Ow! I hurt. I'm tired.

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"It's been a rough week....".... Arrrrgh, and is that ever an understatement!!! 


To make matters worse, it's only Tuesday, the week's not done yet!


Ever felt like this guy here on the left? I have. I feel like I know him. I feel like he lives with me. Heck, a whole lot of times, I feel like I am him. (And "heck" isn't even my word, but it's my right-now-in-this-very-moment moment's feeling!)


Where is my joy? (Is it so hard to see in the photograph?) Honestly, I truly am fighting hard for it! Fighting to guard it! Fighting to keep it! Fighting to hold on to it. And, despite all of the joy-robbers, I'm refusing to let go! (And yet, if it were something tangibly seen and you could take a peek at such 'joy' in the picture, it, too, would sure be torn and quite shredded and extremely pitiful looking right now from all of life's meanness!)


Yesterday was rough! Today was worse! Last week was rough! And I'm not sure about tomorrow, but Thursday is already scheduled to be! Yuck! I'm tired of the rough!


I'd like to tell the enemy to QUIT hitting me! Quit smashing me! Quit shooting at me! Quit whacking me! Quit plucking me bald headed! Quit running me ragged! Quit being so MEAN in your every minute of every day madness! Please give me a break! Stop for a little while, will you!!!! Enough's enough already! And I'm done!

I'm tired of getting hit! I'm tired of the wind being knocked out of me. I'm tired of getting up and being knocked right back down again. I want to get out of the ring. I'm worn out from the fight. I need a minute. I need some respite.


HELP! JESUS, I NEED A TIME OUT!!!


My comfort comes in Psalm 46:1....


"God is our Refuge and Strength. A VERY PRESENT HELP in times of trouble." 


We need that VERY PRESENT HELP-ing in the times of trouble that seems to keep surrounding us. "We" and "us"... because I'm not in this trouble and hardship alone.. It seems to be all around me... and to engulf so many of those right now that I love.


Goodness, in His "very present"ness... if ya'll need God, come see us! I'm sure He's at your house too... but His very-presentness is surely very present right here right now in all of our troublenesses!


Thank You, God, for Your strength and Your refuge! Thank You for Your help in all that we need! Thank You, too, for Your joy that "comes." Thank You for Your peace... even while still in the throes of the storm! 
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