Thursday, October 23, 2008

You Are Grace To the Brokenhearted

My life has theme songs. That's all there is to it.

There was a time, at the beginning of our recovery, when I was probably legitimately depressed and wasn't doing anything about it yet. I wasn't exercising, I was sucking down coffee-which has proved to be a total depressant to me, and I was underestimating what being in the throes of a crisis really meant. Ignoring myself emotionally and spiritually, I might focus on everything physical around me ...which means, in every direction I look, I'm a failure. I'm hard-pressed to find a success on my long list of expectations for myself...except that my kids are cute, happy, smart and haven't managed to kill themselves yet, although the youngest one gives a daily go of it.

"...Times are tough, the goin' rough, like there never was a Master Plan."

This crisis of discontentment and exhaustion sat patiently next to the recent one I'd gone through in my marriage, reminding me that there is hope within brokenness, a light at the end of the tunnel, if you will.

This is the song that encouraged me, in view of my struggles in my job as a stay-at-home mom, and crisis in general. Thank you, Lost Dogs, for preachin' it to me again and again...God speaks to me in Rockabilly.

Blessing in Disguise-- Lost Dogs

How often do you spot the angels

Or feel the unseen hand?

Most times are tough, the goin’ rough

Like there never was a master plan

Those steadfast doors don’t open

And you pray but you don’t understand

You’ve got to...


Hold fast the hope that’s in you

Don’t always trust your eyes

Sometimes it takes a long time to see it as a

Blessing in disguise


We live upon this dark surface

And God, He moves upon the deep

What is concealed will be revealed

There is no promise He won’t keep

Some are confused by the shadows

We’re awake now but we’re half asleep


Hold fast the hope that’s in you

Don’t always trust your eyes

Sometimes it takes a long time to see it as a

Blessing in disguise


Sometimes the dark can move our hearts

To lean for the light of the Son

And our ways don’t become His ways

Until we are undone


Hold fast the hope that’s in you

Don’t always trust your eyes

Sometimes it takes a long time to see it as a

Blessing in disguise


And after you’ve been broken

You may not realize

That you are grace to the broken hearted

And a blessing—a blessing in disguise

Thank you, LORD, that you bind the brokenhearted, that you are renaming me an oak of righteousness, a planting of YOU, for the display of your splendor. This is the year of the Lord's favor.