Lately, it feels like in the Game of Life, someone has flipped the “difficulty switch” from easy to hard. Life is hard right now. Work is hard. Finances are hard. Relationships with friends are hard. Church is hard. Caring for twin babies is hard. Everything in life is just…. hard.

Usually in times like this, I have to take a retreat and this weekend afforded me one. My father showed up at the house loaded with saws, lumber, a pneumatic nail gun and we built shelves. It was nice not to have to think about all the hard things going on in life right now and just think about building shelves. It’s therapeutic just concerning yourself with measuring out wood, cutting in the right place and taking a hammer to something. My mother got to play with the girls which had her in heaven and dad got to build something, which meant he was in heaven, too. We all had good times and a good laugh.

Looking back on life, it always seems like these times in the crucible are the times that I remember most and remember most vividly, even if at the time I want them to pass as soon as possible. I know the Lord is stretching me and pulling me right now, and much like when I exercise, I complain a lot about the soreness. All of the daunting tasks in life returned today, but it was nice to have a weekend to take a breath.

The unrelenting heat of August broke this weekend and while there are more hot days yet to come, it was a hint of fall. Football. Cool evenings. Leaves falling. My favorite time of the year. There’s still yet hope it all won’t always be hard.

“And I’m trying, trying, try
Oh Lord, I try so hard
Don’t you know it’s hard
Oh glory, oh gracious
But ain’t it hard to be like Jesus ” – Rich Mullins, “Hard”