A Tale of Our Summer: Burning Up, Breaking Down, Blessed

Habakkuk 3:17-19

Though the fig tree should not blossom,
nor fruit be on the vines,
the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food,
the flock be cut off from the fold
and there be no herd in the stalls,
yet I will rejoice in the LORD;
I will take joy in the God of my salvation.
God, the Lord is my strength;
he makes my feet like the deer's;
he makes me tread on my high places.

1 Peter 4:16 

Yet, if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name. 

Sometimes, even though blessings abound around us, I feel like Habakkuk in the passage above.  In the midst of challenges, I am reminded in 1 Peter, that every challenge is an opportunity to glorify God.  Our summer, while full of blessings, has held opportunities to glorify God in trials.  This summer's version of Habakkuk 3:17-19 would go something like this:

Though the pregnancy is ectopic,
and the emergency room doctors misdiagnose,
though the big van needs a new engine and the car and mini van need new brakes,
the mechanic's wife is diagnosed with stage four cancer and can't work on fixing the van for months,
and we don't fit in any one vehicle so we need to drive two to get anywhere,
Though the social security office won't trust my stacks of documents to prove my children's identity
and I must return with more proof while six children sit waiting for hours,
and the air conditioner causes a flood in our basement,
and the temperatures are abnormally high.
While the water softener doesn't work and our water is full of iron,
ruining clothing by turning it brown,
and we can't fix any of it without finishing our taxes,
and we need those updated social security cards to finish our taxes,
yet I will rejoice in the LORD;
I will take joy in the God of my salvation.
God, the Lord, is my strength;
he makes my feet like Cristiano Ronaldo;
he makes me swift, as I head for the goal.