Absolutely. There's no guarantee that life will be easy or happen according to our timetable. It's the struggles and hardships that build your character, faith, maturity, and bond with other people. Hopefully I won't misquote, but one of my favorite lines is from "A League of Their Own" and goes something like this: "it's the HARD that makes it great..."
Please understand, girls, I don't expect my life to be easy. Matt and I have both lost a dad and now 2 babies. I know life isn't easy. I'm not asking for that! We DO have faith. We KNOW this can happen and that it will take time. We're just taking this as it comes. Right now, it's a really sad time, and I think that's ok. We haven't given up by any means, but we certainly know it's not going to be easy!
Jen.....I hope you didn't misinterpret the quote or my intention for posting it, it is just something that I ran across today. I don't think what you are going through is easy by any means, I hope I didn't make it sound like it was. I think (my personal feeling here), that in the midst of hardship it is easy for people to get bogged down, depressed and question SO many things....sometimes their faith is called into question. All too often we as "why". Why me, why NOT me, why now, why them, etc. We ask ourselves, our friends & family and we always ask God. Sometimes the answers come, often times they don't. But with faith.....everything IS possible. We may not be happy about the circumstances that we face, but the possibility that it might turn into something great, or lead us down a path we never imagined or cause us to realize that we have an inner strength we never dreamt we would...gives us hope. I know we ALL have had situations that have tested our faith, but because we have such a strong faith (backed by a strong family) we've taken those not so "easy" times...and we've perservered and grown to be strong people and grown stronger in our faith. There are days I realize just how HARD it is to raise the girls and wonder if I am doing a good job, to have Bill in his own business and worry about him losing work, to have Aaron about to look at colleges and wonder how we'll pay for it...but I step back, take a breath, say a little prayer, and realize that my faith in God will make it possible for all of those things to work out as they should. I know you and Matt have faith that will grow stronger because of these past few months....it wasn't an easy way to get to it, but you'll have a stronger relationship because of it and possibly a stronger relationship with God. Please remember, that we as your family are here to help as we can and as you need us to. Perhaps we can be the things that do help to make it a little "easier" to bare. love, Em
Em, thanks so much for your note. I really appreciate everything you said. We have an amazing family and it's so great to have you all to lean on - and it's our faith that keeps us strong. Sorry if I reacted inappropriately and didn't mean to for sure! Sorry!
Em, thanks again for this awesome quote! It's been a very stressful few weeks with preparing to move the school, and alot of uncertainty about whether or not it would actually get to happen!! It seems at this point, we are good to go (at least I hope so after a meeting today). While this has taken MUCH longer than we wanted, and lots of obstacles thrown at us (and not much time to accomplish them!) I'm just pleased to know that the kinks are getting worked out. Thank heaven for generous and flexible people! We would've liked for alot of this stuff to have been finalized weeks ago, but like I said, not everything happens according to OUR timetable! Glad we kept the faith through all of this and I know that the struggles and fears that those of us at the school (as well as fellow parents)have went through will make the school much stronger--we all have alot invested in the welfare and education of these kids! "The hard will make it great!" I know you intended this quote "in general", but it really fit for me and what we've been going through recently! Thanks again for helping me remember that if it's meant to be, and with alot of hard work, it'll happen! :-)
Em, I re-read your last comment again today and wanted to say how wise you are. Unfortunately, we all know that these things happen - the bogging down, the doubting - we all have seen it happen to other people. We've all had it happen to us. Why can't we stop it from happening to ourselves again? I think it's all a part of the process, even if we have to go through that process 100 times. Something happens, you're down, you try to keep your chin up, you fight through, faith keeps you strong and you're better for it. It just seems like sometimes the valleys get deeper and the mountains get steeper to climb. However, once you're back on top, you realize how far you've come and how much beauty there is left. Thanks. Sorry I didn't take it right the first time. Love you.
7 comments:
very true, Em. And I know that for sure. Matt and I are sure that this will happen, given time. It's not easy, like you quoted, but thanks!
