hold on, megan.

the last few days have been a picnic. in the rain. with people who aren't getting along but who realize that a picnic is not the place to talk about it.

i think that some days are purely for gaining experience in sorrow. on those days there is no thought, reflection, learning, or growth. often those days end with the exclamation, "what a waste." those are the hard days.

then later, when things have had a chance to settle for a moment and heads calm, the experiences can be sorted and stacked, pasted and posted in their proper places, lending support to our theories or perhaps challenging our prior notions.

today i've been piecing a stack of troubling experiences that i've collected over the past few days.

one reminder i needed was ignited as i read the following words and reflected on my behavior lately...

"...we realize that the purpose of our life on earth is to grow, develop, and be strengthened through our own experiences. How do we do this? The scriptures give us an answer in one simple phrase: we 'wait upon the Lord.'

...In the scriptures, the word wait means to hope, to anticipate, and to trust. To hope and trust in the Lord requires faith, patience, humility, meekness, long-suffering, keeping the commandments, and enduring to the end.

...Waiting upon the Lord gives us a priceless opportunity to discover that there are many who wait upon us. Our children wait upon us to show patience, love, and understanding toward them. Our parents wait upon us to show gratitude and compassion. Our brothers and sisters wait upon us to be tolerant, merciful, and forgiving. Our spouses wait upon us to love them as the Savior has loved each one of us." -Elder Robert D. Hales

life is very challenging for us right now. a stronger person could handle this lot and more. but i'm hanging on by my fingernails, which is no easy feat because i've bitten them so short.

above pictured, we're counting the days until tax season is over and daddy returns to us. with each link we've written a tiny act of kindness we can preform to encourage and support him.

while we're sending him reminders of our love, i'm looking for the "love notes" that i know Heavenly Father is leaving for me. So many sweet, joyous moments amidst the junk, like the chocolate chip i found on the floor while i was sweeping. if you're wondering, yes, i ate it.

worth mentioning is this funny quirk in our new house. in the laundry room there are two mirrors mounted at an angle such that, when i look in one, i can see myself along side my cleaning supplies extending into the eternities.

the winds and rains will subside. the calm comes after the storm. this i know. from the great blessing that is "personal experience."

Comments

Anonymous said…
You are so strong, what you're doing would "tax" anyone's resources. I miss you and I hope we get to play again soon. You have been such a big help to us these past weeks and I am so grateful for your family in my life. Today Ella and I were talking about her friends and when she mentioned the boys she called them "my boys," I thought that was pretty cute. You amaze me all the time. You are wonderful and I sure love you.
Brie
jill said…
You don't know me, but I really appreciate the thoughts you share on your blog. We're just coming through a really crazy time in life and can just, as of like 2 weeks ago, see the light at the end of the tunnel. This post resonates with me. And yes, we must "wait upon the Lord." I hope the end of tax season comes quickly for you.
Theresa said…
Thanks for sharing your struggles and what you're learning as you go. I love Elder Hale's quote because sometimes I get so caught up in everything I have going that I forget that there are so many precious people who need me and are waiting on me too. Thanks for the reminder and thanks for your inspiration.
Jill said…
What a beautiful post and pictures. It inspires me to be more patient and faith filled. Thanks!