Well, my husband made it home safe from Rwanda on Sunday. I will post some pictures of his trip soon. When he came home I could tell he wasn't the same man. I want to know that man more deeply. My husband has found his calling. I've never seen him so joyful in my life. The weight of the world gone - the pain of work problems dulled. The joy of Jesus evident.
We want to live with an extreme sense of purpose. God, take us where you want us. Keep us under your protection. May we never venture outside of your will, but help us never to be scared to leave it all behind for the sake of YOUR name. May we never build a name for ourselves - may we always stay humble. Protect our children. Help us show them how life is meant to be lived.
Thursday, August 21, 2014
Saturday, August 9, 2014
The Pain and Suffering of a Cronically Ill Family Member
If I wrote a novel, I couldn't put into the words the pain and suffering that my father has endured over the past eight years since he was diagnosis with pancreatic cancer (and won). I think when it first happened we understood that he would get the Whipple surgery; do chemo, and then radiation. Then, if he survived all of that, he would be on his way to healing. However, it's been a living nightmare the last eight years. One thing after another--a mystery stabbing pain in his belly that brings him to his knees. A paralyzed stomach, therefore, all he can eat is a handful of items that mostly consisting of Ensures and high-calorie soft snacks that go down easy. But even with food restrictions he still deals with extreme nausea and vomiting almost daily. He also has a bile duct that does not work, so he is living right now with a bag hanging off of his side collecting the bile that was previously poisoning his body.
And here's the thing, he's a believing, professing, and God fearing man. He has people praying for him every day and they have been for the last eight years. He is gentle, kind, generous, smart, and funny. He is young (50 at diagnosis and 58 now) but, he has suffered more in the last eight years than anyone I've ever met. I know there has to be days he imagines he is better off with Jesus, although, he's never said that. He never remarks, poor me, why me, why can't I get better? He trusts that God is in control - and that he is not. I have cried out to God over and over and over again, heal my daddy – bring him back to us. But the silence from heaven is deafening.
As I type this, my jaw is tight, my throat has a lump in it, and my eyes are watery. I'm sick and tired of my dad being sick and tired. The hardest thing I’ve ever endured in my life is watching my dad suffer. I'm tired of not being a "normal" family. I'm tired of canceling plans every time we make them because he's so sick he has to go home and laydown. I'm tired of watching people enjoy their parents, take vacations, or even do a simple family dinner. I’m tired of feeling jealous.
I encourage you today my friends, slow down. And if you have the honor of a parent still alive, call them, hug them, and spend the extra money to bring them on a family trip with you. Give your children the pleasure of REALLY getting to know them. And maybe you should (re) get to know your parents as well. Maybe you need forgive a parent for hurting you in the past? Maybe you need to ask for forgiveness from a parent? I understand that sometimes the grown child and parent relationship can be strained from past hurts, abuse and mistrust. Trust me, I get that. My husband’s abusive father was killed in a car accident five years ago; we have walked that difficult path as well.
Tonight I will cry myself to sleep again, begging God to continue to keep my father alive--all the while begging him to take him if it means eight more years of suffering and pain. It is a difficult predicament to be in as a child of a father who is her hero. God, he is such a good man. The best. I’ve learned more about life from my father than anyone. I’ve learned how to give freely, how to trust, how to believe, how to care, how to take charge and get things done. How to be confident in myself and how to follow my dreams. But most of all I've learned how to be a parent from watching my precious father. He loves his family fiercely; his grandchildren are his most-precious treasure. His grandchildren see him in bed more than they see him out of bed, but they love him just the same. Their deep devotion to him makes my heart skip a beat. Thank you God for giving us this special time--extra time, to love, enjoy and relish in the time we do have together.
So tonight hug your children, husband, wife, sister, brother, father and mother a little tighter. Be present when you’re in the moment. Allow the time with loved ones to count. And most of all, trust that Jesus has a plan, even if we never understand the plan on this side of heaven.
Keep fighting my precious father. I love you.
