Humor is SUCH a God-thing! Even in my season of deep, dark depression, one laugh could carry me a long way.
After I had my first baby (my sweet little Claire-Bear, who is almost 6 years old now!), I plummeted into a spiral of depression like nothing else I had ever experienced. I no longer wanted to be around people. I wouldn't answer the door or the phone. I cried all the time. Everything seemed dark and empty. I retreated into a cocoon inside myself and was barely able to function or care for my newborn. Some other time I will tell you how the Lord brought me out of that horrible place...
BUT, even while I was in the midst of it, laughter was such medicine to my soul! My husband has this stupid little thing he does to make me laugh...that he invented during that hellish season of our lives. Back story: I have always thought it was so funny to watch our annoying little dog cough up a "furball" or whatever got stuck in his throat. Something about the way he craned his neck and tried so forcefully to hack up that nasty thing. Anyway, at one of my lowest points, Tim looked at me with a mischievous grin and said, "Look what I can do..." and proceeded to imitate Ollie (the dog) as he hacked up a fur ball. Sounds so stupid, but it made me laugh. And Tim has been able to lift burdens off my shoulders many times since then by that little routine. (Like, even last week!)
The point, you ask? Well, whatever your situation is today, I just want to encourage you to add a little humor into the mix. It will do your heart some good!
This little ditty always makes me laugh - it's old school and definitely for those with a theatrical flair, but good for a laugh, nonetheless:
Donald O'Connor "Make 'em Laugh" from Singing in the Rain
I'd love to hear some things that make you laugh...or some funny stories that would make the rest of us laugh! Post your humor "meds" in the comments!
Blessings to you today, friends!
Job 8:21 "He will yet fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy!"
Proverbs 17:22 "A cheerful heart is good medicine..."
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Loss
You've lost something. Your heart has been ripped out, torn to shreds. You don't know if you will survive it.
Just this week I was made aware of two precious ladies I know who miscarried their babies. In fact, ALMOST ALL the moms I know have lost a baby in miscarriage. It is one of the most horrendous things to have to endure in this life. What makes it even worse is that there aren't any good answers. Sometimes it seems like if you can just find someone to blame or some reasonable explanation, you can weather the waves of emotions that flood your being.
Then, once you are able to even get out of bed again, you have to smile through all the idiotic things people say like, "you're going through this so you can help other people in the same situation," or "you'll have another one," and other insensitive and asinine statements like that. (Side note: "asinine" is a very good word. Word of the day, if I might suggest.)
The facts say that you have lost. The facts say that there is no life in you. The facts say that someone should be at fault. The facts come up empty.
But then, there's the TRUTH.
The truth is God has never left you or turned His heart away from you. (Deut. 31:6, Deut. 31:8, Josh. 1:5)
The truth is that you will have trouble in this life, but that you can take heart because Jesus has overcome this world. (John 16:33)
The truth is, when you pass through the waters, He is with you. (Is. 43:2)
The truth is, Jesus understands your deepest heartache and feels it with you. (Is. 53:4)
The truth is, He knows how you operate, He understands your limits and He gently leads you. (Ps. 103:14, Is. 40:11)
The truth is that NOTHING can separate you from His love. (Rom. 8:38-39) Not even the pains of losing a baby.
His love flows down and covers you. Even when you are not aware of it, even when you are not able to receive it, even when you are angry with God. Nothing can stop His love! God PURSUES you with His deep, passionate, wild love. His love will restore you. His love will bring you new life. His love will heal up your brokenness. His love will move you forward. His love will make you live.
When you find yourself stuck in the filth at the bottom of the lowest emotional cavern in the universe, let your Lover hold you and cry with you. He has been in that cavern before. He hated the idea of your being there so much that He died a cruel death, bore your darkness and death in his own body and then stormed into the Darkness to get the keys to that awful place. Jesus has the keys to that prison and He's opening the door for you. Go with him through the prison door and let Him lead you back into the light where you were meant to be.
If you can be quiet and just sense God's presence, you'll realize you are being held.
Just this week I was made aware of two precious ladies I know who miscarried their babies. In fact, ALMOST ALL the moms I know have lost a baby in miscarriage. It is one of the most horrendous things to have to endure in this life. What makes it even worse is that there aren't any good answers. Sometimes it seems like if you can just find someone to blame or some reasonable explanation, you can weather the waves of emotions that flood your being.
