When It Feels Like Family Can Never Be Fixed

(Just can't seem to get everyone together for pictures...this is most of us!)

 I am grateful for family!

The beautiful bits...

the messy moments...

the sweet connections...

the mountains of food...

the common conversations and the deep discussions...

the loving laughter...

the spiritual refreshment...

(We had two family members baptized in our pond this summer!)

the tenderness of hugs...

the competitive games...

the early morning coffee-sipping...

XXXX

The past couple of weeks have been full of family at my house. 

Refreshing.

Chaotic.

Wonderful.

Tiring.

Amazing.

I love having all my chicks gathered under my wings (um, under my roof).

All just seems right with the world.

I'm extremely proud (in a good way, as in pleased-beyond-measure) of my family.

Yet, we are not perfect.

We've had our share of struggles, heartache, problems and pain. 

So, this morning, as I sit to write my weekly blog, my heart aches for those who don't have a sense of similar "rightness..." 

Whose hearts feel like they hold a 400-pound-boulder within...

Who weep through nights that seem never-ending, and understand the concept of praying-without-ceasing because they live it second-by-painful-second.

I've been there, as well, and remember those days clearly...and, no doubt, will face some again (because that is life).

Nothing illustrates what is in my mama's heart better (when my kids seem to be struggling) than this incident that occurred many years ago.

I don't share it often; but, it is a clear indication of what's inside me.

With the Christmas season upon us, one of my adult girls faced a conglomeration of difficult challenges and decisions. 

She decided to attend a normal seasonal-friend-party to get her mind off the looming problems, and the evening included a ginger-bread-house-building contest.

As she drove home with her "house," the wobbly construction collapsed on the seat of the car next to her.

I'll not forget her walking through the door, tears streaming down her face, saying, "Well, here's a perfect example of what my life looks like right now." 

As she went to bed that night, I decided I would "fix" her gingerbread house.

I whipped up icing fit to be the perfect glue, then attempted the impossible of putting it all back together.

Have you ever tried to put crumbling cake into some semblance of order? 

As I said, ImPoSsIbLe!

The lesson learned, however? HuGe!

Jesus whispered to my heart, "You can't fix her life-problems any more than you can put a ginger bread house back together; but, I can reconstruct it all into something beautiful and of great value." 

And...He did! 

When our kids are little, we are pretty capable of fixing boo-boo's, setting their feet on the right path when they toddle off-track, and making certain they experience minimal pain.

Not so when they become adults. 

We train them up the best we know how; but....life...there is no accounting for what will happen as life happens and they make their own choices.

This morning as I sit typing, I think back to what I learned through many different seasons of family difficulty that have brought us to this current place of "rightness" (for the moment).

So, what did I learn when it feels like family will never get fixed?

Here are truths that have come out of those seasons:

* I can only see the here and now; but, God...GOD SEES, KNOWS, and is ORCHESTRATING the there and then. Trust Him.

* His Word brings comfort, peace, and direction in the difficulty. Lean into the Word of God.

* Just as the Lord uses circumstances to conform me to His image, so He is doing with my family. Give the DIVINE-Potter permission to do work with the clay He holds in His hands.

* Our stories matter. The Lord will use everything for our good and His glory. Hang onto HOPE!

Above all, fix your eyes on Jesus - He is the PERFECTOR! 

(Hebrews 12:2)