and not Evil?

i sat there for nearly an hour listening as we each had our time to tell about work and how it drains us, about boys and how they complicate us, about friends moving, friends grieving, spouses hurting, hopes falling. we all want life to be different in this way or that. though unspoken, we're all shouting 'this is not the way it's supposed to be.'

but maybe it is.

maybe that's just it. this is life, in its complicated, knotted mess, the cat's toy that can't be figured out so just give yourself to the play of it instead.

as we sat there and prayed about all the 'complications' to our 'would've been, could've been, if only' lives, ironically, everything seemed as it should be. life will always be this way, bumping and bruising us as we go... and by it we'll take shape and form. we'll be the beautiful, those faces weathered by tough blows of grace, softened 'round the edges by giving into trust. we'll ride the waves of Your will and let confusion's tide wash up all it may, rolling out again, sure to come to us once more (maybe next time with treasure?). we'll take all these days of life to You. we'll live them with You, just with You, not with You and that agenda we have of securing our safe, good little lives. peace will come each morning we don't lay claim to the 'rights' of a perfect life.

the future tense of that idea reveals my hesitant compliance. but...well, maybe.

"Do not speak as one of the foolish women would speak.
Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?" Job 2:10