This is the month to share my dear friends. February needs friends, don’t ya think? I invited a few of my new blog friends to stop by and share their words with you. I surely believe you will love them as much as I do! I couldn’t think of a sweeter and more faithful friend to kick this friendly February month off than Meredith, from The Mom of the Year. Read on and be touched, blessed and inspired by her words…
Rounding Off Corners…
Anyone else ever feel a little edgy? And by edgy I mean “edge-y”, as in full of sharp corners and edges. This would be okay, if it didn’t make rolling through this life so darn hard. Smooth spheres roll, prickly, pointed cube-like shapes don’t.
Gah. The thing of it is, life is hard. I don’t say this lightly. In the past 18 months, my family has had a share of challenges. While my father recovered from major heart surgery, my dear grandmother died. Then my 2 yr.old son broke his femur bone and was body-casted for 6 weeks. As he learned to walk again, we had an influx of very unexpected financial needs, and then experienced the very sad death of my mother. In the midst of all this, my daughter was born and my sister got married. These were wonderful blessings, but it’s been a very full year and a half.
I used to get really grumpy with all of this, and to be honest, many days I still do, but lately I’ve been realizing something. With each hardship, my sharp corners get rounded off a bit. It’s like one of those sweetly smooth stones you find on the beach. As the waves beat the stone and it grates against the sand, it just becomes…softer. Those stones are beautiful and precious. They seem to fit so perfectly in our pockets.
Paul says in Romans 5:3-4 (NIV): “…we also glory in our suffering, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance character; and character, hope.”
Pain and suffering are never fun. They aren’t meant to be. But they are meant to grow us. Shape us. Mold us. God puts each and every circumstance in our lives for a reason, to form us into the person on this earth that He intends us to be.
I’m human, so I could never enjoy going through many of the events of the past months, but I am thankful for what they have produced in me. I am thankful that they have developed my character and anticipate the hope that is to follow. I love that some of my pointy edges have been rounded out and that I’m finding it easier to move through my days. It’s a little less tricky to roll with things and just “go with it” when my sharp corners aren’t holding me up. Just like the smooth stones that fit so well in our pockets, I’m finding it a little easier to fit into this life.
So I’m taking “glory in my suffering” and giving thanks for rounded corners.
What a marvelous perspective to CHOOSE! I love that scripture, which goes on to say, “and hope does not disappoint us…”! All too often I’m too busy being disappointed with things in my life to focus on the HOPE I have the ability to choose.
Thanks for the reminder, and for redirecting my perspective for my tomorrow.
Tammy, you’re so right. It does all boil down to that one word: choose. It’s an act of will, even when our natural inclination might pull us away from hope. Here’s to positive “choosing” with you and thanks for checking in!
Oh, Meredith, first of all, I’m so sorry for your loss. I’m happy for your gains, though, and happy to be inspired by someone who has such insight into the role that suffering plays in our lives.
So beautifully said.
Thank you, Chris, for sharing her with us!
Aw, Michelle, thanks for your kind words and for rejoicing in the gains with me 🙂 God can use everything, right?
Meredith, you said it beautifully and perfectly. I think as we get older most of us have this happen little by little with the good and bad events in our lives. They do forever shape us and mold us, too. Wonderful post and so very relatable.
So true, Janine. I think all the events (both good and bad), shape and mold us as we go through this life. Thanks for reading this, my friend!
Beautiful! I love the stone analogy.
Thanks, Stephanie, and thanks for reading!
Great analogy….and sooooo true! I truly feel we do ‘earn’ our gray hairs and wouldn’t trade any of them for what I’ve learned through trials! I always say I’d much rather enter the next decade rather than go back to the last one! Wiser, softer, more peace, more joy…all ahead thanks to our smoother shape.
Thanks Mom of the Year! I just called myself that yesterday to another couple of moms! How did you take my title?! Thanks for the guest blogs Chris! Fun!
