Which is Harder?

Not sure what has been more exhausting lately, all the physical demands on me or the spiritual burdens I have been weighed down with? Hmmm...maybe the combination thereof. The past few weeks have been full of conflict as my extended family struggles with a variety of situations. I have been praying for my family for so long...so long....and to see God work in our lives is just incredible. I often take life for granted-not connecting that all that is before me is God at work. Right now, I would have to be blind not to get it!

My sisters and a brother live here near me right now....a first in our family history. With that proximity has come new problems. We are getting to know each other really for the first time in our lives, we are learning to communicate, we are learning to live with each other and let each other live...at least that is what I am learning. (Probably shouldn't speak for my siblings). Those concepts are not the easiest go get a handle on in the best of circumstances, and I dare say, our circumstances don't qualify for "best."

My sisters have spent a lot of time with me the last few weeks, giving my brother a much needed break. The past six months were quite different. They were with him pretty much 24/7 while my immediate family did our thing. That has been alot for my brother to carry (after all he has his own family and own life too), and now it is my turn. We are in a better place now to be of help, but still...trying...when we have a house to reconstruct....and our space is limited. My goodness...been trying for two weeks to finish painting our bedroom so we can move into it!

I just finished reading I Corninthians, and as I read that book, I realized that just as the church is made up of many members all having a variety of functions and gifts, a family too is made up of a variety of members-all very different. Together we can exhort and encourage each other to be the best we can be, apart, the burdens are heavier. Family is sweet, Church family is sweeter! Not all of my family knows the Lord, and of those, not all are Spiritually mature which means those of us who are have to carry more. That is true in Church too...and how thankful I am for my brothers and sisters in Christ who help me carry what is difficult at times to carry alone.

Physically...so much to do and not enough hours to do it in. House keeps coming to a standstill, and time is ticking away until my daughter's wedding. The stress of that can be suffocating. It is hard to deal with too...then I ask myself...what is really important here? All of it is important, but in varying degrees at varying times. Today....the Spiritual is more important, because the house is temporal...Lives are at stake in the Spiritual ream....the house will be waiting when the Spiritual settles down a bit.