I like making smoothies, a few chunks of mango, banana, strawberries, a few almonds, vitamins, and presto! breakfast. My husband bought me a fancy blender just for this purpose. I jokingly remark, “I think I’ll blend something,” and with a push of a button, blending couldn’t be easier.
At times we find ourselves in uncharted waters, trying to make sense of the chaos around us: financial distress, heartache, loss of a loved one, an empty nest, misunderstanding with a friend, misguided children, addiction, or divorce. No matter how we try, we can’t seem to make it right. We feel disheveled and out of sorts, unable to tie it all together. Unable to push a button and blend it all together.
I’ve always enjoyed cooking with a crock pot. Slow and steady, with the right ingredients, spices, occasional stirring, and patience, a meal emerges. Each individual part: potatoes, carrots, onions, celery, chunks of beef, salt and pepper gives an enjoyable taste; but, it takes time.
Many times in life’s situations we want an answer that will put it all back together, blend it, make it fit. The last eight years of my life have seen tremendous heartache and loss. Darkness. Uncertainty. Despair. There were times that I could not understand how it all fit; how God could possibly turn it for good; how I could have reached this point. Very much like Job, I stood wondering what God had against me. What could I have done to displease Him? Other times, I knew that although the waters were rough, and my ship tossed out-of-control, God was at the helm.
But when I take the heartache, the pain, the kind words of friends, the scriptures that came in the middle of the night, the loyalty of loved ones, the prayers of those around me, the constant hand of God on me, and the love of a wonderful man, I found, in time, an enjoyable life – crock pot style.
John 16:33, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
