Superheroes, Episode 2

In our Last Episode, we watched as four everyday people had encounters with a Weird Thing that changed them into superheroes.  

We met: 

Cordelia: mild mannered librarian by day, but, when someone needs encouragement, she becomes THE QUILL!

Henrietta: mom, wife, great friend turned Warrior of the Truth; she is VERITAS!

Siegfried: a regular Gen X dude grilling out back in a metal tee.  But now, he is THE FORGE! 

Xena: Cool grandma turned into PILLAR!

I know I am being a little lighthearted here as I tell these stories of these dear people.  Please don’t misunderstand me: 

These are real people who have faced real adversity.  And these trials are hard.  Really hard!  

I don’t want to romanticize their struggles just to have something to write.  My goodness, I truly would never want to make light of their suffering for any sort of entertainment!  

God forbid! 

No, I have been truly impacted by these people in my life.  They have been examples and encouragement to me and many others.

Maybe that is not exactly what they set out to be. 

These regular folks-turned-superheroes did not ask for these things to happen to them.  They were just living their lives when the Weird Thing blazed through and seemed to scorch everything. 

They have had to try to keep pressing on, even when the path ahead has been scary and painful.  

Most of us do not see, and cannot fully comprehend, the epic battles these superheroes face every day, just to get by in the normal things of life.  

And the rest of the world still demands that they keep pace, without understanding how hard it can sometimes be. 

I’m sure they don’t feel like superheroes every day.  I know they have very difficult days, and maybe they feel like they will barely make it through.  

I know we don’t always see the days they perhaps fold up into themselves in discouragement and agony. Maybe some days they don’t feel like pressing on or pushing forward, but maybe, instead, they just want to cry and give up.  

That’s ok.  You don’t have to do it perfectly:  you are still a superhero in my eyes.  Even if your tooth doesn’t sparkle in the sunshine like in a Superman cartoon.  

I see some common denominators in most of these stories:  

Reliance on God

Submission to God

Humility

Transparency

Getting back up again …and again …and again

Grit 

Understanding the temporal nature of this life (see this post)

Resting

Accepting help from others

Caring about others

Learning 

Advocating for yourself

Letting others advocate for you when you cannot

Adapting

Hope

Acceptance

Valuing relationships

Humor

Giving glory to God

Just doing TODAY (see this post)

Do they do these things perfectly all the time?  Probably not.  Most days they might just be trying to survive.  

Each one of the superheroes I described above doesn’t want the attention.  

But I have been watching you and taking notes.  Thank you for your examples.

And there are so many more!  I just don’t have time to talk about each one of the amazing people who have shown extreme endurance.  

I could write about those friends who have had to press on each day under the oppressive burden of the unimaginable grief of loss.  

I have friends who have put their “noses to the grindstone” with tenacity to accomplish an impossible goal (like getting a teaching certificate when most people are retiring)! 

Or what about those who have endured unthinkable betrayal or have been sidelined by a chronic disease that debilitates them to the couch most days? 

Or, how about a person who endured painful and burdensome medical treatment that felt embarrassing in order to not die of cancer at a too-young age?  

I know people who have devoted themselves to ministry for years, which can often be thankless.  

Or the ones whose lives were completely changed by a stroke, and they had to fight to get their speech and walking ability back?  

Speaking of devotion to ministry:  How about the ones in the front lines daily:   “just the moms” or “just regular dads” who teach, love, nurture, and work for their families, plugging along at the mundane things of daily life, showing daily faithfulness to those who depend on them?  

I thank you all for the example you have been to me and to others.  I know you didn’t exactly set out to be a role model of grit.  On many days, you probably just have to keep moving because there really is no alternative.  

And you don’t exactly love the idea of people watching while you learn how to navigate.  

But, your choices, day after day, in the hardest moments of your life, have moved you forward.  

And to those of you who give glory to God along the way, you are the elite ones who will have the most success because we humans can only do so much on our own.  

So, to all you superheroes in my life, I salute you!  I truly, truly thank you, and I love you all.  

Ok, I’m pretty sure I just saw Spiderman…