Candice, I love thinking about being as you described, “wise, softer, more peace, more joy”–that would be just about perfect for me 🙂 Praising God for all of those well-earned gray hairs!
I like to say I earn my title one epic parenting fail at a time–and it’s a universally open title, so claim it for yourself! 🙂
It sounds as though your year was something like mine – my Dad (I didn’t really have a ‘mother’ – she ran away when I was a baby) died, my second daughter was born – we had marriages and anniversaries, and life just keeps going. But of all years, ‘edgy’ is definitely how I feel!
Samantha, I’m so sorry about your loss and how rough the year must have been. For me, it was so hard to keep taking care of the kids through it, but you’re right–life does just keep going and they helped keep me on track in a way too. I hope this next year is less “edgy” for us both, and I will pray for you, Samantha!
I just love it that the Lord will use every last bit of that pain and suffering you endured this year. It won’t be lost. It won’t be wasted. Such and encouragement. Thank you!
I love this too, Kari. And thank YOU for your encouragement and wise words!
What an inspiration you are Meredith. I’ve lost both my parents 2 years apart with the birth of my son in between. I’ve blogged about the pain and loneliness I’ve felt, but I’ve never published any of those posts…yet. It’s such a wonderful reminder that with each suffering our sharp edges are getting softer.
Oh Hope, I’m so sorry. I can’t imagine how hard this must have been. If you ever do publish any of these posts, I would sincerely love to read them. In the meantime, I will pray. Softness is on it’s way…
Meredith- what a beautiful piece. If you can get through all that, you can get through anything! What an inspiration!
Thank you, my friend. I appreciate the vote of confidence and thanks for coming here to read!
Oh, I’m so sorry for the losses you’ve had to bear lately. This was such a lovely post. I’ll truly remember it the next time I’m feeling some uncomfortable rounding off of my corners.
I pray this image keeps sticking for me too–easy to lose perspective through growing pains, I know. Thanks for your kind words!
<3 Hugs for you, Meredith!
Thanks, Stephanie. And hugs back 🙂
First, I think there is some sort of conspiracy of not wanting me to comment on your stuff. I wrote a long comment and once again, poof…gone. 🙁 I’m convinced that my computer hates me.
The gist of it was that I think this is lovely way to look at our suffering. I love what Paul said in Romans and it’s what has sustained me through a few hard times. I’m so sorry for all the loss that you have suffered in such a short amount of time and can only imagine the roller coaster of emotions as the good things were happening. This post makes me happy that I am on this journey of life with you. Such an inspiration.
AnnMarie, thanks for all of your sweet words, and I’m so sorry the computer gives you such fits trying to comment them! Gah! I’m so glad to with you on this journey too 🙂
What a beautiful way to look at it, this is just the thing I needed today.
So glad, Kriistina, and glad you checked in!
What truth! Thanks for sharing such a great perspective!
Thank YOU for all of your perspective, my friend. We’ll keep truth-seeking together 🙂
What a beautifully written post. It certainly sounds like your family has faced its share of hardships this year. I pray 2013 brings you more smooth moments…
Thanks, OneMommy. That’s very kind and I hope 2013 is good one for everyone!
I love that you chose to take this and make something good out of it. Challenges can pull us away from Him and you chose to draw close. So cool!
I’m trying to at least, JDaniel–thanks so much for the encouragement!
What a wonderful post and perspective. I love the idea of rounding off the corners. Beautiful.
Thanks so much for reading, Jennifer. I appreciate your kind words.
Paul was so articulate – and so are you, Meredith. While it might seem we lose our edge when we get smoothed out, we’re actually becoming stronger. I believe the smooth edges make for a stronger structure, don’t you?
You’re then better able to stand strong, but also roll with the punches. It’s a much smoother path to take.
Well said.
Eli, that’s a great point. We become smoother, but stronger too. Those punches are much easier to take. Thanks for this perspective–it’s cool to think about gaining some strength through everything too 🙂