Jen
Absolutely. There's no guarantee that life will be easy or happen according to our timetable. It's the struggles and hardships that build your character, faith, maturity, and bond with other people. Hopefully I won't misquote, but one of my favorite lines is from "A League of Their Own" and goes something like this: "it's the HARD that makes it great..."
Please understand, girls, I don't expect my life to be easy. Matt and I have both lost a dad and now 2 babies. I know life isn't easy. I'm not asking for that! We DO have faith. We KNOW this can happen and that it will take time. We're just taking this as it comes. Right now, it's a really sad time, and I think that's ok. We haven't given up by any means, but we certainly know it's not going to be easy!
Jen.....I hope you didn't misinterpret the quote or my intention for posting it, it is just something that I ran across today. I don't think what you are going through is easy by any means, I hope I didn't make it sound like it was. I think (my personal feeling here), that in the midst of hardship it is easy for people to get bogged down, depressed and question SO many things....sometimes their faith is called into question. All too often we as "why". Why me, why NOT me, why now, why them, etc. We ask ourselves, our friends & family and we always ask God. Sometimes the answers come, often times they don't. But with faith.....everything IS possible. We may not be happy about the circumstances that we face, but the possibility that it might turn into something great, or lead us down a path we never imagined or cause us to realize that we have an inner strength we never dreamt we would...gives us hope. I know we ALL have had situations that have tested our faith, but because we have such a strong faith (backed by a strong family) we've taken those not so "easy" times...and we've perservered and grown to be strong people and grown stronger in our faith. There are days I realize just how HARD it is to raise the girls and wonder if I am doing a good job, to have Bill in his own business and worry about him losing work, to have Aaron about to look at colleges and wonder how we'll pay for it...but I step back, take a breath, say a little prayer, and realize that my faith in God will make it possible for all of those things to work out as they should.
I know you and Matt have faith that will grow stronger because of these past few months....it wasn't an easy way to get to it, but you'll have a stronger relationship because of it and possibly a stronger relationship with God. Please remember, that we as your family are here to help as we can and as you need us to. Perhaps we can be the things that do help to make it a little "easier" to bare.
love,
Em
Em, thanks so much for your note. I really appreciate everything you said. We have an amazing family and it's so great to have you all to lean on - and it's our faith that keeps us strong. Sorry if I reacted inappropriately and didn't mean to for sure! Sorry!
Jen
Em, thanks again for this awesome quote! It's been a very stressful few weeks with preparing to move the school, and alot of uncertainty about whether or not it would actually get to happen!! It seems at this point, we are good to go (at least I hope so after a meeting today). While this has taken MUCH longer than we wanted, and lots of obstacles thrown at us (and not much time to accomplish them!) I'm just pleased to know that the kinks are getting worked out. Thank heaven for generous and flexible people! We would've liked for alot of this stuff to have been finalized weeks ago, but like I said, not everything happens according to OUR timetable! Glad we kept the faith through all of this and I know that the struggles and fears that those of us at the school (as well as fellow parents)have went through will make the school much stronger--we all have alot invested in the welfare and education of these kids! "The hard will make it great!" I know you intended this quote "in general", but it really fit for me and what we've been going through recently! Thanks again for helping me remember that if it's meant to be, and with alot of hard work, it'll happen! :-)
Em, I re-read your last comment again today and wanted to say how wise you are. Unfortunately, we all know that these things happen - the bogging down, the doubting - we all have seen it happen to other people. We've all had it happen to us. Why can't we stop it from happening to ourselves again? I think it's all a part of the process, even if we have to go through that process 100 times. Something happens, you're down, you try to keep your chin up, you fight through, faith keeps you strong and you're better for it. It just seems like sometimes the valleys get deeper and the mountains get steeper to climb. However, once you're back on top, you realize how far you've come and how much beauty there is left. Thanks. Sorry I didn't take it right the first time. Love you.
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