Never Easy

Why is it never easy? I had a wonderful time playing with my new sketchbook program on my "new" old laptop, and then I began to edit the word document that would be my next book. I sent the 250 page document from my iPad to my "new" old laptop, and encountered one awful problem after another. The formatting is completely off, and I have to go line by line and reformat. I spent two hours and got through 50 pages. I was feeling a little nauseous so decided I would tackle the rest another day.

The nausea had started when I dashed out in the morning right after my 5 mile run to kayak. I knew I had a very small window of time to get in a kayak trip, so despite being a little worn out from my run and the sun and breakfast a few hours earlier, I decided it would be my only chance. The river was even higher and faster than the day before. Still, the first half hour was fun, and then suddenly I was overcome with nausea. I felt a little like passing out. Not good in a boat. Ohoh. I turned around, and the current carried me quickly back. I dashed out to the nearest fast food place and downed lemonade to raise my blood sugar, making a note to myself to carry emergency food in my kayak from now on. I never really felt quite right the rest of the day.

And now this terrible job of editing before me! I never have been a night owl, but I went to bed even earlier than usual, somewhat dreading the hours of mindless editing before me the next day. But this morning, my friend who fixed the computer for me had sent an email. He told me I can format the major problem away instantly. It won't solve all the formatting problems, but it will solve the worst one!

There is always some issue to tackle in life. No sooner is one problem solved than another arises. I don't think God even wants us to pray for a trouble-free life. Not a single hero in the Bible ever waltzes through either Testament, Old or New, without being continually beset by struggle! It reminds me of something one of my kids once told me - "I wouldn't be annoyed so easily if you weren't so annoying."

That isn't how it works. He wouldn't be annoyed so easily if he practiced not getting annoyed in the face of annoyance. I am sure I am not the only annoying person on earth. I think God keeps sending us problems because it is the only way we will ever learn the character qualities we need to overcome adversity. And our Adversary is powerful. We need all the practice we can get.

So today I will tackle the formatting problems, and I am sure by the end of the day, a new problem or two will emerge. I will then smile, praise God and echo St. Paul's words, "I will boast all the more gladly in my weakness so that Christ's power may rest on me."

2 Corinthians 12:8-11

New International Version (NIV)

 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.