Sunday, December 25, 2016

Merry Christmas!

2016 has not been my most favorite year, but these are my most favorite people. 
We still find joy in the hard parts and stress and there is so much more good in life than bad. 
My surgery and subsequent leak during that surgery brought me to being close to sepsis and I'm still processing how quickly life can flip on you. 
Recovery from a surgery is hard, but there is joy in the pain knowing that I'm okay and will be okay. My heart is also full from seeing our village love and take care of us. It has stretched my heart and made me long to be better about intentionality and being part of the village for others.
I hope that if 2016 was also hard in your life, that you can look back and find all of the good. It really is there if you look. God has held me and shown me so many things through this health journey. I know it's not his will for me to suffer, but He has never left me while I've walked through it.
We can't end the suffering in this world. A lot of times, we can't help people. What we can do is pray and help where we have the opportunity. If it's your neighbor, then do it. If you have the means for bigger opportunities, do those too! But don't underestimate the small things- they have a big impact. My kids have witnessed all the love we have been shown and that has impacted them. I pray that it plants a seed in their heart to want to do those type of things for others in the future.
I hope that you spend the holidays enjoying your family and finding a way to bless or love on someone. So many people suffer a lot this time of year. There are also people suffering across the world and we can pray for them. Make a point to talk to your kids about the kids in Syria and say a prayer together for them.
Those are the best things we can teach our kids- love, kindness and going to the Lord when we don't know what else to do.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from our family to yours!

2 comments:

  1. I have followed your health journey while looking for info on Chrons. 2016 brought bone cancer, (not related to my stomach), radiation and stomach issues that doctors said they were confounded by. I too had pain and constant diarrhea. Many medications, two colonoscopy within 6 months, stomach and colon biopsies, hospital stays for pain and dehydration they still could not diagnosis. After several combinations of meds I am better, I can leave the house. I too am happy to see 2016 go. I am very happy you have come through surgery and on a path of better health. Here is to both us that we see less doctors in 2017.

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