When you're driving down the highway you get a warning. "Hey, you! Slow down a little and get ready! It's fixin' to get rough!" (This is how the road signs in Texas talk y'all.) Or, "Don't drift out of your lane because there will be a scary drop that feels like you're losing control."How I wish life was a little bit more like driving. "Things are about to get rough. Brace yourself or exit now." Unfortunately, there is often NO WARNING.
Now, I know that my life isn't the worst. There are so many that have it worse. I get that. I really do. But it's not the easiest either.
About 5 years ago we had some major shakeups. My husband quit his job of almost 9 years to go work at a better job. One with benefits (finally) and opportunities for overtime (a chance to pay off debt). Only that's not how it worked out. This is where the signs would have been beneficial.
Right there.
"Curves ahead" "Rough Road" "Sharp Curve Ahead"
You know, just basic warnings. And every time we think we are recovering and overcoming, a whole new "rough" comes along and throws us into uneven lanes. As Christians, we know that we are not in this alone. We know that God has a plan. And we try, we really do, to keep that in mind and hang on. If I had a nickel for every time I've heard the verse said to me "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose." (Romans 8:28 KJV) we wouldn't need to work anymore. But it doesn't make it easier. We also understand that that "good" doesn't always happen here on earth. We know that our lives aren't charmed-shoot, sometimes they're barely bearable. And I don't even pretend to understand why some people seem to float along in the "happily ever after" part of the fairy tale while the rest of us feel like Cinderella looked after the step-sisters ripped all of of her finery off.
So, here we sit. Spending our house money while we wait for the job to start that was already supposed to be in full swing. Discouraging for sure.
