Walk by Hello: In the Middle

21 September 2010

In the Middle

Dear friends of mine are going through a grave time...Struggling with an unknown disease, fighting through all the question marks raining down on them. How I wish that I could give some much needed relief, more than just meaningful silence over phone lines.. A hand held, a meal prepared, their sweet little boys tickled and snuggled and sent off to bed feeling secure, the peace of mind that someone else knows they're hurting and afraid and cares enough to be there...

There is history between us and somehow that conveys more than words ever can. People who have shared a part in my becoming and growing and now I am hushed and privileged to share in this difficult situation they now find themselves in.

How do things like this happen? Where is God when good people are hurting? The same questions untold millions have been asking for years without number. All I know is that no matter how great the hurt is, how powerful the longing to be free of the struggle, He understands and He is here. In the the silent, aching moments when hearts feel sure to break, in the carefree smiles on little faces still unmarked by anything heavy, sad, unexplainable, in the quiet strength and dignity with which husbands and wives shoulder on together, unable to change the path they're walking down, but with the comfort that they can sit and rest awhile, to gather strength together.

In those normal, mundane moments I like to think God is right in the middle. Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and cookies and milk and tears over a broken toy or pillow fights before bedtime...searching for a lost stuffed rabbit or sitting up all night with a feverish baby, road trips and sibling fights and backyard races and squabbling over how to spend a dollar, exuberant sloppy baby kisses and first teeth..He is in it all.

And so, as my dear friends push on I can only remember that He promises us that the hope He gives us will not let us down, because He has given Himself to us, to be with us...The storm may still be raging but we are not standing in it alone, warm sheltering arms are around us, walking us through it all...

1 comment:

Jennifer said...: You could not be helping me more. Your love and listening ear are a great source of comfort to me and Sean. Thank you so much.; September 21, 2010 at 2:39 PM

Pecan Cream Cheese Icing:

8 ounces cream cheese
1 stick unsalted butter
1 (1-pound) box confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup chopped toasted pecans

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Butter 3 (9-inch) cake pans with 1 tablespoon of the butter and set aside. In a large bowl, cream the butter with an electric mixer. Add the sugar, and beat. In a medium bowl or on a piece of parchment, combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt, and mix well.

Add the dry ingredients, alternating with the eggs, beating well after the addition of each. Add the vanilla extract and mix. Add the carrots and beat on medium speed until well incorporated, about 2 minutes. Fold in the nuts. Divide between the 3 cake pans and bake until set and a cake tester inserted into the middle comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest in the cake pans for 10 minutes. Invert onto wire racks, remove from the pans, and let cool.

For the Frosting: In a large bowl, cream together the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Add the sugar gradually, beating constantly. Add the vanilla and pecans.

When the cake is cool, place 1 cake layer on a cake plate or stand. Spread the top with cream cheese frosting and top with a second and third cake layer, spreading the icing between each layer. Spread the icing around the sides of the cake and let harden slightly before serving. To serve, cut into wedges.