when things don't make sense.
I'm sitting here staring at a blinking cursor.
{blink. blink..........blink.}
It's hypnotic.
{blink. blink.}
My mind is spinning, yet there are no words. Ever have one of those days? One of those weeks? You feel suffocated - like you could burst - and the tears could start pouring out at any moment if you let them? Things simply do not make sense.
We were made for another world, and this is one of those times where that fact is so crystal clear to me. And, it makes my longing for that world even greater. It's been an interesting week, for sure. I have had some pretty heavy conversations with my boys this week - about real life things - things you don't want to tell your kids about - things you want to shelter them from, because you wish they weren't so - but they are real, nonetheless.
In light of Billy Graham's birthday this week and his nationwide "My Hope" videos, I was sharing some of what I saw with the boys. {I'm still debating whether or not everything in the video is age appropriate, so I figured I'd start with just telling them about it.} If you haven't seen it, in one of the videos, "Defining Moments", there are three individuals telling their stories of how they came to Christ. One story in particular really hit me - the story of Jim Munroe, an illusionist that battled cancer and a bone marrow transplant.
This is the perfect illustration of what Christ actually did for us to save our lives. I knew it would resonate with the boys, because they're so fascinated with science and DNA. But what struck me the most was this --
As we were talking, the boys thought the story was super cool. The not so cool part was talking about cancer. The big C word. They had never heard of it, and of course, as the questions continued, they realized that it is a scary and very real thing. I even explained that this is how my grandmother, their great-grandmother, died. The first thing out of Eli's mouth after processing this information? "Why did Adam and Eve have to SIN??"
I found that pretty intuitive for a five year old. Exactly, kid. He already realizes that all things bad are a result of the fall and our sin nature. It is sad. Of course, there is hope. But that doesn't replace the fact that we live in a fallen world, with real life problems. Even though we are Christians and have an eternal hope, that doesn't mean that life is easy. Or fair. Or just.
And, there are some things that we will never understand. We don't have control.... over anything - even though I so often wish I did. Or, I'll wish that I had better understanding. But, when it comes down to it, my finite mind simply doesn't get it. It can't get it. God is still God, no matter my current circumstances. I do have to trust. I do have to hope. I do have to surrender... continually.
{blink. blink..........blink.}
It's hypnotic.
{blink. blink.}
My mind is spinning, yet there are no words. Ever have one of those days? One of those weeks? You feel suffocated - like you could burst - and the tears could start pouring out at any moment if you let them? Things simply do not make sense.
C.S. Lewis said, “If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world.”
We were made for another world, and this is one of those times where that fact is so crystal clear to me. And, it makes my longing for that world even greater. It's been an interesting week, for sure. I have had some pretty heavy conversations with my boys this week - about real life things - things you don't want to tell your kids about - things you want to shelter them from, because you wish they weren't so - but they are real, nonetheless.
In light of Billy Graham's birthday this week and his nationwide "My Hope" videos, I was sharing some of what I saw with the boys. {I'm still debating whether or not everything in the video is age appropriate, so I figured I'd start with just telling them about it.} If you haven't seen it, in one of the videos, "Defining Moments", there are three individuals telling their stories of how they came to Christ. One story in particular really hit me - the story of Jim Munroe, an illusionist that battled cancer and a bone marrow transplant.
"When someone receives a bone marrow transplant, they also receive cells called hematocytoblasts. These cells sometimes develop into rubriblasts, which then turn into red blood cells. This transplant also let's them produce white blood cells and platelets. Hence, when someone receives a bone marrow transplant, they also receive the building blocks to make blood." This means, he had someone else's DNA running through his blood. It was required to save his life.
This is the perfect illustration of what Christ actually did for us to save our lives. I knew it would resonate with the boys, because they're so fascinated with science and DNA. But what struck me the most was this --
As we were talking, the boys thought the story was super cool. The not so cool part was talking about cancer. The big C word. They had never heard of it, and of course, as the questions continued, they realized that it is a scary and very real thing. I even explained that this is how my grandmother, their great-grandmother, died. The first thing out of Eli's mouth after processing this information? "Why did Adam and Eve have to SIN??"
I found that pretty intuitive for a five year old. Exactly, kid. He already realizes that all things bad are a result of the fall and our sin nature. It is sad. Of course, there is hope. But that doesn't replace the fact that we live in a fallen world, with real life problems. Even though we are Christians and have an eternal hope, that doesn't mean that life is easy. Or fair. Or just.
And, there are some things that we will never understand. We don't have control.... over anything - even though I so often wish I did. Or, I'll wish that I had better understanding. But, when it comes down to it, my finite mind simply doesn't get it. It can't get it. God is still God, no matter my current circumstances. I do have to trust. I do have to hope. I do have to surrender... continually.
"Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." 2 Corinthians 4:16-18
I may not have all the answers. I may feel hurt. I may feel sad... angry... broken... {the list goes on...}
BUT, I do have hope.
"And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us." Romans 5:2-5
 |
| Someone decided he was a really big boy. |
 |
| Weeeeelll, he still may need his naps, though. |
 |
| This was what I came home to the other night after a photo shoot. Little Mister may have eaten THREE tootsie pops in TWO hours. How many licks does it take to get to the center of a tootsie pop? I sure don't know, but I'll bet he does! |
 |
| The best way to work. |
 |
| He found some friends. |
 |
| Typical #reallife photo. Xbox and trucks - Yup! It's a house of boys. |
 |
| We have our school Christmas photos coming up next week. I needed some "test subjects". I mean, what better subjects are there?? ;) |
0 Comments