This past month for me has been both a whirlwind and also a desert with only mirages of hope. Way too many extremely significant things happened all at once. Allison got married and it was both a huge joyous celebration but also a time for a sentimental like me to dwell on the fact that seasons come and seasons go. Even my children seemed quite affected by this fact. In the middle of the rehearsal dinner my Callie came over to me with tears in her eyes and said, "Is Miss Allison moving to California?" I said, "No, just down the highway a bit to Killeen. Does this make you sad?" She then burst into tears. 
Over the course of the next few weeks we experienced other major changes in our lives with school starting for the kids, John starting to promote his mortgage business and also significant changes for our church. I began to see all of these transitions in our family's life beginning to cause breakdown in our relationships. Then a phenomenon happens where your world which is spinning around like crazy suddenly seems to stand still. For me it stood still when one of my kids began to really struggle and have outbursts and tantrums. It broke my heart---transitions seem to draw this out, maybe that is what triggers it. When you're in that eye of the storm it feels eery and even downright scary because you just don't know and can't predict the outcome. Even though all the events in our lives were still spinning around us, my life and focus was consumed by my love for my child. All I could do was to persevere and wait.
Over the course of the next few weeks we experienced other major changes in our lives with school starting for the kids, John starting to promote his mortgage business and also significant changes for our church. I began to see all of these transitions in our family's life beginning to cause breakdown in our relationships. Then a phenomenon happens where your world which is spinning around like crazy suddenly seems to stand still. For me it stood still when one of my kids began to really struggle and have outbursts and tantrums. It broke my heart---transitions seem to draw this out, maybe that is what triggers it. When you're in that eye of the storm it feels eery and even downright scary because you just don't know and can't predict the outcome. Even though all the events in our lives were still spinning around us, my life and focus was consumed by my love for my child. All I could do was to persevere and wait. This morning has marked a new day for all of us. I sense a refreshing and renewal on the way. I'm excited about all that lies ahead for us. God has moved me out from the eye of the storm and back through it to the other side where now there is peace and rebuilding.
"Look at the nations and watch—and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told." Habakkuk 1:5
Joy was also restored in our home last night---Here's a picture of some 'pre-dinner' entertainment to "Eye of the Tiger". :)
