{"id":811,"date":"2021-11-04T17:00:48","date_gmt":"2021-11-04T23:00:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/amblesideschools.org\/?p=811"},"modified":"2022-01-31T15:06:47","modified_gmt":"2022-01-31T22:06:47","slug":"when-striving-ceases","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/amblesideschools.org\/when-striving-ceases\/","title":{"rendered":"When Striving Ceases"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wpb-content-wrapper\"><p>[vc_row full_width=&#8221;stretch_row_content&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;true&#8221; custom_padding_t=&#8221;30&#8243; custom_padding_b=&#8221;30&#8243; row_hide_sm=&#8221;yes&#8221; row_hide_md=&#8221;yes&#8221; row_hide_xs=&#8221;yes&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1630864580219{background-color: #faf5eb !important;}&#8221;][vc_column]<div class=\"templatera_shortcode\"><div class=\"container-fluid row_section vc_row_cp_lr_15 vc_row_cp_t_0 vc_row_cp_b_0\"><div  class=\"vc_row wpb_row vc_row-fluid vc_column-gap-15 rdy_vc_row-o-equal-height rdy_vc_row-flex 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vc_column_container_6953b2f22235e597314499 column_vertical_align_bottom\" style=\"text-align:right;z-index:0\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner \"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n\t<div class=\"wpb_raw_code wpb_content_element wpb_raw_html\" >\n\t\t<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n\t\t\t  <style>\n\/* Style The Dropdown Button *\/\n.dropbtn2 {\n  background-color: #faf5eb;\n  color: white;\n  padding: 10px 14px 10px 14px;\n  text-align: center;\n  font-size: 12px;\n  border: none;\n  cursor: pointer;\n}\n\n\/* The container <div> - needed to position the dropdown content *\/\n.dropdown {\n  position: relative;\n  display: inline-block;\n}\n\n\/* Dropdown Content (Hidden by Default) *\/\n.dropdown-content {\n  display: none;\n  position: absolute;\n  text-align: left;\n  background-color: #f9f9f9;\n  min-width: 100px;\n  box-shadow: 0px 8px 16px 0px rgba(0,0,0,0.2);\n  z-index: 10000;\n}\n\n\/* Links inside the dropdown *\/\n.dropdown-content a {\n  color: black;\n  padding: 12px 16px;\n  text-decoration: none;\n  display: block;\n}\n\n\/* Change color of dropdown links on hover *\/\n.dropdown-content a:hover {background-color: #f1f1f1}\n\n\/* Show the dropdown menu on hover *\/\n.dropdown:hover .dropdown-content {\n  display: block;\n}\n<\/div> \n<\/style>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t<div class=\"wpb_raw_code wpb_content_element wpb_raw_html\" >\n\t\t<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"dropdown\">\n  <a href=\"https:\/\/amblesideschools.org\/about-us\/\"><button class=\"dropbtn2\"><h5 style=\"color:black;\">ABOUT US<\/h5><\/button><\/a>\n  <div class=\"dropdown-content\">\n    <a href=\"https:\/\/amblesideschools.org\/philosophy-of-education\/\">Philosophy<\/a>\n    <a href=\"https:\/\/amblesideschools.org\/history\/\">History<\/a>\n    <a href=\"https:\/\/amblesideschools.org\/faith-commitment\/\">Faith Commitment<\/a>\n    <a href=\"https:\/\/amblesideschools.org\/accreditation\/\">Accreditation<\/a>\n    <a 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Mason<\/a>\n    <a href=\"https:\/\/amblesideschools.org\/blog\/\">Articles & Magazine<\/a>\n    <a href=\"https:\/\/amblesideschools.org\/the-ambleside-difference\/\">Video Series<\/a>\n    <a href=\"https:\/\/amblesideschools.sharepoint.com\/sites\/ASIAllMember\">Member Resources<\/a>\n  <\/div>\n<\/div> \n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>[\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row full_width=&#8221;stretch_row_content&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;true&#8221; custom_padding_t=&#8221;45&#8243; custom_padding_b=&#8221;45&#8243;][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/4&#8243;][vc_single_image source=&#8221;featured_image&#8221; img_size=&#8221;300&#215;300&#8243;][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;15&#8243;][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][vc_column_text]Browse more Ambleside Schools International <strong>Resources<\/strong>.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;30&#8243;][vc_separator width_in_percentages=&#8221;yes&#8221;][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;30&#8243;]<div class=\"templatera_shortcode\"><div class=\"container row_section vc_row_cp_lr_15 vc_row_cp_t_0\"><div  class=\"vc_row wpb_row vc_row-fluid vc_column-gap-30 vc_row-6953b2f22340b034904994\"   style=' text-align:left; z-index:0;'><div class=\"row-container container-fluid\"><div class=\"row-inner\"><div class=\"wpb_column vc_column_container vc_col-sm-12 vc_column_container_6953b2f223498923852129\" style=\"z-index:0\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner \"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><div class=\"vc_custom_heading vc_custom_heading_6953b2f2235ce717531312\" ><h5 style=\"font-size: 17px;color: #000000;text-align: left\"><span class=\"hilight\"  ><a href=\"https:\/\/amblesideschools.org\/resources\/\">Resource Library<\/a><\/span><\/h5><\/div><div class=\"vc_empty_space  vc_empty_space_2\"   style=\"height: 10px\" ><span class=\"vc_empty_space_inner\"><\/span><\/div>\r\n<div class=\"vc_custom_heading vc_custom_heading_6953b2f223799877396409\" ><h5 style=\"font-size: 17px;color: #000000;text-align: left\"><span class=\"hilight\"  ><a href=\"https:\/\/amblesideschools.org\/charlotte-mason\/\">Charlotte M. Mason<\/a><\/span><\/h5><\/div><div class=\"vc_empty_space  vc_empty_space_3\"   style=\"height: 10px\" ><span class=\"vc_empty_space_inner\"><\/span><\/div>\r\n<div class=\"vc_custom_heading vc_custom_heading_6953b2f223930099464549\" ><h5 style=\"font-size: 17px;color: #000000;text-align: left\"><span class=\"hilight\"  ><a href=\"https:\/\/amblesideschools.org\/blog\/\">Articles<\/a><\/span><\/h5><\/div><div class=\"vc_empty_space  vc_empty_space_4\"   style=\"height: 10px\" ><span class=\"vc_empty_space_inner\"><\/span><\/div>\r\n<div class=\"vc_custom_heading