I've written on this topic before, but feel lead to do so again. Forgive the redundancy, I suppose the weight of this topic could be simply because when we walk through life changing trauma, illness or tragedy each moment can feel like an unbearable load that we simply want to get through or past. Yet, with many of these situations, the struggle is ongoing and the changes permanent. Like when running a marathon, we need to do more than just get through it. We need to savor the sparks of light, actively seek each positive as if it were bonus points or extra fuel in a video game. With this in mind, I hope that you find encouragement today!
On the night of my husband's career ending car stop almost 13 years ago, a very dear friend and pastor told me this... "Believe it or not, the hospital part is going to be the easy part." As Ladd underwent surgery to repair numerous internal injuries, including a transected aorta, a ruptured diaphragm and collapsed lungs, I found these words to be surreal. Thirteen years later, no more true words have been said.
Life after the hospital... when the support dwindles and the reality sinks in... when bills come due and personality changes are evident... when life hits full force and just keeps coming... that is the really hard part. That is the part that takes pulling yourself up by the bootstraps when you would rather curl up in a ball and just give up or run as fast as you can in the opposite direction. That is the part that takes everything you have in you... and then some. Many of you know this all too well, or know someone who is currently walking this path. We each have different struggles and trials, and the reality is that some days are very hard to see as a gift. Yet, we push on. Tonight I challenge each of you to something our family deemed "thankfulness" In good times and bad, when things seemed their darkest, every evening as we sat down for dinner, we went around the table and each member of the family told something they were thankful for. Sometimes that's been hard. Sometimes it was something little like "band aids" (we started this when our son was 6 and he's always been one to get a ding here and there), or "no peas for dinner." Other times it was for big things like getting to stand for a few minutes or take a few steps out of the wheel chair, or being together again after an out of state hospital stay. The point is, by focusing on the blessings, no matter how small some may seem, we were able to pull out of those dark times and move forward into the light. This focus shift would not have been possible without much prayer and without also focusing on God's promise, for His light is able to shine abundantly in the darkest of times.
In just over a week Ladd and I will celebrate our 28th anniversary. In a couple of months, our little boy will graduate from high school. Ladd has walked our little girl down the isle, and we have held our grand babies close. We have cried and we have laughed, but we have done it together.
Our family is closer, our bond is tighter, and our love is deeper because we have shared our hopes, our dreams, our sorrows and our thankfulness. I pray the same for your families tonight and in the days to come. Tonight, I am thankful for all those that are in our lives. Our paths have crossed for a reason, and I am blessed.
God bless you all.
Goodnight.
On the night of my husband's career ending car stop almost 13 years ago, a very dear friend and pastor told me this... "Believe it or not, the hospital part is going to be the easy part." As Ladd underwent surgery to repair numerous internal injuries, including a transected aorta, a ruptured diaphragm and collapsed lungs, I found these words to be surreal. Thirteen years later, no more true words have been said.
Life after the hospital... when the support dwindles and the reality sinks in... when bills come due and personality changes are evident... when life hits full force and just keeps coming... that is the really hard part. That is the part that takes pulling yourself up by the bootstraps when you would rather curl up in a ball and just give up or run as fast as you can in the opposite direction. That is the part that takes everything you have in you... and then some. Many of you know this all too well, or know someone who is currently walking this path. We each have different struggles and trials, and the reality is that some days are very hard to see as a gift. Yet, we push on. Tonight I challenge each of you to something our family deemed "thankfulness" In good times and bad, when things seemed their darkest, every evening as we sat down for dinner, we went around the table and each member of the family told something they were thankful for. Sometimes that's been hard. Sometimes it was something little like "band aids" (we started this when our son was 6 and he's always been one to get a ding here and there), or "no peas for dinner." Other times it was for big things like getting to stand for a few minutes or take a few steps out of the wheel chair, or being together again after an out of state hospital stay. The point is, by focusing on the blessings, no matter how small some may seem, we were able to pull out of those dark times and move forward into the light. This focus shift would not have been possible without much prayer and without also focusing on God's promise, for His light is able to shine abundantly in the darkest of times.
In just over a week Ladd and I will celebrate our 28th anniversary. In a couple of months, our little boy will graduate from high school. Ladd has walked our little girl down the isle, and we have held our grand babies close. We have cried and we have laughed, but we have done it together.
Our family is closer, our bond is tighter, and our love is deeper because we have shared our hopes, our dreams, our sorrows and our thankfulness. I pray the same for your families tonight and in the days to come. Tonight, I am thankful for all those that are in our lives. Our paths have crossed for a reason, and I am blessed.
God bless you all.
Goodnight.
