A Life in Ruins? What’s Next?

I love music. I grew up living in my music as a kid. I would spend hours and hours listening to my 45’s and albums. I had the turntable sitting right next to my chair or rocking spot. You had to back then. We didn’t have iPods or streaming things. You literally had to put on the record and lift up the turntable handle, hoping the needle was still working.

I would spend hours daydreaming and fantasizing while playing my favorite songs over and over again. It was my way of coping with the world. Imagining what I wanted to happen. Living the life I wanted to live, even as a little kid. It was my world.

I don’t get to spend near as much time listening to music as I used to. Music was a huge coping mechanism for me. No doubt, the lack of time I have to spend listening to music and forgetting my troubles is probably a reason for my heightened anxiety. My world is much more real now and quite stressful compared to when I was a little kid.

So, when I hear a song that fits into my circumstances, my mind gravitates toward it. I latch onto it and place it in my playlist. Quickly, becoming a favorite. That is what happened the other day. I found two songs that earned a place in my playlist very quickly. I will share one of those with you today. It’s called Ruins and is sung by Mandisa.

Here are the lyrics. Be sure to read through them. I’ll share the YouTube link as well. https://youtu.be/ZPpVOxLOmMc

Mandisa - Ruins

{Verse 1} I look around and all I see Are burning buildings, barren trees Hopelessness is starting to wreak havoc Son of Man, I know You see The deepest depth unknown to me You have planted seeds among the ashes {Chorus} You rebuild, You restore all that’s broken From the ruins You redeem, You return all that’s stolen From Your children That’s what You do {Verse 2} So be still my anxious heart All that’s gone is never lost Emmanuel is here and He is faithful So I won’t let my praises stop I’ll sing it from these rubbled rocks I know You are good and You are able, whoa {Chorus} You rebuild, You restorе all that’s broken From the ruins You redeem, You rеturn all that’s stolen From Your children That’s what You do {Bridge} You raise beauty from ashes Yeah, that’s what You do You turn sorrow to gladness Yeah, that’s what You do I give glory and honor for all that You do I will sing hallelujah for all that You do You raise beauty from ashes (Yeah, yeah, yeah) Yeah, that’s what You do You turn sorrow to gladness (Yeah) Yeah, that’s what You do So I give glory and honor for all that You do I will sing hallelujah for all that You do You raise beauty from ashes (That's what You do) Yeah, that’s what You do (You turn sorrow) You turn sorrow to gladness (All my tears, all my pain) Yeah, that’s what You do So I give glory and honor for all that You do (For all that You do) (Yeah) I will sing hallelujah for all that You do (Oh) {Chorus} You, yeah You rebuild You rebuild, You restore all that’s broken (Yes, You do) From the ruins You redeem, You return all that’s stolen (From Your children) From Your children Yeah, that’s what You do

I love Mandisa. Does anyone else remember her from American Idol? Or the time she lost weight, gained weight, lost weight, and gained weight again? I am not picking on her or pointing out failures. I have been heavy all my life. Well, except when I was born. My mom used food to comfort me as a child and I use the same trick to this day. Not that I am blaming my mom for my adult choices either. This is just reality. It is who we are and what we experience. Be it good or bad, it's a reality for some of us.

When something bad happens to us, it shakes us. It throws us off for a bit until we recover. Some of us recover well and some of us never recover. Honestly, there are some things so horrible in life that recovery just seems impossible. But yet, slowly we come back from what has affected us.

I mean think about it. A child is hit by a car and dies. How do you get over that? It’s bad enough should a dog or cat get hit and die much less a child. There are some of you who have been through some really bad crap. Maybe you lost your spouse. You could be fighting cancer or some other debilitating medical condition. It’s things like this that really take the air out of your sails. You can’t imagine ever coming through something like that right?

Every one of us has our moments, those things that impact us, change us, transform us down to our very essence, our core. It’s different for every one of us. Something that is simple and unimportant to one person may be the thing that sets another off and over the edge. We are each different. Yet, we are also the same. We experience events that affect us and transform us.

