Overload

When I last checked in it was the beginning of a wild ride for my family.  It seemed challenge after challenge came our way.  Since many of them were not my own I did not feel I could share the struggles without violating the privacy of those I love.   At one point I held one of my sweet nieces in my arms as she cried and asked "Why are all these bad things happening to our family?"  

I had thought to get back to blogging when things settled down.  As it turned out, once one thing settled down, another would pop up.  Kind of like those "Whack-a-mole" games on a continuous repeat.

For me the hardest part has been watching my sisters face these difficult times.  I am almost used to my life falling apart and feel confident I can cope as it does.  After all God has been with me so far and I know He's not going anywhere. The heartbreak was knowing my loved ones were in pain.  Nothing else can make me feel so helpless.  No matter how much I supported them, prayed for them and loved them, it never seemed enough.  In reality, I know it was the whole family coming together that got each of us through all the difficulties.

Now things have returned to the land of just your regular run of the mill catastrophes.  Convection oven died, car battery died a week later, car got hit two weeks after that, and I have gotten a disease which will recur randomly for which there is little effective treatment.  This I know, and this I can deal with. 

I know from long experience the best ways to make it through are the following:

• prayer, lots and lots, both mine and those praying for me
• meditation to quiet my soul so I can listen for God's voice
• encouragement and support from family and friends
• a wonderful doctor who is committed to keeping me as healthy as possible
• the blessing of coming from a long line of determined people

Glad to be back in the blogsphere, didn't feel completely cut off as I kept in touch with many through facebook and twitter, but it's nice to be home.

~ jené