Fresh Fallen Snow

Looking forward to a new year is like looking at fresh fallen snow. Snow doesn't happen in my 'hood' very often but I was blessed to see it over Thanksgiving weekend up at my parents cabin. Opening the curtains of our room after a crazy tumultuous storm the evening before, was absolutely breathtaking and brought tears to my eyes. No blemish in the snow.....no color or tarnish. It was so pure and immaculate.
After looking at the beauty of the snow, we could hardly wait to go out and ruin it! We got our boots on and bundled up. We started to trample all over it, taste it, fall in it and picked it up from its perfection. Although it saddened me a bit to see the snow misplaced and disheveled, I realized that if we never went outside; we would have never experienced one of the best memories for me to date.
As I open the curtain to next year, I see that it is beautiful right now because nothing has happened. Nothing good or bad. It is perfect, pure and immaculate. My choice is whether I frolic and play while disrupting the perfection or stay inside so that I don't "ruin" what it is. I stay inside out of fear of messing up, getting dirty and real.
Whatever I decide, I am ready to kiss this year goodbye. With all of its good and bad and ugly. So much learning has happened and it will continue into the next year. Circumstances haven't been on our side but that doesn't mean next year will be any better. Maybe this year was the tumultuous storm that rages in order to bring the purity that was the next morning. That is the promise, the hope and the possibility of a better year that I hold on to. And that brings tears to my eyes......

Happy New Year everyone.

The holidays

So the holidays are here. I am so grateful that MarKay gets it this year and I can focus on her enjoyment and excitement over the magic of Christmas. Time is now repeating and I can say, "last year at this time I was pregnant." That is a weird reality and I kind of avoid that. Even looking at family pics and the Santa visit. it is hard to realize that I would have a son there too.

Overall, I am so happy to be creating new memories and starting new traditions. No matter what, I continue to learn more about myself, my beliefs, and my dreams. I guess that is the point right?

I made the call.....

Since the devastating news from my counselor that she had delivered a stillborn....it took me three months to pick up the phone and call one of the other counselors that she had recommended. I picked out a condolence card at the store and had it sitting the whole time as well. I knew that there was nothing I could wright on that card that would make any difference for her. She would still have no peace from my words.
I wonder why it took me so long to call. I think the biggest reason is that I had to pick up the phone for myself. As the months went by, I realized that my wounds were still there, oozing, and yet I kept going. I knew that losing my counselor really effected me but I wouldn't allow myself to go there. As I sat and met this new counselor, she lifted the layers of this loss and I found myself melting in tears talking about how this news really shaped me. I kept saying that it isn't my loss and I shouldn't be so affected. This woman looked at me and informed me that yes it was yet another death and grief in my life. I not only lost an important confidant, but a major part of my support system.....This was so true and I was so relieved that my feelings about this were justified.
I kept telling her that I was just pissed now. I went on strike from counseling....this makes no sense but I needed to rebel somehow.....
Making the call this time was the responsible thing to do. If I didn't get help for myself then I would be putting my family in jeopardy. I knew I couldn't be effective as a wife or mother or just even doing myself any good. Going and talking to someone proved how true this was. Going for even a few months without counseling proved how good I was at pushing emotion and issues down.
Am I glad I made the call? Yes. Was it easy? No. Would I do it again.....definitely. Sometimes you can't get through this life on your own.

He Gives and Takes Away

The song "Blessed Be Your Name" has always resonated with me. However, since our loss, I have never been able to get through the song without crying. You will see the lyrics to the song at the end of this post but before you get there....this song is what we quoted in our email to notify everyone of our loss. At the time it seemed perfect, but now it is even more real.
As we grow to fall deeper in love with our daughter, I can't believe how much of a blessing she is. Yet we still grow and grieve in our loss as well.

So.....this last weekend, I was singing at Inland Hills. I got the email that stated the set list. As I'm sure you can suspect, Blessed Be Your Name was on it. I laughed out loud. Of course, how am I supposed to get through this? This further intensified when at rehearsal I found out that I was to sing the first part of this song solo. I immediately wanted to decline but knew that this was no accident. Added to this was the fact that the worship leader was going to speak in the middle of the song about how easy it is to praise God when He gives, but when he takes away is when we must CHOSE to praise Him. Ok really?!? This is too close to home for me.

