Tryin'

What do you blog about when you are waiting for kidney stones to pass?

I mean, most of the details would be what my 10 year old son calls TMI (Too Much Information!). Even for a midwife. Not to mention boring. I'm sorry, much as I like to find spiritual lessons in the day to day, nothing is coming to me right now relating to the discomfort of kidney stones.

So here I sit, on the couch, thinking about starting another day in which I am not functioning at 100%, and therefore, neither will my family. As cool and helpful as my kids are, they cannot match my whirlwind of multitasking madness. So when I sit, they tend to be a little less motivated as well.

Still, the beauty of homeschooling means we can take our time and still somehow get it all done. Or most of it. Oh well, who am I kidding, some of it. Also, since we live in modern times, fund raising and corresponding and flight scheduling and other missionary work can be done from a sitting position with a laptop, even while in minor discomfort.

So here I sit clutching my hot water bottle, hoping to redeem at least a portion of my day. In spite of not functioning at 100%.

I like what my Liberian friends say when you greet them, and ask how they are: "Tryin'" is a common response. It's refreshingly honest. They are not "fine" as we say here in American even though we may be dying. They are just "tryin'".

So, today I'm tryin'. And tryin' not to beat myself up about it.

I consider the words of Paul to the Philippines: "I have learned in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry both to abound and suffer need. I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me."

We quote the last sentence a lot, but often apart from the preceding words that remind up that Paul often wasn't at 100% himself, either in physical health or in circumstances. Yet he didn't let it stop him. He had a balance of contentment with less than ideal situations, and a determination to keep doing his job in spite of suffering and weaknesses.

How about you? How are you struggling with less than ideal circumstances today, but still planning on "tryin'"?