I was thinking this morning about what it means to "Do Life together" as a part of a community of believers. That wise old philospher Forrest Gump said, "Life is like a box of chocolates." I think sometimes life is more like a rollercoaster, full of ups and downs and unexpected turns... where there are moments of laughter and sheer exhilaration, and other moments where you are white knuckling it and hanging on for dear life.
When my wife Vicki was diagnosed with cancer... it was a sudden jolt and a reminder that you don't always see the twists and turns that are about to come your way. We were surprised, and a bit scared... ok quite a bit... and we experienced a flood of different emotions.
After learning the news, we spent a little while comforting each other, but then we began to share the news with our family, and the community of believers that we are walking throughthis journey of life with. I can tell you one thing I know for sure, my heart breaks for people who have to experience difficult times by themselves. I think this happens for different reasons... maybe they have never developed the friendships... or maybe in the midst of the difficult time, they simply withdrew from relationships. But for whatever reason, they are walking through the difficult moments of life by themselves.
The bible says in Ecclesiastes 4, that two are better than one.... because if one falls the other is there to help them up. It says "But pity anyone who falls and there is no one to help them up." And the passage then reminds us that a three fold cord is not easily broken.
We are in the middle of walking through our current experience. Vicki has had the first of several anticipated surgeries and she has started chemotherapy, and all along the way we have had people around us.
Truthfully, its been a humbling experience. We have been used to being the ones who went to help others and lift up their hands during trying times. We were unprepared for the overwhelming love and support we experienced from the people around us. There were phone calls that came, just at the right moment... cards that made us laugh and smile during moments when we needed that. There were shoulders to cry on, and people with listening ears and wise thoughts, who advised us along the way. Some of those people had already experienced what we were walking through and their thoughts gave us strength and hope in the journey.
There were others who had not experienced what we were walking through, but they knew how to extend love. For some of them it was through coming by and lending a helping hand. For others, they showed their love by cooking a meal or some way lifting the load. But everyone together made the difference.
And we still have a ways to go... and some moments are really good... and some are really hard. But I believe that when we reach the other side of this thing, what we will remember is not the difficulties and the moments of fear... but the hugs and the hopes of the community we have chosen to do life together with. We will remember the love, the laughter, the encouragement, and the solid friendships. And when I think about it... I see Jesus in my friends and family, extending His hand, and His love and comfort and grace... and in that we find the strength we need.
Very good! Robert! very good peace of encouragement! What you're describing is what built my life with strength for seven years when I gave my life to Jesus and he turned my world & changed it all! It was those days of serving each other loving each other this is extremely difficult times! even through being talk to confront well did it wrong but in that we learned the strength to be honest and for me to learn to be sensitive and caring to others from the heart not from the head!
I was thinking about the scripture this morning about works lest you boast !! We do works; we will boast!! But when we serve forgive and build up each other to become a family team, a unit to be wreckened with! that nothing can stop!! Well, To this day I still have a loyalty of love, a connection never to forget! to all those people that we made covenant with!! non-the-matter if someone backed away from God or others went off to their own thinking or separated by way of travel distance profession! The remembrance of sacrifices, friendships, stickin like glue, that went into the lives with humble extravagant hearts of care!!! it makes for a very strong team!! I'm so glad that you guys have that !!! it's not everywhere, believe me !! This kind of team seemed to go by the wayside of fear. but I do believe God is wanting to raise that up in a better way now!! for what's ahead I think it's the only way to be strong & Honorable!!! Thanks Robert for what you're doing you definetly have a unique way of love that builds,encourages, who, the Word poser does not exist!! thanks for being a great example build the Road THEY WILL COME!!!
By the way I hate typing on this little iPhone and using Siri I don't think I keep my message clear but try your best to understand where I'm coming from God bless you and Vicky I'm still praying Terri
Posted by: Terri | September 25, 2012 at 11:23 AM