Normality.....oh well.....

I thought normality was here, but what is truly normal for me? Chaos maybe! HAHA

First, I was doing really well in not crying over the loss of my Daddy, then it hit again. I had several days this week (Sun, Mon, & Tues) that I just couldn't stop crying. Oh well.....it is much better than last month. God is so good in giving peace and comfort in abundance. I heard a clip off of a CD we have had for years, but I have never listened to it completely (imagine me having a distraction). It talked about the speaker's time in Vietnam (how appropriate) and how he had carried a heavy load for the day and had walked until his blisters on his feet were bursting and burning and the load he was carrying had caused his shoulders and back to bleed. He hit an oasis with cool water, shade trees and birds in abundance b/c everywhere around them had been covered by volcanic ash and was dusty and gritty and lifeless. This was where he wanted to stop for the night. Instead they had to go up on the mountain where they could see the enemy. As he was stopped and resting and the sun began to go down, he realized that it was in the oasis of life that the enemy would hide out and ambush us. What an appropriate picture of our lives. When we are in the oasis of life we tend to allow the enemy to ambush b/c we don't rely on God near as much when things are going well. I think God keeps me on the dry lifeless land with my blisters and bleeding heart from the load I carry to keep me close to Him and even though that road is harder and less traveled I can so feel His presence daily and KNOW I am walking in Him there.

Secondly, Jimmy has been home daily since April 25th and it has been such a blessing. This has been the longest time he has been home in 4 years, yet also the most difficult time of my life. Not because he was home, but because of my Daddy's illness and home going. Jimmy is now on a tight travel schedule for end of June and most of July that will only have him home on weekends for most of the month. It will also allow him the freedom to have some wonderful training opportunities for his position in November. This really has been a blessing, I just need to adjust again! haha

Have fun and enjoy life today! Again...some pictures later.