Thursday, May 3, 2012

ramblings

First of all, I wish a very happy birthday to my dear husband!  We are trying to make him feel special and loved.  Sarah spent a good chunk of time yesterday creating homemade decorations and plastering them all over the living room.  She also made a homemade card for him--complete with the name of the "corporation" on the back.  :)  Natalie has been saying "Happy birthday" over and over again.

Me, I express affection through baking.  So we started the day with homemade waffles.  Tonight's supper will be steak, salad, and homemade bread, followed by cherry pie and ice cream.  There is some sort of shindig taking place downtown this evening (some friends of ours are the musical entertainment) which we may attend as well.  Hopefully that all adds up to a good birthday!

I would be remiss if I did not also wish a happy birthday to my father-in-law.  Yes, Nelson and his dad share a birthday.  What are the odds, huh?  Anyway, I hope he too has a terrific day!

On a completely unrelated topic, I recently restructured our school day a bit to add a few extra things.  During our Bible time, in addition to the Bible story and the questions and stories from Big Truths for Little Kids, we also sing a hymn and work on a memory verse.  Sarah talked today about how much she was enjoying the hymns and how they "helped her learn about God."  But what really warmed my heart was watching her patiently trying to teach Natalie the memory verses...and watching her praise Natalie to the skies when she got it right.  It was definitely one of the most precious things I've seen take place between the two.


Wednesday, May 2, 2012

hope springs eternal

Wow, it's been awhile since I posted here.  Sorry about that.  However, this entry will answer a bit of the "why," so hopefully all will be forgiven by the time you're done reading.  :) 

Hope is a funny thing.  I don't think we always realize how much we need it until we don't have it.  Alternately, we may realize how utterly vital it is when we have it again after a long time without it.  I don't mean hope as in wishing ("Gee, I hope it doesn't rain tomorrow"); I mean hope as in firm expectation of something good.  A young girl who fills a hope chest expects to need it one day when she marries.  As Christians, our hope is in Christ, and God help us all if that is just wishful thinking. 

It's been a long road for me personally, feeling both helpless and hopeless, but I am pleased (ecstatic, jubilant, elated, etc.) to say that I now am hoping again.  It feels good.  I find myself humming and giggling at odd moments, just because it is such a relief to once again be hopeful.

So now for the back story.  I haven't actually revealed too much of it to anybody.  My husband, my mother, and my sister-in-law were really the only ones privy to the whole scoop.  The short version is that health issues were encroaching upon my life.  Between frequent migraines, digestive issues, and some severe problems with my menstrual cycle  (I definitely won't share details here), I felt lousy much of the time.  There were days when I felt "not bad", but I never actually reached the point of feeling good.  I missed a lot of activities.  I got behind on housework.  We got the basics of school done, but not the fun "extras" I wanted to do.  For reasons I won't go into, seeing a doctor wasn't an option.  As time went on, I not only continued to feel bad physically, but I was also emotionally frustrated, overwhelmed, and depressed. 

Life was rough.  For a long time.  I know other people have far more serious issues, but I definitely was unable to cope with what I had going on.

However, after a fair amount of research and talking with people I trust, I came up with a plan.  I will go ahead and give an official disclaimer now: I am not a doctor.  I am not a nurse.  I am not a medical expert of any description.  Do not take the following as any sort of advice or recommendation; it isn't.  It is simply my story. 

Okay, moving along now.  I began taking a battery of supplements recommended for the specific issues I was facing.  Obviously, when using supplements rather than conventional medicines, results are not instantaneous.  However, I kept up the regimen, and one day last week it happened.  God answered the many long months of prayers.  I woke up one morning and realized, I feel good!  Not just "not bad,"  not just "okay," but good!

Holy cow.  I cannot even put into words how wonderful it was after so long, just to feel good.   Overwhelming relief and excitement doesn't even come close to conveying it.  It's truly amazing. 

I am getting caught up on things that I've fallen behind on.  I am tackling that list of goals I made back at the beginning of the year, then ignored because I felt crappy.  I am smiling and humming under my breath. 

Never take hope for granted.  I can testify that it is a powerful thing.  I am loving having hope again.