Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Stepping From The Tunnel


Well, I'll tell ya... These past ten days (or so) I've felt kinda like a biblical Job Jr. 

Man, it's been one thing after another. Daniel The Cat had a life-threatening infection. He's needed daily antibiotics and has pretty much gone postal around here, what with Spring and all. We still can't trust him and Sammy together. Some days, we can barely trust him and us together. 

My printer died. Tom bought a new one and it works great with his computer, but it still won't let me print coupons from mine. 

We couldn't find certain tax receipts. The bank lady closed the wrong bank account so basically, we had no money in the bank. Tom had to make lots of phone calls. Our bank ATM card is now invalid. The bank sent a check with the money from our closed account to us, but it's either lost or was mailed to our old farm address. 

Tom received a letter from the unemployment check people who said they tried to deposit his check but couldn't because the account was closed, so they put that money, instead, on the old visa card they first gave us 75 weeks ago before we went to automatic deposit. Tom threw away that card months ago.

Plus, for days my lips became all blistered because of some evil chapstick. (Took me awhile to figure out the source.)

!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And you know? I'd love to tell you that I've been sweet and patient and have watched my words carefully all during these past ten days. But that would make me a big, fat liar. No, a few times I've worried. Spoke some doubt and unbelief. A couple times, complained like there was no tomorrow.

But I did try to recall all I've learned and to trust God, but oh, these tests were so hard for me. I probably got a C+ (C-?) and you know what that means, don't you? Someday, most likely, I'll have to take those tests (similar ones) again, for God tends to wait till we pass with an A before He allows us to move on. To another, different class. With more tests.

Oh well.

But today? Today feels like the end of a bad dream. As though we've stepped from a dark tunnel back into the light. Daniel The Cat is much, much better (though still a pest, albeit a beloved one) and hopefully in one week he and Sammy will be able to be together without a cat carrier between them. We found enough tax receipts (crossing our fingers). Our bank situation is 90% resolved. The unemployment check was deposited into our account, after all. 

And today? We had a sweet couple over to lunch who we've been meaning to have over for nearly 4 whole years. The sun poured in through the windows and a lovely time was had by all.

Here is my reason for writing this all out today: if you are having a rough time, please, please hang in there. Do not give up. In just a few days (or maybe even tomorrow) God may just choose to iron out the vast majority of wrinkles which are making you want to run/scream/cry, iron them out in ways you've not yet thought of.

 But you must hang in there and believe for those better days. And cling to God while recalling all you know to be true... and do your part, while trusting God to do His. For He will, in time.

The main thing is that we learn to wait well. And that's where I still have a ways to go. But I'm choosing to believe I'll get there--some day, with His help.


******

Oh dear. Immediately after writing this post I received an email from my friend, Donna, as in Donna and John who I've mentioned here many times. John's not been well these past few weeks, but he'd been released from the hospital and was home. But Donna injured her back and her email stated John's returned to the hospital with serious liver problems and so please, I'd appreciate your prayers for our friends. 
Thanks so much.


******

4 comments:

K.E. said...

Good advice Debra. I need an under the house dehumidifier, a new water heater and a new roof. Oh and it needs painting again.
Not to mention my car - a %^&%$&^W$&* person (I know! pray for them) scraped the entire driver's side in a parking lot last August and didn't leave a note. The $500 deductible for THAT is looking like a real bargain right now. Light at the end of the tunnel, light at the end of the tunnel...wait! hope it's not a train!
LOL!

Thickethouse.wordpress said...

Dear Debra, I am praying for your friend.......And I'm so sorry that you've had so many irritations and things not going well in your life. But I do agree with you. These things do not last. (Paul might have said jokingly, that they go away and worse but new ones come!) Still, I hope you are coming to a calmer place. Even one of the things you and Tom have been dealing with would really be a distress in ones life. Soon, I think, real spring will arrive and stay. Meanwhile we have longer daylight which is always something that makes me happy!Go for a little walk with Grace. That's what I'm trying to get in the habit of doing now that I can walk again. And what a blessing that is!

Robin in New Jersey said...

Yup, I need the Lord to iron out quite a few wrinkles today and I need a financial miracle by tomorrow. This has been a rough week so far.

Thank you for sharing.

Elizabeth said...

I am praying for Donna and John, also you and Tom.