Tragedy and Redemption

NOTE: This post is one to ponder. There is so much more to say on this topic than what I've written below. I welcome your comments and conversation.

Tragedy and Redemption. That sounds so dramatic, like something in a movie trailer or a novel review. Can you hear the booming voice? "A classic tale of tragedy and redemption..."

It could be fiction ... or it could be the description of all of life from the beginning of time to the end of time.

Dramatic or not, it's something I've been thinking about a lot lately. It seems that the more I live, the more people I know, the more awful things I realize are out there! - such tragedies of life. And then I look from a different perspective and see all of the wonderful possibilities out there, too... the sweet stories of redemption.

Let me elaborate...
Are you sick of it like I am? Are you sick of bad stuff happening?

I HATE it when (I am and) people around me (and people all over the world) are in pain: death, divorce, illness, injury, loss, cancer, abuse, debt, hunger, disease, betrayal, loneliness... How do you trust anyone anymore? How do you not worry about what awful thing could happen at any moment? How do you get in a plane, much less a car everyday? How do you decide to bring kids into this broken world? How do you pray for people? How do you make someone feel better? How do you feed starving children in Asia? How do you save child soldiers and sex slaves in Africa? ... aagghh!... How do you deal with it all?

And where is God? Where is Love? The short, true answer is "right here with each one of us," but it sure doesn't seem like it sometimes! It sounds hopeless! ...and, man, sometimes I feel simply helpless!

Tragedy
It's an issue that's been around since Adam and Eve disobeyed and the world became broken. There is now tragedy. There is now pain. There is now struggle. And I like to think that the reason for all the awfulness is somewhere outside of myself (and people like me). I tell myself that it's only big, bad Satan and Evil, it's only the serial killers, the selfish moguls, the drug-dealers, the adulterers, the corrupt rebels. I like to think it has nothing to do with us: the church-goers, the charity volunteers, the moms and dads, the good hard-working citizens of the world.

But it does.

I have disobeyed just like Adam and Eve. I have turned my back on God's plan for my life a time or two before. I have screwed up, messed up, fallen short, and really made some bottom-of-the-barrel mistakes in my life. What about you? Sure, you have too. We've got to get over ourselves and realize that we are actually capable of the same atrocities we shame others for. In some ways we each contribute to the societal systems that allow serial killers to develop, that allow poisonous chemicals to seep into food and water we consume, that encourage lies and deception, sexual deviance and selfishness, that provide environments where greed and skin-deep beauty flourish. Yep, that's us. We're broken. We're the problem. ... Don't agree with me? Think about it for a while and then let me know.

There is a bigger picture out there we can discover. Our Creator has a different perspective of the same existence - and honestly it's the only perspective that really matters. He sees the end, when good triumphs evil and He re-takes control and makes all things right. However, until that time, He has given us free will. He doesn't want an army of people forced to do what is right at every turn and forced to love and worship Him. Instead, he allows us to make our own decisions, even if they lead to pain and destruction, so that we can also be free to love him and live life for Him as his children, as free participants in His glory.

SO, therein lies the tragedy and pain: while we wait for God to bring His ultimate reign in the earth, in the meantime we make our own decisions. Some of them are good and right, but we all screw up a ton, too, making bad, immoral, inexcusable choices ... and generations before us have, too ... And many, many people choose their own independence over a life of bringing glory to Our Father... and so our world is simply awful in a lot of ways. The depravity of it all is enough to depress even the most optimistic of thinkers.


Redemption
But, when I really calm down... and think... and breathe... listen... The God of the universe slips in, surrounds me with his Spirit, and assures me that there is help and Hope and He will never leave or stop loving each one of us through it all. He loves us in spite of our disobedience and crappy choices we make about what's really important in life. He truly, deeply loves us and wants to redeem us, make good of our messes, and mold us into who He created us to be.

And it can happen!

He can make good from the bad. No, he doesn't cause the bad in order to make good, and it's not that he can't stop the bad from happening. God still is in charge and can take control at any time to prevent the bad from happening - I think he does a lot, and we never even know how good we have it. But most (or at least a lot) of the time he loosens his control and allows the bad stuff to happen; he allows the natural consequences of a fallen world to take place. Someday maybe we'll understand why. And then the amazing thing is that God also takes those awful messes and redeems them! He actually brings great and wonderful things from them! He uses them to teach us things! He reveals more of Himself to us through them! And when we're especially paying attention - IF we're paying attention - we can notice it.

Everyday I am reminded of how messed up the world is. And likewise everyday even in little ways I am reminded of how messed up I am: I yell at my kids too much; I consume too much stuff; I don't go outside to be friendly to the hurting neighbor; I didn't plan something for dinner; I forgot to return the library books; I didn't help or encourage or love like I should have... (I won't go on.) But as the days/months/years go by, I can look back at who I was; I can see how God was working in me and through me in good times - and in those tragic times too; and I get a glimpse at how I have changed, grown, matured...

And then I see that even I am being redeemed.

Take time to notice, because you are too. God loves you because He created you. It doesn't matter what you do or don't do, or what you've done or haven't done. He's in the business of forgiveness and redemption. And He loves it when we notice!

