Sneak Attacks

My son was recently asked how our very Irish family celebrated St. Patrick’s Day.
He remembered the leprechaun that lived in the wood pile.
He remembered the notes with the tiny printing that the leprechaun left for us to find.
He remembered that he was never able to catch him no matter how hard he tried.

He had forgotten to mention however, that it was also his dad’s birthday.
It was the day to wear green.
It was the day when everyone claimed to be Irish.
It was the day of chocolate candy wrapped in gold and an Irish meal for dinner.

That day has come and gone, but I found myself reminiscing.
I had my Irish playlist on my iPod.
I listened as Bing Crosby sang the old Irish songs as only he could sing them.
I heard Too-Rah-Loo-Ra-Loo-Ra and I was immediately transported to another time.

I was a small girl and my mother was sitting on the edge of my bed.
My eyes were heavy as I found myself drifting off to sleep to the sound of her voice.
…That’s an Irish lullaby, I can hear her sing in my memory.
A sneak attack.

Sneak attacks come on you without warning.
They transport you to another time and place.
They cause you to remember a simpler time with much clarity.
They are a vital link to our past.

Sneak attacks can be comforting.
Sneak attacks can also be painful.
A memory that comes to mind with such insistence you must pay attention.
The feelings that accompany the memory come upon you all at once.

A smell can be a sneak attack.
The scent of a perfume can bring a special person to mind.
The smell of cookies baking can bring you back to your childhood.
The smell of newly mowed grass or burning leaves can bring you to another place.

A sneak attack comes on you when you least expect it.
It can be the sound of a person’s voice or the way someone tilts their head.
It may be the way someone walks or the way they tell a story.
Sneak attacks are not explainable.

Sneak attacks bring with them the emotions you thought you packed away.
A silent tear can easily fall from the corner of your eye when a sneak attack appears.
They are to be embraced; they need to be seen for what they are.
Sneak attacks are memories that have come to the surface.

When we lose someone we love, we are often surprised when a sneak attack appears.
The memory comes without warning.
The tears may fall quietly or uncontrollably.
It is best to ride the waves of a sneak attack; rowing against the wind is futile.

Music is usually what transports me to a time in my past.
Since I am a very auditory person, I can remember where I was when I heard the song.
I can remember all the details that surrounded that first listening experience.
A song will bring me back faster than anything else.

Someone who is grieving will have sneak attacks at a moment’s notice.
Someone who is going through a trial will have sneak attacks that seem irrational.
A sneak attack can cause the tears to flow.
It is better to ride out the storm and see what there is to learn on the other side.

Sneak attacks seem to have their own anthem.
An anthem that plays in your mind and puts things into perspective.

“Praise You In This Storm” (by Casting Crowns)
I was sure by now
God You would have reached down
And wiped our tears away
Stepped in and saved the day
But once again, I say “Amen”, and it’s still raining

As the thunder rolls
I barely hear Your whisper through the rain
“I’m with you”
And as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise the God who gives
And takes away

And I’ll praise You in this storm
And I will lift my hands
For You are who You are
No matter where I am
And every tear I’ve cried
You hold in Your hand
You never left my side
And though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm

I remember when
I stumbled in the wind
You heard my cry to you
And you raised me up again
My strength is almost gone
How can I carry on
If I can’t find You

But as the thunder rolls
I barely hear You whisper through the rain
“I’m with you”
And as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise the God who gives
And takes away…

I lift my eyes unto the hills
Where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord
The Maker of Heaven and Earth

And I’ll praise You in this storm…

We can praise God in the midst of a sneak attack.
We can thank Him for the memory.
We can ask Him what He would have us learn from the remembrance.
We can find comfort in the fact that those memories help shape us as we grow.

But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you. (John 14:26)

The Helper is there with us when we find ourselves in the middle of a sneak attack.
Only the Holy Spirit can guide us in all Truth.
Only the Comforter can come alongside us in those confusing times.
Sneak attacks are no surprise to the God who loves us.

Praise Him in the storm.

 

2 responses to “Sneak Attacks”

1. So true, Gina, so true. Especially when you’ve lost your beloved spouse there are many sneak attacks–moments of memory–that have a bittersweet quality. You remember the wonderful time you had, but know there won’t be any more, until heaven when you are reunited. But God wants us to grow from all our experiences and relationships, and we have to trust Him to carry us through. Truly, His grace is sufficient for us.

   Reply

   • Amen, Sue.
     God’s grace is sufficient.
     Gina

     Reply