What a week it has been! it is hard to believe it is Thursday already.
It has only been two weeks since Mark lost his amazing Granddad. And although it has been a long 14 days I am grateful for so much! In the midst of sadness I am thankful for eternity. I am so thankful that my children have amazing Great-Grandparents who teach us to love greatly, give willingly, and to serve others first. I can say with great confidence that my kids have fantastic role models for how to live their life.
Though that week was hard I met so many wonderful people on Mark’s side of the family. From his grandparents siblings to his aunts and uncles and cousins. I am thankful for the design of family and how we each play a great role in each others lives, despite distance and level of relationship.
There is an interesting bond that happens when you grieve together. In the moments of despair and sadness great relationships are formed and memories made.
I am thankful for all the wonderful times we have spent with our grandparents. I am thankful that they have been there for the important times in our lives like our wedding, the birth of our children, Mark’s ordination, and so much more. These times are now memories that will never be forgotten.
It took many people during that week helping with the kids to allow us to be there with family. What a wonderful group of friends.
I am so thankful for the healthy stage of our life. With all the sicknesses, cancers, and diseases surrounding us, I am grateful for our time of health!
I cannot answer why some suffer while others do not. I understand that the dynamics of free will and a fallen world play some role. But still, why God intervenes some times and chooses not to at others is a mystery. I believe that, in the end, redemption-God’s ability to take what was lost or messed up and make it work for our good and His glory-is more powerful than prevention or intervention.
I believe that future glory far outweighs momentary affliction. But why the momentary afflictions, why the trouble in this world that is allowed to persist? God only knows. And that is the point: There are some things only God knows and understands. To deny as much is to have reduced God into our image.
{Secondhand Jesus}
When my father passed away 2 years ago, i was unsure of a lot of things, but ONE thing I was always sure of was Jesus has always been good to me. I signed a song and gave a short testimony at my dad’s funeral. The song was “He’s Been a Good Jesus to Me” by Melanie Hart, and i said, I don’t know why this happened, but the years before my dad collapsed Jesus was good to me, during the month he was in the hospital, Jesus was good to me, and during the funeral and days after Jesus has been good to me. And that is what I cling to!