The Backstory
1 Pet 1:6-8: In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.”
I’ve known Jesus most of my life. I was more or less a poster child for the St. Louis Christian bubble--Christian home, christian school, christian church. I even extended the bubble by attending a Christian college. Fast forward into adulthood and God brought me a wonderful Christian man to be my husband, next steps we married and and started family--two little boys. Here I could insert--"lived happily ever after"---happy marriage, healthy/happy boys, nice and comfortable.
Funny thing is......as much as I would like to argue with God...and I have a lot....I've come to realize that He’s in charge and is not necessarily interested in our happily ever after on this earth. He loves us way too much for that. Instead, He desperately wants our hearts and He wants to give us His absolute best. And for my story, that meant becoming a widow in my mid-30’s, with a 3 year old and a 1 year old. My first husband, Brian--once a teacher, a writer, a brother, a friend--was diagnosed with a very rare, very terminal cancer at the age of 34. A few months following diagnosis, in a St. John’s Emergency room, I said good-bye to him as he entered the gates and went home to Heaven.
Brian started this blog years ago---when blogs were known as web logs. At first it was simply a way to communicate with family what was going on with our little boys. Then when he was sick, it was a way to let people know what was going on. He was a writer. He liked to write. And then he went Home.
And now this blog has transformed into a much bigger story--the story of love and children and family and laughter and reflection and redemption. And second chances.
I’ve known Jesus most of my life. I was more or less a poster child for the St. Louis Christian bubble--Christian home, christian school, christian church. I even extended the bubble by attending a Christian college. Fast forward into adulthood and God brought me a wonderful Christian man to be my husband, next steps we married and and started family--two little boys. Here I could insert--"lived happily ever after"---happy marriage, healthy/happy boys, nice and comfortable.
Funny thing is......as much as I would like to argue with God...and I have a lot....I've come to realize that He’s in charge and is not necessarily interested in our happily ever after on this earth. He loves us way too much for that. Instead, He desperately wants our hearts and He wants to give us His absolute best. And for my story, that meant becoming a widow in my mid-30’s, with a 3 year old and a 1 year old. My first husband, Brian--once a teacher, a writer, a brother, a friend--was diagnosed with a very rare, very terminal cancer at the age of 34. A few months following diagnosis, in a St. John’s Emergency room, I said good-bye to him as he entered the gates and went home to Heaven.
Brian started this blog years ago---when blogs were known as web logs. At first it was simply a way to communicate with family what was going on with our little boys. Then when he was sick, it was a way to let people know what was going on. He was a writer. He liked to write. And then he went Home.
And now this blog has transformed into a much bigger story--the story of love and children and family and laughter and reflection and redemption. And second chances.
Stay for a bit. I'll fix you a glass of mango tea.
Comments