Diploma

This has been a tough week for the O'Leary household.

As many of you know, it is near impossible to find a job. I have been looking for work for a long time and applied to pretty much every job on Long Island - including going to school and spending an enormous amount of money to learn how to treat poop water.

Yup. Poop water. And I didn't get the job yet.

But we have been under attack spiritually, emotionally, and mentally as well.

We got home this weekend with no money in the account to find out house INFESTED with fleas. Our flea bag cat decided he wanted to share the wealth I guess. So we took some money we didn't have and treated the house and the cats to protect our kids and our ankles (those suckers bite HARD).

Then, after a very encouraging Arise meeting, I got a call that Daneal had broken down on the side of the road. The brakes needed fixing. More money we don't have. I went to buy the parts I needed and I realized I lost my wallet. Ouch.

After that all worked out Daneal went to the beach. Brennan was playing too close to the water and fell in. This took an emotional toll on Daneal that she could not handle.

Needless to say, we are broken.

To make the matter worse, I had to scan my college diploma over to the state so I can took the poop treatment test (officially called waste water treatment, but we call it "poopsmithing"). I left the diploma on the desk and my son destroyed it.

I lost it.

Why did I lose it over a tattered piece of paper? Because it represents something I cannot change. It represents a physical image of what is really going on. I have a Master's degree and I cannot land a minimum wage job. That piece of paper is useless right now. It hit too close to home at a bad time.

Now that that has all been said, I have to say that when the smoke cleared, I still saw Christ. It was hard to acknowledge He was there, protecting me, but I know He is. And that will not relent.

John 11:1-4 speaks of Lazarus. Here is the beginning of the story:

"Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. (This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay sick, was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair.) So the sisters sent word to Jesus, 'Lord, the one you love is sick.' When he heard this, Jesus said, 'This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.'"

Now if you read on you find out Lazarus dies. So was Jesus lying? No. He said, "this will not END in death." He then raises Lazarus from the dead, a physical image of what He does for all of us in sin.

There are some situations I am in, and I am sure you may be in, that look like an illness that is untreatable. A pathway to death. This could be an actual disease, a financial struggle, a relationship... I don't know. But what I do know is that for those who believe in Christ, His people are covered and not meant for death. These things happen so that Christ can be glorified.

Whatever situation you are in, especially the hard ones, know it is an opportunity for Christ to be glorified. Even the situations that appear to be death-bound.

Live Brave.

Lord, have mercy. 

 

Comments

[diploma]

It’s hard to understand the nature of fake diplomas in jobs side but still it's giving someone comfort by providing job and promotion options.

diploma