Stretching and Growing

Last year I knew the Lord was working on my heart and preparing me for big changes. He walked before me, and though I knew something big was headed my way, I also had peace in Him. I knew He was in control, I knew He loved me, and I knew I could trust Him to carry me through whatever was coming my way. He has been with me in an incredible way and taken me through changes that without Him might devastate me.

In September my dad was diagnosed with cancer, four weeks later the Lord took him home. The journey was peaceful and, though the pain was terrible, there was a strange blessing in the process too.

Throughout the fall months and into the beginning of winter we faced another challenge, one of words and rumors. It involved one of our children (and another teen at church), and led us to eventually conclude we needed to find another place of worship. Unfortunately, the issue could not be easily resolved. This is also painful, especially because one's church fellowship becomes very much like family. We spent several evenings there each week and the loss of fellowship left us reeling a bit. Again, God is good. He began to plant us in a new fellowship several months before we were uprooted from the other. Little did we know, but much He did.

Now I find a new challenge before me, one I would much rather ignore in the hopes that it would just go away. It won't. It involves my mom and how to take care of her in her latter years. It is obvious she can not live alone, and obvious that Dave and Leta can not take care of her indefinitely. We are seeking out alternatives, none of which are simple. I know God has a plan and His way is perfect, He already knows the solution and has put in place the means to get there. If I can just remember that, I can have peace in the midst of this storm also.

PS. My garden is growing! Slightly different angles, but the same garden box.