Whose ever said "I'm getting drowned by ; finances, work, family commitments, the holidays...etc"? I feel like we need to change the word drowned to dunking. Dunking is annoying, gets your attention, sometimes takes your breath away but you recover.
I got this idea after having the same dream two nights in a row. Below you will find my ponderings, what I feel like our responses from God, and my responses back. I'm hoping that I'm not alone and that by sharing this helps some one else. Here goes friends.
grapple grasp fall
I was surrounded by cold water too deep to gain my footing. The skies were overcast. I'm trying to keep my ahead above the water. I feel tired beat by the waves and like at anytime I could just go under.
Then I see a hand with a strong arm. I grapple to grasp for the hand. Instead of pulling me out of the water the hand plunges me into the water and dunks me. The continued dunking keeps coming all night.
I wake up this morning after the second night of being dunked. I literally feel the dunking in my nose, my lungs, and body this morning. and then I start to pray.
It occurs to me that it was a dunking. a repetitive dunking. It was not a drowning. The hand didn't try to kill me but chose to dunk me. It reminds me of being a kid at the pool or lake with my big brother. What big brother in his teens wants his kid sister to come to the pool with him? Mine would dunk me repetitively. He would dunk me and tell me that I was going to be a stronger person for it. He would dunk me so many times that I would finally give up. He would jump out of the pool and help me dry off, make sure I had my flip flops on and watch as I marched to the library nearby.
There is no pool at the library only books. It hits me this morning how much I hate getting my face wet and swimming. I really don't like the water. My mom, dad, and brother loved the water. not this chick, Lord, so why dunk me?
"i didn't drown you, Sherry" is the reply.
What's up with the dunking? In my mind I'm taken back to the southside pool and my brother. Dunking is annoying and a sure fire way to wake up. Dunking makes you stronger according to my big brother. Dunking takes you away from the moment. Then this response from the Lord;
"Dunking is a reminder that I'm with you even when you didn't ask, Sherry. Dunking is a reminder that you have my promise and perspective in the world. Dunking is a reminder that you can do hard things. Dunking is a reminder that I am with you in the hard things that are coming and will be. I am there dunking you and getting dunked with you, kid. When you choose to shake off the dunking and are ready to walk then and only then you'll take my hand once again.
For now enjoy the dunk. Know you are loved and i call you mine to whomever would question".
Thank you for the reminder that I can walk with you and don't have to settle for anything less. Tonight I would appreciate less dunking and more walking, Lord. Love, Sherry
Hoping this excerpt from my journal helps maybe one or two of you reading it. I want you to remember when you think you are drowning you are simply being dunked. With each dunking you need to remember that God is there with you and he is ready when you are to walk again. God loves me and he loves you. He calls us his kids. I'm really thankful that the dunking has stopped in my dreams. In honesty I still feel like I'm being dunked but I will not drown because God has me, is with me, and will not falter.
May you see the dunking as a way to be stronger....just like my big brother told me. I do.
Peace be with you- Sherry
Updates;
- It's been two weeks since my mom passed away. I still feel splintered bot broken but splintered. I have hope that now that God is going to take those splinters and make a beautiful mosaic from them that will be the next season of my life.
- Emily, my daughter, has spent the week at MU hooked to monitors. She has had uncontrolled seizures for six years. We are finally finding out exactly where in her brain the seizures start and spread. Continued prayers for her are appreciated.
- I opened The Artroom this week for classes. I know it's been two weeks but it feels like God is saying that I not only need to but I have to. Being a teacher and artist is dear to my heart and part of my spirit. I'm so thankful for the families that came and will come.
- Thank you for the kind words, prayers, and messages sent my way. It is an incredibly hard season that I'm in. I realized before heading to South Dakota this summer God was telling me it would be the hardest time in my life. He prepared me in South Dakota for things that have happened. Even the words "splinter" and "dunking" were part of my journaling while I was there. God is just that awesome.
- Continued prayers for the Sandymobile as we will be traveling back and forth to MU this coming week. Then later in December back to Des Moines.
