growing pains

We may never understand why bad, bad, painful things happen in this life. Well, I think I know, but it doesn’t give me relief during the times of suffering. I’m sure I’ve said on here a million times, and I stick to my guns in the belief we must go through hard times to really trust on, depend on, and have an authentic faith. There are scriptures that say this, that’s how I know it’s true. Unfortunately, all I can think of now it word like crushed, press, poured out, potters hand, not abandoned, molded, trials, suffering, endurance, race etc. etc. All those make up several scriptures explaining the fact we are being molded, by the potters hand. And sometimes it hurts. Couple that with the fact there is sin thanks to good old’ Adam and Eve and we’ve got a toxic combo for pain and suffering.

Oh here’s one   James 1:2 –   Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds,  because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.

How in the heck am I supposed to “Consider it pure joy?” This is something I didn’t really get until this year. And at one point I thought I had almost mastered this concept. I felt like even at the worst pain was manageble, and I knew it wouldn’t last. I relied on God to guide me through it. But here I am again struggling with this concept and wishing I could make it all stop and fix things myself.

I still remember my youngest brother waking up in the night thrashing and screaming out that his legs hurt---growing pains--- and I still remember the way it felt as my stomach stretched to accommodate my boys in each pregnancy. Not a whole lot of fun.

But for me spiritual and emotional growing pains seem way harder, I wish it if it had to happen it could at least me a little less painful, maybe a  degree less. We know our actions have consequences, but how often do people think of the weight of these consequences. So many of them are lifelong. It is hard to bear them for yourself and even ahrder to see a loved one going through the consequences of their actions.

I find peace in the fact the God of the universe cares so much about the sparrow, and so much more for us.

Speaking of growing…

My boys are growing everyday

and making me smile

They most definitely have the "Power To Eat" Thanks Japan for your honest t-shirt sayings. They make me laugh.