Oh, why am I such a procrastinator? This post has been on my mind for a long
time and I've wanted to share it with you. It happened a couple months back,
but I remember it. Mom took us down to Holt Foods which is a little ways out.
As we packed the car up with groceries, we could see dark clouds coming
and it looked like a bad storm. Mom was tempted to stay at the store 'til
the storm passed, but she decided to try to get home. So, off we went,
heading home on the road. The clouds got darker and were definitely
moving toward us! 10 minutes into the drive, the wind picked up real
good and it just began pouring, pouring, pouring. Mom had to
really concentrate on what was in front of her. The rain was so
heavy that at one point, we could not even see in front of us!
But we couldn't stop in the middle of the road, and we couldn't
go back to where we'd been! We had to keep going.
We had to keep moving forward. We prayed and kept going,
slower, but we kept going. And not 5 minutes later, almost
home, the storm was gone behind us and the sun was out
shining brightly. As we drove on, we looked to the side
at what do you think we saw in the sky? A rainbow! A
beautiful rainbow high up there showing its colors for us
to see. It was neat, to see what God did for us.
But even more neat to me, was how it was a real life
illustration of our walk with Jesus when trials come! Sometimes
the storms in our lives come up behind us without warning and
we have no time to prepare. Other times, we see the clouds
and we can try to hide, but nothing we do will stop it from
coming. We have to hold on to His hand and not let go.
We have to trust Him and follow his leading. And like the
heavy rain, the pain and pressures and fears of a situation
can bog us down. And not only that, but sometimes it's
so heavy and burdensome that we cannot even see 2 feet
in front of us! As much as we want to, we can't go back to
where we were before, time won't let us. And we can, but
we'll get into trouble if we just stop and give up right in the
middle of the journey. If we can't race ahead, we have to
take it slow, one step at a time, but we've got to keep
taking steps! And some time down the road, around the
bend or straight ahead, the storm passes and the sun
comes out again, lighting our way so we can see, with
the trial behind us. And when the light comes on us
again, we reap and see the blessings (the rainbow) that
God had in store for us and wanted to give us.
It was a neat thing to think about to me. But I do realize and
understand that some people have to deal with the storms the
rest of their lives and that there are some scars and wounds
(physical and emotional) that will not ever be healed until
eternity. But I hope this post will encourage you and give
you something to think about.
But that's how I feel right now. We took in Rachel because we cared
about her and she needed help. But some people don't see the whole
picture, and that makes it hard for us. Some people we've been so used
to having fellowship with, people we felt kind of close to, we don't
really do it right now. And if we do, it feels awkward not knowing
what they're thinking of wondering if they're whispering behind our
backs. Honestly, I can't ever remember us going through anything
like this before, not something this major! We've felt pretty isolated
from many friends the past months because of Rachel's situation.
Not that it's her fault, IT'S NOT! But because so many people
around us have heard different sides of the story. It makes it
difficult to try to enjoy fellowship sometimes because we don't
know what they're truly thinking.
But right now I feel like is this trial is going on forever. I feel like
it's going on and on and on and on. Where is the end? When will
the end with the rainbow come in sight? When will the sun come
on us again? When will this be over and behind us so that we can
truly move forward? It's been hard on all of us, Rachel, Dad, Mom,
Annah, and me. I just wish it was over! Please pray for us as we
seek God's will for Rachel's best interest, what He wants for her,
and us. I would deeply appreciate your prayers regarding that.
Ignore what people say behind your back, they don't know the truth and they can't accept that they aren't in the loop. You and your family are giving Rachel a chance to be a young woman with hope in her life. She has had tragedy and hurt and she has a long way to go to overcome, but she has you, and her faith in Christ to help her along the way. Sometimes a good listener has to be just that, a listener. It is hard not to make comments and say uh huh I know how you feel, because unless you've had the trauma, you don't. Rachel needs support, love and guidance. If the time comes where she needs professional assistance, please get it for her. No child needs to feel that she is the cause of trauma against her.
ReplyDeleteGlad the storm passed without any damage. When we drove cross country we were ahead of all the bad weather till we got to Wisconsin and Minnesota. After that we just had wind across NE< WY<UT and NV.
Blessings to you and yours this summer.
It may help to remember these words from our Lord Jesus: "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do." Perhaps someday, these people you used to fellowship with will understand. I don't know what exactly has happened to Rachel-- I remember you posting that you are not allowed to discuss the details-- but she is still a child and it's wrong for people to whisper about her or to judge your family. It's probably best to stay away from those folks, at least for now. I am sorry that your family is feeling isolated. I hope you can find some supportive friends somewhere, perhaps at a different church? While I do not know the nature of Rachel's difficulties, there are support groups for troubled kids and for those who care for them; maybe something like this would be helpful to your family? You all shouldn't have to go through these trials alone.