Is my life in ruins over what happened to my tree? It sure felt like it for a long time. Guilt can play havoc with a soul. So can regret and the would of, should of, could have that play through one’s mind. I almost got taken out by a tree and an evil man doing satan’s bidding.

But that man obviously has issues. I mean really. Who gets upset because leaves fall into a pool? I have two 100-year-old walnut trees next to my pool. You wanna talk leaves??? How about walnuts falling into the pool?? I have almost been beaned multiple times. And then, when a squirrel eats a walnut over your pool?? Okay, talk about a mess. But I am not going to cut down my trees because of some leaves or walnuts. Check out this pic where the walnut almost went through the solar cover, and a stick to boot!

A Walnut That Almost Made It Through the Solar Cover

A Stick That Punchered the Solar Cover

No, I am recovering, slowly. God sent me a message through the red bird that visited with me last weekend. I still hurt and will for a bit, but I know God is in control and He loves me. More importantly, I

know He cares about what happened because He cares about me. I need to move forward and grab whatever I am supposed to out of this event and step forward in the transformation process.

I have said this before, but I will say it again. Everything can be used to transform us into the image of God. Everything that happens to us can be used for good. Even in the worst of circumstances. Romans 8:28 tells us, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[a] have been called according to his purpose.” And what was meant for evil can be used for God’s purpose as told in Genesis 50:20. There are 50 Bible verses that talk about this. Check them out at https://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/God-Turning-Bad-Things-Into-Good

So, why was I attracted to Mandisa’s song, despite the fact, it’s a great tune? Look at the lyrics. Barren trees? My tree was cut into extinction by an awful neighbor. Seeds among the ashes? I know something good has to come from this. You turn sorrow to gladness? Yes, He does, and it is time to praise Him! He returns what is stolen. He redeems and He restores!

I know my God has not forgotten me and He is not blind to what has happened. I know that from the storm and downpour of rain that came while they were cutting the tree. I know that through God’s presence through the female cardinal that came and sat on the cut branches in front of me. Chirping at me. Surveying the damage and the effects to the flower garden below that the tree branches once protected.

I know that God sees, and He saw everything that happened. Including the hearts of those who did the unthinkable to my tree on my property. He knows my heart and my weariness from this world’s battles. He knows my pain even though some people say it is just a tree. To me, it represents life. Life that was taken not only from the tree but from me. As Mandisa reminded me, my God rebuilds and restores…

Lyrics from Ruins by Mandisa...

You rebuild, You restorе all that’s broken From the ruins You redeem, You rеturn all that’s stolen From Your children That’s what You do {Bridge} You raise beauty from ashes Yeah, that’s what You do You turn sorrow to gladness Yeah, that’s what You do I give glory and honor for all that You do I will sing hallelujah for all that You do

One Final Thought

It’s important not to discount anyone else’s response to something that happens in their life. Just because something seems trivial to you does not mean it is trivial to someone else. I say this as a word of warning. God doesn’t like ugly. You never know when it may be your time in the line-up. Next thing you know, your put in a similar situation and you’re the one heading for the cliff’s edge. I have seen it happen and I have faced it myself.

I am going through a time of transformation because of this event. Transformation happens every day. It occurs with everything we experience. Everything that comes into our minds, ears, and thoughts. Every word spoken from our mouth is transforming. It is a never-ending process. But some transforming events have more power over us than others.

It is how we respond to these events, little or big, that pushes us forward in the transformation process. It can also take us backward, depending upon our response. Transformation is fluid, ebbing, and flowing. There are times of acceleration and times of stagnation. Sometimes God thrusts us forward, other times He may have us sit for a while. Then there are our personal choices.

We may decide whether or not we wish to grow in our relationship with God. Many choose not to allow themselves to be transformed. But when we choose not to be transformed into the image of God, we are choosing to be transformed into something else.

Who and what is transforming you? Is it God? The world? An idol of some sort? The dark and evil forces of this world? Don’t kid yourself. Evil is out there lurking and ready to take you under in some shape or form. And you won’t even see it coming.

Peace,

Janet