Welcome my friend!
Do you feel overwhelmed?
Have you been yearning to get away from the situation that’s overwhelming you?
When life feels a little overwhelming we just need some time out, don’t we!
But what if it’s the time out that is actually overwhelming us!
I’ve been feeling just like this in the past few days…
So I thought this would be a good opportunity to explore the reasons & discover what can be done…over a cuppa of course.
So grab yourself a mug of your favourite beverage & join me in the following…
Time Out
At this point it would be very easy for me to blame my chronic condition of Fibromyalgia for feeling overwhelmed for that feeling comes with chronic pain.
But to be truly authentic, I need to admit that there are other issues at play.
Having time out in this extended CoVid lock down is overwhelming…
Especially for families seperated by distance & closed borders.
I’ve realised that while we all need to live out our own independent lives as adults within a family, which is very healthy of course.
I function best when I can see my loved ones on a regular basis.
Having long periods of lock downs, restrictions & border closures, while totally understandable for the duration, is very difficult on families when milestone family events can not be attended.
Milestone gatherings like weddings, engagements, big birthdays & just good ol’ quality family time together.
While I’m very grateful that digital technology has its place in staying in touch, in this unpresidanted time, it is NOT the same as being together in the flesh!
Being able to gather together… sharing our lives with each other is just so healthy for reconnection of relationships within families.
As shared in the fun time of Tea on the Gold Coast
Families are important
Have you ever wondered why God set us in families?
Please note; I realize not everyone has positive family relationships or experiences, my Professional life has been in mediating & counseling these relationships.
However, for this particular reflection we will be focusing upon God’s original purpose & ongoing desire for families.
Did you know that God, is in fact a family unit.
Within the Godhead there is God the Father, God the Son [Jesus Christ] & God the Holy Spirit who are One.
God tells us in His inspired Word, the Bible, that families are not only for the purpose of raising children but also for the wellbeing of its members…
“God places the solitary in families & gives the lonely a home in which to dwell…”
Psalm 68:6
You see people need people!
Whether the family is biological, adoptive, fostered or spiritual, we need family.
However, a family should be one that brings blessing, growth & a certain amount of shelter & protection from the outside world.
Where we are accepted, warts & all so to speak!
Where each member is encouraged to grow into the best version of who they were created to be.
There’s no Perfect Family on Planet Earth
Families aren’t perfect because they’re made up of imperfect people trying to navigate an imperfect world.
However, we all have the need for a safe place to land, where we’re loved, accepted & respected!
All families have members who get along famously & members who find it difficult to relate to each other. That’s just family!
Families are a mixture of various personalities, temperaments & all families have their eccentric members!
The family is where we learn to navigate our relationship skills before entering relationships in the wider world.
I think the movie My Greek Wedding was a great example of this, where many different characters & personalities were hilariously portrayed.
But this movie also highlighted the deep caring for each other within the craziness of what makes a family.
The Perfect Dwelling Place
Did you know that there is a perfect dwelling place where we are unconditionally loved, totally accepted, respected & always encouraged to be the very best in who we were created to be?
This dwelling place is in God.
Where the Creator of the Universe is our heavenly Father, His Son our Savoir & the Holy Spirit our comforter.
For Romans 8:17-18 tells us the following;
17 And if [we are His] children, [then we are His] heirs also: heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ [sharing His spiritual blessing and inheritance], if indeed we share in His suffering so that we may also share in His glory.
18 For I consider [from the standpoint of faith] that the sufferings of the present life are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is about to be revealed to us and in us! Refer II
As I sit in the presence of my heavenly Father today, this overwhelming situation with the Delta variant of CoVid ravaging our nation, gradually fades into the background.
As the light of His glory, grace & the joy of my relationship with Him is refreshed & the feeling of the overwhelm ceases.
Remembering, He is in control even when a situation feels completely out of control.
Knowing, I can rest in His comfort until the time comes when I can gather with my family once again to celebrate the events we couldn’t attend to make new beautiful family memories together.
Until next time,
Jennifer
Are you curious my friend in becoming a member of God’s amazing family? Find out more HERE.
© 2021 Jennifer M. Ross, teawithjennifer.blog, All Rights Reserved. Photo by Askar Abayev on Pexels.com
Tea With Jennifer 
This is so good, Jennifer, as many of us are still cautious about going out and about. May we continue to care for those He has placed us with for we all need one another.
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Thank you Joanne. We do indeed! 😀
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