Emotions

Tonight after a wonderful and busy weekend my emotions are all over the place.  Like you, my heart grieves for those sweet angels shot at school on Friday and their school staff who were true heroes.  Sadly cancer has come into our family and taken our innocence away.  Cancer snuck quietly into our lives but for these dear parents in Connecticutt, the evil bombarded in and took their babies. 

Cancer has given us a new perspective on life that I am thankful for.  This weekend has reaffirmed my belief that no moment should be taken for granted with our families.  We never know when the diagnosis, gunman, car accident, etc.. can happen to us and alter our lives forever.  We must cling to our loved ones and our Jesus, and make every moment here count for Him.  As we heard in church today we must choose to love radically as Jesus loves us. 

Tonight I am also overcome in thanksgiving about our David.  A friend reminded me today that this time last year David's hair was starting to fall out in chunks.  It was heart-breaking as a parent to clean up his beautiful red hair off of his pillow each morning and today I am thankful for the thick hair that he has.  What a difference a year makes and I am forever grateful that our David is here with us and survived chemo and radiation. 

Mike's father's death two months ago has also radically changed our extended family.  This story that only God could have written is amazing and it was not until we were all gathered in Arkansas for the funeral did we as an extended family realize that God has done an amazing work in Mike and his brother Daniel's life.  It is a story I will share another day but it has tendered me to the heart of our God.  He is simply amazing. 

I am also concerned about my Dad, Pops.  He has been diagnosed in the last few years with chronic leukemia.  He has also had surgery on his thyroid for thyroid cancer, and he has had patches of melanoma.  Tomorrow he will undergo a biopsy on a nodule in his neck that has caused hoarseness.  His oncologist wants to determine what these nodules are and if he will need treatment.  Of course our family is hyper sensitive to words such as "nodules" because of our David, but we are trusting God and we know that he has Pops in the palm of his hand. 

Tonight I am sad over the events in Connecticut, thankul for the amazing work that God has done in our family, and prayerful about Pop's surgery tomorrow.  I know that our God loves us and that this time of year we celebrate that He is our Emmanuel.  Thank you Lord that you are our Emmanuel-God with us today and everyday.