LEFTOVERS

O Lord, You have searched me and known me.  You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off. Psalm 139: 1-2

I don’t know about you, but I have always liked leftovers.  My mom was highly creative at taking leftovers and recreating a new dish with no waste at all in our home.  I’m sure she learned that technique at an early age since she had 11 other siblings besides herself, and with that big of a family I have no doubt you had to be creative when it came to making food stretch.

I attempted the same technique in my own family, but no takers lol.  My family really did not care for leftovers all that much.  While thinking on this topic of leftovers the other day, it made me realize that we have different types of leftovers in life.  When it comes to leftovers most people think about food, but what about the leftover debris from our everyday lives. 

What do we take with us through the day to day that effects the next?  I have a friend struggling right now with picking up the pieces of a recent tragedy that is still impacting her day to day.  It was a night like any other, they got ready for bed, kissed their sweet daughter goodnight and without any warning at all their daughter did not wake the next morning.

My heart just ached for my friend and her family.  Losing a child is one of the most devastating things for a parent to endure.  My husband and I lost out daughter at the age of 2 to Leukemia.  We knew the possibilities the future held, and we are still picking up the pieces of remnants that tragedy left behind, and my daughter would have been 19 this year. 

Tragedies in this life come and go.  You cannot live on planet earth unscathed.  Welcome to the human condition.  The only constant we have is our heavenly father.  If I were not a woman of faith, I would not be standing today.  I honestly did not think I would ever be functional again, but by the grace of God I stand.  I get up in the morning, I take a deep breath in and I thank God for another day. 

The trials of life that we endure can leave leftovers.  Unsettled issues that weigh on our minds.  These remnants can plant themselves into our very soul and choke out any joy you ever had. The soil then allows hate, anger, and bitterness to fester and grow until it consumes you. This in turn changes us slowly a little at a time until we have strayed far from the path that God so purposely placed us on.

Friend, I don’t know your story, but I know that we all become effected by the day to day.   Make sure you don’t let things turn you bitter but embrace your circumstance and allow God to equip your spirit to heal, refresh, and begin again.  Never stop praying. Keep your eyes on the author and finisher of your faith.

I am so extremely proud of my friend; she has clung faithfully to the hand of God.  She focuses on her path of purpose and reminds herself that the journey keeps going.    She has used this struggle to help others. Our journey doesn’t end here.  She knows she will see her daughter again one day, just as I know I will se my Sarah Grace. 

“Casting all your care upon him; for he cares for you.  Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil, walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour;  Resist him, stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brethren that are in the world.  (1 Peter 5:7-9)

Loss is a big one, but there are so many other struggles we deal with in this life.  Make sure you are taking care of yourself.  Lay your cares (leftovers) down at the foot of the cross.  He waits for you to share your heart daily.  We need a constant recharge so that we can be vigilant and remain steadfast in the faith. 

We must remind ourselves of what is to come and stay focused on being the light of this world because it appears to become darker every day.  Stay strong.  Fight the good fight my friend.  Remember you are not alone.  He is always with us.

And David said to his son Solomon, “Be strong and of good courage, and do it; fear not, nor be dismayed: for the LORD God – my God – will be with you.  He will not leave you nor forsake you, until you have finished all the work for the service of the house of the Lord”. I Chronicles 28:20