Considering it all JOY!


If I didn’t, I would surely be “like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind”.  (James 1:6)

The last six months since my last blog entry have been nothing but a blur. 

We had a very fast summer filled with little else than swim practice.  Every day it was 6:30 am practice, get home around 9:15, eat, sleep, get up, eat, head back to practice at 6:00, then home to eat, shower, and sleep.  EVERY.  SINGLE.  DAY. 

Except Sunday, of course.

Sundays, as always, were a respite for me.  I was able to rest my body and my mind, and nurture my soul.  I love Sunday {happy sigh}.

Doug, as usual, traveled for work the whole summer.  We missed him – not only is he a bright spot in our day when he comes home at night, but he is such a huge help to ME on a daily basis!

Wednesday nights were a crazy race getting Katherine to practice and myself to church to teach my children’s discipleship class.  As exhausting as Wednesdays could be, I sure loved seeing “my” Kindergarten through second grade kiddos on those nights!  Every single one of ‘em is a huge blessing to me.

Our finances have become shaky and there has been some stress in trying to make ends meet, but Doug and I are always amazed at how God comes through for us.  We are by no means out of the woods, but we are definitely seeing the bright light of the clearing!  It is a daily struggle for Doug to keep it all in balance, but, with God’s help, he’s going to claim victory!

Before I knew it, it was time for school to start…

At the end of August, we started our third year of homeschooling – hard for me to believe Katherine is in 7th grade.  What a tremendous, wonderful opportunity for us!  We are so thankful!

So, as we eased back into our routine of school, swim, church, and Doug’s work travel, we started to relax thinking things would be on an even keel for at least a little bit… 

 HAHAHAHA!”, said God from above…

Last Friday, September 7, Doug’s Dad suffered his third and most severe stroke.  After a week, he continues to be in ICU.  Today he was moved to a long term acute care center.  The prognosis is disappointing – the stoke was so severe it is a day-by-day, wait-and-see, touch-and-go situation.  My heart is hurting, Doug is depressed, and Katherine is afraid.

How does one count it all joy when you haven’t had a summer, an insane schedule, a traveling husband, financial worries and a traumatic health event in the family?

For me, it’s pretty easy.

1)  Little sleep for me and intense training for Katherine gave her the chance to make some amazing personal records in the pool and allowed her to place well in her USA Swimming Elite meets.  It also gave her the opportunity to witness to her swimming peers and others she encountered at meets.  It gave her the strength to do what the Lord wants her to do with her gifts, and that fills me with JOY!

2)  Though I have a husband who travels quite a bit for work, he has a job!  And that job allows me to stay home to homeschool our daughter!  You bet I will count it all JOY even when I’m tired, lonely and sick of hauling the recycling to the curb, watering the yard and maintaining the above ground pool!  I am filled with thanksgiving that my husband has a job!

3)  Having financial worries stinks.  But I know God will provide for us.  It may not be in the way we want, but it will – and always has – been in the way we need.  My family and I have a roof over our heads, food in our stomachs, gas in our cars.  Yes, we really want to take a vacation, or even go out to dinner every once in awhile.  But that’s okay.  Doug informed me today that we hit a financial milestone in our “recovery” and he was doing the happy dance.  So what if we have to put off vacation another year – it will mean we are financially solid again and my husband isn’t stressing at warp speed anymore!  Heck, yeah – I’m counting that all JOY! 

4) And my father-in-law suffering a stroke.  That one’s trickier for me, but I really have been able to gain a peace about it that I don’t think the rest of the family has just yet.  You see, he really is the only Dad I’ve ever had; mine left our family when I was young, never to be heard from again.  Doug’s Dad (and his sweet Mom) has been loving, kind, and generous.  He has been teacher, administrator, and guidance counselor.  He has treated me like one of his own since pretty much the first day I met him.  It breaks my heart that he has suffered this third stroke, but I know that if he never fully recovers, or if God calls him home, I will always be grateful for all the years he let me call him Dad.  And THAT, my friends, goes beyond pure JOY for this girl.
 
 
Blessings to you and yours,
 

1 comment:

  1. I didn't know you had a blog too. I love what you wrote! I'll be praying for you and your family during this time.

    ReplyDelete

Leave me a message - I would love to hear from you!

 

Template by BloggerCandy.com