We have two problems at the Stock Household: 1) a recent major disappointment coupled with personal uncertainty and 2) a stink bug infestation. Let me start with the latter.
Stink bugs, according to my limited research, seek refuge inside homes while the weather is colder. They come into window cracks and fireplaces, fly around into walls and lamp shades for a day or two and then flip over and die...usually in the areas of the house where I am most prone to step on them in bare feet. Lydia loves to catch these stink bugs in her new critter catcher. She "feeds" them grass and allows them a plastic snake to "play with", then releases them into the wild (or the siding next to the windows of our house).
Onto the other more complicated, less containable problem. Some sweet friends and co-workers are not being allowed back in. There is no reason. For them, no goodbye hugs. Not even the closure of packing up their own home. We grieve and worry. And we can't help but thinking about us.
Surely we know God is in control. Surely uncertainty is something we live with and maybe, in very mature moments, embrace. But I don't like this getting so real, so close. I don't like breaking news like this to my kids.
We told the girls on Monday that their friends (four kids...like cousins to them) will not be back "home" when we go back. They won't be coming back. We might not see them again...at least for a very long time.
At first, there was crying and questions. Quickly, there was anger. Lydia didn't want to be hugged or consoled. She was on the defense. There was a wall put up. It was small, a six-year-old wall; but I could see it.
She ran to her critter catcher, at that time home to a rescued stink bug. She hugged the cage. "I'm never letting you go."
Now, my daughter was clinging for control, for stability...and yes, it was a stink bug. Isn't that exactly (minus stink bug...plus other distraction/relationship/organized kitchen spice cupboard) what I do? My wall is much bigger with plenty of bricks. Yet I suppose a coping mechanism is never too silly as long as we can quickly see the futility of it.
There has been a lot of conversation about stink bugs and Jesus at our house this week.
Cages cannot hold Him. A tomb could not keep Him. But He will never let us go.
Stink bugs, according to my limited research, seek refuge inside homes while the weather is colder. They come into window cracks and fireplaces, fly around into walls and lamp shades for a day or two and then flip over and die...usually in the areas of the house where I am most prone to step on them in bare feet. Lydia loves to catch these stink bugs in her new critter catcher. She "feeds" them grass and allows them a plastic snake to "play with", then releases them into the wild (or the siding next to the windows of our house).Onto the other more complicated, less containable problem. Some sweet friends and co-workers are not being allowed back in. There is no reason. For them, no goodbye hugs. Not even the closure of packing up their own home. We grieve and worry. And we can't help but thinking about us.
Surely we know God is in control. Surely uncertainty is something we live with and maybe, in very mature moments, embrace. But I don't like this getting so real, so close. I don't like breaking news like this to my kids.
We told the girls on Monday that their friends (four kids...like cousins to them) will not be back "home" when we go back. They won't be coming back. We might not see them again...at least for a very long time.
At first, there was crying and questions. Quickly, there was anger. Lydia didn't want to be hugged or consoled. She was on the defense. There was a wall put up. It was small, a six-year-old wall; but I could see it.
She ran to her critter catcher, at that time home to a rescued stink bug. She hugged the cage. "I'm never letting you go."
Now, my daughter was clinging for control, for stability...and yes, it was a stink bug. Isn't that exactly (minus stink bug...plus other distraction/relationship/organized kitchen spice cupboard) what I do? My wall is much bigger with plenty of bricks. Yet I suppose a coping mechanism is never too silly as long as we can quickly see the futility of it.
There has been a lot of conversation about stink bugs and Jesus at our house this week.
Cages cannot hold Him. A tomb could not keep Him. But He will never let us go.
:(
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