And here's the thing, he's a believing, professing, and God fearing man. He has people praying for him every day and they have been for the last eight years. He is gentle, kind, generous, smart, and funny. He is young (50 at diagnosis and 58 now) but, he has suffered more in the last eight years than anyone I've ever met. I know there has to be days he imagines he is better off with Jesus, although, he's never said that. He never remarks, poor me, why me, why can't I get better? He trusts that God is in control - and that he is not. I have cried out to God over and over and over again, heal my daddy – bring him back to us. But the silence from heaven is deafening.
As I type this, my jaw is tight, my throat has a lump in it, and my eyes are watery. I'm sick and tired of my dad being sick and tired. The hardest thing I’ve ever endured in my life is watching my dad suffer. I'm tired of not being a "normal" family. I'm tired of canceling plans every time we make them because he's so sick he has to go home and laydown. I'm tired of watching people enjoy their parents, take vacations, or even do a simple family dinner. I’m tired of feeling jealous.
I encourage you today my friends, slow down. And if you have the honor of a parent still alive, call them, hug them, and spend the extra money to bring them on a family trip with you. Give your children the pleasure of REALLY getting to know them. And maybe you should (re) get to know your parents as well. Maybe you need forgive a parent for hurting you in the past? Maybe you need to ask for forgiveness from a parent? I understand that sometimes the grown child and parent relationship can be strained from past hurts, abuse and mistrust. Trust me, I get that. My husband’s abusive father was killed in a car accident five years ago; we have walked that difficult path as well.
Tonight I will cry myself to sleep again, begging God to continue to keep my father alive--all the while begging him to take him if it means eight more years of suffering and pain. It is a difficult predicament to be in as a child of a father who is her hero. God, he is such a good man. The best. I’ve learned more about life from my father than anyone. I’ve learned how to give freely, how to trust, how to believe, how to care, how to take charge and get things done. How to be confident in myself and how to follow my dreams. But most of all I've learned how to be a parent from watching my precious father. He loves his family fiercely; his grandchildren are his most-precious treasure. His grandchildren see him in bed more than they see him out of bed, but they love him just the same. Their deep devotion to him makes my heart skip a beat. Thank you God for giving us this special time--extra time, to love, enjoy and relish in the time we do have together.
So tonight hug your children, husband, wife, sister, brother, father and mother a little tighter. Be present when you’re in the moment. Allow the time with loved ones to count. And most of all, trust that Jesus has a plan, even if we never understand the plan on this side of heaven.
Keep fighting my precious father. I love you.
Wednesday, August 6, 2014
Single Parent day 7
I've totally got this single parent thing down. I'm seven days in and feeling pretty confident, but let's be REAL here (because I'm 100% all about real mommyhood -- no one likes a liar, right?) - I've got a LOT of help ha-ha. My twins are at Highland Park Church 5 days a week until next Friday, and the girls have been at horse camp all week. So I must say - besides crazy mornings getting everyone fed, clothed, and lunches packed and crazy nights, dinner, baths, etc., life has been GOOD. I've been able to get all my homework finished (WOOHOO) and have managed to keep the house pretty clean.
I've heard from Brett a few times; he said he was having a wonderful time. I'm over the top happy for him. My heart is bursting with joy. I pray every night that God will speak clearly to him and give him direction for our family as we finish up schooling in the next few years, what will our future look like? It's pretty cool to think about what our next step will be and how God will use us and our family.
Okay, a few fun single parenting lessons I've learned in case you were wondering (I know you are on the edge of your seat, it's cool, I've got GREAT advice bahaha...)
1. Straight Duggar style your kids.....this means bringing out the buddy system. My bigs are helping me so much with the littles. In fact, the bigs fed the littles last night, and I have NO idea what they ate (I was doing homework haha), but they ate, so we are ship shape, right?
2. Don't put your kids in clothes unless you need to. Way less laundry.
3. Buy a lot of Lunchables, enough said.
4. Continue to let your bigs sleep in the bed with you, they are great snuggle buddies.
5. Pray.
Leslie
I've heard from Brett a few times; he said he was having a wonderful time. I'm over the top happy for him. My heart is bursting with joy. I pray every night that God will speak clearly to him and give him direction for our family as we finish up schooling in the next few years, what will our future look like? It's pretty cool to think about what our next step will be and how God will use us and our family.
