Being Thankful

     In the midst of all our drama, we were reminded this week all we have to be thankful for.  First of all, for laughter.  It's been school spirit week at the high school as we get ready to take on our rival in football tomorrow night.  Here is Hannah, who is always good for a laugh, on Nerd Day.

     Another reason to smile, CJ came to spend the day with us.  He loves to clean!  We tease how we make him earn his keep by making him work, but the truth is, he loves his manly, pink mop! :)

     And finally, the biggest blessing we received this week.  My newest great-nephew and CJ's little brother, Caleb Michael was born on Tuesday, September 28, 2010.  We think he's pretty adorable!

Cait and Caleb

Morgan and Caleb

Lauren and her boys, CJ and Caleb

Open Windows...Open Hearts

     We've finally gotten a break in a very hot, very dry summer.  The temperatures this past weekend were cool and crisp, a preview of weeks to come.  I love this time of year.  I love to open my windows and air out the house.

     But some things aren't so easily aired.  As I've blogged about recently, we have had some major life-changing happenings around here.  This week especially we've been dealt some hard blows.  People we thought we knew have left us, betrayed us and the pain is so severe you can almost touch it.  But as I was talking to my daughters, I was reminded of the story of Job.  Poor Job.  He was trying to be so good, so faithful, yet God let Satan test him.  Did Job know he was being tested?  No.  If he had, it would have probably made his suffering more bearable.  He would know WHY he was going through the terrible things he was facing.  But he didn't know.  He believed.  His faith was true.  
     There is something important here for us to remember. In our suffering, we do not know all the facts. God hides some of them from us. It would be so much easier for us to accept many troubles with courage if we knew what His plan is for us, but then, how could we build our FAITH?
     But the glorious thing is that while we are building our faith, God sends angels to help us.  Angels without wings.  Friends.  
     Cait has been going through so much lately.  She has had to make some difficult decisions and accept some difficult realities, but she is so blessed with good friends.  Friends who support her. Encourage her.  Make her laugh.  And for that, they are my angels too.

CJ

My great-nephew, CJ is undoubtedly the sweetest little boy on the planet!  He comes to our house a lot and we spoil him every minute he's here!  Here is a sampling of yesterday's visit.  He makes me happy beyond measure!

What is Beauty?

"The greatest treasures are those invisible to the eye but found by the heart."  ~ Unknown

     My girls and I were talking the other day about the overuse of the word, 'beautiful'.  Everything and everyone is beautiful today, but what is beauty?  This is the most recent picture I have of my Hannah.  Is she considered beautiful?  Well, I may be a little biased, but yes, I think she is.

     

     But more important than her physical attributes, Hannah is beautiful on the inside.  She is giving and warm and loving and kind.  She is the first one to offer a helping hand and is a friend to all.  She doesn't see race or creed or wealth or social-standing, she is an equal opportunity friend.  She loves her life, her family and her God.  These are the things that make Hannah beautiful,  not her blonde hair and twenty-three inch waist.  

     We see movie stars all the time who are physically attractive, but do they have that internal shine?  Does their goodness and compassion reflect in their eyes?  Rarely.  And I cannot honestly say I think they are beautiful.  Society, and especially women, spend millions of dollars on cosmetic surgery, anti-aging cremes and weight loss programs, but are they truly beautiful?  No, because only our souls can determine our true beauty.  

Believe

"God, who foresaw your tribulation, has specially armed you to go through it, not without pain, but without stain." ~ C.S. Lewis

     It seems our family has had nothing but change this year.  Some of it wonderful, but a lot of it painful.  Wes and his girlfriend of over six years broke up earlier this year, and just recently, Cait and her long-time boyfriend, Nolan, ended their relationship.  And we mourn  the loss of these wonderful young people's presence in our lives.  We miss them.
     Life is funny like that, I guess.  Some of our relationships stand the test of time while others do not.  Some people come into our lives and stay, others only for awhile.  But the time we spend with these 'temporary' people is just as important as the time we spend with our 'lifetime' people.  And when we lose them, the pain is almost unendurable.  They seem like such a part of us, but we mustn't think of it like that.  We have to be glad for the time we had them in our lives, we have to learn, to grow, to experience the things we were meant to with these people and then, sadly, we have to let them go.  Taking with us the growth we have experienced and the lessons we have learned and the heartache of the loss.
     But one thing I know for certain after forty-four years, life does indeed go on.  Even when you think you can't take another step or breathe in another breath, life miraculously goes on.  The sun still rises, the sun still sets and we find we are stronger than we ever thought we could be. And then, when we are ready, God shows us, like He always does, that this was all part of His plan.  The pain and suffering leads us to where we never knew we always wanted to be and because of the way life has molded us, we are ready to be there.  My children sometimes ask me how I know this and I tell them, there were so many times I didn't KNOW it, but somewhere in my broken heart, I must have BELIEVED it.  And still do.