You Can get Through Anything, as Long as You know Who is in Charge

These words of prophetic wisdom were delivered, last week, to me at the very height of my own crisis, from a very close friend and mentor, a spiritual warrior, who, as of late, has endured many valleys of his own, yet still continues on his daily trek toward that not-so-distant, insurmountable summit. Diabetes, a leg amputation and now dialysis may have set him back a day or two on his marvelous journey through this life, but still he presses onward and upward, each and every day, with a song in his heart and a smile on his face. Oh, if we all could catch his indescribable joy. It's an internal happiness that is truly contagious and a far reaching testament to his tried and true faith.
That being said, no matter what we are currently facing in our own tumultuous journeys, no matter how hard we try to make lemonade out of the lemons in our daily lives, we must never forget that someone is in charge. He knows what's good for us, by viewing in totality our "big picture," while many of us in crisis are only experiencing the immediate impacts of the moment.
It just so happened on this glorious spring morning, I noticed the ruby red-throated hummingbirds were no longer coming to their feeder. From a distance, the feeder looked absolutely normal and over half full. But once I meandered, up close and personal, I noticed the mixture, though still red in color, was stagnant with all kinds of nasty stuff floating throughout it. No wonder these fellas were avoiding it. It looked good and pleasing from afar, but once the birds tasted it, it must have been rank. Needless to say, I would not have touched it either.
I proceeded to empty all the spoiled contents, wash and clean it thoroughly and refill it with fresh hummingbird food. Within two minutes of re-hanging it, they were back, non stop; and are now happy once again. So it goes with our lives sometimes. We absolutely look fine from the outside, but inside, we have become stagnant and rank and in need of a good cleaning, washing and replenishing.
Remember the words of my truly tried and true special friend: "He's in charge." The mountains, along with seemingly immovable obstacles that are occasionally placed in our paths throughout the course of our lives maybe just what was needed to force us to pour out the "old" stuff that may have grown stale and complacent; and bring in the new stuff, filled with revitalized dreams and fresh visions, bursting with vitality and overflowing with expectation. As I've stated before and will state again: "While ye live to our Creator, prosperity and adversity, will be equally helpful to you" (1st Thessalonians 5:18).
Yet, when we're in the throes of crisis, it's hard to fathom and or accept these aforementioned words. We've done all that we know how to do; we've meditated and prayed long and hard for answers, all to no avail. We've pleaded through rivers of tears that His will be done, all the while wishfully hoping that His will aligns with ours. Yet, the answers have not come, or they've come in bits and pieces and or if they have come, they were not the answers we were hoping for.
Remember the Serenity Prayer, by theologian Reinhold Niebuhr: "God grant me the courage to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can: and the wisdom to know the difference." He is in charge of change too. Just look around us. The Earth is always in motion. The ebbs and flows of our lives are constantly in flux. To succeed, we must move with these changes and embrace them, look for the good in them and somehow find a way to leave the past behind.
In my own life, I am currently facing, by far, the most challenges I have ever experienced. I have been truly humbled beyond measure, broken, beat down and cast aside, by many who were in "my circle." Yet, I have not given up, nor have I quit. Because in the grand scheme of things, I believe He continues to be in charge, in spite of me and that's sufficiently more than enough.

Better to Walk with Friends who Limp, than to Count on Friends, Who have Never Limped at All

Better to Walk with Friends who Limp, than to Count on Friends, Who have Never Limped at All

“Those who limp are those who have been knocked down, beat up and learned from the experience; and got up a better person for the experience.  Those who have not been through such experiences are walking time bombs who do not realize that it can or will ever happen to them.  Thus their ways resemble proud and untouchable folks, who are missing so much of life because they cannot lower themselves to relate to most folks.”

I heard these aforementioned words today from my wise friend Paul, who also shared a story from a pastor, who found out who his true friends were, while facing his own calamities; for they too had already been through the throes of similar, if not equal distress, and walked uprightly with pronounced limps as reminders.

Those we deem as friends, continually persevere, even though they have been bruised, battered and broken by the events of their past. They can empathize with our current state for they have been through where we are now traveling and wear with honor, the well worn tee-shirts to prove it. 

Sadly enough, in the current trials and tribulations of my own life, I have discovered, just like the aforementioned pastor, those who have remained my cherished friends. They’re limping with me, expecting nothing in return, giving freely of themselves as we trudge down this well worn pathway, together; while others, whom we counted on over the years, have suddenly stopped communicating personally, as well as, in emails and phone calls, as though we have been declared unclean, infected by a plague.

The Golden Rule states: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Unfortunately this rule does not always apply, when we have nothing significant left to give. “What have you done for me lately” seems to be the question that replays over and over again, almost daily. As long as we were supporting, providing, enabling and rescuing those in need, they were there for us. But when our abundance of material resources dried up, through this ever so humbling recession, reluctantly, so did many of our “friendships.”

If one has never experienced the scars created by setbacks and loss, one will never truly appreciate the magnitude of hopelessness, along with the unwelcome feelings of helplessness that continually pound our mind like a storm tossed surf. Fortunately for me, there are a few who have, for they steadfastly limp along beside us, until we are able to walk unaided, sporting a pronounced limp, all our own.

What our “former” friends may not know is that giving involves far more than material things. Those of us, who have been blessed throughout our lives with the gift of giving; though our resources may be temporarily depleted, still give all we have as we are able; and includes, but is not limited to, the greatest and most priceless gift, the gift of prayer.

Bouncing and bubbling Charlie sent me a video this morning, called “I am one of the seven percent,” http://www.youtube.com/watch, which I would encourage everyone to take five minutes and watch. In it, you may witness, in your own life, a broader perspective of those in your circle, who unbeknownst to you may play a major role in helping you achieve your dreams.

Unfortunately, and or fortunately, whatever our case may be, we all need someone, either to hold our hand, embrace our hearts and or to challenge our minds to discover the wherewithal that makes us who we are; someone too, who steers us in the direction of our aspirations. It is not a sign of weakness to want or need to commensurate with another. It is a strength, that when drawn on, empowers us to excel in all we set our mind too.

I’ve found equally in professional circles, it’s best to engage those who also walk with a limp. They seem to have an unrequited hunger that sets them above the rest. My recent kindred spirit is Randy, whom I have enlisted to find “my market.” Spending a day with him last week, I learned that he too has experienced the highest of highs and the lowest of lows in his fifty plus years. He has started climbing the ladder once again and is close to reaching the top, albeit with a limp. Randy says rather humbly that “for all the bad he encountered along the way, he wouldn’t trade it for anything, because he is a much better person because of his life altering events.” Kudos’s to him.

We are all movers and shakers or we wouldn’t be where we are at this stage in our lives. Most of us got here because of people who believed in us, friendships that developed both, professionally and personally, through our journeys. Unfortunately and or again fortunately, when the road gets tough, the chaff has the propensity to be separated from the wheat. Those who continue to remain by our side are those of substance, refined grain, if you will and worthy of our utmost respect; while others, who are easily swayed by circumstances that no longer benefit them, have mysteriously disappeared.

Look to those who limp, within your inner circle, as I have and be thankful. They’re the ones who will be there for you and me when everyone else has abandoned our ship. Communicate often, say thank you frequently and without reservation, let them know you care. These friends are forever priceless. We can and will always count on them to be there for us. And they will be, limp and all.