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| Sara's Snowdrops |
My Uncle Jim, my Dad's younger brother had a fluke fall down the stairs this weekend and broke his back in four places, fractured his skull, broke ribs and messed up his arm. It looks like he will be okay but he has a long road in front of him. His plan for healing is in the hands of the capable crew at the University of Iowa hospitals.
Back in November my husband was promised a promotion with his company. He has been doing the work and shouldering the responsibility of the position since then, without the title or compensation. His boss should sign those papers any day.
Our neighbor is a totally nice guy with a million unfinished projects going on his house and yard. As we gaze out the window at the accumulated havoc, we wish he would either realize his dream of fixing things up, or pass on the property to someone who could.
When my Grandpa was alive I, used to ask him about my worries. He would always say, in a gruff but loving voice, "I wouldn't worry too much about that, there isn't too much you can do about that." He was a farmer, whose whole livelihood depended upon something completely out of his control: the weather.
We all have these situations all the time. Sometimes serious, sometimes not so serious. We all have facets of our lives that we are fully emotionally invested in, but yet SOMEONE ELSE is in control. We have very little or no control over the way things are going to turn out and we can't see what the future holds.
I have learned at these times to try to relinquish that control that I wish I had, those times when I want to pout and stomp my foot, those frustrations and hurts--to try to relinquish that control to God. We do our best, but at the end of the day we have to let go. Someone else is in control, and ultimately that someone is God, who loves us very much. "We know that all things work together for good, for those who love the Lord." Romans 8:28. Sometimes it seems impossible to understand what good could come. I guess that is where the serenity part comes in.
God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change
the courage to change the things I can
and the wisdom to know the difference
For me, "the wisdom to know the difference" is the hardest part to that piece of wisdom. To confront or not to confront. To go with the flow or stand up for what I believe. (I'm speaking about in my work right now.)
ReplyDeleteIt seems to help if I remember to be a part of the SOLUTION, not part of the problem. It's just really a hard one sometimes. "Accepting the things we cannot change-"- that's a hard one, too though. Funny, "changing the things I can" is the easiest. I do that every day of my life at work. Every class period of everyday. That's the easy part for me- changing the things I can.
this especially today (scott deployed yesterday for his second deployment) has made me remember what i had almost forgotten. The military has so much control in our lives, I know i hate having not as much control over where we will live, when we can go home to visit, when scott deploys or trains and when he can come back. it leaves me frustrated and trying to fight it. I know i need to let go and accept that it is in god's hands.... you are very right. Please keep scott in your prayers by the way! i will have to email you later sara so we can catch up it has been a long time.
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