a shared burden

"Bring me your weakness, and receive My Peace. Accept yourself and your circumstances just as they are, remembering that I am sovereign over everything. Do not wear yourself out with analyzing and planning.  Instead, let thankfulness and trust be your guides through this day; they will keep you close to Me.  As you live in the radiance of my Presence, My Peace shines upon you.  You will cease to notice how weak or strong you feel, because you will be focusing on Me. The best way to get through this day is step by step with Me.  Continue this intimate journey, trusting that the path you are following is headed for heaven."

A friend emailed this morning with this excerpt from a devotional book she is reading. It was just what I needed to hear. "Accept yourself and your circumstances just as they are....Do not wear yourself out with analyzing and planning...You will cease to notice how weak or strong you feel, because you will be focusing on Me." 

Thank you friends and family for the outpouring of love that has come our way. I have been overwhelmed in the best of ways by it. The emails and phone calls, comments, baked goods and cards and flowers. Our neighbor scooped up two flower arrangements that she saw sitting on our front porch to protect them from the cold (I was not at home). When Corey went to pick them up she happily asked, "Is it her birthday?!". "Ummmm.....yea.....no......not exactly. Gotta run. Thanks!" 

I am sitting here on my couch right now with intentions to go to the gym, but I must write. I want to publicly thank everyone for their immense kindness. The world has a lot of pain and ugliness in it, but there is also an immense amount of goodness. Thank you for your shared tears and heart aches, for your encouragement and pursuit of us. Without you all we'd be in a dark hole, sucking our thumbs and crying out "uncle!". 

Instead, we are feeling more and more like the ice is melting.

Oh...my heart truly feels like it is beating as it should because of your help. Thank you for not making us feel alone, but instead reminding us again and again and again that we are not alone and our pain is in fact not just ours, but yours, too. Thanks for helping us carry the burden. It won't be here forever, but while it is you all are making it much easier to handle. 

I feel so indebted. 

There are a few non-negotiables in my life when it comes to purchases...dresses - see a cute one, buy it, name brand peanut butter and mac&cheese, Glade plug-ins and flowers. I will happily work just to have flowers around. They have been such a blessing to have around our house so thank you for sending them. Not to mention they give me something else pretty to photograph which is the best type of therapy in itself. 

All our love,

j&c