With many do-overs and really wondering if I could do this, I had to completely surrender to God and have Him use me in my brokenness. I wanted an out but knew that I couldn't take it. This was designed for me. I still haven't made it through that song without shedding a tear but I am OK with that. I shared this with the worship leader; "It is what it is." So thank you God for getting me through it and I can't believe I am saying this but, thank you for the opportunity to lean completely on you.

Blessed Be Your Name

Blessed Be Your Name
In the land that is plentiful
Where Your streams of abundance flow
Blessed be Your name

Blessed Be Your name
When I'm found in the desert place
Though I walk through the wilderness
Blessed Be Your name

Every blessing You pour out
I'll turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say

Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name

Blessed be Your name
When the sun's shining down on me
When the world's 'all as it should be'
Blessed be Your name

Blessed be Your name
On the road marked with suffering
Though there's pain in the offering
Blessed be Your name

Every blessing You pour out
I'll turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say

Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name

Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name

You give and take away
You give and take away
My heart will choose to say
Lord, blessed be Your name

Choices

Sitting in a sermon, I heard this quote. Tears streamed down my face as it hit me. So hard, so true....

"Most people can look back over the years and identify a time and place at which their lives changed significantly. Whether by accident or design, these are the moments when, because of a readiness within us and collaboration with events occurring around us, we are forced to seriously reappraise ourselves and the conditions under which we live to make certain choices that will affect the rest of our lives."
-Choice, by Fredric Flach

Oh my. I don't quire know why it hit so hard. Maybe because I know that I had one of those moments. That what I do from here will determine so much of my life.
I also know that so much of how I respond is a choice. Whether to seek help, count my blessings, and realize that it is a long journey.......I must choose. Choosing anything else will not fulfill. It will only stall any progress, growth or hope that I have. Choosing God through it all isn't always easy. After all, He allowed it....it was His will. I have to choose to believe He protected me through this and that this will is somehow, someway making me better. If I don't believe this, choose to believe.....I have no hope, no rock to hold me up....no foundation. I must choose to have a relationship with Him. Choose to forgive myself and stop trying so hard to be 'better' because I can't. I can just be me. I think that is enough. I must choose to be enough.....that is enough.

Help Wanted

Well it has been awhile. I guess I can say that I have been tired of the "pity parties" but I promised to let you know how I'm doing. Good, bad and ugly.

I saw a rainbow the other day and started crying. I wasn't sure why but then it dawned on me. As I was looking at something so beautiful, the background to the beauty was black with threatening clouds. It is amazing to me that in the ugly, the scary, the heavy and dark; a rainbow is there. That is how I feel. Beauty is in the midst of chaos, fear, destruction, and desolation. Blessings are in this life. The glimmers of hope and of God are there in and among the trials.

I found out some disturbing news about my counselor this last week. In a previous post I mentioned that my counselor that I have been seeing was on maternity leave. She sent us a letter stating that she did have a baby girl in August but she was stillborn. I was in shock and disbelief. This can't possibly happen. I mourned for her, for us; for everyone who has ever had this happen. She also let us know that she could no longer counsel us because of the circumstance. This just pissed me off. I completely understand why, but now I've lost my counselor to this as well. I considered her my friend and my confidant. And now we grieve together...separately. The worst event in both of our lives will keep us from getting together.

On a selfish note, I don't even want to think about finding another counselor. I can't believe this is now a bump in the road. And by the way, does this happen to everyone now!? It freaks me out to think about it.

But yes there are the rainbows. The fact that I have a beautiful rainbow everyday in my daughter, my husband, and many other loved ones. The fact that I can walk, breathe, and live how I choose. I have many things that others don't and I am grateful. Although I have many blessings, I still need help. Help to sort these things out, help to discover God and His ways, and help to find myself among the questions. Help is Wanted.

Never Let Go...

This song is so amazing and it makes me cry every time. Be Blessed,

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death
Your perfect love is casting out fear
And even when I'm caught in the middle of the storms of this life
I won't turn back
I know you are near
And I will fear no evil
For my God is with me
And if my God is with me
Whom then shall I fear?
Whom then shall I fear?

Oh no, You never let go
Through the calm and through the storm
Oh no, You never let go
In every high and every low
Oh no, You never let go
Lord, You never let go of me

And I can see a light that is coming for the heart that holds on
A glorious light beyond all compare
And there will be an end to these troubles
But until that day comes
We'll live to know You here on the earth

Yes, I can see a light that is coming for the heart that holds on
And there will be an end to these troubles
But until that day comes
Still I will praise You, still I will praise You

-Matt Redman