From turmoil to thankfulness.

Forgive me for the silence.  Not the best way to start off a new blog but I have let life get the best of me.  We have battled numerous obstacles regarding one of my children recently in the medical arena and those of you with kids know how taxing that can be.  My faith hung on by a thread and it was all I could do to get through the day.  I'm so thankful for God's grace.  I don't have to have it all together all the time or do things right all the time for Him to love me and bless me.  Thankfully, the issues are not life threatening...just "joy-threatening" if I allow them to be.  They are time consuming and a nuisance and have been so for 7 long months now.  My focus has been here this past month, hoping to get a little headway.  I've allowed it to consume me and steal my joy.  And then today I read a blog post about a little girl given 3-6 weeks to live with an inoperable brain tumor.  After a long fight with cancer, the celebration barely over from the declaration of cancer free and now again.  My heart is broken and my world has been shaken back to reality.  Me toiling over minor issues from which no child of mine will perish from is nothing compared to what so many other families are facing right now.  My soul cannot comprehend the pain, fear and emotions that must come along with such news.  Granted, I read my Bible and I know what God says.  He IS Healer and He does STILL heal.  All the time?  I am no theologian.  I'd like to say yes because He is loving and pure and perfect but yet it doesn't always look that, does it?  I don't get it.  There's too many questions.  Not enough time to even try to figure out a sliver of His truth.  And thank goodness it's not my job, or yours, to do.  All we can do is continue to live and cherish every breath we have been given.  The joy of the Lord is our strength.  That is where the secret lies.  Heart aches will happen in life, some unbearable and unthinkable, others mere pebbles in the face of the mountain others are facing.  But regardless, my strength will come from Him.  Today my prayers go out to those families in turmoil right now.  Words can't express the depth of what is in my heart...but God knows what I want to say.  May you feel peace in the midst of your circumstances today and stop and thank Him for your breath and those around you.