Straw that broke the Camel's Back

Greetings everyone,


Everyone's heard the saying, "The straw that broke the camel's back"... well here in Greece the saying goes "the wind that knocked the camel off the mantel that broke the camel's back".



Literally, figuratively, and physically our camels back has been broken. The windy season was begun and is whipping through the Hansen household.


Below... you can see all the mantel junk we have... but for some reason the camel was the only one that bit the dust. Our poor little camel that made it all the way from the desert of Israel, back in the suitcace to Atlanta, only to travel over ocean voyage for 3 months to Greece. He made it here, lasted over a year, but that was all he could take.

You would think all these little elephants from Africa would have been whisked away first, but nope... Mr. Camel took the plunge.

The Arab proverb or phrase the straw that broke the camel's back meaning "the last/final straw", used when something is deemed to be the last in a line of unacceptable occurrences. One of the earliest published usages of this phrase was in Charles Dickens's Dombey and Son where he says "As the last straw breaks the laden camel's back", meaning that there is a limit to everyone's endurance, or everyone has his breaking point.

There are many times when I feel like my endurance is being tested and there have been those times when I feel like I am as my breaking point. That was probably the entire first year we were here in Greece. And I felt like Mr. Camel and wanted to take the plunge (not off the mantel) but I wanted to call it a bust and go back to Atlanta and live out the "normal / before Navy " life. That or to push a few elephants off the mantel.

And like all things placed in God's hands... He works them out. He finds a way for you to endure. The moment before your breaking point... He is looking for you to turn to Him and submit. (Did I just say that word?) But He says He will never give you more than you can handle.... 1 Corinthians 10:13 (NLT)

"No trial has overtaken you that is not faced by others. And God is faithful: He will not let you be tried beyond what you are able to bear, but with the trial will also provide a way out so that you may be able to endure it."

So when the trials seem they have overtaken you, or it is beyond something you can bear.... remember He provides a way for you to endure. He did not say that you will NOT endure trials... just that He provides a way to endure and press through.

If not... there's always the elephants.

Blessings to those with endurance,

Kristie