Little Heartbreaks

How can a heartbreak be a "little" heartbreak?

There's something for this writer to ponder.

Perhaps a little heartbreak might be losing a softball game or the competition for cheerleader or a friend not inviting you to his birthday party.

Heartsick rather than heartbreak. What do you think?

I recall disappointments where I was simply heartsick about an outcome and that didn't "feel good" ya'll.

Have you had the good fortune to have a special trip or vacation as an option then at the last hour it all fell through. No matter how grown up you are it's a heartsick time you have to work through. At first you privately react exactly as the 5 year old when told he can't have the scheduled birthday party. Inside where no one can see, you kick, scream, throw yourself on the floor and cry buffalo tears [whatever that is]. You feel your little world crumbling apart like Graham Crackers that have been in the pantry too long.

You are an adult so you can't really do that..but it is real and it is your heartsick moment, your private heartbreak. Sometimes that is when you really throw a party: A BIG PITY PARTY and just to 'show them" you don't invite anyone to your party. They are just supposed to care enough-to read your inner thoughts and know you're not available-until the party's over.

Sometimes it's hard being grown up isn't it? Come on, Admit it-I'm right there with you..no matter how mature and reasonable I may appear on the outside.

Hey.. That's why God made Tears..use them. I do!

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Sunshine and Rainbows

God is Good! Think of all the ways he fills our days. Yes there are mountantop & Valley Days and I guess that's the equivalent of sunshine and rainbows..with the sunshine we often have to settle for inconvenient heat and with the rainbows we usually have to accept an inconvenient downpour.

I am reminded of some of the rough spots in the past. I sometimes refer to these as pot holes along the way.

It's definitely a 'valley' experience when the doctor says "If this is laryngeal cancer, and I am pretty sure it is". Yes it's a pot hole along the way when the doctors interupt a grandson's surgery to tell his parents: "It's worse than we thought" and it certainly isn't convenient when your car's transmission takes on a life of it's own [ 40 miles from destination ] and all you can imagine is the picture of "the VW love bug" coming apart in the middle..remember that?

And it's shattering when you get the call that your "younger" sister has just flat lined in the hospital and is rushed to emergency heart bypass.

But then all the roads are not dotted with potholes..It's a sunshiny day with rainbows when the labs come back and the grandson's surgery can be reversed and he can function normally. The words Mercy and Victory immediately come to mind!

And the doctor's evaluation that ends with: "I see no sign of the return of cancer"..O definitely a sunshiny day. Whewwww! PTL again, again.

And the sweet little note from a friend that says someone cares what's going on with you...more sunshine!

The Dr. says. "She came through the surgery just great" No words to describe the reaction..God is good..and His mercy endures forever.

As I grow older [ and OLDER :&)] that word Mercy comes up more often.

The simple ordinary things that are not really ordinary: the children who hurry to you with hugs at church..joy, joy, joy! They trust me with their love. OOOOOOOOMY :^)

He continues to make my day [s] as my path crosses with another kindred spirit who is just thrilled about the same addictions [ to old, vintage, primitive and antique] I have! Yes I count this a blessing and a joy too. God does care about the most [seemingly] mundane things in my life. It doesn't have to be the things that cause me to shed tears on my pillow during a restless night. He cares about the small pleasures or the ongoing frustrations or discouragements.

This is the God of our MIRACLE YEARS in southeast Texas..the same God who efficiently removed my husband's arm from the round baler out in the hay field alone and 10 miles from home and 15 more miles from the nearest hospital. All He wanted from this gift was ALL PRAISE AND GLORY and our continued submission to His working in our lives. ..sounds like we got a good deal there.

I understand those miracles obligate us to share our story with others, to bless or encourage them. Those opportunities have not come in our new life soooooooo if you want a new prayer request on your list pray for doors to open for us to share these incredible things God has done in our lives.

This is the same God who came through for us in the midst of a 17,000 [yes thousand] acre forest fire [ Isaiah 43:2] the verse given to me in Texas and from Alabama..His promises are true..and his mercy endures! YES!!

He is the same God who [after 8 years of our effort] sold our farm for us when we could not...all he wanted was our submission to his will and working in our lives.

Imagine what an uninteresting lifescape this would be without the contrast of the mountaintop and the valleys, without the contrast of the sunshine and rainbows!

We are both just thankful God is molding and shaping us. He is God, He is sovereign..He is Good and did I mention Merciful?

That's The Spot-In the Picture Below

Yes, that's the spot where Ted's car was parked [ with old shoes and tin cans attached ] in front of the church where we were married June 21, 1959. The nice sign was not there but the tree was.

I would happily post a picture of the Lane that inspired the blog title 'down the lane', but so much has changed. Sad! When we go back this fall I will check it out and see if I can come up with a good picture for you. No matter what changes we still have those mental snap shots in time..

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