DeleteI will keep Rachel and your family in my prayers.
Our church leaders are looking out for us and praying for us, which is an enormous blessing! We're very content where we attend church, and that's where God has us for now. We're happy there.
DeleteA concert is coming up at the Family Vision Library next week and I am really looking forward to that. It will be good to be there again at something fun. We just never know who we're going to run into. We just don't want people asking questions they don't need to be asking and such, especially to Rachel. That's one of the things I mean about isolation. But it is hard to be kept in the dark about things when you want to know what's going on, I realize that. But we're trying to protect her.
I'm glad to hear your church is supportive. When I read your original post about problems about people you fellowship with, I took that to mean people from church (although not necessarily church leaders). Sorry I misunderstood.
DeleteAbsolutely, protecting Rachel comes first. I pray that people will realize this and give her the time and space she needs to heal.
I don't know what happened to Rachel (and that is as it should be because she is entitled to privacy). I do know, however, that she needed you, and that you and your family responded with love and compassion and generosity, as Christians are called to do. Nothing else is relevant and anyone whispering and gossiping about Rachel and her family is wrong to do so. As for Rachel herself, she is a child and needs protection. No one is entitled to ask her personal questions. Tell her to respond "I am not going to talk about that" to anyone who does, and to walk away.
ReplyDeleteYou keep doing what you are doing, and pay no heed to the whisperers. I am keeping you all in my prayers.
Sally
Dear Rebecca, what beautiful writing about such a difficult situation for you all. I think I can understand how you must be feeling a little - my parents raised 3 of my cousins alongside me and my brothers and sisters because there were some problems that meant they couldn't stay at home. I grew up thinking of them as my sisters and never questioned why they were living with us and not my aunt and uncle. But it did cause a rift with our family and some members saying my parents had interfered and made the situation worse instead of better. We were in a closed knit community and I don't think that helped. But my cousins wanted to stay and they flourished and are all grown now with families of their own, one lives in New Zealand! Even so it must have been difficult for them and my parents at times, just as you are finding it. That doesn't mean it is not the right thing to do though. I have learned through my life experiences that being a Christian doesn't mean we won't have trials and yes, as you say, some of those can be so difficult to bear. But we have God's Grace to help us and sustain us through the hard times. You have written so beautifully about such a difficult situation and the analogy of the rainbow is so perfect - you are so right that we do all have to trust in the Lord even when a situation seems impossible and we are asking ourselves "why have we been sent this trial?". I try to remember that If we place our trust in Him then nothing that is sent to us to endure will be more than we can bear - as it says in First Corinthians - "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it" (1 Corinthians 10:13). You will all survive this tempest - and be blessed as you endure it, in ways that you probably can't even imagine right now. We have the "armour of God" to protect us, and I can just see from your beautiful writing, that you have not only the Light of the Lord in your heart, but His blessings in your life too, in so many ways. That rainbow was a sign of God's Grace and I am sure it was sent to you when you saw it for a reason, to reassure you and give you the strength and courage to keep going on. Like the sun when it is hidden by dark clouds in a storm, peace and happiness are here for you and they will be revealed just when the time is right, when the storm is over and all is calm again. My prayers are for you all, love Ruby xxxxx PS sorry this is so long, please feel free to edit it or not post it!
ReplyDeleteThank you all very much! Your encouragement is a blessing. I want to make a couple things clear, in case anyone ends up misreading this. I did not say that people WERE whispering behind our backs,
DeleteI only said that it feels awkward, wondering if they're going to. If they do, that's their choice. Not being able to read people's minds, sometimes makes you imagine lots of things. But people's
body language says a lot, sometimes more than words.
Why does truth always have to have a price that goes with it?
You tell the truth so you won't get in trouble, so you are able to have a clear conscience that you didn't lie. This is definitely a
fallen world we live in. Things are so upside down. Doesn't it seem
or often feel like telling the truth brings more trouble?
When you're a child, you're told that if you tell the truth, it'll be okay. But when you become an adult? It seems like the truth gets you into more trouble than you can imagine! It's so unfair when
whether in stories or real life, you seem to be receiving consequences for doing what's right, while malicious criminals or
such appear to get off Scott free with no second thoughts to what they're doing.
Like Beaver said on Leave it to Beaver in Beaver's Bad Day episode. "You know, Wally, it's funny. You tell a lie and you get in trouble, and you tell the truth, and you still get in trouble!"
DeleteWally: "Ya. What gets you is, Mom and Dad don't even know we
told them the truth."
Beaver:"I'm glad we did though."
Wally: "Why?"
Beaver: "I don't know. I guess at least Somebody knows."