Chandler

Christmas 2008: Steve sees the “Friends Complete Series 1-10” on sale for £50 and wants to buy it. Sebrina tells him that it will be cheaper in America.

January 2009 – November 2009:  Sebrina spends eleven months trying to find as good a bargain but fails miserably and vows to buy it in England whatever the cost.

Christmas 2009: Sebrina buys the box set for Steve for £40. Steve is very happy.

January 2010: Steve and Sebrina think it will be fun to try and watch the entire box set in a year.

Somewhere in 2010: S&S feel challenged that they never made a decision to read the Bible in the year, so stop the militancy with which they were watching Friends.

We love the relationship between Chandler and Monica because at times it feels so much like ours.

The friends where everything changed overnight.

The seemingly clashing personalities that compliment each other perfectly.

The way they are so open in their relationship dysfunctions.

Their intense competitive nature.

One of our favourite episodes is where they marry, not least because there is so much that seems to occur to put a spanner in the works.

Chandler, overwhelmed by the commitment entailed to get married, runs away, paralysed by the fear and magnitude of the situation. When Ross (best friend & Monica’s brother) gets him to come back, he does so by encouraging him in stages.

Ross: Y’know, okay. You’re right. It is huge. So why don’t we take it just a little bit at a time? Okay? Umm, forget getting married for a sec; just forget about it. Can you just come home and take a shower?

Chandler: Well yeah, but then…

Ross: (interrupting him) Yeah—No-but-but-but-but! We’re just gonna go home and take a shower. Now, that’s not scary right?

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Ross: There you go. You put on a tuxedo! Now that wasn’t so scary, was it?

Chandler: No.

Ross: I’m telling you, just a little bit at a time.

Chandler: Yeah okay. Well, what’s the next little bit?

Ross: Getting married. (Chandler panics.) Okay. Okay. You can, you can do that too! Just like you’ve done everything else!

Chandler: Yeah. You’re right. Hey I-I can do that.

Right now, for me, Father God is Ross.

He is saying “Let’s just take it a little bit at a time.”

Everything is up in the air.

We step on a plane on Sunday afternoon, knowing that Steve’s dad’s condition is worsening. And we need to appreciate every moment we have with him.

Fear & worry fill our hearts.

Responsibility kicks in, knowing we have commitments in America, but also commitments to our family. We want to be all things, to everyone, and do everything. But we can’t.

We have to make decisions on our apartment lease, which, if we make the wrong ones, could see us “homeless” or spending several hundred more than we are right now.

There are short term and long-term decisions to be made about where we will live. Where we will have children. When we will have children.

It all appears overwhelming and far more than I am able to cope with.

A forest of madness lays before us, seemingly wanting to entrap us, stop us from doing anything well.

Stopping us from living the full abundant life we know Father has for us.

But yet I hear Him, interrupt me,

Interrupt my scariness,

Interrupt my fear,

Interrupt my anxiety and frustrations and nervousness

And say, “Just do the next little bit.”

That’s all I am called to do.

The next little bit.

And as I take that step, the next thing will come along.

Chandler got married. He had to face that.

I too, alongside my husband, will have to face every bit of the aforementioned heinous list.

But face it I will.

And it will be Ok.

I believe it has the potential to be more than Ok.

I believe Father God works all things for the good of those who love Him.

I believe Father God tells me I am more than an overcomer in Him.

I believe Father God hems me in, and goes before me.

I believe Father God sticks to me like glue.

At the Hagan’s house this evening, where we gathered to pray with both Ron & Karla, and their three beautiful children, I found this on the living room table:

We will dismiss the fact that applesauce, a gross puree of crushed apples, was once held inside this squidgy tube and digested as a wholesome snack, and simply focus on the name:

GoGosqueeZ

This is what Father God calls me to.

Go – Get on that plane, face your fears, step into the unknown and scary

Go – Be alongside your husband in this. Wipe his tears. Mix them with yours. Remain one.

squeeZ – squeeze tight to my hand, there is a hard road ahead of you and you will need to be holding on for dear, precious life, but I will not let you go.  

He says:

“I’ve picked you.

I haven’t dropped you.

Don’t panic. I’m with you.

There’s no need to fear, for I’m your God.”

These are the words, of the fearful little petrified girl, just like Chandler, that uses awkward jokes to stop emotionally connecting with situations.

The little girl who knows, somewhere deep inside her, that things will be alright.

That Father God is in control.