Saturday, December 30, 2017

The Year of Our Lord, AD 2017 ~ In Retrospect

"I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill;
but time and chance happeneth to them all."
Ecclesiastes 9:11
(KJV)

As I contemplated the process of closing out yet another year of life,
I began to think of it as AD 2017, and I delved into the meaning of "AD".
This abbreviated term is often misinterpreted as "After Death" of Jesus Christ,
but, in actuality, "AD" means "anno Domini" and the full phrase translates,
"in the year of our Lord Jesus Christ".

I'll be honest.
2017 has been really hard.
Beyond difficult.
I think it is safe to say that the amount of worry I have carried and the tears I have cried this year 
far surpass a lot of other years of living combined.
It started on January 1st...the very first day of this year, 
when my niece, Kristen, who was expecting her first child, collapsed in the Emergency Room,
only to find out that she had a blood clot in her lung.
What followed was an intense urgency placed upon my heart to personally pray her and her unborn baby through the pregnancy and delivery.
It was something that I could not shake off or dismiss, because Kristen is, and always has been, 
very near and dear to my heart.
Though I knew I had no control over any part of the outcome of her ordeal,
I was bound and determined to do all I could to move God on His throne on behalf of her and her unborn baby boy, often asking you, dear friends, to join with me in fervent prayer.
(Which, by the way, you were ever so faithful to do, and I am eternally grateful for you.)
The outcome God permitted was a definite response to the many prayers prayed.
More about the little miracle guy and pictures later.😃

During the time of Kristen's trials, several other extenuating circumstances began to arise,
that required more of me than I felt I could even begin to give.
Time after time, I have been forced way past what I thought were my "limits".
God stretched me in so many ways this year, I realized my "limits" were just points the flesh part of me never wanted to have to go past or deal with.
As much as I did not want to walk past those points, God had other plans, 
and each time He forced me forward into places I did not want to go, it became evident that I was not walking at all, but being carried by arms that refuse to let go.
I know it sounds insane, but the only way I know to describe the way I have felt, at times this year, is that it was like I was having an out of body experience.
It was almost like it wasn't even me....going through the motions, stumbling along, doing what was required on automatic pilot, completely numb and void of feeling.

We end this year much different than we started.
Kevin no longer has an earthly father.
It is a hard thing to watch the effects and depths of his grieving this first Christmas/holiday season without his Dad.
His Mom's struggles remain and loom enormous after a horrific car wreck, in which she totally lost control, hit a rock wall, fractured her neck, and mangled her right arm.
Aunt Vaida's lung cancer is back, and she continues to fight this awful disease.
All three of my dear sisters stand in the face of severe testing...
one, still reeling in the aftermath and ongoing chaos from her home's direct hit from Hurricane Irma,
one, whose whole world was turned completely upside down when her husband, LD, passed away just four days ago...none of us can believe he is gone...the grief is so raw and near-unbearable,
and, one, who continues to suffer from complications after surgery this year.
My cousin, Danny, and his wife, Vickie, both died within eight hours of each other.
Another cousin, Billy, lost his only son, Chris, during 2017.
Our dear, precious family dog, Paige, passed away after suffering terribly.
We will never, ever forget her.

There are a host of other personal things...things that have shaken us to the core and come close to knocking us off our feet this year.
Our future feels very shaky and uncertain heading into 2018.
Things we counted on to be there, can be counted on no longer.
So many chapters closed...so many heartaches and changes...seeming to come from so many angles.

Someone said it is a compliment when God allows extreme anguish.
That satan fights hardest against those he considers a threat.
That God entrusts hard things to those He can trust the most.

I'll be honest.
None of this feels like a compliment.
It feels like way too much at one time.
More than once, I have said, "I can't take anymore".
More than once, God has proven that when I can't go another step, He is strong enough to pick me up and carry me...issues, hang-ups, burdens, included.

I started this post talking about this being AD 2017, the year of our Lord Jesus Christ.
As we wrap up this beyond-difficult year, the point God is trying to get across to me is that
the year 2017, along with every other year of life, was His...to do with as He chose.
To order, direct, orchestrate, and allow every detail, according to a plan that is so far above anything I can comprehend.
The moments, hours, days, months, and years are His.
Psalm 31:15 says, 
"My times are in Thy hand: deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me."
It is not for me to dictate when and how things occur in this life.
I have NO control over anything at all.
There is a "fullness of time" for every event that happens to each and every one of us.

"That in the dispensation of the fullness of times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in Him..."
Ephesians 1:10

"But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law..."
Galatians 4:4

We can't rush, nor delay the things that God reserves unto Himself.

If I had my way, none of my loved ones would ever suffer, and I would never be separated from any of them through death.
They would all live to a ripe, old age, in well, healthy bodies, and I would spend every possible moment with them.
Accidents would never happen.
Phone calls that bear bad, shocking, shake-you-to-the-core news would never occur.
All would be well.
Always.

I don't always get my way.
That is a fact of this life, and the sooner I accept it, the easier it will be to navigate through all of the things that are "not my will".

We live in a fallen world, so far inferior to the home Jesus has gone to prepare for us.
As long as we are here, there will be many things to endure.

Jesus said,
"These things I have spoken unto you, that in Me ye might have peace. 
In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world."
John 16:33

None of us are exempt from the human condition.

