This has been a really tumultuous year. (defined as: marked by disturbance and uproar; excited. confused, or disorderly.)

 

It started out with the deepest snow winter I’ve experienced in Central Oregon in the last 16 years.  I love snow but this was ridiculous….it just kept coming.  We had to tend to our roof, for fear of it caving in, we shoveled our 1/8th of a mile driveway 3 times and it was cold and depressing.

Then Trump became president.  This is not for or against, its just plain weird.  Celebrity Apprentice host becomes new tweet obsessed president…weird, not normal.

Then more snow.

Then my daughter starts thinking seriously about changing schools from the school she has been attending since she was 4, with 11 kids in her class, to a public high school with close to 2,000 attendees.  Not a bad thought, just different, not our norm.

March 24, 2017, one day before our 5 year wedding anniversary, I find my husband dead in the bed.  I’m not startled to say that anymore, its a fact, it carries no post-traumatic stress with it (Thank you God for the faith you imparted to me, may I never depart from your presence), its part of our normal, which is weird and not normal.  He lived and we are ever changed by it.

Then a personal life struggle/sin/stronghold was graciously flushed out and by the Grace of God I am free and forgiven.  The darkness found the light and it changed everything for me, for my husband, for my family, for my business.  God is THAT good.

Abby decided to transfer to that public school in the fall and so we visited and registered and planned out her new path and that was odd but completely right at the same time.

Then Noah graduated from High School and it was over.  Now all the choices are his.  If there are things he wants to achieve, knowledge he wants to gain, friends he wants to make it is now entirely up to him.  Sure I’m here…but he doesn’t really want mama’s unsolicited advice….so he moved out and I gave him a love letter and I watched him drive away and then he called a few hours later for “solicited advice” and I gave it to him but I didn’t solve his problem, he gets to do that.

Interesting, odd, not “normal, weird, strange  year so far…..

In January, I wrote about ABIDE and my hearts desire was to have my “abiding” count.  I believe that God has given me plenty of opportunity to test that hearts desire of mine and by His grace and mercy, He has received all the glory and my faith is stronger.

About that letter to my son….I said lots of sappy things that moms will say to their sons as they leave because its the deep feelings of a momma’s heart but I also shared wisdom with him. Things like Those who trust in themselves are fools, but those who walk in wisdom are kept safe. Proverbs 8:26 AND remember Noah The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction Prov 1:7 AND Dear Son: Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom. Instead, fear the LORD and turn away from evil. Prov 3:7

And then I shared with him the prayer I will be praying for him every day and every night:

That God will pursue Noah, and do everything it takes to grab his heart and make it His own! And that Noah in turn, would abandon all that this world has to offer in exchange for the One and Only Living God. 

Amen

….partner with me in praying that prayer for Noah.  I saw the power of prayer bring my husband back to life and I will abide with God until this prayer is answered as well.  May we ALL abandon all this world has to offer in exchange for the One and Only living God.

Let it be so for Noah….let it be so…..