Painful Growth

One of the biggest struggles I have as a Chriistian woman, and I am pretty sure most people will agree, is being grateful for the trials and tribulations in my life. To actually THANK God for the pain and hurt I have - and be happy and sincere about it!


Seriously, I hate pain, and hurt, and meaness, and illness... this is why I cannot wait until Jesus comes again and we can live in that perfect "Garden of Eden" God meant for us before Adam and Eve sinned. So it seems like a contradiction to hate pain and suffering with everything ounce of my being (for that is NOT how God intended for us to live) and then thank God for sending it my way.


As a mother, that feeling multiplies. Now, I deal with the pain of watching my children suffer and then being grateful to God for that.


How absolutely difficult is that?


I would love nothing more than to see my children bounce out of bed in the morning with a happiness that lasts all day long - every day. But, of course, that is not the way it is. All experiences, good or bad, have contributed to shaping us.. to helping us grow into who God wants us to be.


Right now, we have some of that "painful growth" going on in our household. C.J., having been home for a week, will leave again tomorrow for college. He doesn't want to go... I soooo don't want him to go... Zack is sad about this as well... and this all adds up to one big painful growth experience.


But I have still been thanking God every night for this and know that all will end well if we follow Him.


But right now the thoughts of:
-no more Packer games together
- no more going to school together
- no more Tortilla Flats Fridays
- no more church Saturdays
-no more Volleyball games
-no more Basketball games


it's all too sad!


BUT I THANK YOU FOR IT, GOD!