Life cuts the bitterness with some sweet. That silver lining is always there. It’s normal and healthy to admit that life sucks right now. However, before you let that feeling overwhelm you, look for the sweet. It’s there. Even when we don’t want to find it.

 

Life cuts the bitterness with some sweet. That silver lining is always there. Sometimes we don't want to look for it. It's normal and healthy to admit that life sucks right now. Before you let that feeling overwhelm you, look for the sweet. It's there. Even when we don't want to find it. From CheapskateCook.com

 

Thankfully, life cuts the bitter with some sweet.

Broke

10 years ago, 2 kids got married and worked their butts off only to make 16K in a year. They couldn’t afford the Sonic drive-in down the street.

However, because they lived on nothing and squirreled away all their wedding money, they were able to pack everything into a storage unit and live overseas for 2 months.

Stupid? Maybe. Awesome? Of course.

If they had had well-paying jobs or careers, they wouldn’t have gone on the adventure of a lifetime.

Those kids were us, if that isn’t obvious.

 

bitter and sweet - scared

 

Alone

8 years ago, we moved out-of-state to pursue a dream job. When the opportunity fell through, Chris found this temporary contract work via Craigslist. He took our one car for 11 hours a day while I saved money like a maniac and nursed a newborn.

In our new neighborhood, police sirens comprised the daily soundtrack, and my neighbor warned me not to take walks by myself.

However, that temp job opened the door to a dream career we never knew we would love.

 

Hurt

Then 3 years ago, Chris was hit by a truck. He survived, but the hell that ensued changed our family permanently.

Recently, I was reading in the Bible how life in connection with God can be a joy unequaled. I know this is true because I’ve experienced it.

It doesn’t mean that life is always happy or easy. Living on nothing is really hard. Looking for work is really hard. Surgery is really hard.

If you’ve lived longer than 12 minutes, you know what I mean. Your challenges probably look different from mine, but we all know that feeling.

But there’s this sweetness that cuts the bitterness. That silver lining is always there. Sometimes we don’t want to look for it. It’s normal and healthy to admit that life sucks right now.

Before you let that feeling overwhelm you, look for the sweet. It’s there. Even when we don’t want to find it.

Bitter seasons can either destroy us or grow us.

I am not the same woman I was 10 years ago. Or 3 years ago. My children don’t get to be the kids they would have been if their lives were easy and fun.

Thank God.

Me and my kids

 

Normal

Living on nothing forces us to recognize our wealth. I don’t just mean financial wealth. Being stranded at home with a newborn is a blessing compared to joblessness. Health problems make us celebrate our health in the interim. We learn to see the little things for the huge blessing they are, and we feel it deep in our soul.

Normal is magical. Normal is a privilege.

If life tastes bitter right now, I’m sorry. I want to say the words that make everything feel better, but since I’ve been there I know words don’t do that.

That sick feeling in your stomach that keeps reminding you something is terribly wrong – it’s normal. You can still be a strong person and feel so weak.

Bitter & Sweet

So many of us are sitting here in the mess, and we’re all doing our best to wade through it. That’s true when we’re talking about saving money and eating healthy, and it’s true when we’re talking about bitter seasons. There is sweetness. There is rest on the other side. Just keeping wading.

If you’re a faith person, you know you aren’t doing this on your own. Life probably won’t be magically fixed, but you have an inner strength that can face everything coming and can handle all of it.

Tell life that it sucks. Accept the bitter. Then look up and recognize the sweet. Just keep wading, friend.