Conclusion
I can't end without addressing all my questions above about the tragedy in our lives, namely "How do we deal with it all?!"

What do you think? How do you deal with all the mess in the world? I don't know what the answer will be for you... For me, I guess I've got to try to see things through the lens of God's redemption and His deep love for us. That does two things: 1) it provides security only found in God, which helps me to breathe and have peace when there seems to be none, and 2) it frees me and compels me to live life doing my very best to bring Him glory in all that I do. In other words, it releases me from the worry to go out and make choices that bring change.

Noticing the redemption doesn't always lessen the pain of the tragedy. But recognizing that redemption is possible, and taking action as God's Holy Spirit guides us, creates change that prevents more tragedy, and brings the world closer to who we are meant to be.

Ultimately God's story is our story (which is why the Bible is such a compelling book!). It's a story of tragedy and redemption of the most perfect kind! And dramatic or not, it's a story I'm thrilled to find myself in - and hope you do too!

Swine Flu

Since I mentioned that Trey had Swine Flu in my last update, I thought I should give a bit more info, lest any of you worry. :)

It turns out that many children, teens and adults who went to camp around the country this year have caught swine flu. Camps are keeping it alive and well - apparently this strain of the virus lives just fine in the heat of summer. Trey went to and returned from camp just fine, but a few days later began to cough a bit, then a few days after that had a fever and a headache. Since I heard that someone else had gotten H1N1, I took him to the doctor to be tested. (With the mild symptoms he had, I never would have taken him in without having heard about the possibility.) Sure enough, he tested positive for type A flu (which they considered to be H1N1 because the other type A doesn't last in the summer). He was put on tamiflu and sent home to stay in his room for five days (yeah, RIGHT!). The fever lasted about another 24 hrs. He had a slight stuffy nose, and the cough lasted for a couple more days. But other than those "hardly anything" symptoms, he was fine, and recovered in two days - with no one else in the family catching it.

BUT the thing is....
Because of the dang media hype about H1N1, some people freak out when they hear someone has swine flu. So some people were scared to be around our whole family! And for a people-person like me, it was a blow to the psyche. Leon had to be out of town on business, so mom (me) and four kids were stuck in the house - with neighbor kids running away from us when they saw us, and some folks acting like we had the plague. Thank God that my own family didn't worry about contamination, or I would have been in the loony bin from loneliness.

All that actually made me think about what kind of person I am. I realized that, although I want to protect my kids from danger and harmful things, I want to show love to other people MORE. I would risk my kids catching a virus to reach out and help a friend or be kind to someone. Not that I wouldn't wash hands and be smart about it, but I'm just not that worried I guess. I suppose that's why I don't have a problem taking them downtown to see drunk, un-bathed, toothless men (although some homeless folks are like that, not all are.) and even allow them to hold hands with those folks if they want to pray. Good grief, it would be terrible if I taught my kids (either literally or with actions) to say, "Oh, we just came to give you some water, but we don't want to touch you."! Now I really shouldn't get on my high-horse and think I'm too wonderful. I should probably realize that there are circumstance where I put my family's safety or comfort first at the expense of others. God show me how I can be more like you in this way.

Anyway, we are all fine and so are all the other campers who got swine flu. (I think it ended up being a couple dozen from our church - some treated, some not.) And as always, there were lessons to be learned from the experience.

The more I live, the more I realize that I can thank God in all circumstances for the good he brings forth from everything.

Hello again.

Man, I wish I had more time to blog. I love putting my thoughts down, thinking someone else might read about my life, or what's on my mind - even if no one does.

We're finally on vacation, and it was WAY too late in the summer to get away. I'm laughing and shaking my head at what I wrote last blog entry about summer and my plans to keep my sanity, have home-cooked meals, play board games, and keep everyone happy. I sure failed at that miserably!

I hit a brick wall a couple of weeks ago with the collision of two unfortunate events: the family quarantined because of Trey catching swine flu from camp and Leon had to go out of town on business - AND it was the boys' birthday weekend! With the help of my mom, my sister & her hubby risking contamination and coming in town as planned, I kept it together (barely) until Leon returned, but ultimately ended up way too overwhelmed and had a couple of days in a downward spiral of despair. Thank God for a husband who acted swiftly! He made a getaway for the two of us appear out of thin air, complete with childcare swooping in from out of town (his parents) and a spa day to boot! Plus, it was a "most expenses paid" event from another company, so we weren't out much money at all! God is SO GOOD!

With my sanity restored I thoroughly enjoyed the 3-day getaway to Dana Point/Laguna Beach California, and now am enjoying the family vacation down in Covington, La at Leon's parents home. I have read two books (that God is using to inspire me - just don't know how exactly yet - see later blog entries) , planned the calendar for the rest of the summer (to prevent a relapse of despair), and I walked on the beach with my hubby (not really our thing - too much sand - but still it sounds romantic, right?). I am so thankful that God provided a way out of my funk. I think I was at the point where I wasn't sure how to make it happen. Maybe later I'll blog about the thoughts that consumed me during that time, but for now I'll stay up here and enjoy the view.

Stay tuned.
And thanks for reading.
...the few of you are left. :)