Life Is How You Take It
Thursday, January 15, 2009 at 02:44PM 
While attending my high school reunion in 2007, I chatted with a classmate who, during the course of a rather short and one-sided conversation (believe it or not, many is the time I am out-talked), asserted several times: "Life is what you make it."
I must admit, I demurred ... because I don't necessarily concur with that particular cliche. But sensing my reticence, my old friend insisted: "Yes it is, Jenny! Life is exactly what you make it!"
She may be right.
I believe that embedded in all we get (whether we want it or not) is all we need (whether we know it or not).
However.
I am reminded of a story -- quite possibly an urban legend -- that I heard some time ago. There are a couple of different versions, but the one to which I refer involves a set of parents whose son is about to graduate from high school. All he craves for a graduation present is a car. It doesn't have to be new; like all boys of a certain age, he just wants his own wheels.
On graduation night, the loving parents present their boy with his gift. It is a largish flat box -- certainly not big enough to contain a car, but maybe the keys -- ??? The son, heart pounding, opens the box and stares in wounded amazement at what lies within: a Bible.
In anger, he hurls the box and its contents to the floor and storms out of the house. For the next dozen years, he and his parents are estranged.
Eventually the prodigal returns home for an uneasy visit and, staying in his old room, finds the box containing the graduation Bible. Times have been hard. He removes the Bible from the box, riffles its pages ... and out falls a check for the price of a gently used car.
The check -- yellowed and long since non-negotiable -- is dated the day he graduated from high school.
And then there is the delicate "Dear Abby" type situation I read about in a magazine. A woman wrote that, several months after the wedding of a dear friend, she herself was going to be married. Upon opening a bridal shower gift, she recognized the very set of steak knives she had given as a wedding present to her friend.
Only, they weren't just like the knives she had given ... they were the knives she had given. Rejected, recycled, re-wrapped, and re-gifted.
How did she know? Because underneath the knives, tucked out of sight within the packaging, were the two one-hundred-dollar bills she had placed there as a "surprise" for her cherished friend.
I believe that embedded in all we get (whether we want it or not) is all we need (whether we know it or not). I can back this up with Scripture: But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:19)
No matter what the circumstance, the proper response is a grateful heart buttressed by childlike faith.
What in the world makes us think that promise means only that the cupboard will never be bare, or that we'll never go naked or homeless? It may mean that, but it means so much more. Our real needs are much more complex than food, clothing, and shelter ... the economy, if you will.
What it means is that, for the child of God, no matter what happens, God has ordained it and is supplying our need through it.
Watch me back this up with Scripture too: On the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold him: he hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him: But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold. (Job 23:9-10)
Call it semantic hair-splitting at its best if you like, but to claim that "life is what you make it" implies a great deal of control. And we might as well face the fact that, excepting our own actions and -- more importantly -- reactions, there are precious few things over which either you or I have control.
And I don't know about you, but my actions and reactions have often proved difficult to defend.
Consequently, I do not believe that life is merely what you make it. I will go so far as to say that I am a fool if I want my life to be what I make it ... because how tacky would that be? I want my life to be what God makes it ... because that will be magnificent.
To quote the cute pirate: "Savvy?"
Life is how you take it. God is in control. You and I do not give Him the control; we simply acknowledge that He already has it. No matter what the circumstance, the proper response is a grateful heart buttressed by childlike faith.
Scripture backup: ... for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day. (II Timothy 1:12b)
All of the above was me, preaching to myself. If you were eavesdropping, I hope it helped you. And if it helped you, keep it at the forefront of your mind next Tuesday. I certainly plan to.
God bless the United States of America.
Reader Comments (20)
Yes, I would have to concur. In our case, serious illnesses certainly taught us how little control we really have. But when we put our trust in God, He showed us the blessings hidden even in the hardest of times. Do you remember the old bumper sticker, "God said it, I believe it, that settles it"? A friend of mine really hated that sticker, and always said, "Noooo, God said it, that settles it, whether I believe it or not!" That stuck with me. (Of course, he also said he would never fly on an airplane, because God said "Lo, I am with you always." (Low... get it? Never mind...)
My favourite way of looking at it is that you have to play with the cards you are dealt. Now, some people may appear to have a better hand than you have, but they may waste those good cards in bad play or bad judgement. You, with your 'inferior' cards, may still do better if you play them 'right'. And maybe the object is not to win that pile of chips? Maybe the object is to get through to the next round in the best possible condition?
