My Friends Get It

I got an e-mail from a friend of mine earlier this week.  I've known her for a VERY long time (read decades).  Long before we were married, long before we had kids, we were college roommates.  Since that time, we have both gone on to have kids and adopt kids...only she's done both much more prolifically than I.  She has 15 kids, aged 17 down to 4.  If you want to find out more about her and her amazing family (which I really think you should) you can visit her blog, Dandelion Fuzz on DragonFrye Wings.

Anyway, I wanted to share part of the e-mail she sent me, because she did such a nice job of putting into words what it's like to come face-to-face with difficult things in life.

When I think through all of the family transitions and adjustments we have gone through, I would say it has been hardest on our relationship. Nothing beyond repair or long lasting but very stressful.  I can say Jeff and I are not the people we thought we were. Pressure can do that. Sin does that. But it is a good thing because "before I was afflicted I went astray but now I obey your word. You are good and what you do is good... Ps 119:67-68a    ( "Everything about God is good. God has been good to each and everyone of you. God has been very very good..." I listened to The Goodness of God tape about a zillion times in the past) . We might have looked like better more 'with it' Christians before this all, but being broken and needing to be fixed and put back together (even if it is for the umpteenth time) is ok. 

It is an ok place to be. 

Even if not many of our fellow friends desire to be in their own broken place too. Most settle for being in a chipped place, but broken is kind of a scary thought. Truthfully I did not know I was choosing to be extremely broken when we started to adopt though. I had no clue. I would have settled for chipped. Funny thought. It is kind of like tubing down the Apple River most do not mind the gentle flow of the river but most get off before the rapids. God is good in the gentle flow of the river, and God is good in the rapids, but the rapids take more faith to see God's wisdom and goodness. Hmm..this just happens to echo your Monday blog post,doesn't it? The thoughts you stirred up in me.

 The Goodness of God tape she refers to is a teaching tape from a church she and I used to go to.  That teaching had a MAJOR impact on my life, as well as hers!

Anyway, I hope those of you that are broken, and not just chipped, are encouraged that you are not alone in this!