Tuesday, September 22, 2009

The Hard Parts

Sometimes people ask me if they may read my journal. So far I have always declined them the privilege. Oh I wouldn't mind if they read the fun things, the nice parts, or the pages that have plenty of Hallelujah's on them. But there's the hard parts: conflicts, worries, and the recordings of my not so nice thoughts and feelings.

The other day Elv and I were talking about my desire to write a book someday. He suggested that I am already doing that...the journal, you know. I challenged him that to have Mom's Journal (the children's reference to my volumes) published would be rather exposing. I assured him that it isn't that I am in need of a story line..the only plausible reason I can think of to resort to my journal...I have a story in my head.

But I've been thinking about Lance, our twenty year old son, who is on the fire department, heads up a children's ministry, and is a logger. (He is getting a much needed vacation camping with friends these next two weeks.) He's had some hard parts in his life lately being on the fire department. He and his dad have had to attend three extracations in the last thirteen days. On two of them Lance operated the cutting tool. It's heavy! He says it gains a pound every minute. But the really hard part is that they are working as fast as they can to cut open the car. The EMT's are working over, under, and around the extraction crew, as the case may be, to support the life inside there through whatever openings they have. The very minute the victim is freed they close in and start to pull him out. Sometimes they have to go back in for more cutting. These situations are packed with intense emotions and work.

The crews get together later to talk things over. It's a good idea. Everyone needs a chance to share how they're feeling and to cry a little.

It's what we learn from the hard parts in life that matters. We choose to become better instead of bitter as the saying goes. The hard parts make the easy parts sweeter.

Last night I had to have time to talk things over with Elv. Four of our children walked out the door and left for Nebraska yesterday. The married couple of them lives there and the other two live here but will be gone for two weeks. We have our first grand-baby due overseas and we won't see him till he's two years old, most likely. Although we count our rich blessings in having children who love the Lord, I tend to feel sort of weepy on a day like yesterday. So Elv held a debriefing for me, lovely man, and I feel better today.

Revelations 21:4 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, now crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.

3 comments:

  1. Mom, you could still write a book about the life you lead as a mother and all your crazy children, etc, without the whole world reading your journals... People like to know about real life stuff. Thanks for posting again and I'm glad Lance is getting a break too.

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  2. I like that idea Lisl. That would be a good compromise for all of us who would like to have an insight into your experience, Mom. Some of my favorite reads are books that were taken from real life, Little Women, Anne of Green Gables, Little House, etc.

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  3. I'd rather read a book put in a form of little articles of insight...w/ good humor and good tears all mixed up in it.
    Could you write a novel ever? What would be your story line if you wrote a novel? I just read Celia Garth by Gwen Bristow....I think she did a good job at fiction...but people like Karen Kinsbury don't really have as much talent.
    So I'll be waiting to read whatever you DO write!

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