Originally published on Sept 5, 2011
“Though the fig tree should not blossom and there be no fruit on the vines, though the yield of the olive should fail and the fields produce no food, though the flock should be cut off from the fold and there be no cattle in the stalls, yet I will exult in the Lord, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation.” Habakkuk 3:17-18
“Though the fig tree should not blossom and there be no fruit on the vines, though the yield of the olive should fail and the fields produce no food, though the flock should be cut off from the fold and there be no cattle in the stalls, yet I will exult in the Lord, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation.” Habakkuk 3:17-18
The passage above was the emphasis of the sermon I heard at church on Sunday. It doesn’t matter that we have been in a series on Habakkuk and these verses were next in order, you can’t convince me that God didn’t hand pick these verses for me. As a family, we had the craziest week. One of those, can go wrong/ will go wrong kind of things. I had to check and adjust my attitude many times. Indulge me as I rewrite the scripture passage with my modern-day equivalent:
“Though Chuck’s grandmother pass away and we make a 2 day trip to Midland, though we leave on the same day demolition starts on our kitchen remodel, though we return at 9pm to no lights in our house as we ready our children for bed and school the next morning, though Chuck wakes up in the middle of the night with a kidney stone and takes himself to the hospital, though the sewer backs up leaving us without toilets while family is staying with us – causing us to drive to McDonald’s to do our business, though the ceiling leaks from another construction error, yet I will exult in the Lord, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation.” Lauren 8/28-9/2
I wish I could say that exulting and rejoicing were my first reactions. My entire week was rerouted, leaving me asking God, “Are you kidding me?” Individually, all these things are so minor compared to Dravet Syndrome and other things we have endured. And they are definitely minute compared to the tragedies others face every day, but I laughed and cried and threw a little pity party. I started to feel like we were living in the Tom Hanks movie, “Money Pit” – things falling down around us. I was put out, inconvenienced, and unnerved. I like order to my world. I don’t like to rearrange schedules and cancel appointments. And I definitely don’t like to drive to McDonald’s to go to the bathroom! But in all things, God has a way of bringing glory to Himself. I am learning to serve Him in what I call the “ministry of interruptions”. I like order so much, that I tend to get bent out of shape by the smallest disruption. One of my sweet babies is sick so I have to find a substitute for my class and miss a workout. Someone calls to talk to me when I am in the middle of ironing. I need to cook and take a meal to someone so I don’t get my grocery shop done. And God forbid someone should bother me during my quiet time! I can be so task oriented (doing good things, mind you)- even when my week is normal and not murphey’s – that I miss out on opportunities to serve. And I miss out on relationship with God and others. So I’m taking a deep breath, and learning to praise God no matter what my day holds. I’m thanking God through the touch times, knowing that it brings me to deeper dependence on Him. And I look for the extra opportunites to minister that such times bring. And I acknowledge the strength that God raises up in me to meet the challenges. But if you hear me grumbling, be patient with me, and I’ll do the same for you. Rejoicing takes practice. 
