Shundria On Shuffle: singles

Monday, August 17, 2015

Have You Made It?

I’m here to let you in on something. I’ve recently come to a realization that I need to share. I need to say this but you need to hold on to your seat. When I found out, I almost fell out of my chair. My heart dropped and I couldn’t believe that I fell for it. I’ve been around for years and I can usually figure things out. But this one…

Are you ready?

Ok…

There is no place!

You know the place we are working all day to arrive. It’s the destination where all things are wonderful. I’m not talking about Heaven. I’m talking about here on earth. It’s where we have enough in our bank accounts. We drive the right car and have the right amount of bedrooms. Our children understand and accept our discipline. They make smart choices and apply the discriminatory thinking that we have been pouring into them since the age of 1. They love Jesus and are living their lives for Him.

In this place our marriages are perfect. We finally communicate successfully and both feel fully supported and appreciated. Work outside and inside the home is equally shared. We are completely satisfied in our singleness and we have conquered loneliness and all struggles.

We are the perfect size for clothing and we have the right hair products. Great hair day is every day. Amen!

We pray for an hour a day, have a deep connection with the Lord, and can hear him in all we do. We have figured out our purpose and we are fully engaged in carrying out His plan.

You know the place.

That’s what we are working for. We are constantly praying and fasting for our arrival. We fight our spouses for this haven. We yell at our kids for this. We read books and seek advice from the experts who say they know how to get there. There are shows, movies and podcasts that give us steps on how to make it. We want our family and friends to validate for us that we are well on our way.

What if there isn’t such a place?

I know. It's hard to take in!

What if this is about the journey and not the destination? What if it’s about how you live now as opposed to how you will live when you get there?

What if it’s about your compassion? Love? Forgiveness? Patience?

What if it’s about your love for Jesus? Sharing Him through your actions when you have not arrived or when you have nothing or everything?

What if it’s about how you love those who you or society defines as unlovable?

What if it’s about how you pray for others?

What if it's about how you treat your loved ones?

What if it’s about how you care for the sick or feed those who are hungry?

What if it’s about how you stand up and not be ashamed for what you believe and how you live?

What if it’s about humility?

What if it's about grace and not entitlement?

If so, have you made it?

Blessings!

Sunday, June 2, 2013

Answers and Side Effects: Be Careful What You Pray!

When I was in my early twenties (in dog years that was only 2 years ago), I wanted to get married and have children. I would pray often for this wonderful blessing. I fasted. I cried out to God. I attended singles conferences just to get a head start on what I needed to posses in order to be a great wife and mother. As I sought the Lord to drop this husband and kids from the sky, I often saw images like these:

photo by godaddy.com

Don't they look happy? Look at this family.

photo by godaddy.com

This is what I wanted! They are so perfect. These images screamed Ephesians 5. They all looked so clean. The kids are definitely well behaved. Of course these couples are madly in love with each other and they communicate effectively. Come on now! Every perfect family has a beach vacation!

My prayer was answered. But I got THIS:

photo by allyou.com

And THIS:

messy youngest son at age 3

When I prayed, this was not included! I checked those loving images and there was no fine print.I think photos like the ones above should come with side effects and warnings!

These images may include and are not limited to side effects like fatigue, weight gain, insomnia, dishes, laundry, science projects, PTA, midnight feedings, thoughts of fleeing, chore lists, cooking, cleaning, ironing, packing, pampers, potty training, 2am stomach viruses, intense times of fellowship with spouse, puberty, tweens, tantrums, daydreaming about sleep, dance fees, football fees, library fees, lost homework, carpet stains, etc.

Unfortunately they do not. As a result, we are then left in a state of blissful unawareness that suggests we complete these images with our own delight and satisfaction.

I enjoy this life. But recently, I found myself upset about all the things I didn't have enough time to get done. As I complained and lamented about my life, I heard a voice inside say:

"Everything you are complaining about is a direct result of answered prayer."

(BOOM! Are you as blown away as I was?!)

Immediately I repented! I began to thank the Lord for provision for the clothes to fold, food that needed to be cooked, kids to raise, a house to clean and a husband to share life. Regardless of our place in life, it's easy to forget as daily tasks become overwhelming, that we prayed for this!

Be cheerful no matter what; pray all the time; thank God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live.. I Thessalonians 5:16-18 (The Message)