Our writers' group once assigned--
"Something Learned from a Hardship"
My first thoughts were --
I've had an easy life;
I have nothing to write about.
the following morning, I came up with some personal hardships: enough to fill a page. I'll mention a few:
*When growing up on our family farm, a brother gave permission to a friend of his to ride my new paid-for-by-me bike. It came back dusty, twisted, dented.
*A high school coach with killer workouts, and my mother protesting that I would not be able to have children because of them.
*A college freshman history course with a failed first test.
*My first year of teaching and the terror I felt for weeks.
. . . and, of course, . . .
*Marriage and children were a mixed basket of trials and blessings including the occasional worry of not being able to pay the bills. There were car accidents, a child who traveled to Africa (alone), another who had allergic reaction while far from home (alone), relationship issues, etc.
*And then later in life, diagnoses of autoimmune diseases for both my husband and me....
You get the picture. What was I thinking?
Truth be known is that when our darkness is real, it becomes a place for growth and an ah-ah moment or two. We each suffer from broken-ness in the little and big things of life--no matter our age. It seems that when I'm down and out, this is the time, I really start to figure things out. Our little lives are part of the big world. God's world. His determined love works in every situation and relationship. Allow God to heal your heart and keep on the journey. It's your journey designed for you. By Him. Honor it.
He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.
Psalm 147:3
