When the Unexpected Happens

Please forgive me for taking so long to post. This last month has been CRAZY:

• I turned 39. 
  
• My husband’s 20 year old car died –the distributor. And then died again –the transmission, it has been laid to rest with the mechanic. 
• We don’t have the money to replace it.
• My computer died. I used my birthday money to buy a new laptop.
• The new laptop shipped straight from store in a factory sealed box with a corrupted hard drive that 2 hours and 2 phone calls to tech support couldn’t resolve. 
• I’m currently still waiting for my money to be refunded so I can order a replacement. I’m praying my old laptop will hold on long enough to be able to even write and post this.
• All the while my husband has either been out of the country. Or working 12+ hour days leaving me to single parent our 5 children.
• Our adoption was put on hold waiting for a new caseworker to be assigned as our previous caseworker moved to a new region.

This is not exactly my idea of a good month.

What exactly do we do with the unexpected hard times?

If my good days are dependent on my circumstances then I’m sunk.

• My husband’s home now, but he needs to put in some long hours this week to finish out this project.
• It’s the kid’s spring break but we don’t have a second car to even go to the park.
• Until my money is refunded I’m stuck with an old computer that dies unexpectedly at unfortunate times (reminder to self to save frequently). So I’m out my birthday cash with nothing to show for it.
• Tomorrow we meet with our region’s foster adoption supervisor. We have been reassigned to a new caseworker but I have no idea where our case is now.
• I’m emotionally tired. And tomorrow I will be one day closer to pushing 40.

Maybe these are silly examples.

But they are only different from my hardest months by magnitude.

When difficulty comes it’s hard to handle when we look for hope and joy where it was never promised. Our daily circumstances rise and fall, often without our control. How do we have good days in the midst of hard circumstances?

It starts with gratitude for what we do have: 

• I have a beautiful spring day. 
• All my children are living. 
• Our working car is the one that holds us all. 
• Right this second my computer is working. 
• My husband loves me. 
• I had great tasting coffee this morning…

Great days in the midst of hard times starts in the small places in our hearts. Giving thanks. Choosing to pay attention to a demanding toddler and give them patient love. Seeing past the attitude coming out of the mouth of a teen to their heart’s cry, Love me.

God will let hard days come. Does it mean he doesn’t love us? Nope.

We look for peace where it was never promised: in our circumstances. The peace that God promises is for our hearts. A peace that transcends circumstance.

And that’s the kind of peace I need today.

How has your last month been? Where do you turn when life gets hard? Do you have a favorite saying or Bible verse for those times?