Tag Archives: sorrow

Diaries of the Heart

NAVEL GAZING

4 Comments

Are you a navel gazer?? This is the term my husband uses when people can only see their own issues.

Do all your problems and issues make you look just at yourself or can you see how others are being affected by your problems or are there others going through the same things.

Sometimes we go through such tough stuff that we can’t imagine anyone else having anything worse, due to our grief and sorrow all we can see is ourselves.

When we are going through issues my saying to myself is: “There is always someone else going through something tougher than us”. That always makes me able to handle issues a bit easier because of this realization.

When our daughter passed away at 26 weeks gestation I remember saying this to the nurse and then saying to her that I couldn’t think of any one I knew who had gone through worse. God gently reminded me of dear friends of ours who had lost a child at about the same age of our daughter only months before.  The mother had then suffered from heart issues and various other medical problems and was hospitalized for some time.  Then I realized that although our daughter had been birthed into Jesus’ arms, I was still well and able to care for the children I still had, not like my friend.

I hope our troubles give us understanding and sympathy towards others going through the same situations.  I hope we use our knowledge and experience to help these people, to somehow deal with what is going on.

Otherwise what is the point!!

Romans 8:28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose.

bible

I believe that God allows these things to happen to us for our good and His purpose.  We need to stop looking at ourselves and our problems and start thinking about God and His purpose in our lives.

Now please don’t think that I am perfect.  I struggle with every issue we have and wonder what is the point, but when I get through the fog of grief or worry I try and go, oh maybe this is for a reason.

15450879862_c70409151b_qThere has to be more to life than just ourselves, more to life than just worrying about how we are getting on.  Let us turn our eyes toward the Lord and ask Him how we can use our situation to help others.

 

This post is linked up here..

Thought Provoking Thursday

Christian Mommy Blogger

 

Diaries of the Heart

OUR KITCHEN TABLE…

22 Comments

We have had various kitchen tables over the past 25 years.  Our first table was a small extendable one that was bought from friends and was a bit rickety, and the chairs were too.

We  bought a small new one around 18 years ago and the table is still useful now, but the chairs have fallen apart.

Since then we have had a couple other second hand tables but never anything to write home about.

When we bought this farm the owner was selling his furniture so we purchased quite a bit of it – a bed, buffet and a beautiful large timber kitchen table and chairs.

It has always been a dream of mine to have a large table with heaps of chairs so that we can fit family and friends around it.  Now we can sit 10 quite comfortably – even more if we squish in.

Our kitchen table is quite solid, the legs being very strong and stable.  Maybe this table can be compared to our marriage and our family life.  Maybe now after many years our marriage and our family has grown strong and is strengthened by Gods word and His will for our family and lives.IMG_0273[1]In the early days when we had the second hand rickety table this could be compared to our marriage back then.  We had no training or experience in marriage and didn’t know then what we know now. We had trials and tribulations but thankfully with only the Lords help, we didn’t fall apart like the chairs.

Then there is the size and top of the table:  Maybe this can be compared with how our tent pegs have been stretched out to help others.  It is large enough to accommodate family and friends.

Isaiah 54:2 Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen you stakes.

IMG_0275[1]

This is the quilt I made for the top of the table.  I love table quilts, they are two fold – they protect the top of the table (being wadded with wool) from scratches, heat and keeps most spills from soaking through.  They also give the dining area a wonderful warm feeling and make me feel comfortable and cozy.

DSC_0275[1]

Maybe this quilt can be compared to the love and protection of the Lord.  He spreads His love and protection over us as a family and makes us feel comfortable in His will for our lives.

He protects us and guides us and like the quilt He doesn’t always keep all spills off the table, some soak through, but He is there to guide us and keep us and allows us to grow as well.

This table has seen many visitors and has shared times of happiness and sadness.  Just today friends stopped in on their way to the hospital for the husband to have an MRI.  It is possible that he has to undergo surgery again for a cancerous tumour, which has grown so very quickly.  They shared this story with me over a cup of coffee. This table heard our thoughts and prayers and held up under the weight of my sorrow.

This table also heard of their future plans for them and their family because of the faith and hope that they have in our Lord.

Thank you Lord for giving us such a table, such a comparison to you in our lives, thank you for loving us and supporting us and keeping us with your word for the future.

 

This post is linked up here…

Thought Provoking Thursday

 

new-FellowshipFridays1