As you might have noticed, I have not been very good at blogging lately. I really do not want to complain but things have been chaotic here. Things are just flying at us from left and right. You see, Dave has been in Israel for work. And that has left us feeling concerned for his safety. Thanks be to God he is on his way out right now:)
Also, Harry has been having a really hard time health wise for the last few months. It has been pervasive y'all and it consumes a lot of our days. The stress of it all has contributed to debilitating migraines for him that occur 4-5 times a week. We finally got in with a great specialist who spent 3 hours with us just to have her add to more conditions to his diagnosis. That was really not good for him. He felt so defeated. He thought he was going to get answers (which he did) but he also got a lot more concerns and questions. He had to listen for a few hours to more and more issues he will face throughout his life. It was literally too much for his 11 year old brain to take in. Please keep him in your prayers. The kid cannot catch a break these days. We even had to get a special 504 plan for school because he is missing so much school. Again, I share this not to complain. Our life is blessed in so many ways and we are trying to focus on the blessings. But he needs prayer. And I wanted to explain what has been going on here.
So, I was feeling overwhelmed and frazzled this morning thinking of my very long to do list. I am exhausted from being a single Mom of late while Dave travels (he really helps a lot). I have SO much respect for those who are single parents!!!
I was snapping at the kids and thinking of all the "stuff" I needed to accomplish today. I felt totally burnt out. Then it hit me, what I really need to do is have some quiet time with God. So, I got out my Bible and Jesus Calling book and looked up the reading for December 7th.
Of course, the message spoke straight to my heart. Todays message is about faith. About not fixing our eyes on the things of this world but setting our eyes on the eternal.
For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
2 Corinthinas 4: 17-18
And boy did I need to hear that. I am sharing this because my guess is that we all need to hear that this time of year. We get so caught up in the shopping and the decorating and getting out a beautiful Christmas card. And we probably spend less time praying and reading the Word because of all that. I know I was. And that was my downfall. I feel so much more calm now. I wish I could have a "do- over" with my kids this morning. They did not deserve my snappiness.
I hope you all have a blessed weekend. I plan to focus on my family and get caught up on this blog!!! So don't be surprised if there are a few posts back to back;) Tomorrow is Harry's birthday so I am sure there will be a birthday post:)
Beautiful, Kim! What a perfect verse for you this morning.. His Word truly is food for our soul :)
ReplyDeleteHere is another verse I thought of that might be an encouragement to you and to your sweet Harry!
oxoxox!
Hebrews 12:1-3 Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
Thank you for sharing that verse, Stefanie. I love it.
DeletePraying for your sweet Harry. Bless his precious heart. So much for an adult to understand, much less an 11 yr old. Send an EARLY "Happy Birthday" to you HANDSOME HARRY!!
ReplyDeleteoh my, that's a lot to take in. Being a single parent is SO hard. My daughter did this for a couple of years, and if we hadn't lived so close, I don't know what she would have done. I will say a prayer for you, and for your husband in Israel. Do not worry about Israel, I strongly fear God will take the reins, and all will be well. We have friends who just returned from there. Take time to breathe, take more time for you, let the small things go. Cleaning can definately wait!
ReplyDeleteMary Gene, Thank you so much for your kindness and prayers.
DeleteThinking of you (and sweet Harry!) with a big hug!!
ReplyDeleteDawn
Thanks Dawn.
DeleteThank you so much for sharing and I so needed your encouragement today. I went through a tough couple of days as well but it has caused me to stop and just have faith that God will handle it all. He always does and why should we doubt that. It is hard, however, to step aside and just let God handle our situations.
ReplyDeletePraying for Harry and a safe trip home for your hubby.
Yes, complete faith is a challenge. Thank you for your prayers.
DeleteI don't comment very often, but I just wanted to say that I'm thinking of Harry. I think all of your kids are simply amazing and darling. But, I think that any boy (young man) who is able to be so inspiring to and admired by his peers, teachers, and family while facing his own personal issues has got a particularly special spirit. The very happiest of Birthdays to Harry, the safest of travels to Dave, and wonderful holiday wishes to all of you!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much...your words really touched me.
DeleteKim -- so sorry you've all been having such a rough time. Praying for sweet Harry and the rest of you too.
ReplyDeleteThinking of dear Harry and sending good thoughts and prayers your way. Thank you for sharing and reminding us all to stop and remember where our focus should be today, this month, and always . . . I know I sure needed that today.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much Jennifer!!
DeleteMy sweet 7 yr old asked the other day, "If it is Jesus' birthday, why do WE get presents?" I seem to have taken that to heart and REALLY TRIED to turn it around and enjoy his BIRTH, the reason we have hope. So sorry to hear about sweet Harry, I know you will make the way easier for him. Good job hangin' in there til Dave made it home...single parenting is not for the wimpy
ReplyDeleteShelley, Isn't it amazing the things we can learn from our kids sometimes. I too try really hard to keep the focus where it should be but it is hard in this society sometimes.