vc_custom_heading_6953b2f223ac0157383590\" ><h5 style=\"font-size: 17px;color: #000000;text-align: left\"><span class=\"hilight\"  ><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amblesideschools.com\/main\/educator-support\" target=\"_blank\">Members<\/a><\/span><\/h5><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>[\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;3\/4&#8243;][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h4><a href=\"https:\/\/amblesideschools.org\/blog\/\"><span style=\"color: #003865;\">&gt; Return to Blog Posts<\/span><\/a><\/h4>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;30&#8243;][vc_custom_heading text=&#8221;When Striving Ceases&#8221; use_theme_fonts=&#8221;yes&#8221; font_container=&#8221;tag:h1|font_size:30|text_align:left|color:%23020202&#8243;][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;15&#8243;][vc_separator width_in_percentages=&#8221;yes&#8221;][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;30&#8243;][vc_column_text]On Sunday, October 3, Maryellen was experiencing flu-like symptoms, and tested positive for Covid. The following Tuesday, I tested positive for Covid but remained symptom-free until the end of the week, by which time Maryellen\u2019s symptoms had abated. Then, my physical condition began deteriorating. Five days later, we made the trip to the ER. I was admitted into the hospital with Covid pneumonia, Covid-induced cardiac arrhythmia, low blood oxygen levels, and significant dehydration. For the next eight days, my life was in hospital isolation; Maryellen was at home alone.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The absolutely overwhelming outpourings of affection, care, and prayer from innumerable friends and acquaintances (hundreds of texts and emails, groups organizing times of prayer, individuals coming to simply sit with Maryellen) were a profound and sustaining blessing. So many will never know how great and deep the gift they gave us.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>There are things one learns in decades of journeying towards Christ, and one of them is the power of shared joy. Shared joy is a high value in the Ambleside community. As I was wheeled into my hospital room and helped into bed; opaque mind, beset by fog; a simple thought or a simple prayer formed: \u201cLet me share joy with whoever walks through that door.\u201d Over the next eight days, weak but with bright eyes; \u201cWhat is your name?\u201d \u201cThat\u2019s a lovely name.\u201d \u201cYou are so kind to help me.\u201d \u201cYou do such good and careful work.\u201d \u201cThank you for caring for me, I really appreciate it.\u201d \u201cSo nice to see you again.\u201d In response, bright eyes shone through hazmat face guards, and the rough outlines of smiles showed from behind surgical masks. Though my mind was often listless, an air of joy pervaded the room.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Something else surprising, strange, wonderful, completely unexpected, and by sheer grace occurred \u2013 an absolute and complete cessation of striving. By \u201cstriving,\u201d I mean the universal human experience of being driven to control outcomes in a vain attempt to protect a wounded heart from further wounding. How often a deep, unperceived fear drives us. Running below awareness and faster than consciousness, the heart says, \u201cI will not feel something like that again.\u201d \u201cI will not have the rejection, the aloneness, the disappointment, the sadness, the sense of futility, the feeling of powerlessness.\u201d And to distract the heart, our mind writes a good story of righteous ends to be justifiably pursued, and we throw ourselves after these ends, telling ourselves we are well, doing better or will be doing better soon. But all is motivated by a striving, scared, wounded heart. And it is so hard to see.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Perhaps it was that, under the influence of the Covid virus, my body was not capable of striving. Striving is a physiological event and requires certain physiological processes to be in play. Perhaps it was the overwhelming nature of the situation. Weakness so great, there was no illusion of controlling outcomes. I could only be and seek to bless, bring joy where I might. And perhaps it was supernatural grace. Likely all three.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>We do not know what we do not know, and we cannot imagine what we cannot imagine. The absolute cessation of striving made for me what was a theoretical, theological possibility (even mandate) into a palpable experience. Deep in my bones, I now know what it is to strive and what it is to not strive. Life is so much better when not striving \u2013 more delightful, more fruitful, with deeper sleeps, many more smiles, and a far freer, richer connectedness with others.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Day by day, as strength increases and I gradually move back to \u201cnormal,\u201d the old habits of striving suggest themselves. Yet, I am also getting better at recognizing striving\u2019s initial stir. I name \u201cstriving\u201d as that which ought not be. I pause and seek the bright, heavenly face whose loving gaze can quiet every heart.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>This is my Covid blessing.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;30&#8243;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Life is so much better when not striving \u2013 more delightful&#8230; and a far freer, richer connectedness with others.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":98,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-811","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bill-st-cyr"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>When Striving Ceases - Ambleside International<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/amblesideschools.org\/when-striving-ceases\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"When Striving Ceases - 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