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heavy experiences

5/14/2013

4 Comments

 
Picture
In the past year I’ve had several “heavy experiences.” 
“Heavy experiences?” you ask. “I’ve never heard of such a thing.”
Well, let’s look at the experiences of our lives.
They come in all sizes, weighed according to the impact they have on us.
How much do they change our course?
How much do they alter our view of the world, 
what we believe we can expect from life?
How much do they change how we view ourselves, how we define ourselves, 
our lives, our dreams?
 
“Light” experiences don’t quickly throw us off-balance.
They are small enough that they don’t immediately challenge our core beliefs,
our life expectations,
our definitions of what is normal.
Yet even “light” experiences become heavy as they accumulate over time
or if they gradually lead us in a different direction.
But those are not the ones we’re considering right now.
 
I visualize life as a balance system, like a balance scale.
“Heavy” experiences.
Now those are ones that immediately change our lives
by adding or taking something weighty.
Births, deaths.
Gaining, losing, or changing a position or job.
Great material loss or gain.
Any experience that greatly challenges the way we define ourselves,
our relationships,
our lives.
 
Heavy experiences may be predominating positive,
like the family camp we enjoyed last summer.
We brought together for two weeks our nineteen person family 
of children and grandchildren.
Fun, but intense.
Filled with revelations,
not only of others but of myself.
Some self discoveries I liked,
others I did not.
Maybe I’ll share more of that another time.
 
But heavy experiences can also be predominantly negative,
like the unexpected death of my mother last fall,
and, soon after, the death of my sister-in-law.
 
In the coming weeks I’ll be sharing 
how my perception of “heavy experiences” has changed
and what I'm l learning about I how I need to deal with them.
 
In the mean time, think about your experiences.
Begin to label them.
Light or heavy, or something in between.
Until next time you might want to consider the following verse, Psalm 62:8 NIV.
 
Trust in him at all times, O people;
pour out your hearts to him,
for God is our refuge.

Excuse me?
Did I hear one of you say, "What does this have to do with novels?"
What are novels but accounts of experiences, heavy and light, 
that change the direction of characters' lives?
4 Comments
Sharon Pearson link
5/23/2013 02:23:41 pm

I'm looking forward to what you have to say about "heavy" experiences. It's my human opinion (I could be wrong) that God does not author our "heavy" experiences. They come through our own sin, or the evil that is in the world, and Satan himself. But God always brings good out of them...he overcomes them. "In this world you will have trials and tribulations but take courage, I have overcome the world."

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Arlene Ussery
5/24/2013 02:12:47 am

I'm using the term "heavy experiences" to refer to events in our lives that have a great impact on us. These can be very positive, like marriage or the birth of a child, buying a home, starting college or getting the job you always wanted, even spiritual conversion. Of course, they could be negative, too, even tragic. Those negative ones are what you seem to be referring to. I agree that the Lord does not author evil but will use it for our good as we submit to him and allow him to work in us. I hope this series of blogs will continue to be a blessing to you. Thanks for your comment!

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Sharon
5/27/2013 01:05:35 pm

It seems to me that it takes a while to find out how heavy the weight on the balance scale is. It sometimes goes up and down in our mind until it finally settles down and we can deal with the change. I think waiting for the weight to settle, to understand what the change really means to us, is the hardest part of regaining our balance.

Reply
Arlene Ussery
5/28/2013 12:25:25 am

This is an important observation. With your permission, I will use your statement in a future blog as we continue to deal with the issue of loss. Please let me know if this will be okay with you. Thanks for you input.

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    Author/Speaker

    Arlene Pinkley Ussery shares insights and research concerning  the power of the story to change values of individuals and societies. Relying on research, she shows how good literature improves readers relationships, mental, emotional, and spiritual health.  From her experience of living in Israel and studying the Bible, history, and culture, she deepens readers understanding of Biblical times. Her stories challenge and comfort.

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