Thanksgiving

Sometimes, I make things in life so much more complex then they need to be... I think about updating my blog but then think I need to make it so deep that it overwhelms me enough to keep me from just doing it. This weekend, I learned a valuable lesson from my 13 year old daughter.

Elisa was asked by our pastor to speak on Thanksgiving Sunday. She was asked to speak about something she is thankful for - the time limit was 1 to 3 minutes. Of course, since the "asking" came through me, I had definite ideas of what she could (in my mind "should") say. I imagined all kinds of great speeches she could give. However, every time I asked her if she knew what she wanted to say, she would be very vague. On Saturday night, I told her I'd get up with her in the morning to help her write it out - if you asked me, she clearly didn't know what she wanted to say or how she should say it. Sunday morning, Elisa got up early - before me - and wrote out what she wanted to say. When I got up, I asked her to practice what she wanted to say - at this point, I was still thinking that I knew what she should say. As she read what she'd written, tears formed in my eyes because what she'd expressed her thanks in a simple, sweet, & powerful way. Here's what she wrote:

"Friends", a simple word but with it comes many meanings. Proverbs says that a friend sticks closer than a brother. My definition is someone who you can trust, someone you can lean on and who will catch you when you fall. I know how hard it is to make friends when moving schools, towns, provinces, even countries. But, I have met wonderful people at ECC (Eaglemont Christian Church) who have become my friends. They comforted me while my mom was going through cancer. We have had a great relationship for 3 years and we support each other. While we have our ups and downs, they only make our friendship stronger. This is why I am thankful for my past, present, and future friends. Thank you!"

I loved it! I especially found that I was struck by the last statement: "I am thankful for my past, present, and future friends." What a great thought! How often do we think about being thankful for the people God "will" bring into our lives??? It's easy to be thankful for those who are currently in your life but how cool to think of the people who will be our friends in the future???

Thank-you, God, for my past, present, AND my future friends!

An anniversary...

Unfortunately, summer has barely made itself known to us this year. I'm am hoping and praying for more HOT days before the kids go back to school! I've been off most of the summer; although that brings financial challenges, it has given me valuable time with my girls - time that I know is worth so much more than money.

At times, I realize how much I missed out on over the past years with my girls. I'm not going to let the time just slip away any longer. Today, as I celebrate the anniversary of my first chemo treatment, I reflect on how blessed I am and just how precious and fleeting time really is.

I don't want life to pass me by in the "flurry of busy-ness"; I want to revel in the goodness and the challenges of each day. How about you?

This world is not our home

Today, I'm going to a funeral for a dear woman who reached 90 years of age. She is the Grandmother of my very good friends and I've known her my entire life. She lived a great life! She had 2 daughters, 7 grandchildren, & 20 Great-Grandchildren. I know that today will be sad for those who grieve her loss but it is also a time of celebration. Alice wanted to go home to the arms of Jesus for awhile; not just for the obvious reasons but also to be with her beloved husband, Clarence. What a reunion that must have been on Saturday!

Rest in Peace, Alice. You will be missed by many but we will meet again.

Tough love, tough times, & most of all triumphs...

Who said relationships are easy if you love each other??? I'd really like to know that person's definition of the word "easy"! My husband & I have had a very stressful few years as you may have guessed if you read the older blog posts or you know us personally. It's funny how stress works, though, it seems to affect people differently & at different times. A week or so ago, it was my husband's turn to lose it. He was feeling beaten down, unappreciated, & under-valued; mostly by me. YIKES! That's a tough pill to swallow. I've been working so hard to figure life out but here he was feeling left out & left in the dust. Ouch... hearing his anger & hurt was like a punch in the stomach - especially, when I honestly looked at myself and saw the truth in his words.

It hurts when someone calls us on our selfishness - however unintentional it may have been. The past week has been filled with many heart-to-heart conversations, much seeking after God for wise counsel & comfort, and many tears. We may not have everything figured out yet, we may still have tenuous moments, and we may still be a work in progress... but, I'm proud to say, there has been progress. We have a deep & abiding love for & commitment to each other, to God & to our children that we will cling to when times are rough.

As we continue to work through the mounds of unspoken words from the past couple of years, keep us in your prayers.

2nd Anniversary of my awakening...

Today marks the 2nd Anniversary of my cancer diagnosis. Truly, it is the 2nd anniversary of my awakening. Life was good before but life is so much better now. It's amazing how facing your mortality can really help you to gain perspective.

God has been so good to our family! We have learned to trust in Him more than ever (Prov. 3:5). We have learned that worrying does not help; we can not change the number of our days by worrying, God is in control & will care for all our needs (Matt. 6:25-34).

Our girls have grown so much in the past 2 years. They are amazing young women who've gone through too much for their young ages and shouldered too much responsibility yet they don't complain. Sherwin has been stoic through everything but every now & then I see a chink in his armour and know that the past couple of years have taken a toll on him. It saddens me greatly to see how he's tried to keep his concern from me but it pleases me that he truly believes God will take care of all of us.

My friends have been through so much with me; at times, I've felt like such a burden to those around me. Yet, through it all, they've loved me, comforted me, & supported me.

I am so blessed and pray that I never forget to honour this day... the anniversary of my awakening.