"Rumpelstiltskin!"

“Rumpelstiltskin!”

Visualize the young mom with one kid on her hip while the other pulls at her leg. She is standing at the stove working with something that is burning which causes the smoke detector to go off. Just as the phone rings, someone knocks at the door. Sound familiar? Typically, “stuff” comes our way one or two at a time. We handle it and resume our daily activities. But ever so often, one or two become four or five and they arrive all at once, demanding immediate attention. It reminds me of when we (my six siblings and I) were little. After hearing “mama!” for the umpteenth time, my mom would respond with, “My name’s Rumpelstiltskin!” in hope, I think, that we would not be able to pronounce it and she would not have to respond. There are times when we just want to become invisible, transport mentally to any other location, or just melt into the carpet to avoid the catastrophes going on around us.

I reached that place last weekend. I thought I was going to explode. I had walked right up to the edge of the cliff and was peering over, wondering if I wanted to jump or if I just wanted to throw somebody else off. We all reach these moments at some point in our lives. They grab us and make us feel hopeless, helpless and sometimes fearful. We don’t know where to turn, there is no exit to which to flee and it would seem there is no answer as to how to handle the whole mess. What to do? We stumble forward, doing the best we can with whatever strength and wisdom we can muster. So very often I turn to Isaiah 41:10 which reminds us: …fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you. I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” It is so easy to feel like we are alone. But as a child of God, we are so surrounded by Him. He is over us to protect us. He is under us to sustain us. He is before us to lead us. He is beside us to comfort us. And He is behind us to gently nudge us forward when we think we are unable. Take hope, dear one! Move forward and watch Him work on your behalf!