The year got off to an inauspicious beginning for me, but suddenly this week things are happening. First of all I’ve rejoined the land of the living. After more than two weeks of being isolated in my back bedroom with bronchitis so that I wouldn’t get Bob or Robbie sick, it felt good to be able to come out and sit down next to Robbie and play with him. He couldn’t understand why Mommy had disappeared from his life – again – only to appear across the room once and a while for a moment and croak out a “Hi, Robbie” as I passed through to the kitchen. He’s happy to have Mama back. Bob’s happy to have Mama back cooking and washing dishes, too. I must say, he took very good care of house, son and wife while I was sick.
It feels good to be back at my computer, too. I hated missing out on my blog the last couple weeks. You know I’m really sick when I can’t even write! I’ve got three big writing projects to work on this week besides the blog, so that should keep me happy and very busy!
I finally felt well enough to take down my Christmas decorations, too. I felt sad every time I walked past the tree the last couple weeks. I keep the tree lit day and night when I’m around. The lights are so cheerful and festive, in my opinion. Bob’s not as emotionally invested in it, though, I guess, and wants to save electricity, so while I was quarantined the tree sat dark and forgotten most of the time. It was time to take it, and everything else down. *Sigh.* It’s always a little sad to pack it all away for another year, but on the other hand, it’s nice to have the house and life returning to “normal.”
Life for us is returning to normal in another way, also. Bob got a job this week after three and a half months of unemployment. It means he will be traveling a lot, but when he isn’t traveling he’ll be working from home and his schedule will be more or less his own. That will become our new “norm,” I guess. We are praising the Lord and asking God to bless his new endeavor with success. One thing I know about Bob – wherever he is or whatever he is doing, he never misses an opportunity to minister to those around him or give a testimony. It will be interesting to see how the Lord uses him now.
We are doing something a little out of the norm this week. We are leaving on Friday to go down to Alabama to visit Julie and David and kids. Bob has to be in Atlanta for a trade show the following week so, since they live only 150 miles from Atlanta, he will leave Robbie and me there while he’s working and then come back for us. We plan to celebrate Robbie’s and Benjamin’s birthdays a week early while we are down there. Fun!
For the most part, though, life for us gets back to normal and, though parts of it may be different, we expect to continue on in 2010 in much the same way that we did in 2009. Little surprises or fun things, like our trip to Alabama, are nice to anticipate and enjoy from time to time, but for the most part we like the routine. “Uneventful” is fine with me. “Boring” can even be good when you consider some alternatives. We all know that life can change in a split instant. We can make our plans and schedules and itineraries but when we get up each morning, who knows what that day will bring forth?
Last Tuesday when the people of Haiti began the day they had no idea their entire world was about to change. Life for them, which was incredibly hard to begin with, was about to become a thousand times more difficult, if it did not end altogether. Life for them will never be “normal” again – or at least there will be a new normal. The new normal for many weeks, months and perhaps even years to come will be trying to cope with the death, destruction, devastation and despair the earthquake left behind. We can only pray that from it many will turn to the Lord for strength and comfort and that eventually, as they rebuild, the result will be better than what they had before.
It only takes an instant for our world to change, perhaps even to crumble. When it happens – not if it happens, for one way or another we will be touched by change – will we crumble along with it? Are our foundations strong enough, our roots deep enough, to withstand the earthquakes of life? We sometimes go through life waiting for the other shoe to drop and fearful of that day when life will no longer be normal and we will be faced with the unexpected, the unthinkable, the unknown. Are we prepared?
A big part of the problem in Haiti was the poor construction of the buildings and infrastructure in the earthquake-stricken areas. If our lives have weak foundations we will be hard-pressed to withstand the major trials and changes of life.
Jesus said that He is the foundation upon whom we ought to build our lives. Luke 6: 47-48 says, “Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like: He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.” When we have given our lives to Him, and truly trust Him to do what is best for us, we can live our lives without fear now and face with peace and hope whatever comes in the future.
I cannot imagine going through what those poor Haitians are going through – to lose my family, friends, home, livelihood, world, all in one fell swoop. To sit by my little child’s side as she suffers terrible injuries and have no help coming. To watch my children cry from hunger, thirst and pain and have no idea where or how to supply their needs. When and if I ever have to face such a terrible calamity as this, I pray my faith would remain strong. Whether it wavers or not, though, I know this one thing, He is faithful and will never leave me or forsake me.
Who knows what a day will bring forth? God knows. We can choose to look forward to the future with expectancy and hope, as my husband likes to say, or we can live fearfully, afraid of whatever will rock our world. I like life at “normal,” but when it goes off-balance or crumbles altogether may my foundation hold.
