I admit it; I used to watch Soap Operas back in the day. I had 3 back operations in an 18 month period and after a while, books and magazines stopped cutting it for me.
So my favorite at one time was General Hospital (Luke & Laura for anyone trying to remember) but I would love the jingle of Days Of Our Lives.
Remember this: “Like Sands In The Hour Glass-So These Are The Days Of Our Lives”.
I got over it….last week….relax…… many moons ago but as I was thinking about that jingle, so much of what we are dealing with seems like sand in our hands.
It’s hard to stand on sand without it shifting much less having it in our hands and trying to hold on to it tight and see it crystal by crystal leave our hands.
And so it is in this time we are living in that it’s hard to count on too many things.
From lockdowns and the seemingly never ending different messaging, the missing of people in the ways we usually connect to others, walking with those who are hurting, the undercurrent of our elected officials continuing the move the goalposts of when this is supposed to cease or at the very least subside, all of this time makes for the feeling of control being lost.
While I’m for the most part easy going, I need to know things. I need to see things make sense and it is very frustrating when things don’t make sense and methods continually being used produce the same results.
Yet, in many cases, there’s not a whole lot we can do because even though many decisions that affect us come from without, those same decisions have reverberating effects on the inside.
But there must be a way to handle these moments so this Forward Friday is about handling life when it seems like we have little or no control.
Let’s Get Into This:
I read this line the other day which makes me long for the days when we can be connected the way we have always been without reservation or restrictions…
Many of the best moments we’ll experience are face to face.
We long for experiences that create meaningful connections.
So what do we do in the meantime to help us walk through this part of the journey that is rocky and unsmooth?
Help Somebody
When we focus on someone else’s emotional or physical needs instead of dwelling on what has happened to us, we can begin to become too busy to think about what happened to us, and many times, we can feel a sense of accomplishment instead of hopelessness.
Help could look like so many things we can do: helping a co-worker who is struggling with a project, a family member/friend in need of a listening ear, a neighbor who could use your help around the house/apt, maybe a stranger in need of some sort but something to help us take our eyes off us. It does make a difference.
Life Is Fragile: It Could Be A Reminder To Keep The Important Things The Important Things
It is so easy to take life and people we love for granted. When something shakes up our world, it might just be the reminder we need to appreciate everyone, including ourselves.
It is easy to think there are more important things to do rather than spend time with our loved ones/friends.
In the past, we seemed to not have time to go for a walk or sit together and talk. Life can be busy but life is fragile and sometimes, life will upend us……
It will be always how we frame what is taking place that will move us forward or stunt our growth.
And what about for us? When was the last time we took even a few minutes just for us? There’s always tomorrow, right? When crazy event happens, I am trying to learn to be grateful for the reminder that we “Must” take the time for the people/things that matter to us, including ourselves.
Twists In The Adventure
While I like to know what’s going on and happening, there's a lot of life moments where we don't know what might happen next.
Maybe it could be to look at life’s twists as an adventure and thinking of the twists as such could suggest that we don't have to be a victim. We can regain some measures of stability and can be better prepared to find ways to get through it.
Maybe We Can Grow Through The Experience
I hate thinking this way sometimes because some of the lessons can really hurt but many times looking back, much was learned through the process.
Every experience is a life lesson. We get wiser, emotionally stronger, and perhaps have some newfound knowledge we didn’t know before. Maybe it even sharpens us and makes us better after the experience.
My catering sideline, refereeing, even this blogging all came out of situations where I had no control and had to make some decisions on moving forward in different areas of my life. It hurt in the moment but there have been benefits that have helped me now into the present.
Good Medicine
As humans, we like to think we can control everything. Even when we can't, we still like to try. No one likes to lose control of anything, but we can't handle everything, and we can if we choose to turn it over to God and let Him handle it.
It wasn’t all that long ago, I got into my car and felt like I couldn’t breathe. Even though the key was in the ignition—I didn’t want to start the car—I just wanted to breathe.
The frustrations of the pandemic, other things in life felt like I was just spiraling into a state of turbulence and unrest.
Work was intense, listening and watching what our officials were saying and doing that didn’t make sense, the curfews that had us in a free, civilized society locked down in our homes, the feeling that I had little or no control over much of anything and I just wanted to breathe………
Maybe it’s just me but sometimes…. That’s how life spins sometimes and I need to figure out how to work through those moments.
Have we ever experienced these feelings of hopelessness and desperation?
Sometimes, I’m thinking and question if we’ll ever experience normalcy again.
In some of these moments, I’ve often felt powerless in the scramble.
In times like these, when I’ve felt defenseless against the twists and turns of life, I have to remember to step away from my craziness and ask for Divine help from God to go through it.
And I want to experience His peace in the midst of circumstances I can’t control.
So I’m leaving you with some powerful thoughts I read when life seems out of control and the sands are leaving my fingers at a rate that I cannot keep them contained.
They continually make a difference in my life and maybe this could be of great encouragement for you heading into the weekend!
"I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”
Now may the Lord of peace himself give you his peace at all times and in every situation. The Lord be with you all.
Peace is what I leave with you; it is my own peace that I give you. I do not give it as the world does. Do not be worried and upset; do not be afraid.
"So, don't worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding."
"I will be with you when you pass through the waters, and when you pass through the rivers, they will not overwhelm you. You will not be scorched when you walk through the fire and the flame will not burn you."
"The man or woman who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence indeed is the Lord, is blessed. They will be like a tree planted by water; it sends its roots out toward a stream, it doesn't fear when heat comes and its foliage remains green. It will not worry in a year of drought or cease producing fruit."
We may not be in control but we can have peace to know who’s got our back and life in His hands!
Walking through life with you!
Dave
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