Sunday Thoughts

I just finished reading Cold Sassy Tree. This book was often mentioned as one to be read over the summer in high school or as a book of choice, and I finally got around to reading it. What a fantastically humorous and witty book. It reminded me so much of what it is to be southern. All the good and bad. And how life just...IS. And how people just ARE. Told from the perspective of an adolescent boy, it was pure and refreshing...I don't mean to write about books all the time, and this does sound like a review...but it's more about what the book made me feel. Quite plainly, it made me mad about southern pride. And how I feel it's changed one of my favorite people in the world. It made me sad about how people gossip and spread rumors that aren't true, and how people can be stuck in their ways and hate others just because of a simple offense or difference. It made me appreciate the truly good people in life. The people that aren't afraid to do what they feel is right. It made me feel that God is close and more real. Honestly, I felt like I understood Him more....Mostly, it made me miss family. And the bond that is just naturally there. It's been a little tough for me this summer to not be around them...last summer it seems like I was OK with being on my own, but this time I feel lost. And I shouldn't because I have Josh here...so it makes me angry at myself for that. I just want to be home....
This is a quote from Cold Sassy Tree that help put things in perspective for me today...
"Faith ain't no magic wand or money-back gar'ntee, either one. Hit's jest a way a-livin'. Hit means you don't worry th'ew the days. Hit means you go'n be holdin' on to God in good or bad times, and you accept whatever happens. Hit means you respect life like it is--like God made it--even when it ain't what you'd order from the wholesale house. Faith don't mean the Lord is go'n make lions lay down with lambs jest 'cause you ast him to, or make fire not burn. Some folks, when they pray to git well and don't even git better, they say God let'm down. But I say thet warn't even what Jesus was a-talkin' bout. When Jesus said ast and you'll git it, he was givin' a gar'ntee a-spiritual healin', not body healin'. He was sayin' thet if'n you get beat down--scairt to death you cain't do what you got to, or scairt you go'n die, or scairt folks won't like you--why, all you got to do is put yore hand in God's and He'll lift you up. I know it for a fact, Love. I can pray,'Lord, hep me not to be scairt,' and I don't know how, but it's like a eraser wipes the fears away. And I found out long time ago, when I look on what I got to stand as a dang hardship or a burden, it seems too heavy to carry. But when I look on the same dang thang as a challenge, why, standin' it or acceptin' it is like you done entered a contest. Hit even gits excitin', waitin' to see how everthang's go'n turn out....Jesus meant us to ast God to hep us stand the pain, not beg Him to take the pain away. We can ast for comfort and hope and patience and courage, and to be gracious when thangs ain't goin' our way, and we'll git what we ast for. They ain't no gar'ntee thet we ain't go'n have no troubles and ain't go'n die. But shore as frogs croak and cows bellow, God'll forgive us if'n we ast Him to." - Grandpa Blakeslee, Cold Sassy Tree.
I feel like it's so true that we expect God to just give and give and give...but there are times when it's not right for Him to give, and we need to suffer a little, but ask Him to help us get through whatever it is we're going through.
This is long already, but really quickly...My family (Mom, Dad, Rachel, and Hannah) went on a stake trek this past week. They got hit with a wind storm going 85 miles per hour and rain on top of it. There were ten buses that brought the 500+ people out to the trail, and not all could not come back the night this happened; everyone's things were wet, tents were blown down, and hardly anyone could sleep. Luckily, they were able to get three buses out so some people could sleep in them, and a visitor's center on the trail was able to house a few hundred of the trek members. My mom and dad's tent was reinforced, and they stayed out that night since there was not enough room in the other shelters. My mom said she imagined this is what it would be like before the Savior was going to come. She said that despite all the problems, it was a good time to ponder and read the scriptures since she and my dad couldn't sleep...A way to look at the good side of being able to come closer to God on a night like that.
Anyway, that's what I've been thinking about today...I know God will always help us be able to endure.