Tracie, I remember the bumper sticker and I agree with your friend one hundred percent! And I don't like to fly either.
Jay, you raise existential questions of the unanswerable variety! I agree that we have no choice but to play the hand we're dealt ... like I said, we're not in control! As for who "wins" ... really, who knows? But I'm all for getting to the next round!
I wholeheartedly agree. Reminds me of the subtitle to Dr. Strangelove..."How I Learned to stop worrying and Love the Bomb." I guess that pretty much sums it up. LOL!
I vote this the most fabulous blog I have read to date !!!!!!!!!!! just loved it and agree totally.
Audrey, as usual you take the analogy to a whole 'nother level! LOL!
Dixie, thanks for saying that, and thanks for reading. I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Hey mom just got back to the dorm from work and I just wanted you to know that I really needed this tonight. Its nice to know that we serve a God of "greater things" than we can ever imagine. I love you and I really miss you. :-( good night
Andrew, I love and miss you too! I am praying for you today.
I tend to agree with your friend.
As I look back over my own life, and up to now, weigh the successes, failures, disappointments, unrealized dreams et al, I can see that I am where I have allowed myself to be at this point. Just as I am an advocate of self-responsibility and self-accountability in life (as opposed to seeking someone else to blame for all my failures and disappointments), I am an advocate of needing to look no further for the source of roadblocks and obstacles in my life, than in my mirror.
Your friend is right. I am and have what I have allowed myself to achieve (which isn't much, but then, I never truly wanted all that much).
I've said it before, but you're a great writer. I liked this very much.
Dear SF, I assume you refer to the comment left by my dear friend Jay. She is right, and so are you ... but we are talking about slightly different things. You are approaching the subject from the angle of the choices we all make, and I wholeheartedly agree with you both that MUCH is determined by those choices, which are of course acts of the will, ergo, something we definitely control. I did not address the choice thing in this post, but sort of left it between the lines! Thanks so much for reading, and for taking the time to respond with your always-valuable input!
Kev ... I've said it before, but thank you. I am humbled by your praise because I think you are a great writer as well. Any ideas on how we can turn our prodigious talent(s) into cold, hard cash? Hmmmm?
I have to agree. There is a divine plan for each of us, ready to unfold...if we allow it. Very wise words throughout, Jenny!
I wrote a story in the early 80s that included a young man being left a Bible when he wanted money for law school,his anger, and him finding a check in the Bible... I was thinking recently I needed to finish that story. Now I suppose everyone will think I stole the idea! Oh, well.
Keli, thanks dear. That is a great compliment coming from you!
Tracie, I don't know what to say except, there is nothing new under the sun ... so go for it! As I said, I have heard several versions of that story over the years! That's why I said it may be an urban legend ... a fable that gets tweaked every so often to fit the storyteller's fancy! It's certainly not original with me, and if it was your original idea, I have no problem giving you credit!
Thanks, Jenny, so gracious of you! I wasn't trying to get credit, just mad at myself for not finishing that story back in 1984 when I started it! This is a great story though, and besides, mine is actually quite different, so perhaps I will finish it and just not worry about it. (If I ever get it published, the editors will change it all anyway, right!?)
Tracie, you should definitely finish it. I will take your word for what editors do; I can hardly get one to give me the time of day. I wish you better luck and I know I'll enjoy reading your story!
This is stirring up a whole lot of emotion and thought in me this morning. One of my friends called me this morning and told me that the only sight she had left is now gone as of last week's surgery. She is only 34 years old. The only thing I could say to her this morning was that God shows himself strong in our weakness and since she is a Christian and the President of our women's group, I know that she leans fully on the Lord. She so much agreed with me. She certainly is going on with life and making adjustments in order to be a servant of the Lord. I am just too full of emotion to talk on but Jennifer, you have great words here today.
Cheryl, when I hear things like this (increasingly, it seems), I am made aware of how fortunate I have been and of how much I have to be thankful for. It is easy to say we must trust the Lord whatever comes, but it's always a test when it comes time to trust Him with a dire illness or when facing the loss of anything so dear to us that words cannot describe it. I will pray for you and your friend today, and I know that God will meet you both in this difficult time! Thanks for stopping by, my friend!
Amen! I agree and you said it well!
Mari, thanks and good to see you!