Doing the Drill

All the facts can add up but...

In this continuing endeavor to learn about the substance that support the faith we have embraced, I have learned one very important thing.

A recent crisis not of our doing, yet we as a family had to be very much involved in finding solutions for, is challenging our mettle in terms of believing in the goodness of the Almighty God that we believe in despite the bedlam it has imposed upon us.

It's wreaked havoc on our family finances, is stretching our individual patience and is pushing us to the brink.

The matter of substance and fact flies out of the window in the face of this adversity.

And there's nothing left but a sheer will to believe despite all the darkness that we face.

I can only attribute this to a process that is renovating our character as a couple, my own and my wife's and the character makeup of our family. But it is not an easy ordeal. And the worst part about it is, there is more that is to come in the years ahead.

Yet I maintain my position that though the subject matter can appear quite trite in the face of all this difficulty, I find no other recourse but to push on and pray more. My mind maintains that the Creator of the Universe, who stands outside time, can and may intervene in the order of these affairs, yet for now, chooses not to for a reason that I and my dear wife cannot see or comprehend.

When will this pass? Only the Intelligent Designer knows. I've held on long enough to know that it will.

I can only take comfort in the advice of my dear, dear friend, Col. Michael Morales, (ret.) Ph.D, whose wisdom helps in dealing with this depressing moment: Do the Drill.

We of course, are familiar with fire drills - or any other drill, which we do during the times when the emergencies are not there, that we may know how to react when the emergency does arise.

This drill is quite simple. Count your blessings.

In his case, he writes down everything that he has known our Almighty God to have blessed him and his family with through the years and at a certain point, his attitude changes to that of gratitude. It may be simple, yet very effective.

I know. Because when I do think of the times when the Lord God just did something over and beyond what we hoped or expected, my despondency vanishes into a mute acknowledgement of His Goodness. These days, I find myself doing the drill quite often. And for that, I'm thankful.