Standing the test of time

It’s not the beauty of a building you should look at;
it’s the construction of the foundation that will stand the test of time.
~David Allen Coe

As we were waiting for a table at our favorite off-the-beaten-path, homestyle eatery, I glanced down at the floor of the porch. This is what I saw. AAAACCKKK! I was amazed the porch was still in place because, by all logic, it shouldn’t be based on its appearance.

The building itself has been around in one form or another since the steamboat era. The interior has undergone massive reno to become the awesome place where deliciousness is served today.

I suppose the porch has been this way for decades and it’s still standing, so something strong must be holding it together. Or divine intervention. I’m not sure which one it is.

Foundations can be tricky. To look at this building, it seems to defy all logic that it’s still standing. But it’s been in this exact spot longer than any of us have been alive. It’s been through storms, floods and gradual ground shifting as the river relocated itself over time.

On the flip side, how many times have we seen beautiful buildings that are built on shallow foundations. Buildings that can’t withstand the trauma of nature and stress of their environment?

What kind of foundation is holding you together?
How confident are you that your foundation can stand the test of time?

Belief systems serve as foundations for our lives. The stronger the belief system, the more stable our lives will be when we’re thrown into that inevitable storm. If we have a firm foundation, we will not fall or slide into the abyss.

Think about how many people you know that look fabulous on the outside. It appears they have it all together and headed for the top. Now, when a crisis rocks their world, how many of them crumble to pieces and can’t cope? How many turn to substance abuse/addiction or some other external coping mechanism to help face the reality they’ve been dealt? When push comes to shove, their weak foundations can’t support the weight. And they begin to crack an crumble under the pressure.

Now, think about those who seem to have an inner strength that helps them face trials and storms without falling to pieces. The ones who adjust their sails when the wind changes. The ones who, when life seems to repeatedly hand them lemons, will trade them in for limes and make mojitos?

Belief systems. Whatever they are, they serve as the core foundation for how we handle life. It’s not how we look on the outside. It’s what we’re made of underneath; it’s what supports us in a crisis; it’s what holds us up when the ground shifts.

And it’s what keeps us standing firm and strong over the tests of time, against all logic.

So this is what the Sovereign Lord says, 

“See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone,

 a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation;

the one who relies on it

 will never be stricken with panic.”
~Isaiah 28:16

Linking up with Quotography and Tuesday Muse