"That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust."
Matthew 5:45

At the end of this year, our hearts are broken shattered.
LD's passing left my family and me completely stunned, and my tears flow like a river.
We all had so much faith for his earthly, physical healing, and when it didn't happen the way we wanted it to, we are left reeling from the shock.
I'm not even going to pretend that I come close to understanding why God took LD right now.
We will miss him forever, and the hurt is going to linger for a long, long time.
He was such a strong, necessary part of our family, and there is just this big, deep void now.
There are no words.

As we mourn and pass through this season of enormous grief,
there is a bright spot that illuminates all of our hearts and souls.
His name is Eli, and, as promised, here is a picture of the little guy.


I love this picture! 
He was looking up at the Christmas lights.
And, in this one, it looks like he is ready to take on the world!
Isn't he a dollbaby?
An aunt has the right to brag, you know.


To God be all glory for the amazing gift of little Eli!

He is our symbol of hope, in the midst of so much darkness and pain.

We suffered deep, deep losses this year, but God sent a precious angel to earth to show us that life must go on, in spite of all.

It sort of reminds me of the year 2000, in some ways.
God took my dear Dad to Heaven in June, but He sent us precious Zachary in December.

It's hard to say this, but "the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD."
Job 1:21

To each of you faithful, precious readers and friends, I say,
Happy New Year!
May God bless each of you in a special way every, single day of 2018.

I end this final post of 2017 with five of the songs that have helped sustain me countless times.
They truly express how I feel right now.









Monday, December 18, 2017

Christmas Greetings from BABY ELI ~ A "Jesus Loves You!" Book Review ~ Update on LD

"I will praise Thee: for Thou hast heard me, and art become my salvation."
Psalm 118:21
(KJV)

As many of you know, we started out the year 2017 with some very troubling news.
My niece, Kristen, who was expecting a baby, had a blood clot that had traveled into her lung,
and she had collapsed at the Emergency Room.
What followed were many months of me asking you, dear friends, to lift her and her little unborn baby in prayer.
You were faithful to pray.
And, GOD!
He was faithful to answer in such a miraculous way.

The result ended up being one of the major highlights of the year, when on July 5th, one super-special little man, named Eli, made his grand entrance into our family and lives.

(You can see his very first picture and read about that happy day, by clicking HERE.)
It is hard to believe that over five months have passed since little Eli's arrival,
and, now, he is enjoying his very first Christmas!


Isn't he just a little doll?
I keep saying he just gets cuter by the day!
Oh, friends!
We are SO grateful to God for this precious little bundle of joy,
and each time I think of him, I am constantly reminded of the amazing miracle God performed,
in answer to all of our prayers.
Things could have turned out so differently, and I never, ever take what God did for us for granted.
He is such a dear baby, and oh, the brightness he brings into this world!

Today, he decided he would try to get out of his chair, while no one was looking!
(Or so, he thought...)


This is what happened when he realized he was caught red-handed!!!!


Oh, my word!
That face!!
He is downright hilarious and has such a personality!!!
What a dollbaby!
We will never cease praising God for the way He intervened on behalf of this little guy and his Mommy.
She still has some residual health concerns, but, thankfully, for the most part, all is well, praise God!
He is so faithful!!

********************************************************

I've never done book reviews on this blog in the past, but when someone reached out to me recently and asked if I would review a book called, "Jesus Loves You!", I couldn't refuse.
Any way that I can spread the message of His love...well, that is a-okay with me!
So, I got the book in the mail, and I just had a chance to sit down and read it tonight.
This is my honest review, and I received no compensation.


At first glance, I thought this book would be geared towards very young children and could be used as an introduction to who Jesus is and His love for them.
However, when I got into the reading of the book, I realized that the writer refers to events that happen much later in life and are more of a mature nature.
There are references to asking a girl to dance, a "first romantic kiss", a painful relationship break-up, a "co-worker who you thought was totally cute", and marriage to "that cute co-worker".
The author also refers to aging parents.

My personal opinion is that the book may not be age-appropriate for small children.
Small children cannot relate to the seasons of adolescence, adulthood, and old age,
and I don't think they would, at that point, find the content relevant.

The intention of the message of the book is that Jesus loves us so much, and He remains with us all throughout life.
Through the good times, the bad times, and all times in between, He is there,
steadfast and unmovable.
The book is written in a very basic way, and I think young children could understand the words, but the intended message would definitely be best received by those who have experienced life, firsthand, and who have already walked through the stages mentioned.

The illustrations are simplistic, but colorful, bright, and attractive.
It is 13 pages long and is a quick read.

All in all, I would most recommend this book to older teenagers and adults who are learning about Jesus for the first time.
The book is published by Lighthouse Christian Publishing and can be purchased HERE.

*****************************************************
I also wanted to share an update on my brother-in-law, LD, who is battling stage 4 lung cancer.
He has had pneumonia for an extended period of time, and is still in much need of prayer, 
as he continues more radiation treatments and will soon start chemotherapy.
We truly appreciate all of the prayers you have prayed on his behalf, and we are still believing God to send the miracle he needs.
Thank you so much for continuing to pray for him!
UPDATE AT 6:25 PM:
LD is at the emergency room in very serious condition.
PLEASE PRAY!!

*********************************************************

In closing, I wanted to share one of my new favorite Christmas songs.
I think this is the first year I remember hearing this song, and oh, my, as I listened to the choir singing it at church the other night, I was so moved.
The message just makes me cry.
It is so beautiful.
I hope you can listen to this version by "4 Him" I found on youtube.


A Strange Way To Save The World - 4 Him

I hope all of you are enjoying this wonderful Christmas season!!
I love and appreciate each one of you dear readers, and I am praying for each one of you as I type these words.
Merry Christmas!!!