New News

For the few of you who read this I am sharing.  Sometimes Facebook is a perfect venue for keeping people updated, but for those people I know who actually visit this blog and read my heart thoughts here I want to inform of current developments in the family.
Looks like we have major CHANGE in the near future.  There's good news and bad news!
Good news first:  My eldest son got a 3 year full ride ROTC scholarship to attend Concordia College this fall.  There is a strong possibility that a fourth year will also be awarded, but this will come about later.  We are thrilled for him, and he is so excited to go off to college and do something with his life career-wise.  We are thankful to the Lord for His timely provision.
Now for the "bad" news----which, for all that really isn't BAD.  Joni Earickson Tada, a quadrapalegic for the past 30 years or so, just got diagnosed with breast cancer.  Her response was, "I can't wait to see what God is going to do with this!"
Well, I can't wait to see what God is going to do with US!  My husband's company had a mandatory meeting yesterday.  Yeah.  Long story short---change. 
We'll see where God leads us next. 
I have my hopes to stay in the Midwest, but instead of looking forward and the endless possibilities I am going to look to the past.
I have been so blessed in this house for a decade of my life.
Good health, success, limitless provision for our needs, fun, purpose, growth.
Why focus on the dark side of life when the positives are powerfully lighting them away?
I know that difficulties develop character.  I know they force us to trust God in ways that we never desired, but isn't that the point?  Life is not SURE.  We never can plan for certainty.  Why bemoan the loss of a status that never was forever anyway?
Surely we all look at pain, suffering, deprivation as negative, but there is an unseen world of activity hinging on our circumstances.  We only see the here and now, yet the repercussions of our days and actions have sent a shock wave through the supernatural. 
That is why God allows suffering.  The face of our burnished gem is turned toward Him.  We are seeing the unpolished side, and it may not be pretty, but we hope, we know that there is a gorgeous stone, brilliant in all aspects shining toward our Creator.
Hope.  It's what we have in abundance.