When we moved for my husband to start school, we kept saying “it’ll be a crazy of years, but we can do it.” I feel like every month he says, “the next couple of weeks will be crazy and then it should slow down a little bit.” But it never does. Some other crazy thing pops up and takes our time. I’ve gotten used to it… and truth be told, I’ve grown rather fond of our crazy life. I’ve learned to not get too attached to my agenda. I’ve learned to be more generous with my time and resources.
Right now, I have three extra children in my house. Their mom is a dear friend and was given a great, kid free, opportunity this week. When she asked if the kids could come over, I could have said, “no… we just got back in town. My house is crazy, my kids are crazy and it’s just not a good time.” I could have said that, but I didn’t because crazy is normal around here.
Knowing that our lives are crazy helps me to not be so surprised when the unexpected pops up. I get frustrated, but am not surprised when an unexpected bill comes along. I am prepared when I expect my husband to be home at a certain time, but he doesn’t make it until a couple of hours later because he got hung up at the school. I am learning to play real life dodgeball and deal with all the craziness that is thrown my way. I could stand their and let the hard knocks pummel me over and over again… or I can learn to be quick on my feet and figure out how to maneuver through all of it.
I am not the first to live a crazy life… and I certainly won’t be the last. Let me tell you about some others I know.
Once upon a time, there was a lady named Jochebed. She probably had hopes and dreams about how her family would turn out. She probably watched her mother as she grew up and imagined the day that she too would be a mother and take care of her own home. She might have imagined having a large family with lots of little ones running around. She had a boy and a girl before the king declared war on the Hebrew baby boys. He declared that any Hebrew baby boy that was born should be tossed in the river. Jochebed had a baby boy, Moses. She made the crazy choice to hide him until she could hide him no more. Then she put him into a basket and sent him down a dangerous river, trusting the Lord to deliver him to safety. He did. The daughter of the very king that was trying to kill the baby, saved the baby and raised him as her own. How crazy is that? You can read more about this story in the Bible… in the book of Exodus.
Once upon another time, there was a scrawny shepherd boy who was overlooked by everyone, even his own father. His brothers were sent to war while he stayed home to care for the sheep. His father sent him to take food and supplies to his brother and he ended up fighting a giant on behalf of all of Israel and winning. He wasn’t even in the army. How crazy?!? Read more about this shepherd boy in the Bible… in Samuel and Kings.
Fast Forward to Bethlehem. A young girl, engaged to be married finds herself pregnant. But she’s a virgin. This is crazy. An angel tells her that this baby is from the Lord. The girl had to be scared. She lived in a time when those who committed adultery were drug into the streets and stoned to death. She hadn’t committed adultery, but who was going to believe her? She chose to trust the Lord. Her betrothed did as well and against all odds, the baby Jesus was born. Read more about their story in the Bible… in the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
Stephen, an apostle of Jesus, after Jesus returned to heaven was being stoned to death because he loved Jesus and preached that Jesus was Lord and was the only way to heaven. He went against the norm. He did not fear for his own safety. He was so desperate to tell people the good news of Jesus that he literally went to his death proclaiming Jesus. CRAZY!
Fast forward again… about 2000 years and meet the Owens family. They had a “perfect” life… three beautiful children… a secure and safe lifestyle. They soon felt the burden to shake things up and adopt… from Uganda. The two children they adopted were not “safe.” They had been living in a prison with “delinquents.” Who knows what kind of horrible habits they might bring into this “perfect” family. But the Owens chose to trust the Lord on this one. Read more about their story on their blog… Good to be Crazy!
Then there is the Noll Family… they are missionaries who are currently in the States and in Seminary… and also in the process of adopting two children from Ethiopia. Crazy… right?
We know people who have given up promising, successful careers to follow the call of the Lord. The call doesn’t promise riches and power. It doesn’t promise fame or honor… at least in this world. The call to follow the Lord is generally a bit crazy looking. It’s generally a day by day, step by step kind of thing. The road is not always clear… which adds to the craziness.
It helps me to know that crazy seems to be a theme throughout the Bible and throughout the lives of Christians. I feel like we are in good company.
Plants and Pillars 