Christmas is just a little bit away! I cannot even believe it's here already. I know that is what most people are thinking now. My schedule seems to get busier and busier while I try harder and harder to slow down! I am thankful God has given me some good bursts of energy to get some things done lately - things long neglected this year. And I am so excited to have my helper help me wrap gifts tonight and tomorrow. I love doing it, but I keep waiting to get other things done. And I finally ordered Christmas cards - just today! So they will be late, but that's okay.
This year has been tough for sure. Some days I am tired and feel discouraged. And I let myself think back and think ahead. Both of those can be good and bad. I just think, for me, perspective makes a huge difference. I can either look at what has been tough and what I may have lost, or I can be thankful and praise God for the miracles He has done in our family this year. I want to be thankful and am, even on tough days.
Pete is doing great. He wants to run, and it's so discouraging that he cannot yet. But the neurologist reminded him the other day that it's only been a little over six months. His speech seems more difficult, and it's easy to tell when he is tired. And sometimes that is in the morning. So he started speech therapy again. He needs to slow down and enunciate more. But his speech therapist (who worked with me in Admissions some when she was a student!) thinks he is great. Pete wore his third (3rd!!!) heart monitor over Thanksgiving. The one he wore last did not stay on long but had shown some abnormalities, which won us a trip to the cardiologist. He only wore one again, because I begged. It stayed on for nine days, and I just prayed that it would show something if it needed to. We have not gotten those results yet. The neurologist wanted one more MRI before the end of the year, so we are going to Winston for that on Friday evening. We are helping Pete's parents move some things to Virginia the next day, so that works out well. So I am praying that all of these tests are good and that Pete continues to improve and is able to run this coming year. He was so happy to go to Israel in the fall. And he is still planning out our Christmas vacation to remodel our bathroom. So even though it's been so hard to see him struggle, I just flash back to that room at Baptist when he could not even twitch his right side; and I am thankful. It's the perspective. God is so good.
Andrew is doing well. He wants to get another major and finish out his running at Appalachian, so he is not going to graduate in the spring. We appreciate his hard work, and I remember when he used to study two or three times as much to make things stick. And I am thankful that he can put in the study time and see the results now. He had a super great cross country season (after winning The BEAR in July) and really contributed to the team - as one of their top runners. He made all conference like Pete when he ran at Appalachian. Coach Curcio acknowledged that in the newspaper article, and that put a smile on Pete's face. Andrew changed medications after having a little trouble in the fall. He seems to be doing great on this one - a super charged version of the old one. He goes to his two check ups this week and next in Charlotte. He also has an eye appointment and regular check up. I am trusting all of those will go well. He looks great and acts great.
Peter is working and going to school still. He ran a 5K the other day on a dare and got second. His time was slow, and it hurt; but he did it! He is having another MRI this coming week on his shoulder that keeps bothering him. Will is hopefully finishing up school and is working with our neighbors. It's good to have my boys home, and I am so thankful for all God has done in our family this year. When I see grease stains on my pretty white kitchen cabinets, I simply don't care. It's that perspective.
And Sam is still my brave little person. His diabetes is pretty much under control with constant checking and switching and middle of the night checks. He has had a tough time with school, mainly because of his reading and learning issues. We found out at the first of the year that he had something like a stroke before he was born too (like Andrew). And it affected a learning area in his brain. He has some appointments coming up, and we hope to figure out the best plan for him. He is so thoughtful and helpful. He really came out of his shell at church the other night when some of the ladies asked for his help filling shoe boxes. He talked and talked and told them how he filled his. It was simply wonderful to see him so excited and talking at church.
I have seen a lot this year, and I hope I have learned a lot. I have had so many people come from nowhere and give words of comfort, or encouragement, or wisdom. I appreciate their willingness to take the time to share with me. Our family appreciates all of the prayers prayed for us. We appreciate all of the help given to us this year. Sometimes it's hard to be on the receiving end, but we have truly been blessed by so many. Every time we turn around.
We trust what we share of our lives will encourage others. My testimony is that I cannot go through this alone. And I don't. God has told me He is with me so many times this year. And I knew for a fact it was God. I had the opportunity to share my testimony at a friend's church in late spring. We had it planned before the strokes, and one thing after another happened. And I did not want to talk to people, but I never heard God tell me to wait. Getting ready for that, I revisited a lot of places in my life. And it's like a ribbon weaving throughout my story - His grace and mercy and love. And I am so thankful He let me see that so clearly.
This Christmas time, now, I want to be keenly aware of Him and of what He wants me to do. I want to see things I may have missed before. Sometimes when things come crashing in or are torn down, it's not a bad thing. We can sift through and find what is of Him and rebuild with Him. We can get rid of what was never part of His plan. I pray that I can do this. Nichole Nordeman's song "The Unmaking" has been a blessing to me. In Big Daddy Weave's "My Story" - he sings that "to tell you my story is to tell of Him." And I want Him to be the star of my story. So I will take my story with its times of heartache and despair and fear and let God use it to show others what He can do. I just don't want to get in the way - like I tend to do when my perspective gets shifted by the things of this world.
Merry Christmas from our family. We are so thankful for everyone who allowed God to use them this year to help our family - and in years past too. We praise God for who He is and what He has done. And we celebrate the birth of Jesus, His only Son, born in a lowly manger. Who came to save even me.
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Saturday, December 12, 2015
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