Tuesday, June 25, 2013

blessing and sorrow

dear emily,

my friend patricia and i were discussing the random nature of blessing,
wealth specifically.   this is an uncomfortable subject for me, because
i like to pretend money is like the leaves of a tree, available to whom
ever reaches their hand to pluck it.   that, of course, is fiction.

one can't really think about blessing without a nod to its sister, sorrow.
remember when 'much afraid' (hind's feet on high places) is bound to
her new friends, 'sorrow' and 'suffering?'   shudder.   they were truly
friends and protectors, though.

why do some have a bucket of blessing, and others a hayfield of sorrow?
heck, if i know, but this i do know:     how we respond to either is the
spoonful of sugar.

there are innumerable non-fiction stories about men of great fortune
who dithered it all away . . . along with wives and children.    there
are also accounts of women who endured great suffering and through
it blessed many.

oswald wrote today that if we yield through the fires of sorrow to the
Man of sorrows, "God will make us nourishment for other people."

feast on me, baby!

love,
lea

"He was . . . a Man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering."  is. 53:3

17 comments:

Farm Girl said...

Well said my friend,
Having lived all of those that you speak of I think we can only say that is why we are told to just live today.
All of it comes at a cost. I was thinking the other day, of that saying, " To whom much is given, much is required." I think the key is contentment whether we are in a tent or a castle. Our Father knows best what we need. But all that aside, I have been rich and I have been poor, having a little in the bank is always a bit more fun. :)
Have a lovely day my lovely Lea.

myletterstoemily said...

ain't that the truth?

Cindy said...

Excellent truth. Hind's Feet on High Places is my all-time favorite allegory. I can so much relate to Much Afraid and long to become Grace and Glory, but I know it comes with a price.

Terra said...

Oswald's quote is so true, and I like this post. Many great Christian teachers suffered from dark nights of the soul, including Henri Nouwen whose book "Return of the Prodigal Son" I am reading.

highheeledlife said...

Wonderfully written my friend. And a great reminder that one (riches of the material kind and even the emotional kind) cannot be felt without having experienced sorrow ~ to truly be appreciated. The more we give (without expectation) the more we are given - not of what we want - but what we really truly need.

I'm reminded of this - by the wonderful family we have in Angel P's family (they are truly a gift from heaven). Mr. G's family as you may remember from my earlier posts well - they are remain absent from our lives ... I send them love and peace regardless of their cruelty to us ~ and I've noticed by doing so , our relationship with Angel P's family continues to grow and strengthen.
Many blessings to you... Hugs, C. (HHL)

Vee said...

I've experienced some on both sides. I'm of the opinion that it is very difficult to bless others from an empty well. Sometimes, I think God wants us to have a taste of "the other side." As always, you make me think!

myletterstoemily said...

great point, vee!

Cinnamon said...

Such a good illustration. Always an encouraging word when I visit here:-)

I learned after much sorrow that my attitude could change my bad times into good times. This is what the Lord has taught me...it is much better to go through hardship with a good attitude :-)

~Cinnamon

http://bitsandpieces-sonja.blogspot.com/ said...

Heck if I know either! What I DO know is that the real stuff is not money based... like Kim said 'I've been rich & I've been poor, rich is better', but true peace is not based on either one. If I feel rich, I still have trials, and when I feel poor, I still own the cattle on 1000 hills, cuz He is my Father. :)

Patrinas Pencil said...

i needed this today! Thank you for sharing.

Auntie Cake said...

This very post has been on my mind a lot lately. Maybe it's been the storms, or my kids going to mission trips to Honduras, either way, I just keep trying to be thankful and content with all that is going on around me. If I get in a jam or a crabby mood, I just keep thinking, "This is such a first world problem." It helps keep me in perspective. I may not have what the Jones' have, but my cup runneth over.

Have a great week!
Kate

Rachel said...

You say it so well.

I've wondered myself.

And I keep going back to my motto for the past few years, "don't waste the hard stuff".

Because God surely has some beauty inside those difficult times. Blessings unlocked by perseverance.

And someday... it'll all make sense. Those buckets of blessings and hayfields of sorrow. And how they were assigned.


Again, so well written. Thank you

Lana Manis said...

Dear Lea, I never come for a visit without taking away something of value. I don't know the reason either, why some have and some have not, why some suffer so much and some live a life of seemingly endless blessings. But I do know that regardless of our circumstance, we can have joy, peace, and happiness in Him. Of that I am sure.

Darcie said...

This post made me think of a line of a hymn..."joy and sorrow interwoven, love in all I see". Thought provoking post.

Joan Elizabeth said...

Psalm 112, the one I have reached this week in my blog, dovetails beautifully with your thoughts.

Thistle Cove Farm said...

Lea, I've got to tell you, I'm weary of being nourishment for other people. Yet I choose to trust Him; I choose to stay true to Him. His ways are not my ways and He knows best. I choose to believe. I'm ready for a change, God willing.

Single and Sane said...

Well there are certainly people who have been blessed with wealth who have also experienced great sorrow, so I think the key is really learning to be content wherever we are in life. God can bless us, regardless of our circumstances, but we have to recognize the blessings might not look the way we expect. But I 'll confess to buying the occasional Powerball ticket just in case God decides to go the wealth route. ;-)