Then, once you are able to even get out of bed again, you have to smile through all the idiotic things people say like, "you're going through this so you can help other people in the same situation," or "you'll have another one," and other insensitive and asinine statements like that. (Side note: "asinine" is a very good word. Word of the day, if I might suggest.)
The facts say that you have lost. The facts say that there is no life in you. The facts say that someone should be at fault. The facts come up empty.
But then, there's the TRUTH.
The truth is God has never left you or turned His heart away from you. (Deut. 31:6, Deut. 31:8, Josh. 1:5)
The truth is that you will have trouble in this life, but that you can take heart because Jesus has overcome this world. (John 16:33)
The truth is, when you pass through the waters, He is with you. (Is. 43:2)
The truth is, Jesus understands your deepest heartache and feels it with you. (Is. 53:4)
The truth is, He knows how you operate, He understands your limits and He gently leads you. (Ps. 103:14, Is. 40:11)
The truth is that NOTHING can separate you from His love. (Rom. 8:38-39) Not even the pains of losing a baby.
His love flows down and covers you. Even when you are not aware of it, even when you are not able to receive it, even when you are angry with God. Nothing can stop His love! God PURSUES you with His deep, passionate, wild love. His love will restore you. His love will bring you new life. His love will heal up your brokenness. His love will move you forward. His love will make you live.
When you find yourself stuck in the filth at the bottom of the lowest emotional cavern in the universe, let your Lover hold you and cry with you. He has been in that cavern before. He hated the idea of your being there so much that He died a cruel death, bore your darkness and death in his own body and then stormed into the Darkness to get the keys to that awful place. Jesus has the keys to that prison and He's opening the door for you. Go with him through the prison door and let Him lead you back into the light where you were meant to be.
If you can be quiet and just sense God's presence, you'll realize you are being held.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Welcome to **Dishes and Diapers**!
This is the first day of the Dishes and Diapers blog! I'm excited to launch this forum for sharing motherhood's ups and downs - and for bringing a little insight and inspiration to anyone who needs a fresh dose.
I hope you're in a quiet moment of bliss with the absence of crying, screaming, fighting, vomiting or worse...but I know better. You're a mom like me, and you're working hard! Here in just a minute, I'll be running my kiddos under the backyard water hose to dislodge millions of grains of sand from small crevices...but for just a moment, I want to connect with you heart to heart.
The purpose of this whole thing is to help us each look up from our tasks and circumstances to realize that we have a high calling in Jesus - to be daughters of the Most High God. He understands that you are in a crazy season. He knows your thoughts and feelings before they are fully formed in your mind. And His love for you is unfathomable. Did you know that He gets a kick out of you? Not a sadistic kick, like "Ha ha! Bet she didn't see that coming!" No, He is pure and He DELIGHTS in you. Imagine your Heavenly Father standing over you as you clean up a mountain of dishes for the third time today. He might move His hand to brush that pesky piece of hair out of your face. He might come around behind you to massage the knots out of your shoulders. He might just take your face in His hands and gaze into your eyes.
This is your loving Father. He delights in you. He is FOR you. He's got your back. Let this verse carry you until we talk again:
"The Lord your God is with you,
He is mighty to save.
He will take great delight in you,
He will quiet you with His love,
He will rejoice over you with singing."
Zephaniah 3:17
May you be quieted with His love for you today!
I hope you're in a quiet moment of bliss with the absence of crying, screaming, fighting, vomiting or worse...but I know better. You're a mom like me, and you're working hard! Here in just a minute, I'll be running my kiddos under the backyard water hose to dislodge millions of grains of sand from small crevices...but for just a moment, I want to connect with you heart to heart.
The purpose of this whole thing is to help us each look up from our tasks and circumstances to realize that we have a high calling in Jesus - to be daughters of the Most High God. He understands that you are in a crazy season. He knows your thoughts and feelings before they are fully formed in your mind. And His love for you is unfathomable. Did you know that He gets a kick out of you? Not a sadistic kick, like "Ha ha! Bet she didn't see that coming!" No, He is pure and He DELIGHTS in you. Imagine your Heavenly Father standing over you as you clean up a mountain of dishes for the third time today. He might move His hand to brush that pesky piece of hair out of your face. He might come around behind you to massage the knots out of your shoulders. He might just take your face in His hands and gaze into your eyes.
This is your loving Father. He delights in you. He is FOR you. He's got your back. Let this verse carry you until we talk again:
"The Lord your God is with you,
He is mighty to save.
He will take great delight in you,
He will quiet you with His love,
He will rejoice over you with singing."
Zephaniah 3:17
May you be quieted with His love for you today!
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