Seasons
I was whining to my brother on the phone this morning... he's my favorite whine steward; he has a knack for showing me the spiritual side of my "suffering" as a mom? Suffering? Are you sick, you ask? Or one of the children.... well, no... I'm embarrassed to say that today's suffering is a little matter of writing out a check for a well pump, rather than a new kitchen floor. I soooo wanted that new floor this week - but having water has suddenly taken the priority. :)
And isn't this just the way it works? Just when you are feeling a little ahead of the game, then there's some other need to make sure you never get so full of yourself that you don't feel the need to be on your knees.
Some might say our openess to life has consequences, and we deserve what we get. I agree about the consequences, but perhaps not the way they mean it -- the consequence of being open to life, of having the 6 children God intended for us, is that we are sanctified. Day by day, as our attachments are challenged; as we have to buy well pump instead of pretty wood floors, and cook dinners instead of cultivating new interests -- we suffer Christ to wrest away from us what the world would say is important - and give us "eyes to see" the blessing of life in His Truth.
Depending on how well we shoulder this cross, we may in end be trading wood parquet floors for an eternity of streets paved with gold.
Thy Kingdom Come!