It feels good to be back at my computer, too. I hated missing out on my blog the last couple weeks. You know I’m really sick when I can’t even write! I’ve got three big writing projects to work on this week besides the blog, so that should keep me happy and very busy!
I finally felt well enough to take down my Christmas decorations, too. I felt sad every time I walked past the tree the last couple weeks. I keep the tree lit day and night when I’m around. The lights are so cheerful and festive, in my opinion. Bob’s not as emotionally invested in it, though, I guess, and wants to save electricity, so while I was quarantined the tree sat dark and forgotten most of the time. It was time to take it, and everything else down. *Sigh.* It’s always a little sad to pack it all away for another year, but on the other hand, it’s nice to have the house and life returning to “normal.”
Life for us is returning to normal in another way, also. Bob got a job this week after three and a half months of unemployment. It means he will be traveling a lot, but when he isn’t traveling he’ll be working from home and his schedule will be more or less his own. That will become our new “norm,” I guess. We are praising the Lord and asking God to bless his new endeavor with success. One thing I know about Bob – wherever he is or whatever he is doing, he never misses an opportunity to minister to those around him or give a testimony. It will be interesting to see how the Lord uses him now.
We are doing something a little out of the norm this week. We are leaving on Friday to go down to Alabama to visit Julie and David and kids. Bob has to be in Atlanta for a trade show the following week so, since they live only 150 miles from Atlanta, he will leave Robbie and me there while he’s working and then come back for us. We plan to celebrate Robbie’s and Benjamin’s birthdays a week early while we are down there. Fun!
For the most part, though, life for us gets back to normal and, though parts of it may be different, we expect to continue on in 2010 in much the same way that we did in 2009. Little surprises or fun things, like our trip to Alabama, are nice to anticipate and enjoy from time to time, but for the most part we like the routine. “Uneventful” is fine with me. “Boring” can even be good when you consider some alternatives. We all know that life can change in a split instant. We can make our plans and schedules and itineraries but when we get up each morning, who knows what that day will bring forth?
Last Tuesday when the people of Haiti began the day they had no idea their entire world was about to change. Life for them, which was incredibly hard to begin with, was about to become a thousand times more difficult, if it did not end altogether. Life for them will never be “normal” again – or at least there will be a new normal. The new normal for many weeks, months and perhaps even years to come will be trying to cope with the death, destruction, devastation and despair the earthquake left behind. We can only pray that from it many will turn to the Lord for strength and comfort and that eventually, as they rebuild, the result will be better than what they had before.
It only takes an instant for our world to change, perhaps even to crumble. When it happens – not if it happens, for one way or another we will be touched by change – will we crumble along with it? Are our foundations strong enough, our roots deep enough, to withstand the earthquakes of life? We sometimes go through life waiting for the other shoe to drop and fearful of that day when life will no longer be normal and we will be faced with the unexpected, the unthinkable, the unknown. Are we prepared?
A big part of the problem in Haiti was the poor construction of the buildings and infrastructure in the earthquake-stricken areas. If our lives have weak foundations we will be hard-pressed to withstand the major trials and changes of life.
Jesus said that He is the foundation upon whom we ought to build our lives. Luke 6: 47-48 says, “Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like: He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.” When we have given our lives to Him, and truly trust Him to do what is best for us, we can live our lives without fear now and face with peace and hope whatever comes in the future.
I cannot imagine going through what those poor Haitians are going through – to lose my family, friends, home, livelihood, world, all in one fell swoop. To sit by my little child’s side as she suffers terrible injuries and have no help coming. To watch my children cry from hunger, thirst and pain and have no idea where or how to supply their needs. When and if I ever have to face such a terrible calamity as this, I pray my faith would remain strong. Whether it wavers or not, though, I know this one thing, He is faithful and will never leave me or forsake me.
Who knows what a day will bring forth? God knows. We can choose to look forward to the future with expectancy and hope, as my husband likes to say, or we can live fearfully, afraid of whatever will rock our world. I like life at “normal,” but when it goes off-balance or crumbles altogether may my foundation hold.
Welcome back, Cindy! I have missed your blog entries. I am glad you are better and I am glad that Bob has found employment.
ReplyDeleteI like "normal", too, and my mantra through the years has been "boring is good" (like you said, when you consider some of the alternatives) so it's nice to know someone else agrees!
Thanks for your comments on our foundation being in Christ. It is comforting to know that He knows what the future holds, and whatever it is He will use it for our good and His glory.