First, I'm thankful for the refiner's fire that brought Brian and I closer together in a way that nothing else really could have. It has been a hard year emotionally, but unlike other really hard trials I've had in the past, I didn't shoulder them alone. I had my sweetheart and my best friend there, crying with me. And through it all, our hearts have been made more tender.
Third, thanks to the threat of fire, we know what really matters to us, and it isn't our house or our stuff. It's the people and the memories that really matter. Stuff can be replaced. And that we're blessed to have family and good friends close who opened their homes to us when we were refugees.
Fourth, we learned that we made a great choice in where we bought our house. Brian's brother Ben told us we could never convince him to move out here after the fire and then the flood/mudslide a few months later. But, those two natural disasters convinced us that we live in the best neighborhood, and if anything were to happen to us, we have a strong support system of giving people all around us. Our ward split in November, and we learned just how many friends we really do have here. We're so grateful for the wonderful people we get to live around.
Fifth, I'm grateful for a Savior. I told Brian on New Year's as we were heading to bed that I've given up putting high hopes into a new year since I felt like they were so quickly dashed last year. I told him that I'm not without hope, I'm just not placing it in a year. He said, "Isn't it nice that our hope is really in the Savior, and that no matter what comes, we have the assurance and hope that He'll help us face it?" And that statement pretty much sums up what I've learned this last year. We don't know what the future brings, and prayers are not always answered in the way we want them to be answered. But, one thing we can always, always count on is that the Savior will be there to bear up our backs to lift the burdens. He heals the hurt that results when good friends are taken back home to Him. He comforts us when we lose our children--whether in the womb or outside. He strengthens our ability to cope with constant pain and sickness--related or unrelated to pregnancy. And ultimately, because of Him, we have the hope of returning to our Father when we have finished our race here.
I can't think of my Savior without tearing up. I'm so grateful for the lessons on hope that I've learned from him as a result of loss, death, fire, flood, and a fairly difficult pregnancy that made it out of the first trimester and is still going strong. (In fact, today marks week 37, which means she is officially full-term!) It's a miracle to me, and His atonement gave me the hope and the courage to try again. When I was fearful, He gave me sweet assurances that this time, things would work out. Our God truly is a God of miracles.
So, whatever comes our way in 2013, I know the Lord will walk beside us, and everything will turn out to be some kind of wonderful.
6 comments:
Lovely post Devri! This reminded me of a book I just finished called, "Life in a Jar". At one point in the book, it says, "It's not about Him answering your prayers-- it's about you being like Him no matter what happens on this Earth." Thanks for the reminder and I hope you and your family have a blessed 2013.
You nailed it Devri. Isn't it wonderful to know that whatever mess we make of our lives or whatever mess gets made of our lives can be turned into a blessing by our Savior.
Beautiful post and so, so true. BUT...what is up with the facial hair on Brian??!!
Beautiful post, Devri. Thank you for sharing your thoughts!!
sweet post from a sweet girl. ;-)
Love this post about hope- you said all that needs to be said about it. Looks like there's two of us that learned this lesson this past year.
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