In the Valley

This week, someone sent me an email that quoted Rick Warren, author of "A Purpose Driven Life," as saying that he no longer believes that God allows good things and bad things to happen to people as "mountain tops and valleys," but rather simultaneously, occurring at the same time, "like a railroad track." I'm not sure I believe this. Everyone has good days and bad days....highs and lows...times of joy and happiness...and times of disappointment and despair. I can only remember two other times in my life of feeling that complete sense of loss...loss of control and sorrow and pain. The first time was when I turned 30. God gave me, 2 Corinthians 4:16, "For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day." The second time was after my first pregnancy which was diagnosed as a tubal pregnancy. God gave me the song, "Even in the Valley, God is good/Even in the valley, He is faithful and true/He carries His children through like He said He would/Even in the valley God is good." Here I am again...only this time, there is a diagnosis. And it didn't come from God. It came from a doctor and eventually a counselor. It's not life-threatening, but it is serious, and something that I do not wish to discuss openly. My counselor suggested that I begin writing again because it is a form of therapy. Unfortunatly, it looks as though God has chosen to take away this time instead of give. There is no soothing salve to cover the pain and despair this time. For some reason, over the last few weeks, the only thing that I can think about is the movie "Sisters of the Ya-Ya whatever" and the only thing that gives me comfort is knowing that the character who played Sandra Bulluck's mom did come home and she was wild and crazy as ever and she ended up being fine. I'll be fine one day, too, but right now, I am laying face down, crying in the valley.