Life has been really crazy around here lately. Just the past two weeks we have traveled from one side of the island to the other. We spent a week with DH's family in a small community near Lance Aux Meadows. We came home for a day before repacking to go to St. John's for a weekend. Our provincial Home Education Association held it's annual conference in St. John's. It was very tiring for us with all the travel, but it was so good to connect with other homeschoolers. DH is gone to his parents again but I opted to stay home this time.
I was inspired by Ann's post, Dandelion Wine, today at Holy Experience. So often I find her posts refreshing, challenging, and encouraging. Today's post really struck me. We've been struggling with what could be considered the weeds of FIL's cancer. Ann's post reminds me that God allowed it, so He must have intended it for good, and we definitely have seen good in it. It doesn't mean we don't struggle, but we will get through it.
At times like this you learn to appreciate the everyday normal things and to pay attention to the beauty around you that you so often over look. You make the most of every day. Other things fade in the background and you reassess your priorities. You learn to overlook things that are not important. You're more aware of the importance of relationships and understanding. I hope they are lessons we won't soon forget.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
7 comments:
So true, Jacqueline! How many blessings do we miss because we can't see past our own selves! It IS tough to find good in everything, and so difficult to step aside and let God have control. Praying for you guys during this tough time!
(((Hugs)) Jacqueline. I really admire your attitude through this challenging journey you're on. The Bible does tell us that all things work together for good but sometimes it is hard to remember that. Praying here for all of you.
I too love Ann's word she always has a way of speaking to my spirit.
Thanks for commenting on my blog, I'm never really sure if any one pays any attentions to what I have to say.
Christina
Bless you and yours Jacqueline thru this difficult time!
Hi Jacqueline,
I'm sorry to hear about your father-in-law. We've gone through this with family members and I wanted to share with you a perspective that some Pastor at some point in time shared with me.
He stated that it wasn't so much that God allowed the cancer as much as God allows us choice and freedom. The consequence of that choice in freedom is that we live in a world of sin. The wages of sin is cancer, pain and suffering. These are not of God.
The beauty is that God works in all of this for His and our glory. The beauty is that God loved us enough to give us freedom to choose and freedom to choose such consequences as sin! How much more beautiful are the times when we choose to love and honour!
For me this was a huge point of faith affirmation. I think it helped me most because I often questioned and blamed God that he could purpose that these various family members could suffer such horrible cancers. Watching my Grandmother fight bone marrow cancer was the hardest. I couldn't picture how God could have a hand in that suffering. But I could accept that it was a consequence of sin and our human choice. I could rejoice that God could work blessings despite such a horrid disease.
I hope that I've managed to convey some of the peace that this word gave me. Because I know very well the pain of watching a loved one live with cancer and eventually 3 family members die from cancer.
{{{hugs}}}
That is a very good a necessary clarification, songbirdy. Thanks for taking the time to share it.
Post a Comment