Halfway There

The plans are made, or at least the plans were made. We are all going, we are inviting friends, everyone is excited, “let’s do this!” Then, one by way, attitudes change, things come up, schedules conflict, fatigue at the end of the week, the excitement wanes and instead of enthusiasm, you are met with obligation. We are all going, but only half of us want to. The “want-tos” have to tolerate the “have-tos” and the whole event has changed. This event is no longer something even the “want-tos” want to attend.

So, do we go or cut our losses? Completely discouraged, I try to decide.  I turn on my computer and see the video link of my son’s cross country bicycle trip.  I don’t bother playing it, I’ve seen it a million times and can visualize it completely.  It usually inspires me, but I’m not even sure I want to be inspired.  How would it make me continue on in making plans for this failing event? The video shows a lot of close-up footage of his feet on the pedals going round and round. Spinning sprocket, he just kept going. However, today, though not in the video, I think I’ll join him in the times he sat at the side of the road and cried.  (I’m sure he did.) I’m sure as he pedaled on and on, at times he stopped and sat. “Nope. Not going any further. Not doing another thing.”

What now? How long can I sit here? What do I do or think while I’m not moving forward and not going back? Can I just stay here? I wish I could, but decisions need to be made and plans need canceled or carried out. I’m halfway there and it’s not a good place to be. The start was fun, halfway there is hard, who knows what the finish will be? My son kept going…he kept pedaling….in the end, I believe he was blessed, but geez, halfway there must’ve been really hard.

Halfway there, Ugh. I guess I can’t sit here any longer. I will make the best of the plans.  Maybe change the goal a bit, lower the expectations and concede that the “have-tos” are probably not going to change their position, but, the intent was good in the beginning and if we just keep going, we may actually win a few over and have a good time.  Sometimes when you are halfway there, you are at the top of the hill.  Let’s hope so.

Photo by suzukii xingfu on Pexels.com

 However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.                                    –Acts 20:242 

 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.      –2 Timothy 4:7

GLUT!

I used this word in my last post.  Glut.  I used it without even thinking and then I thought, “Is glut a word?”  I was excited to see that it was:

glut  [ɡlət]    NOUN  –  an excessively abundant supply of something.
VERB  (be glutted)  – supply or fill to excess.

Not only is it a word, but I believe that I used it correctly! Wow!  OK, so it’s a real word and apparently, it is a real problem at my house.  I believe that I have a glut of pens in my junk drawer, a glut of jeans that don’t fit in my closet, a glut of ketchup in my pantry.  WHY? Where does it all come from and how do I get rid of it?

This weekend I am blessed to get to host Dr. Maudlin Mesedieu.  A physician I met in Haiti.  He will be spending a couple of nights in our guest room downstairs. The room is adequate and knowing that Haitians aren’t a pampered sort, I’m sure my home will be fine for him.  What concerns me is the fact that he will have to walk past the open shelving I refer to as my second pantry. On these shelves are the duplicate grocery items that I have that won’t fit in my overfilled upstairs pantry. An extra box of rice, multiple cans of green beans, and enough cake mixes to go into the cupcake business. I’m embarrassed or more accurately, ashamed that he will see the glut on these shelves. The food that is sitting unused on my shelves could feed his village for a week.  Not his family, his village. He comes from a place where the fortunate people have a meal once a day and sometimes have to wait and eat every other day and then there are the less fortunate who aren’t even able to have that.

When I mentioned my discomfort with this situation, my daughter suggested we hang curtains over the shelves….even a 12-year-old knows that we have too much and should maybe try to hide it.

There is not much I can do about the food situation in Haiti and I certainly can’t ask Dr. Maudelin to put a can of black beans in his suitcase, but I can donate some of my surpluses to the local food cupboard.

My husband has told me that we should be “uncomfortable with how comfortable we are.”  I think it’s official. I am. In case you haven’t heard, I have a newfound passion for the country of Haiti and one community in particular. I have friends in Mombin Crochu , Haiti who need me….who need us.  So, if you ever find that your glut is making you uncomfortable, give me a call, we will try to figure out a way to have you pitch in and make a difference in a country that speaks a language that probably doesn’t even have a word for “glut.”

Check it out: Hearts4Haiti.org

Your people settled in it, and from your bounty, God, you provided for the poor.

Psalm 68:10

Note: This blog was written in October and published in January.  We had a lovely visit with Dr. Maudelin and unfortunately, we have even more ‘glut’ to start the new year.