Okay, a few fun single parenting lessons I've learned in case you were wondering (I know you are on the edge of your seat, it's cool, I've got GREAT advice bahaha...)
1. Straight Duggar style your kids.....this means bringing out the buddy system. My bigs are helping me so much with the littles. In fact, the bigs fed the littles last night, and I have NO idea what they ate (I was doing homework haha), but they ate, so we are ship shape, right?
2. Don't put your kids in clothes unless you need to. Way less laundry.
3. Buy a lot of Lunchables, enough said.
4. Continue to let your bigs sleep in the bed with you, they are great snuggle buddies.
5. Pray.
Leslie
Saturday, August 2, 2014
Day 1 - Operation Single Mom (for 17 days)
It has been 1 day since Brett left for Africa. First things first, he is in Rwanda safe and sound at the Nazarene compound. I got a call around 1:00pm our time when they landed and then again around 4:30 when they were at the compound about to turn in for the night. The 6 hour time difference I'm sure is a very difficult adjustment but hopefully tonight they all get some rest.
A few things I learned about single parenting day 1:
1. Have family come help - they make the day go faster and honestly who is better than family? No one. Period.
2. Don't have two year old twins. Enough said.
3. Have a birthday party lined up for the older kids so they can get out of the house (yeah this is not exactly easy but, hey I'm sure if you took them to the nearest Family Fun Center there's bound to be a party your kid can join- I mean honestly who actually keeps track of each kid at those kinds of places? It's a freaking zoo, folks.)
4. Give your two year old twins an early nap so you can ensure an early bed time. This is key to your sanity later in the evening.
5. Let big girls share the bed with you. You're lonely anyways, why not let them sleep on one side and you (and a huge maternity pillow you haven't haven't given up for 2.5 years) on the other.
6. Let your big girls ask a ridiculous amount of kid questions once in said bed. Here is a few from tonight, "Ok, so is Jesus and God the same person?" "What are foster kids?" And last but not least "Can you be my mommy forever?" And of course my response to those are,"Yes, they are the same but different (super helpful in a 6 year olds brain). "They are kids who need someone to look after them while their mommy and daddy get help" and "Yes, I can. Can you stay 6 forever?"
7. Soak up every freaking second of those 6 year olds they are precious human beings.
I'm sure I'll have a ton of more great wisdom tomorrow as we enter into day 2 of 17 as a single parent to 4 littles.
Please keep praying for my hubby and his team every chance you get.
Leslie
A few things I learned about single parenting day 1:
1. Have family come help - they make the day go faster and honestly who is better than family? No one. Period.
2. Don't have two year old twins. Enough said.
3. Have a birthday party lined up for the older kids so they can get out of the house (yeah this is not exactly easy but, hey I'm sure if you took them to the nearest Family Fun Center there's bound to be a party your kid can join- I mean honestly who actually keeps track of each kid at those kinds of places? It's a freaking zoo, folks.)
4. Give your two year old twins an early nap so you can ensure an early bed time. This is key to your sanity later in the evening.
5. Let big girls share the bed with you. You're lonely anyways, why not let them sleep on one side and you (and a huge maternity pillow you haven't haven't given up for 2.5 years) on the other.
6. Let your big girls ask a ridiculous amount of kid questions once in said bed. Here is a few from tonight, "Ok, so is Jesus and God the same person?" "What are foster kids?" And last but not least "Can you be my mommy forever?" And of course my response to those are,"Yes, they are the same but different (super helpful in a 6 year olds brain). "They are kids who need someone to look after them while their mommy and daddy get help" and "Yes, I can. Can you stay 6 forever?"
7. Soak up every freaking second of those 6 year olds they are precious human beings.
I'm sure I'll have a ton of more great wisdom tomorrow as we enter into day 2 of 17 as a single parent to 4 littles.
Please keep praying for my hubby and his team every chance you get.
Leslie
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