The Rainy Days Will Always Come....

   I will be honest with you, Welcoming House Readers, this is not going to be the post I was planning on writing. Instead, I am going to talk to you, just as I have before, as friends having a cup of coffee across the table from one another.

    It has been pouring here today, and what with the 11th anniversary of the tragedy of 9/11 less than 24 hours behind us, as well as the burning of our embassies, and the murder of four Americans, I am really saddened in my heart tonight. Add to that some very unwelcome drama on my Facebook page, and you will find my heart is a little bruised, and yet, determined to do and say what God tells me to say.

   Having a blog like mine is harder than I ever anticipated that it would be. Originally, this blog was a family blog where I talked about our adoption struggles, miscarriages, and the short sweet lessons that God was teaching me in the garden about real life.

   And then He really impressed upon my heart and my mind that this was going to be an outlet for the things He was teaching me over the years, the hopes, struggles, triumphs, and failures.
 
    I know that I know that I know that many of you have been blessed by those lessons and posts, because you have told me so, in emails, comments, and by joining my readership. I am humbled and honored to be a part of your life, to be blessed to be one of the people that you have chosen to breathe life and encouragement into your hearts and minds.

I am thankful that I can reach some of you and walk you through things that I stumbled through myself, and help you through the rough spots.

   Tonight I was accused of not speaking with the Spirit of the Lord, but rather in hate.

   For a bit I was confused, because I had not said anything particular that I thought the person could really get upset over.

   But here is what I walked away with, a little tattered, and yet sure and steady in my step (even if I cry a little bit into my pillow tonight, of course).

    There is nothing wrong with agreeing to disagree. 

No one, ever, has been won to the other side, or other opinion, 

by being yelled at, cursed at, called names, or treated disrespectfully.

So why not walk away with class, if you can?

   You may not agree with all that I say, and I may not agree with all that you say. Somehow, somewhere, we have all taken a wrong turn and decided that if you have a different opinion from someone else, that whomever shouts the loudest, says the most hurtful things, etc, is the winner. I am not sure what the race is, but it seems that is the end result. It is so easy to get caught up in, and so painful to weather if you are trying not to get caught up in it.

    I am thinking of the days, not so long ago, when people would politely disagree with what one another said, and simply change the subject. It was something pounded into me as a child when I inadvertently, as a precocious child, interrupted an adult conversation and told the adult I thought they were wrong and could not believe they would have that opinion. They were, of course, offended, and my parents were horrified.

    I wish more people taught that to their children, 

and to themselves.

    Just because we don't agree does not mean that we can not be friends, learn from one another, find things we do agree on, etc. In a hot election year, with a lot of physical, emotional, and financial stress in every direction we look, we simply can not tear one another apart as well. It would be the final tragedy in a long line this last year in America.
 
   So as the rain courses down the windows, and I contemplate all the things that have happened in our country and on American soil in the last 24 hours, I am praying for those that curse me, and asking the Lord for strength to Bless them.

   Please, for my sake, if you disagree with someone today, don't just run them over with a Mack Truck, call them names, or tell them that they are "ungodly". Sip your coffee until you have control, and change the subject.

Many Blessings to you and yours,

Heather