Wave-tossed and War-torn
Hi friend.
It’s been a few weeks.
We’ve had some stuff going on.
We haven’t been able to do laundry at our house for about 6 months while dealing with some awesome plumbing problems and trying to figure out the best way to get it fixed that won’t require us to sell Lincoln (don’t worry, they can’t afford him).
We’ve been having car problems: the fun random kind.
The problem with our laundry plumbing extended to our kitchen, so we didn’t have one of those for a week either. (The family that huddles around the bathtub to do dishes together stays together. I think that’s how the saying goes?)
We got the kitchen back, but sprung a leak in a different part of the kitchen, so I had to scramble to figure out how to get that to not both flood my house and end my marriage because water is important for pregnant women and small children, apparently.
At some point in the middle of all that, I threw my back out so I’ve spent the last part of every day walking like Rafiki because my back is just too tired to stay upright. Meanwhile, Grayson is doing double-dutch with Hailee’s sciatic nerve, so we’re a sight to behold.
My mom is battling cancer and the disease is relentless and terrible and if it was a person I would punch it in the mouth.
And oh by the way, I’m a media guy at a church and Easter is in 3 weeks, so that’s kind of important.
So I’ve been pulled a million different directions, mentally, physically, and emotionally.
I’m a problem solver at heart. And my mind rarely stops working, so I’m constantly stuck on details and trying to work everything out and keep the plates spinning, but if I’m being honest, there’s a few plates too many. I’m feeling the strain of needing to be in so many places at once, it almost feels like I’m being drawn and quartered. The responsibility of being a good dad, a good husband, a good son, a good servant, and a good minister of the Gospel are taking every ounce of emotional energy I can muster.
So I’m sorry if I’ve had a short fuse. I’m sorry if I’ve been less than eager to joke, or if I’ve inadvertently ignored you. We’re getting by, but sometimes it seems like just barely.
Sometimes the waves seem insurmountable. I wish I could say that in these moments I’ve spent more time in prayer than ever before. More time in the Word and silent listening to the Voice of Truth than ever, but I’m just not that good.
Fortunately, the Word is good and it reminds me that though I toil and exhaust myself here, it’s for a higher purpose. I’m paving roads in the city that is to come.
Storms serve a very important purpose. They bring sweet nourishment and life to barren land. The process can be violent and destructive, but it’s the way God ordained the world to bring forth new life. Without the rains there is no harvest.
Speaking of new life: in less than 48 hours, Grayson will be born and I will have a second son. New life. New joy. A new child that God has placed in my life to nourish, nurture, and teach to be a powerful disciple of Jesus.
Though right now it seems like all I can see is the storm, the life that I am building here will ripple through out eternity in the lives of my beautiful family as they grow into better disciples who make disciples. As I seek to build my life on God alone, everything else has a way of falling into place. Praise God that we seek something else. We have something way more awesome than this life to look forward to.
What a sweet truth.
These are my musings as I think about how different my world will be in just a few days. Thanks for sticking with me.
Now it’s time to go ice my back.
