, running through pipes and available on demand is an awesome thing. Water cools us off and hydrates us.
However, water not controlled means flooding, leaks, and ruined stuff.  Things left wet get wrecked very quickly. No water is damaging as well (little pun, there). Sometimes the cost to get water is prohibitive.

Fire, when contained properly is good for heat and cooking. However, fire out of control burns buildings, fields, forests and pretty much anything it comes into contact with.

And then, I'm reading a book that refers to Isaiah 43 (NIV), hence my confirmation that now is the time to write.

 ¹ But now, this is what the LORD says—
   he who created you, Jacob,
   he who formed you, Israel:
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
   I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
² When you pass through the waters,
   I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
   they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
   you will not be burned;
   the flames will not set you ablaze.

Problems can seem like water and fire. I guess if we could control our "problems", they wouldn't be a problem. Problems can be opportunities though. A chance to let God remind us that He is still in control even when we least feel like it.

Many times we feel overwhelmed when in the middle of our own flood, fire or problem. It is hard to see problems as blessings. It is hard to see through our own issues that there are people dealing with their own water and fires at the same time. Hopefully, though, the water recedes, the fire cools off and our problem is solved. Often, the solution will not be one we had thought of. Sometimes what we go through helps somebody else in ways we can't even imagine.

Control what we can and give the rest to God. He promises us that we are not alone and we are His.

The Flags - A 9/11 Memorial....10 years later

“A song of ascents. I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.” Psalm 121:1-2 NIV

I have a tendency to remove myself from things that make me uncomfortable. On September 11, 2001, I was at work. I heard some of the AM news. I called my husband and he watched on TV and later told me more. Co-workers went to watch the TV to see what was going on. I stayed at my desk. The events sounded bad, I couldn't make myself watch....and I worked. Even later on in the night, I only halfheartedly paid attention to what was going on. Even the little bit I saw overwhelmed me with sadness. I saw church attendance and blood donations go up. I saw people being more kind and considerate to each other. It did feel like the world was ending and where would we go from here?

Then....days, weeks, months and years passed. Every September 11, more flags would appear. Patriotism would surge and then, it seemed, back to normal.

Now...it's been 10 years. When all the attention came up for the 10th Anniversary, I was not sure what I would feel. I'm proud to be an American, I know that for sure. September 10, 2011: I heard about The Flags that would be at Canonsburg Ski Area over the 9/11/11 weekend. I was going to be out that way anyway so kind of as a last minute thing I stopped by there with my 3 nephews. I found out it was called "The Healing Field". There was a large flag on a crane at the entrance. Then we saw the hill and I heard gasps and "That's a lot of flags!" from the back seat.

We went to the hill and they took off racing up. I wanted to tell them to calm down because it was a memorial. However, they're young and they were excited. I admired the precision of the rows. There is a tag attached to each flag portraying the age, location where attacked and a brief story of each person that died that day on September 11, 2001. My nephews weren't even born then.

We walked up the hill, past the flags and looked back down. I took their picture in front of some of the flags. One nephew grabbed my hand as we walked back down. I showed him some of the tags. He started telling me some of the ages. I choked back a tear and said a prayer for the people and families represented by each flag. As we neared the bottom, he told me thank you for bringing him there and for spending the day with him....and "I love you".

It took a field of flags and a 7 year old to remind me that avoiding what is uncomfortable allows evil to win. Enjoying each moment we're given and saying I Love You is HOPE for a better tomorrow.

God bless America!

¤*¨¨*¤.¸¸ ...¸.¤\
\ 9/11 AMERICA \
.\¸.¤*¨¨*¤ .¸¸.¸.¤*
..\
☻/
/▌
/ \ UNITED WE STAND . . . NEVER FORGET !  (Not sure who made this, but quite awesome)

The flags come down Tuesday AM. There is no cost. Donations are accepted. If you have time, it is definitely worth going. Some more info from GR Press and MLive (their pics are better!)  The Healing Field