Remember your mother's vanity?
The wonder that it was?
The cotton balls, q-tips, and beauty products? Did she keep a cup right by the sink?
Do you remember that you'd fill that cup, take a cotton ball, and plop it in the water if she left the room?
And water that had once been crystal became a cottony mess?
You may feel like that right now.
Things were crystal clear.
Now?
It's fuzzy. And, perhaps, dark.
Today I want to remind you to stand.
Whether you're in college and nothing makes sense anymore.
When doubt is what you eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
I want you to stand.
Or, maybe you're in the midst of a painful situation, and you've tried to sound the alarm, but you're the ONLY one who sees.
And the people you thought would listen have plugged their ears and shut their eyes.
Or maybe you've lost relationships because of COVID? And you feel like you're standing in the middle of an active fire hydrant? And you want to fall?
I want to remind you to stand.
Even when the puzzle you thought should fit together perfectly is still scattered, stand.
It may not make any sense, but it will, someday.
It's like this.
The looks I get when I'm with my family are hysterical.
I like to call it fun with tall people.
Going with my husband anywhere is a kick.
I trail him, so I can hear what people say.
They generally gasp then ask silly questions like, "what are you, 6'12"?
Or, "did your mom give you miracle grow?"
Yes.
Really.
However, people freak out when Will, Chris, and the girls are together.
Our girls are just under and just over 6 feet.
Our son is 6'11".
But.
If Chris is not there, nothing makes sense.
And I get the "are these your children?" question.
My favorite is taking them through TSA, especially when they are minors.
"What is your birthday?" they ask without fail.
And then, "what is your name?"
They'll stare at whatever child I've brought through.
Then stare at me.
It's like trying to fly into Israel.
And get through their screening process.
Will they sweat us out?
However, because I know they're simply trying to put the pieces together, they ask this question every time.
"Is the father tall?"
The TSA agents glare. They'll repeat it if I hesitate.
"Is the father tall?"
"6'9," I'll say without blinking.
"That makes sense."
Indeed.
It makes sense when you have the complete picture.
But right now, you don't.
And every day feels like you have vertigo.
Until our Creator clears it up, stand firm.
Don't run.
Don't hide.
Stand.
Which is, of course, the hardest part.
But it's why I'll remind us of this truth.
The Bible says you will have trouble in this world, but take heart, I've overcome the world.
This will sound dorky, but Chris and I watch the show, Lost in Space.
In one of the episodes, the Robinson family's ship was crashing. Their only option was to eject and fall towards an unknown planet if they wanted to live.
The father turned to his kids with an alarming calm, even as the ship broke apart, and said, "remember your training."
The last few columns I've written have covered a lot of ground, from facing fear to being courageous to telling the truth.
Now we come to the most challenging part, the part after you've decided to stay in the job, stay with the dream, or continue to challenge the powers that be.
Stand firm.
And remember your training, because you trained for this.
The hard part.
The cottony water part.
Decide to remember when things made perfect sense.
Hang on to that because that will help you stand when nothing goes well.
And, stand firm because God can use you now more than ever.
He is looking for someone to stand in the gap.
That's you.
And that's me.
In Isaiah 7:4, God instructs Isaiah to speak to the king.
War was being waged ON his kingdom.
And yet, God tells Isaiah, amid the battle, to speak to the king and say this.
"Be careful. Be quiet. Do not fear…."
This is what I want to tell you.
You're where you're supposed to be.
And, you're not alone.
There is a God who helps us stand firm.
Who tells us as the battle is waged:
Be careful.
Be quiet.
Do not fear.
"Therefore put on the whole armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand." Ephesians 6:13.
Amie Beth Shaver is a speaker, writer, and media commentator. Her column appears every Wednesday in 1819 News. Shaver served on the Alabama GOP State Executive Committee, was a candidate for State House 43 and spokeswoman for Allied Women. The views and opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the policy or position of 1819 News. To comment, please send an email with your name and contact information to Commentary@1819News.com.
