Rejoice In The Mayhem

     

  MAYHEM. A noun meaning violent or damaging disorder; chaos. I don't know about you, but sometimes this is my life. This is definitely sometimes my life as a mom of 6 kids. I can honestly say that, yes, the environment can be violent or damaging especially when a teenage wrestling match breaks out, a toddler gets a hold of a sharpie, when your tweenage daughter has a sleepover, or when your 8 year old son runs you over on his motorized dirt bike. That actually happened, last week in fact. 

     I decided that since it was a beautiful afternoon I would go out for a relaxing run in my neighborhood. I put on some of my favorite music and went outside to prepare for my run. My two little girls decided they wanted to come, so a little less relaxing, but totally okay. I was on a mission to enjoy the day. My son decided he would zip through the neighborhood on his little motorized dirt bike as well. Great! The more the merrier! It was that kind of mood. I made it all of about 1/4 of a mile when my son took off and ran right into the back of me. As he slammed into me, the back of my calves took the impact. As I was falling backwards, he was flying forwards. We collided and somehow managed to stay upright. He immediately started panicking and crying. The girls stood in horror. I stood holding back the tears from the pain in my legs. I turned to the kids calming them all down. I told them to look me in the eyes, I was okay. I sent them home, and then I hobbled home after them. When I got home I started laughing. Honestly, I laugh at almost everything. My kid had just hit his mother with his dirt bike! So much for a relaxing run.

     I am totally fine. After that, I was sore for a few days, but life continued. The older I get, the longer I stay sore from minor injuries. It's ridiculous. The following day I took the kids for a walk. He rode his dirt bike. Needless to say, I would periodically give him the side eye and give him a hard time for running his mom over. In case you don't know us very well, we joke. A lot. It's part of our love language. And that poor kid will never live this down. He's loved that much. 

     In my morning devotions that week I read a verse in 1 Thessalonians 5. It says, Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. I did not feel like rejoicing as I hobbled back home that day. The next day this verse was brought to mind as I walked my sore body back down the street watching for my son on his bike. As I watched my son zip around, my soul started rejoicing. This is the same boy I was praying over last year as he lay in his hospital bed with a shiny bald head while tons of medicines got pumped into his little body. He was dying. I didn't know if he would make it to Christmas, let alone his next birthday. But here he is riding and playing as he thrives this year. I was challenged last year with those same words from scripture. It was my goal to pray and give thanks no matter what. I didn't do it perfectly. I know that. I still don't. But those words are not conditional. It doesn't say rejoice, pray, and give thanks if life is going well. It's not suggesting that it's a good idea to rejoice and pray and give thanks. It is imperative. We are to rejoice, pray, and give thanks in ALL circumstances. Why? How? Because this is God's will for you and for me in Christ Jesus. 

     I remember this time last year, and this year has been an amazing year. Not in every way, but what year is? I know for some of you this year has been really hard in many different ways. My heart goes out to you. I know what hard and devastating seasons feel like. I also know what it is to rejoice, pray, and even give thanks during those seasons. It can be done. Jesus is the why and the how. If we set our eyes and stay close to Him in all circumstances, it is possible. Friends, I challenge you with this as I have been challenged. Whatever your circumstances, let's rejoice always because He makes a way where there is none, let's pray continually because He has given us access to His heart and healing, and let's give thanks that we are never alone. For this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. 

Until next time...

Shattered Expectations

      

         It's been a long while since I've posted on this blog. Twenty-twenty rushed in like a flood, and hasn't stopped. I'm going to get right to the point. This year has failed to meet my expectations in so many ways. I had so many hopes and expectations for this year that I can't even count them all. Last year our son got so sick. If you've followed his journey, then you know how 2019 went for the Schultz family. If you're new, the short version is that my son battled two diseases and ended up going through a bone marrow transplant. 

     Among the many twists and turns of last year was the cancelling of many plans and a few awesome trips. Greece, to be exact. My husband and I were heading to Greece to study Paul, eat amazing food, and see breathtaking sights. Instead, we were living at the hospital while our son battled for his life. We were separated from our children, friends, family, and what felt like the rest of planet earth. We made it back home for the holidays, so I was content with the closing of a totally stupid year. Needless to say, I had high hopes for the new year, and it was going to deliver big time. Wrong! Or was I?

     Our son's progress was not as expected. Shocker. He has been slow to heal. He had a lot of trouble the beginning of this year. The doctors tested him for lymphoma as well as antibodies that could be fighting the success of transplant. The days were long and the months were hard. However, hearing the good news that it was neither cancer ,nor killer antibodies, was relieving. He wasn't where he should be, but he was stable. Stable enough to be let off of our year long quarantine we had been on. April was on its way and we could sense freedom coming. Then COVID hit. What the heck. I refused to be rattled. I refused to start hoarding. (Honestly, how much could a family of 8 stock up on without moving people out of the house? My weekly grocery haul makes me look like a hoarder on any given week anyways.) I refused to allow fear to strip away anymore than it had already claimed the year before. And I refused to let some virus destroy the progress we had made. So back we went into quarantine with a limited supply of toilet paper. 

     I think we can all agree that it's been quite a year. Maybe some of you have had to cancel trips, cancel events, cancel graduations, or have found yourself in situations you would have never chosen. Maybe you are in a rocky season, or a season of hurt or loss. For that, I am sorry. I have been there. Maybe not in your exact circumstances, but I know what hurt and loss feel like. I know what it feels like to not be able to catch your breath, or to feel as though every time you make progress something else seems to pull you back down. It seems impossible and unfair. Everything you had worked towards, everything you had hoped for, everything you had expected, shattered. Gone. For many, that is what 2020 has brought, shattered expectations. But what lies amongst the broken pieces? 

     It seems unlikely to find anything but a heap of crap in the present. Our country has dealt with many upsets this year. People have dealt with so many upsets. People have lost jobs, lost businesses, and lost loved ones. We have cried, yelled, raged, mourned, and have battled fear and depression. Hopefully though, there have been moments of laughter and signs of life that have kept us afloat. Hopefully you have still been able to find joy and hope even in the hardest of times. There are still things to be celebrated. You just might have to dig through the rubble to find them.

     Our son has turned a corner just in the last month. We are seeing positive gains that we thought we would never see. We have continued to wake up each day with air in our lungs and purpose for our lives. Even if we don't feel like it, we do. And so do you. God wasn't surprised by my son's diseases, or his progress, or by Covid, or anything that you might be facing right now. His expectations are never shattered. He is never taken off guard. He is constantly moving and working things for good. He is faithful, and we have seen that more than ever in the last two years. Good has, and will continue to come from 2020. We just might have to search to see it.

     I will leave you with this, it is one of my absolute favorite verses. It is found in John 16:33. Jesus is talking to his disciples about his time on earth coming to an end. He explains to the disciples that though he will be leaving them, they will go on to do great things and will see him again. He states that their grief will turn to joy. When He's finished, He leaves them with this verse, "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." 

     We all have had shattered expectations, but take heart my dear friends. He has overcome. He has overcome sorrow, loss, devastation, disease, addiction, sin, failure, and so much more. He has overcome the world. 

Until next time, Beautiful...