Lessons From the Edge

Awfully good is NOT an oxymoron.

You know what an oxymoron is, don't you?
According to Dictionary.com, an oxymoron is:

a figure of speech by which a locution produces an incongruous, seemingly self-contradictory effect, as in “cruel kindness” or “to make haste slowly.”

And if that's true, well, I suppose "awfully good" would seem like an oxymoron. Those words together seem incongruous.

But this week, I learned they aren't.

Do you remember two Monday's ago when I talked about God being our Help? That truth has been sticking with me, and this past Monday I found myself clinging to it.
I was having an awful morning. Feeling pushed and pulled in several directions. Finding out about this and that thing which went wrong. Wanting to respond graciously to people, but feeling like I was about to explode. There was, quite literally, another "thing" around each corner. And that was after only being at work for an hour!
I made my way through the morning constantly praying, JESUS, I need You to help me!!!

Do you know what I saw as I went through that day? Even through the whole week? Over and over again, HE was helping me.
* HE gave me courage to talk through an issue with a resident.
* HE gave me patience to listen to the same complaint. Again.
* HE provided people to volunteer for the events I am planning.
* HE spoke words of love and encouragement to me through several residents.
My heart was taking delight in all the ways GOD was meeting my needs.

What started off as an awful day became good, because I was able to see GOD's goodness in the midst of the awful-ness. And that is when I realized those words aren't incongruous after all.
Indeed, awfully good is NOT an oxymoron.