July 9th, 2009

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Dancing & Celebrating (Life)

Thursday, July 9th, 2009

I recently read a quote that speaks volumes:  “Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass…it’s about learning how to dance in the rain!” {Author unknown}  Years ago I read a book by Tim Hansel called You Gotta Keep Dancin’, written following his near tragic accident while mountain climbing.  Tim lives in constant pain.  He closed his book with this quote: “There is no box made by God nor us but that the sides can be flattened out and the top blown off to make a dance floor on which to celebrate life.” {Kenneth Caraway}   Tim began his book with the following quote by Sheldon Kopp: “Life can be counted on to provide all the pain that any of us might need.”

Those are some pretty pointed quotes.  Sort of makes me stop and think about all the times I tried my best to either avoid pain or rued the day pain visited my space.   If you are like me you will kick and scream about pain being part of your life, seeking ways to get out of it or to lessen it.  Maybe you have even found yourself clenching a fist toward God in anger or pleading with Him to relieve the pain.   Now please don’t get me wrong: I am not a glutton for punishment.  I don’t go around saying, “Okay God.  Rip one on me.  I can handle it.  Please, please, please let me suffer.”  Nope, got the wrong guy on that.  But I must admit wasting a ton of energy whining about what seems to be God’s lack of fair treatment of me-His “special” child.  But when I settle down and allow His Spirit to speak I read of Paul’s struggle with the thorn in his flesh.  I read James 1:2 that says, “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.” So if I get this right instead of looking for a way out, I ought to be looking for a way through.

What are your thoughts on what I have written?  I would like to hear what you think.