In recent weeks I have found myself (again) struggling with the tangled mess that is my family. I was contemplating deleting some of my posts that detail this semi-constant struggle as these posts just seem to pull the tangled mess tighter, increasing the possibility that it will never be untangled. However, these posts were not written with malicious intent but only to document this perilous journey. So although I have made the decision to retain the posts it must be understood by the reader that they are not meant to invoke any kind of disrespect.

In my old blog, The Whippoorwill Chronicles, I used to have a weekly column I called Tuned in Thursdays….Listening to God.

This was where I would write about my journey of faith. To read the very first post in this series click here. Although I had not given any thought to re-starting this column when I began writing this post, I think that it would be appropriate to perhaps think about bringing it back to cyberspace. I know it is Wednesday, not Thursday, but this topic is on my mind.

Last week I finished reading through the New Testament. This week I began my journey through the Old Testament. This morning I read the story of Hagar and Ishmael. There is much to be learned from this very short chapter in the book of Genesis. Here are some items that have given me pause for thought this morning (taken from the Life Application Study Bible):

• A lack of faith can result in a series of problems
• Our actions should show that we are part of the solution, not part of the problem.
• We can choose to live above our circumstances rather that under them.
• God’s plans incorporate people’s mistakes
• When we ask God for something and have to wait, we can be tempted to take matters into our own hands and interfere with God’s plans.
• It is often easier to strike out in frustration and accuse someone else than to admit an error and ask forgiveness.
• Running away from problems rarely solves them.
• It is wise to return to our problems, face them squarely, accept God’s promise of help, correct our attitudes (no matter how justified they may have been), and act as we should.
• No matter how big a mess you make of things God can work all things for good.
• No problem is too complicated for God if you are willing to let him help you.

As I stated, my family relationships are such a tangled mess but perhaps not so much that it is completely hopeless to begin the process of untangling.