It's Complicated!

I saw a friend's status on Facebook the other day stating that he was 'single' and 'it's complicated'.

Hm...

I was tempted to see his 'single' status, raise it to 'married' and call his 'it's complicated' with a hearth 'HA! I LIVE complicated relationships every day!'

I'm a husband. I'm a father. I'm a son (all three of THOSE to people I share a house with!) I'm a father-in-law. I'm a brother. I'm a son-in-law. I'm a brother-in-law. I'm a...Well, you get the point.

I am MARRIED to a fantastic, smart, gorgeous, funny and...surprise...COMPLICATED woman!
We do not share the same brain (thank God above she doesn't have mine...she would have driven herself off a cliff years ago!). We do not share the same body. We do not share the same opinions. We do not share the same temperament. SINCE we do no share those and many other things, we find ourselves either at odds with each other or trying awkwardly to arrange our psyches' to 'fit' into the others ideas or view points on some situation so as to live in as much harmony as possible.

I found the previous sentence complicated just to write!

We DO have one character trait in common...we are both selfish, and we want our own way. It is my considered opinion that everyone in this world shares that trait with us. And since this is the case, I would most definitely define our relationship as 'complicated'.

I am a FATHER of COMPLICATED children!

I have three exceptional children, and one incredible daughter-in-law. They all bring me much joy, happiness, satisfaction, mile of smiles and great pride! They also bring me great frustration, confusion, sadness, grey hairs and anger. They also have that whole selfish thing going on as well, so add that generously to the mix! Since these, and other traits and emotions are often played against and with each other, I would most definitely define my relationship with them as 'complicated'.

Now, I realize what my friend was saying with his status. He had had a sudden or unexpected change in his relationship. I may, or may not, have been of his own choosing, and where he could explain it, it was more than he wanted to share with the general public, so he wrapped it up in a simple 'it's complicated'. I understand.

But we ALL live complicated lives (again...surprise!)

God seems to understand too. In the book of John, Jesus tells us that 'Here on Earth you WILL have many trials and sorrows' (16:33, emphasis mine). With all due love and respect toward my family and friends, many of my trials and sorrows come by way of them. And, many more times, THEIR trials and sorrows come by way of my! The people I share a house with can attest to that! I, they, we...make life complicated!

But, if you know the rest of the verse, you know that Jesus says, 'but take heart, because I have overcome the world.' We all have a way to get through the 'complicated'. It's tied to that verse in Philippians that says 'we can do ALL things through Christ who gives us strength' (4:13).

A complicated life is pretty much a given during our allotted time to spin on the Earth. Accepting it, dealing with it, moving on with it...will, quite honestly, make it less complicated, in my opinion. Not any less frustrating or difficult at times...just less complicated.

Romans 8:18 says, that AFTER this complicated life is over, it will prove to be 'nothing compared to the glory HE will reveal to us later'. A note I made in my Bible next to this verse says 'we won't even THINK 'it was worth it'...because this complicated life won't even be a blip on the radar in heaven.'

THAT's pretty cool...very simple...not complicated!

Mark