So as it turns out, the whole “offering it up” thing doesn’t always turn out so hot.  Sometimes, you’re faced with the kind of challenge that ages you ten years in five minutes, makes you want to throw up and feel like you’re having a heart attack all at the same time.  And then what?  It would be awfully nice just to crawl back into bed and come out when it’s over.  Or wait for a real grown-up to handle it.  Neither are viable options, of course.

So you swallow the fear and panic and try to find a way out.  You try to control the shaking of the hands and pounding of the head.  You put one foot in front of the other, over and over, until a tiny bit of progress is made.  The deep breaths get a little bit shallower, the eyes a little less glazed, til you can see what must be done. You do that, and begin the hoping with everything you’ve got that it’s enough.  You remind yourself that in the grand scheme of things, it’s not the worst possible situation. And keep on hoping.