DeleteOh poor sweet, Harry! I will continue to keep him in my prayers!
ReplyDeleteThank you Jennifer.
DeleteGorgeous! Happy Holidays!
ReplyDeleteThank you
DeleteYour house looks gorgeous Kim!!!! You are way ahead of me!! So thankful that Dave is on his way home. What a great weekend you will have together as a family again!!! As for Harry, praying for the heaviness in his heart to be relieved. (And your's too..) You are a great Mom and advocate, and he is so blessed to have you as his Team Captain! I love the verse you quoted. Like you, I need that quiet time desperately...
ReplyDeleteLove,
Di
Thanks for the prayers Di. I had to laugh when I read your comment. Those photos are not my house...they are from Pinterest. My house is all decorated but I have not taken any photos yet (and it does not look that good either).
DeleteHi Kim, its such a hectic time even under the best of circumstances...then you throw other things into the mix and it can get CRAZY! I have had a few days myself where I just was running ragged and needed a self imposed "time out". I reflected on my blessings and just needed to decompress a bit before getting back to the madness that is this time of year! Sending you a hug and the merriest of holidays!
ReplyDeleteSo sad and sorry to hear that Harry is still having such a hard time with medical issues and migraines. He's been through an awful lot and I will keep him in my thoughts and prayers (and his mom, too!!).
ReplyDeleteYou sound a lot more on top of the holidays than I. I've had influenza with a fever, etc. for 6 days and the house looks like a bomb has struck. I feel sicker when I get out of bed and see it all :) Pete's been trying to care for kids, dogs, his job, and me all week long. Poor guy! I think my flu has been harder on him! Oh, well, we'll get it done eventually.
Hope you feel better soon Wendy . It is awful to be sick this time of year. I have a stomach big right now too and cannot imagine being down for the count for 6 days. Healing thoughts and prayers being sent your way.
DeleteOh Kim .. my heart breaks for your sweet Harry. My continued prayers to him and your family. xo
ReplyDeletePraying for your sweet boy, and for you and your husband. This time of year is so full, even when things are "normal," whatever that means. But when extra burdens come, our hearts/minds/bodies easily fatigue amidst the chaos. May God calm your heart, heal your son and send extra love and protection to your family.
ReplyDeleteLike all, I've missed you and been praying that you and your family would have all the trials removed. Family comes first....we will all survive while you take care of them first! So Enjoy the season...and like you, I need to remember to focus on the Reason for all this craziness in our lives!
ReplyDeleteSo sorry to hear all you've been dealing with. Illness with a child is a huge challenge; I'm so glad you got your quiet time and had some peace from that. I will pray for you all!
ReplyDeletepraying for you and your family Kim. I hope that some time off during the Holidays will let you all have some much needed family 'down' time to recharge and relax.
ReplyDeleteHarry, I wanted to post as a (former) teenager who had daily chronic migraines. It can get better...LOADS better. I've always had headaches, but they morphed to being chronic daily migraines in high school. Initially, I missed a lot of school, because it was just so hard to function, and I just wanted to sleep a lot (because, hey, sleeping was better than being in pain! It took awhile before we found stuff that even effectively lessened the pain...and my dad is a doctor!).
ReplyDeleteAt a year, I still hadn't had a full day without pain (although the headaches weren't as long-lasting or painful) and I thought "YO, GOD. YOU WANT ME TO GO THROUGH LIFE LIKE THIS, BUDDY?!" It just seemed like it was going to be my life forever.
This story has a happy ending, and I pray that yours will too. It literally took over a year for the neurologist to find the right combination/dosing of preventative and migraine-aborting drugs. Plus learning what my triggers were and avoiding them (scents, irregular sleep etc). I had three or four migraines a month. Now I'm at 3 or 4 full blown a YEAR (though more if I try to back off of my preventative meds). I had a great college and (knock on wood) graduate school experience.
I know migraines can act differently in males (I'm female), and your doctor will have way more experience with these things in general than I do. I just wanted to make sure you have some hope, too. I know this isn't the only thing you're dealing with, so I'll be keeping you especially in my prayers. And on a non-med note, if possible, I highly recommend getting together with your friends whenever you feel well enough (and have done a little homework). It can be so important to keeping relationships open and to just hang out for a few hours.
All the best!
I don't regularly follow your blog so I don't know the whole story on your son's migraines, but just wanted to let you know that I had a coworker who had debilitating migraines. She saw a chiropractor/nutritionalist that did food sensitivity testing on her. She found she had something called "leaky gut" and has been a on gluten free diet for over two years. I think she has had one migraine since changing her diet. I don't know if you have ever tried the route of food testing, but I have know several people that went to this Dr and they do not get headaches anymore. It's something to consider. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteSherrie, Thank you for your comment. Harry has had all of that testing done and we did avoid gluten for about 7 years. There seem to be many factors with his headaches and we are sporting them out slowly but I truly appreciate Anya no all ideas! So thank you!
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