It started snowing yesterday afternoon. It continued through the night and this morning there are about 8″ on my deck. I took this photograph last night, just before I went to bed.
See the pieces of snow on the window? I thought that was so interesting.
Random flakes collecting in random groups on the window.
But maybe there is nothing really RANDOM about it at all. Maybe it was planned. Planned to fall from the sky and collect on the window so that I could see the beauty of it.
I believe He has a plan for me…
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord,
“plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Jeremiah 29:11
And he has one for you too.
Will I allow him to do His work in my life this year?
Will I allow him to control my heart, my tongue, my life? Or will I try to take the wheel and drive life’s highway with him in the passenger seat?
I am contemplating these things while I start this new year.
Quick update…
my parents are 90 and 91 and their birthdays are in February. The week before Thanksgiving my dad fell and cracked his pelvis. He was in the hospital, then rehab, back in the hospital with pneumonia, then back in rehab. He went home on Christmas Eve. John, Andy and I drove to visit them on 12/26 and returned home on 12/31. (It is approximately a 20 hour drive.) Thus, I have not posted since just before Christmas. My dad need help going to the bathroom, getting in and out of a chair, pushing the wheelchair…basically everything except feeding himself. And he has the beginnings of Alzheimer’s disease. He requires constant care and attention and this is falling to two of my brothers (each living 90 minutes or further away) until we can get help arranged.
This is one of those instances in life when I am remembering that God has a plan. I don’t know what it is…I don’t know what it looks like…but I know there is one.
Just like the snow on the window, my life, your life and Daddy’s life is ordained by God and planned by him.
I have to trust that…
Even when I don’t “get it”, He does.
Even when I don’t understand it, He does.
Even when I don’t think I can do it any longer, I don’t have to because He will hold my hand.
For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you,
Do not fear; I will help you.
Isaiah 41:13
(emphasis mine)
Lord, I am trusting that you will work in the situation with my parents. I am praying that Daddy doesn’t have to suffer…that you will take him home peacefully and quietly. I realize that might not be your plan, so please help me to accept your plan and your will in this situation. Thank you, Lord, for the time I got to spend with my parents and my family.
I feel like I have been in a vacuum since just before Christmas. I wanted to do a recap of 2013 post…I may still do that next week. And I have some things on my heart for this blog, but I am still fleshing them out. Thank you for your patience and faithfulness.
What random snowflakes are collecting in your life that
Thank you for sharing a glimpse of His beauty this morning. I desire to see His beauty in every day living. So far, the last two weeks have been spent on the couch with a terrible chest cold. Yes, God has a plan, even in the midst of our struggles. He's so faithful!
Feeling the pain of watching your parents go downhill in health and mind. 🙁 That was difficult for me too, and mine were only in their 70s when it happened. Praying for peace in the "randomness" of it all as you go through making decisions for their care…. I know you'll handle it well with grace.
As the weeks have drug on it has been easy for me to lose hope.
Will things ever get back to some type of normal? People were not created to live in isolation.
Will we be able to see someone smile or will we always look at them and only see their eyes?
Will people gather without having to sit 6’ apart?
I don’t know the answer and I’m not posting this to debate the news media’s portrayal of the pandemic.
I’m sharing this today because I spent some time with the Lord thanking him for the things I DO have and not focusing on the things I don’t have. The things I have lost since March.
I looked up scriptures about hope.
I made a list in my prayer journal of things I’m grateful for.
Life goes on. Life crisis continues even during this pandemic. People die naturall and tragically. And babies are born. And weddings happen and new lives begin.
This crisis in our world isn’t a surprise to God.
And my hope and security is in Him.
If you scroll through the photos, you see things that made me smile this morning and reminded me of the goodness of God - even now.
With all the grief and sadness in the world I wasn’t sure how I would handle today. How I would allow myself to grieve this loss? Today when there has so much WRONG in our world. In a post @deidrariggs shared today she reminded us that life goes on. And I realized that today this is my life. And I can grieve this loss. My life goes on... I am thankful for the 4 days we had her. On Friday I will remember each event of her last day and I will remember her dying in my arms.
And I will be both sad and grateful. #infantloss #trisomy18 #stlouischildrenshospital
Thank you for sharing a glimpse of His beauty this morning. I desire to see His beauty in every day living. So far, the last two weeks have been spent on the couch with a terrible chest cold. Yes, God has a plan, even in the midst of our struggles. He's so faithful!
I am so sorry you've been sick Barbie…hope you are feeling better. I prayed for you friend.
Feeling the pain of watching your parents go downhill in health and mind. 🙁 That was difficult for me too, and mine were only in their 70s when it happened. Praying for peace in the "randomness" of it all as you go through making decisions for their care…. I know you'll handle it well with grace.
Thank you friend…I appreciate your prayers. The options for my parents are so limited.
Praying for you, Mary, as you walk through this season with your sweet parents. 90 and 91 … amazing.
Fondly,
Glenda
Thank you, Glenda…I appreciate the prayers.