Refusing to Drown

With my home internet down, I decided to snatch a few minutes of my lunch break to post a little something on my much-neglected blog.

I’ve noticed this week, in trying to catch up on some of the blogs that I read, that there’s a common theme among many of the posts. There’s some rough stuff going on in peoples’ lives right now. I can’t think of anybody, off the top of my head, that isn’t going through something right now that’s taxing them in some way. I can’t help but think of the analogy I wrote about a while back about how life is sometimes like walking into the ocean. The undertow is so strong, you can’t stand. And the waves are breaking in your face. You may fight it for a while, blinking and choking against the water.  But eventually, you have to crawl back up the sand to your towel to collapse before you drown.

That’s where I am right now. I’m huddled on my towel. Is anyone else with me?

Today’s a pretty good day. I’ve caught my breath a little and picked the seaweed out of my teeth. But eventually, I’m going to face the undertow and the waves again. That’s just the nature of the world we live in.

The last several weeks have been a battle for me. It seems like every day brings a new, insurmountable challenge. I’ve gone through a major financial upheaval, a major crisis at work, a major surgery and sickness in my immediate family. And I’ve gone through the small, annoying issues, too. Gas prices that are too high, deadlines that get moved, internet routers that die with no warning. But every time I think I’ve certainly reached my breaking point, somehow, I find the strength to keep walking into the waves.

I’m sure I’ve mentioned here before that music is one of my escape hatches in life. Since it seems that many of us are in need of an escape hatch right now, I thought I’d share a couple of mine with you.

Blessings

By Laura Story

(click to listen/view)

We pray for blessings
We pray for peace
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep
We pray for healing, for prosperity
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering
All the while, You hear each spoken need
Yet love is way too much to give us lesser things

(Chorus)
‘Cause what if your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You’re near
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise

We pray for wisdom
Your voice to hear
We cry in anger when we cannot feel You near
We doubt your goodness, we doubt your love
As if every promise from Your Word is not enough
And all the while, You hear each desperate plea
And long that we’d have faith to believe

Chorus

When friends betray us
When darkness seems to win
We know the pain reminds this heart
That this is not, this is not our home

Chorus

What if my greatest disappointments
Or the aching of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can’t satisfy
What if trials of this life
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights
Are your mercies in disguise

No Matter What

By Kerrie Roberts

(click to listen/ view)

I’m running back to Your promises one more time
Lord, that’s all I can hold on to
I’ve gotta say this has taken me by surprise
But nothing surprises You

Before a heartache can ever touch my life
It has to go through Your hands
And even though I, I keep asking why, I keep asking why

No matter what, I’m gonna love You
No matter what, I’m gonna need You
I know that You can find a way to keep me from the pain
But if not, if not, I’ll trust You
No matter what
No matter what

When I’m stuck in this nothingness by myself
I’m just sitting in silence
There’s no way I can make it without Your help
I won’t even try it

I know You have Your reasons for everything
So I will keep believing
Whatever I might be feeling
God, You are my hope, and You’ll be my strength

Anything I don’t have, You can give it to me
But it’s ok if You don’t
I’m not here for those things
The touch of Your love is enough on its own

No matter what, I still love You
And I’m gonna need You

So, I don’t have all of the answers to all of my trials… or all of yours… but I know The One Who Is The Answer. Until you find your answers, just refuse to drown! Remember to keep your mouth closed and hold your breath when the waves come. And your towel isn’t too far from you. Sometimes, you have to come out of the water and rest on it.

And a note for those of you that have been following the weekly book discussion: Next Wednesday, I’ll post a two-fer on this past week’s chapter and next week’s chapter. Thanks for understanding!