Sunday

On Sunday I met some people that a glance most of us would assume that we have absolutely nothing in common. But as I spoke to a few I found that we have had very similar life experiences. It was a reminder of how we pass judgment on others strictly by outward appearance. Not one of us is better. In fact, the Lord has a custom designed purpose for each of us. Our looks obviously are different, but many of our souls are carrying the same heavy burdens.

There was an elderly woman that I stood by. She would softly say a few words to me and smile. I started out by smiling back or giving her nod as she spoke to me. As she became more comfortable in sharing her story I asked a few questions and commented on a few things, but I could tell that there was so much more that she wanted to say, but wasn't. I shared some things with her, and she listened, which led her to opening up and sharing  her pain with me. She was struggling with her grandson using drugs and stealing from her. She had been raising him for the past eight years." He's a good kid that got into drugs and did stupid things." She said that his mother and father aren't involved in his life at all, but she can't turn her back on him even though he wronged her. I could see in her eyes that she felt she had failed him. I talked about my experiences with addiction and how we need to learn the difference between being a failure and experiencing failure, and we need to look at our moments of defeat as our teaching moments. I asked her if her grandson prays, and she said yes. He will find himself I said. He's young and he's been living a life that we really don't understand. I asked her to think back to when she was young - we weren't exposed to drugs like they are today. It's a hard walk for some, and the demise for many I told her. I don't know what the solution is, but he's alive and you have to be thankful for that. She of course already knew everything that I expressed, but there's times when you just need to hear it out loud.
I'm thankful that I had the opportunity to spend a few hours listening and talking to this beautiful woman. She's a fighter - she' going to be alright, and so is her grandson.

 Problems are not stop signs, they are guidelines. ~ Robert Schuller

Peace, Love & Hugs!