“One day, in retrospect, the years of struggle will strike you as the most beautiful.”
― Sigmund Freud
JONAH
5Jonah had gone out and sat down at a place east of the city. There he made himself a shelter, sat in its shade and waited to see what would happen to the city. 6Then the Lord God provided a leafy planta and made it grow up over Jonah to give shade for his head to ease his discomfort, and Jonah was very happy about the plant. 7But at dawn the next day God provided a worm, which chewed the plant so that it withered. 8When the sun rose, God provided a scorching east wind, and the sun blazed on Jonah’s head so that he grew faint. He wanted to die, and said, “It would be better for me to die than to live.”
9But God said to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry about the plant?”
“It is,” he said. “And I’m so angry I wish I were dead.”
10But the Lord said, “You have been concerned about this plant, though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight. 11And should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left—and also many animals?”
REVELATION 9
20The rest of mankind who were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the work of their hands; they did not stop worshiping demons, and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood—idols that cannot see or hear or walk. 21Nor did they repent of their murders, their magic arts, their sexual immorality or their thefts.
JOURNAL
Reading through Jonah it is easy to see how I many times have acted like Jonah. When things don't work out like I want them. When heartache strikes and I don't get my way, there is an anger and bitterness that can begin to surface. Jonah moping over the plant is really kind of funny but it's also the state of his heart. He has such hatred for Nineveh that he cannot see beyond it. The hatred turns everything bad in his mind. Everything is exacerbated to a level where he is content to die because of a plant. Obviously it is not the plant but just where his heart has gone as a result of his bitterness and disappointment. .
It's a Wonderful Life is one of my favorite movies. So even though I have seen it probably 100 times I still get emotional every single time George goes running through the town yelling Merry Christmas. The reason being that this is a great truth of life that the movie beautifully reveals. Once George gets his life back...that's all that really matters to him. The stresses, disappointment and botched dreams become irrelevant. Gone are the dreams of building skyscrapers and getting out of Bedford Falls. Gone are the concerns over scandal and prison. The only thing he cares about is being back in his life...with the people he loves...no matter what that may look like. So George's "wonderful life" isn't because of good circumstances. His "wonderful life" is simply the gift of living in that moment with the people he loves.
Today we celebrate 31 years of marriage. There were times in those 31 years when life didn't seem so "wonderful", I confess there have been days and moments when I questioned everything. Yet the more years that pass the more I realize that the things that often get me so twisted up inside exist because I fail to appreciate the true amazing gifts of my life. As Dr. Seuss so eloquently wrote...
“Every Who down in Who-ville, the tall and the small,
Was singing! Without any presents at all!
He HADN'T stopped Christmas from coming!
IT CAME!
Somehow or other, it came just the same!
And the Grinch, with his grinch-feet ice-cold in the snow,
Stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so?
'It came without ribbons! It came without tags!
It came without packages, boxes or bags!'
And he puzzled three hours, till his puzzler was sore.
Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before!
What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store. What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.”
Thank you Father for the reminder and the clarity even when I become disillusioned, bitter and lost. Thank you for the gift of this "wonderful" life!
Today we celebrate 31 years of marriage. There were times in those 31 years when life didn't seem so "wonderful", I confess there have been days and moments when I questioned everything. Yet the more years that pass the more I realize that the things that often get me so twisted up inside exist because I fail to appreciate the true amazing gifts of my life. As Dr. Seuss so eloquently wrote...
“Every Who down in Who-ville, the tall and the small,
Was singing! Without any presents at all!
He HADN'T stopped Christmas from coming!
IT CAME!
Somehow or other, it came just the same!
And the Grinch, with his grinch-feet ice-cold in the snow,
Stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so?
'It came without ribbons! It came without tags!
It came without packages, boxes or bags!'
And he puzzled three hours, till his puzzler was sore.
Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before!
What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store. What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.”
“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
21“The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
22“But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.
LUKE 15:20-22
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