Beauty from Ashes - A Continual Process

(to subscribe enter your email in the box above) The other day I wrote from my mama heart.  The thought of a 3rd knee surgery for our boy momentarily made me feel like we were starting over.  I temporarily "projected" the former surgeries into the current situation.  But I did not take into consideration that we have all changed over these past surgeries, and that the even the injury is different this time.   Transformation. This is just one small story out of many in the our family, where God has allowed us to see His hand in the before, during, and after of hardship.  How could I forget the miracles?!  Even for a few days, I forgot.  But not for long, and now I wish I could write to you about every single one them because they are all so amazing! That is what I aim to do in these little tid bits of stories I write about.   It's pretty easy to see the miraculous in your life, when you see it's all miraculous... grace.is.miraculous. Ho...

I have to add a p.s. to my last post.  I wrote in a moment's time the weight of 49 years of battling anxiety.  It was not over the fact that our son might not get to play basketball.  It was about knowing that this is a painful season in his life, and at the same time knowing that God will use it.  It was about my flesh battling fear of how it will affect him, and my spirit knowing that God is with him. In retrospect maybe I should not have posted it.  In light of what is going on in the world it is shallow.  In fact, in light of what my close friends are battling, cancer, it is shallow.  So I am following up.  I can by humiliated by what anxiety can do to me, or humbled by it.  In humility I write posts that are vulnerable and true.  I now want to add to my last post.  Because God says, "I dwell in the high and lofty places with those who are humble and contrite."  Isaiah 57:15.  I am contrite over what fear can do t...

December 1, 2014   Here Again?! I marvel at what the Lord laid on my heart a year ago when our son Josh tore his right ACL during the 4th basketball game of the season. It ministers to me now, this day, December 1, 2014. Why?  Because Josh tore his left ACL last week, November 25, 2014, the fourth game of the new season! He worked so hard to get to this season. 6-9 months of rehabilitation. He could not wait to play and be with his friends on the court again. As my head says GRACE, my heart says THIS HURTS.  It's felt deeply on every level, physically, emotionally, and in a sweet way, spiritually. That’s what we count on. His grace is sufficient when our hearts hurt. I can’t say it any better this year than I did last year. But last year I was not blogging. I was just writing in my journal. I feel it is worth sharing now. I knew then, and I know now that "oceans" deep are where our faith grows.  I've made a concerted effort to meditate on John 1...