taking sides

sometimes, in order to provide a concise summation of my current situation, i say that i am either winning or losing at life.

examples of winning at life include getting $118 shoes for $35 (thanks, laura!) or getting to work on time and with all the keys, papers and laptops you need (maybe some day).

examples of losing at life include buying everything at the grocery store except for toilet paper, when that is the one thing you really needed.

mostly it's just a funny thing to say. but over the past couple of days, as i've watched some people i really love have to do some really hard things, i have been thinking about how it's not always just a funny thing to say. sometimes it really truly and honestly feels like life is getting the better of you. which is not a great feeling at all.

and so, over the past couple of days i have also been thinking about this line from "the messiah." it stuck out to me when i heard it sung on saturday, and it has been stuck with me ever since.

if god be for us, who can be against us.

for as much as we feel that we are falling behind, not living up, failing to cope or losing at life, with a loving heavenly father on our side i believe we will always win in the end. in fact, we are probably winning even when we feel like we are losing. because my answer to this question is simple: if god is for us, then no one and nothing can stand against us. at least not for long.

which is not to say that people will not disappoint us, that our parents will never get sick or that our expectations will always be met or that our decisions will always be easy or that we will always get exactly what we want exactly when we want it and live happily ever after the end.

but it is to say that we can come out triumphant on the other end of all of those things, which is pretty much the greatest feeling of all. wouldn't you say?