That Which Doesn't Kill Us

 

After you have been hanging out here on earth more than seven decades you likely have a fairly impressive collection of experiences. Some you might be willing and/or eager to share, others you might wish to forget ever happened. Regardless, we come to the final chapters of our story as the sum total of who and what we are because of what we have done, or not done, opportunities seized or missed, best and worst paths taken.  The good, the bad and the ugly.

Ultimately, we all have our moments we are proud of and just as many that we regret. We can not go back and relive or change any of them though. We can only remember.  And learn.

In this strange time, as we ease into the holiday season that is an intrinsic part of our culture, many more than usual, this year, are faced with having to make do or do without. Many are forced to be separated from loved ones. Many can’t even afford to buy normal food, let alone the special ingredients that make up our traditional feasts. 

Who can argue that 2020 has been tough from beginning to end?

In my life, because I’ve been around the block a few times, I can say that I’ve had my share of both good and bad holidays. Times when the best of the best happened and times when things were not so happy, when either loved ones were far away or I had next to nothing extra to buy even basic supplies. Thinking back, I truly cannot recall any specific ‘perfect’ holiday, the good ones seem to all fade together into one lovely warm blurry memory like a video collage of laughing faces, controlled chaos and delicious unfettered joy.

I can, however, distinctly recall, in full detail, the tough ones. Maybe it’s because I’ve been blessed to have more good ones than bad ones, or maybe it’s because it was the tough ones, the sad, painful ones that added more onto me than the happy ones did. This, naturally, is not something one can parse except in hindsight. 

But since we are indeed the sum total of all that we experience, within the strange condition known as being human, surprisingly it is the challenges and tests of endurance that grow us up, strengthen and fortify us, and prepare us for the rigors of real life. It is a harsh truth that real life happens more than the special times we carve out and set aside. The joyful times are certainly important in a balanced life but it is those times that try us that beef up our meddle, that we are likely to remember more, especially if we gave it our best and endured to meet the day after. 

In retrospect, when we look back at having held up, withstood and endured instead of succumbing to the emotions of the moment, we find we will likely have an experience worth sharing. A time to be proud of. Something with which to inspire someone else. 

… a moment in time we can say added well to the sum total of how brave, forward-thinking and purposeful we are. 

You are not alone. May this give you peace.

For Him,

Meema

Time To Choose

A few days ago Dave Rubin asked his community in rubinreport.locals.com how everyone was feeling.

I took a few days to get quiet and think about this. In recent months I have chosen to be more outspoken in this blog, rather than remain in the more gentle middle ground. The day does come when you must not only choose Who you will worship and follow but declare it out loud. 

So, how am I feeling? 

Well…

I’m working my way through the five stages of grief. Anger was short lived because I don’t like being angry. Denial was even shorter because I’m too practical. I lingered in Bargaining because, well, what’s the downside to offering up promises to be more proactive instead of complacent? To promise to stand up for Christ instead of turning a blind eye to go along to get along in exchange for a little more time?

I think I spent most of the last few days in a reflective Depression, but because I am one who not only doesn’t fret over the glass being half full, I am grateful for having a glass at all, and since gratitude is the best cure for depression, it’s difficult for me to justify being depressed. 

So, here I am on the edges of Acceptance but I step in conditionally. 

I do not accept that the 2020 Presidential election was honest. It seems evil is being allowed to have its way as I type this. 

I do not accept that the hypocritical, self-righteous crowds celebrating Biden are now not able to be super spreaders of Covid as they claimed Trump rallies were just weeks ago. Covid just isn’t that smart.

I do not accept that we can now love each other, unify and ‘get along’ even as there are many who, just a couple weeks ago, called Trump supporters every foul name in the book and who are now compiling a ‘get even’ blacklist calling for Trump supporters to be fired from their jobs. There have been many examples in human history that called for standing up and fighting or being overcome. Even as Christians are admonished to love one another, we are also given the right to discern who to trust and who to resist. Think Corrie Ten Boom and dozens of others who took a stand thereby saving many lives in WW2.

I do not accept that this country can stand, as it was founded, against the evil that has taken power, without a great life altering upheaval. We are truly at war with dark principalities and the goals are to reshape America to deny and reject ‘In God We Trust’. 

I do not accept that the Presidential election of 2020 was a choice between two men. Rather it was a choice between two Americas, a Democratic Republic or a socialist banana republic.

I do not accept that evil has won the war even though it might have claimed victory in recent battles. 

Most importantly, 

I do not accept that God has abandoned us. His will is always accomplished even if we don’t understand it or why what is happening is allowed to be. There are many Scriptures that warn us that being Believers is not always easy, but it is the very best choice in the long run.

I am comforted to know that God has this even if things do not unfold as we wish. Imagine the confusion and despair of the Disciples as they watched Christ die on the cross. 

We know how that worked out. 

For Him, 

Meema