Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Writer's Workshop Wednesday


I love Wednesdays and getting a prompt over at Mama's Losin' It
to think and write about. Some are funny and some are sad but thet are a ton of fun. If you haven't ever joined in, today is the day. Head on over, pick a prompt or two and write. Then post your link for us all to see. It's really easy!

2.) Describe the most destructive thing your pet has done.  Oh this is easy! We had a yellow lab 20 years ago and he was the sweetest thing. We had 4 little kids at the time and the kids could sleep on top of him he was that sweet. We didn't realize that we were having a problem with him until one day I was sitting and nursing a baby in the family room and I head this scratching noise in the wall. I got up and went over to the wall and could see some claw marks on the paint- COMING FROM THE OUTSIDE SCRATCHING IN!!!! I went outside and around to the side of the house. Understand there was this 3' wide space between that side of the house and the fence. It had a bush in front of the enterance so you couldn't see that side until you went around the bush. The DANG DOG had chewed off the siding of the house. Not just a small area but 20 feet long and 4 to 5 feet up all chewed off, the insulation torn out and in that one spot he was coming through the wall into the house. Needless to say after the repair, we decided that he needed far more room to play than our little tiny city yard and he went to live with really good friend out in the country where he could romp and play.

3.) Describe in 1000 words or less a time when something happened and you knew that life would never be the same.
 I knew my life was never going to be the same the day we found out that my dad's brain tumor was a metastasis of another cancer that had gone undetected. By the time he had any symptom, the cancer was far spread. He only lived for 16 weeks after we found out. I can still remember everything about that moment when the doctor came out. The color and print of his scrub cap, what I was wearing. The look on the doctor's face as he walked toward us was the moment that I knew that life was changed forever. I miss him every single day!
There is an author named, Kate Braestrup who has a book called, Here If You Need Me. While she has some theological points that I disagree with, it is one of the best books that I've read this year. She calls moment like these "Hinges".  She describes a Hinge as, "a moment or event that changes everything from that point forward." I think it's a perfect description. She does go on to say, "In a hinge moment, look around for God. He will be right there standing on the hinge, holding His arms out to you. If you are wise, you let go and fall against that love and be held." This is the best advice I could ever give to someone in a hinge moment. You have a choice to be angry with God or to be comforted by God. We in our finite minds cannot comprehend the infinite plan that God has for each of us and those around us. The loses and hard things in life just don't seem fair or just, but in everything God does have a plan, EVEN WHEN WE CAN"T COMPREHEND or see it. I choose to lean on and trust in God and be held in his arms for the comfort that there is a purpose even when I can't understand it. Call it weak, or call it simple but the peace and comfort that I have found in His arms in very difficult situations far surpasses the other option of being angry and sad for the rest of my life. Regardless of your view point, you should read the book. It's amazing.

7 comments:

M. Sindy Felin said...

I really like the idea of the Hinge moment and needing to look for God in them. So sorry about your experience with your dad's cancer.

Lee said...

Isn't it interesting that we can remember the details of bad new and equally good news. I remember everything from when we were told that my Dad's lung cancer had spread and the day we got the call that my grandmother had died.

Liz Mays said...

I love what you said about the hinge moment. With my dad's death, we had that. I too, miss him terribly!

Your dog chewing his way back into the house is both horrible and hilarious!

Robyn said...

Oh my goodness--the story about your dog chewing through your house is way worse and more funny than my dog eating my shoes!!

I couldn't agree more with the hinge theory! I need to find that book and read it. Thanks!

Unknown said...

that book sounds like a must read for everyone. i love the "hinge" theory.

on the bright (or not so bright) side, the dog chewing a hole through the house could have been a hinge moment...lol

Tracie said...

I'm so sorry for the loss of your dad. The hinge theory rings true for me as well. I remember so many details from when I heard of my grandmother's and grandfather's deaths. And when my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer, too.

Claudya Martinez said...

Oh my goodness, he was making himself a doggie entrance.

BTW, thanks for the stuffing recipe.