The Cupboard

Well, here I am trying to get back to normalcy after what has been a long two year fight against the evils of the "Dark Side" I'm just kidding, sort of! I have gotten many emails in regard to the results of the election and I finally feel hope. Do I feel hope because "The One" got elected, not so much. I feel hope because I have finally put hope where it should have been all along, in Christ! What a relief to just hope in the Lord and know that no matter our differences or who is president of our little country that He's got us!
This is our time to embrace what He has been doing for us since the very first chapter of this world began; He has loved us despite all we, as a people, have done to muck it all up with corruption, immorality, sin, despair, war, murder...; He has protected us from destroying ourselves completely despite the increase in violence in the world and in our backyards; He has guided us even through tragic situations such as the death of a spouse, terrible accidents, financial devastation and hardships, and other can't-get-out-of-bed moments; He has been patient with us despite the fact that we have taken Him out of our public schools and our public buildings and despite the fact that even many of our Church leaders have failed to lead with the courage and the determination that we, the Faithful, have needed during most difficult times; Most of all, God is! He just is! It is a tremendous comfort to me that at any point or second or millisecond of my day, I can turn to Him with the full knowledge that He is there for me and for me alone. Nothing that I say is too trivial, too petty, too stupid, too childish, too simple for Him (and believe me, I am all of these things at times) He just wants us to turn to Him so that, as the Divine Parent, He can keep us from harm - the harm that happens deep in our souls!
The other day, I was putting my dishes away and I forgot that an upper cabinet was open and smacked my head on the corner! I saw stars and had to sit down for a moment as I cried like a little kid. My first reaction was to say "God, you can come from the mountain to Moses, but you couldn't have kept me from banging my head on that cupboard?" I was hot! How dare He inflict such trivial yet real pain on me - what did I do? Wasn't He supposed to be watching over me? Not soon after these words popped in my head (and out loud in the form of a choice swear word - I'm a sinner, I know!) my sister's 18 month old fell on my ceramic tile kitchen floor and got a goose-egg size bump on his head. Now, where was I to protect Brady from hurting himself? I have the ability to pick him up yet he still fell and hurt himself.
It was such a slap in my face that I dare to question God's love for me over a stupid "encounter" with a cupboard! I picked Brady up and offered my pain for his and then looked to God and asked that any pain that I may have suffered (it was minor but at the time I thought that I was dying - a little dramatic!)as a result of this incident be offered up for HIS PAIN! What a little lesson that was for me! So, I try everyday to have my reaction time less than it was yesterday. I pray that I may think to offer up what I have, good or bad, FOR Christ rather than asking Him to take it all away. I'm no martyr and I pray that God will never ask me to become one because I hate pain - clearly! - but I realize what a tremendous gift suffering can be at times.