In this season when we traditionally reflect upon all the things we are thankful for, it seems off topic to talk about storms. Don’t believe that, for storms are always present. They are either on the horizon, in full assault or maybe recently departed. We all experience them, but their magnitude varies at different points in our lives.
There are many of us, weathering storms right now; quiet storms, raging storms, or something in between. This week, the message is “STAND.” Every day when you awaken, be determined to do one thing, stand strong. Don’t worry about whether this storm will result in your experiencing a setback. Setbacks not your focus this week. Your focus is to stand. You are not to obsess over your future this week. Keep your head, where your feet are planted and stand. You will not fall apart, you will not fall down, you will not lay out, you WILL STAND. Stand and scream if you must, go ahead, try it, you need a release. In your standing you will speak to your storm. You will speak life, you will tell the storm, “I will live and not die”, you will tell that storm that you “are not giving up, giving in or washing out.”
Don’t move, STAND. Don’t worry about moving, STAND. Don’t think about what comes next if it means you won’t STAND. STAND with loved ones or STAND alone. It doesn’t matter, for you have one focus, STANDING strong. There are times in everyone’s life that they will have to withstand their hardest moments. Sometimes, the moments are shared, but more often, the hardest ones are not, even when you are in a room of fifty. These storms are the most difficult to endure, but endure you will. I am confident of this, simply because you read this far in the blog. That means that you are a fighter. That means that want to come through to the other side, and yes, there is another side of this. That side is either better or different or better and different. What it isn’t is THIS and that’s all you need to know. THIS will pass and you will be thankful that you STOOD what you didn’t know that you could.
So no matter what happens on Thursday, even while sitting and eating, in your spirit, you are STANDING strong. When they are going around the table saying what they are grateful for, you tell them that you thankful for STANDING! If you can go a little further, (and maybe, just maybe you can if you are still reading this blog) then perhaps, in addition to all of that fight in you, you may find a little faith to add and go out on a limb and add to your thanks, the tentative absoluteness of knowing that THIS will go and that you STOOD STRONG, in spite of it all.