Friends,

Last week my son, Sam, broke his tibia skiing.  It’s a spiral fracture so I’ve learned that the x-ray view is of great importance.  From one view it looks like there’s a small horizontal crack in his bone, but the x-ray shot from above reveals the crack spirals down the inner part of the bone.  It’s amazing what you can learn in eight short day, and not just about tibias and x-rays.

For one thing, I’ve learned that I’ve been lacking in empathy.  Three of my five nephews have broken a bone in their leg or foot in the last year.  Did I feel terrible for them?  Of course.  Did I have any appreciation for what this actually meant for them or their caretaker?  Uhh, no.    True empathy is always a good thing.

Secondly, it’s been a good reminder that despite my plans to go here and do that, and “tear down this barn and build a new one,” the truth is I cannot guarantee that I will live another day.  Instead, I want to live my life taking nothing  for granted.

Third, I’ve witnessed my son rally and mature this week in ways I could not have predicted.  When things seem terrible, it’s a great life lesson to know they don’t stay that way forever, or in this case, for very long at all. There can be times when the fallen state of the world weighs heavy on your soul.  I have been praying this week about some truly heavy things for some friends. But even in dark days, it’s good to remember that it won’t always be like that.  There’s a song I used to sing a lot with my mom about this. Here are the lyrics.

Someone said that in each life some rain is bound to fall

And each one sheds his share of tears

And trouble troubles us all

But the hurt can’t hurt forever

And the tears are sure to dry

And it won’t rain always

The clouds will soon be gone

The sun that they’ve been hiding has been there all along

And it won’t rain always

God’s promises are true

The sun’s gonna shine in His own good time

And He will see you through

 

Jesus said, “In this world you will have trouble.”  But He didn’t say it would be ALL trouble. Plus, He told us that He loves us and would never forsake us.

In the midst of sorrow or on life’s mountaintop, Jesus is always there. I hope you take heart in that!

Peace,

Kristie