Interruptions
Life is full of interruptions. Maybe they are little interruptions like last week’s.
Last week, I was sitting on my back porch enjoying a cool fall morning with a cup of coffee and a phone conversation with a friend.
All of a sudden, a bird flew onto the patio. The dogs jumped up and chased the bird. The frantic bird flew into my open bedroom door! The frantic dogs chased the bird.
My frantic self repeated, “Oh, no! Oh, no! The bird is in my bedroom!”
My longtime friend on the other end of the line calmly said, “I guess I’ll talk to you later.” Could her calmness have anything to do with the fact that she has four kids, three dogs, and a cat? Or is it more about her doing life with me for 27 years?
My quiet, peaceful morning was interrupted by a scared little bird trapped in my bedroom – and two confused dogs chasing the bird.
Sometimes life’s interruptions are a bit bigger.
Last week, a quick trip to Wal-Mart to buy material to make a costume for a daughter’s upcoming performance turned into a three-hour ordeal when her keys and wallet were stolen. Lots of time looking for keys and wallet. Car towed because we didn’t have a spare key and were afraid whoever had the keys would steal the car if we left it overnight. Video searched. More looking for the keys and wallet – just in case. Had to figure out how to set house alarm since the house key was taken and they had our address. Ugh!
Or maybe life is interrupted by bigger things.
In the past few months, I have had friends lose a husband to cancer, experience infidelity in their marriage, have a spouse ask for a divorce, lose jobs, get an unexpected doctor’s report.
Big life interruptions. Big.
My own life has been interrupted in the past. My brother broke his neck at age 20. I’ve buried a son. Family members have died early. Divorce and cancer have touched our family.
Life is interrupted. But there is always HOPE for life’s interruptions!
When we are experiencing life’s interruptions, it is hard to see the hope, the positive, the light at the end of the tunnel. But I know that if we keep our focus on the Lord, He will see us through.
He is our “hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure!” Heb 6:19
He has promised to never leave us or forsake us. (Deut. 31:6)
When you experience life’s interruptions, whether big or small, what do you do? Allow it to overwhelm and overcome you? Or do you become an overcomer? Do you walk away from God ~ or run to Him?
Shelley, I am also part of the on-line study group and came over to read your words and hear your voice today. Thank you for sharing your thoughts today and leaving us with the challenge to walk way from Him or to run to Him. Blessings, Maria
Maria,
Glad to have you stop by. When my brother broke his neck at age 20 and became a quadriplegic, someone asked me why I kept trusting God. My answer – he would still be in a wheelchair but I would be without hope! Better to go through the rough things in life with God then without!
Interruptions! If it wasn't for them I'd never get to the detours God has planned for me. Overcoming, with grace, is hard. Being bitter or angry is easy. Unhealthy, but easy. Embracing the positive, searching for the joy, seeking the blessings takes work but is worth it. So worth it, even when we can't see it from where we are. Thanks for sharing! Bless you.
I love the phrase "get to the detours God has planned for me." Wow! If only more people saw things that way we'd have a lot more joy in this world!
Thank you for this post and thank you for the humor and the honesty. 🙂
Thank you for your encouraging words and challenge.
It has been a blessing to me today.
Bless you,
Susan
Susan, thank you for encouraging me with your comment!
This is great Shelly! I love your point of view. I hope the keys and wallet were found!
Visiting from Jo Ann's link up. 🙂
The keys and wallet were never found. 🙁 The next day was interrupted by having to have all of our locks changed. 🙂 But I was able to give a lot of business (we have 9 doors with two locks each!) to a friend's husband that just started a locksmith business. So there was a blessing there – for someone!