I don't know about any of you, but life seems to be moving so fast I never accomplish anywhere near as much as I wish I could--mostly because I don't have the energy or the desire to push myself like I once did. However, I am very grateful to report that my eye surgery last month was a compete success, but not without a few drawbacks that kept me pretty much homebound for ten days. To keep the bruising and swelling down, I had to keep an ice pack on it for 15 minutes out of every hour for the first three days. That worked miracles since there was no raccoon eye to deal with, but I couldn't bend over for a week so I had to sleep in one of my recliners. Nonetheless, that proved to be another blessing because it kept my airway open when my allergies decided to hit with their usual spring vengeance.
When unexpected setbacks, like a sudden eye operation without warning, are coupled with so many injustices and the truly horrific things going on in the world today it is often difficult to remain optimistic and see the good that almost surprisingly is all around us. Three women in my neighborhood have been diagnosed with breast cancer this year, and a nine year-old boy had his rectum removed after nearly two months in the hospital. He has two more surgeries before the entire process is complete, hopefully by mid-summer.
Now you may ask what is joyful about any of those heart wrenching situations since one or more may not turn out as hoped. But as I've tried to offer what help and comfort I could, I've been totally amazed at the resiliency, faith and understanding so many wonderfully, faithful Christians possess. Their fighting spirit and willingness to accept what is happening without blaming God for their struggles is truly awe-inspiring. And it has certainly made me reflect on what my attitude would be if I was asked to make a similar terrifying and uncertain journey.
But I read something this morning that gave me a great deal of hope and a much different perspective when it comes to the aftermath of even the most horrendous disasters. It had to do with 9-11--a day that will never be forgotten by any true American. It hit really close to my heart because my daughter's senior class president, Brady Howell, was killed inside the pentagon that day. I had known him since he was child, and he had grown into one of the most talented and spiritual young men I have ever known. The author wasn't named, but it went this way.
"I know where my God was the morning of September 11, 2001. He was very busy. First of all, he was trying to discourage anyone from taking this flight. Those four flights together [could have] held over a 1000 passengers, [but] there were only 266 aboard. He was on four commercial flights giving terrified passengers the ability to stay calm. Not one of the family members who was called by a loved one on one of the hijacked planes said that passengers were screaming in the background. On one flight he was giving strength to passengers to try to overtake the hijackers. He was trying to create obstacles for employees at the World Trade Center (so they wouldn't be at work). After all, only around 20,000 were at the towers when the first jet hit. Since the buildings holds over 50,000 workers, that was a miracle in itself. How many of the people who were employed at the World Trade Center told the media that they were late for work or had traffic delays? He (God) was holding up two 110-story buildings so that (four-fifths) of the workers could get out."
Some mighty good food for thought in that paragraph, especially for those of us who have little idea what is really going on in the world because the news coming from mainstream media is meant to frighten us into compliance or outright deceive us. But my belief in God, and his glorious plans for the return of his only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, helps me remain focused on what is truly most important if I want to return to my eternal home one day. The trust I have in knowing things are unfolding as they must is beautifully captured in an analogy written by Boyd K. Packer.
"Imagine you are attending a football game. The teams seem evenly matched. One team has been trained to follow the rules, the other, to do just the opposite. They are committed to cheat and disobey every rule of sportsmanlike conduct.
"While the game ends in a tie, it is determined that it must continue until one side wins decisively.
"Soon the field is a quagmire.
"Players on both sides are being ground into he mud. The cheating of the opposing team turns to brutality.
"Players are carried off the field. Some have been injured critically; others, it is whispered, fatally. It ceases to become a game and becomes a battle.
"You become very frustrated and upset. 'Why let this go one? Neither team can win. It must be stopped.'
"Imagine that you confront the sponsor of the game and demand that he stop this useless, futile battle. You say it is senseless and without purpose. Has he no regard at all for the players?
"He calmly replies that he will not stop the game. You are mistaken. There is a great purpose in it. You have not understood.
"He tells you that this is not a spectator sport--it is for the participants. It is for their sake that he permits the game to continue. Great benefits may come to them because of the challenges they face.
"He points to the players sitting on the bench, suited up, eager to enter the game. 'When each one of them has been in, when each has met the day for which he has prepared so long and trained so hard, then, and only then, will I call the game.'
"Until then, it may not matter which team seems to be ahead. The present score is really not crucial. There are games within games, you know. Whatever is happening to the team, each player will have his day.
"Those players on the team that keep the rules will not be eternally disadvantaged by the appearance that their team somehow always seems to be losing.
"In the field of destiny, no team or player will be eternally disadvantaged because they keep the rules. They may be cornered or misused, even defeated for a time. But individual players on that team, regardless of what appears on the score-board, may already be victorious.
"Each player will have a test sufficient to his needs; how each responds is the test.
"When the game is finally over, you or they will see purpose in it all, may even express gratitude for having been on the field during the darkest part of the contest."
He concluded the parable by saying, "I do not think the Lord is quite so hopeless about what's going on in the world as we are. He could put a stop to all of it any moment. But He will not! Not until every player has a chance to meet the test for which we were preparing before the world was, before we came into mortality."
How really blessed we are to be living on the earth during these amazing times when the lines between good and evil are being so clearly drawn. I marvel each day at how some people are so completely unable to see them, but am so grateful for the knowledge and clarity I have been given. I will be going to see a neighbor who is dying of Alzheimer's in a few minutes. She can only ingest liquids now, doesn't know who anyone is and sleeps for 17 to 22 hours each day, but I know her spirit will find comfort in knowing I am there.
May we see the good each day brings and count as one of our greatest blessings that we have the chance to complete the mission God provided for us. I look forward to each sunrise because I know my Heavenly Father is in charge and good will eventually prevail over all the evilness in the world today.
No comments:
Post a Comment