July 10th, 2013
It's hard to believe it's been over 5 months since I have blogged here. Truly, time just gets away from me anymore-but obviously there hasn't been anything majorly "pressing" on my heart or I would have shared here before now. Blogging is a source of release for me. A way to write my deepest heart thoughts and things on my mind-whether troubling things or joyful sharing. I choose to recognize God's presence in my life in both good and bad times-He is ever with me.
It is my lifestyle to begin my day with God's word in some way-sometimes it's through a reading of a daily Proverb, study that I am doing with a ladies class, a personal study with a friend, a devotional thought online, or even watching a video session with a bible teacher that teaches to my learning style. This week, I have been watching Beth Moore's video series on "Family Calamity and Restoration". As I watched the final one, I was struck by a story she shared that was SO powerful and so very relevant to my own life/the life of those that I love. I felt compelled to share the highlights of the series and wrap it up with the lesson I feel needs to be shared with others.
In this series, she talks about how families (whether physical or spiritual) face some very hard times because the enemy (Satan) is always lurking about to destroy us. As the series progresses, she begins to explain how important it is for just ONE person to change the direction of the calamity so that it is headed in the direction of restoration. The particular story that she shared to illustrate this was about her husband's family. When he was a young boy (2 yrs), his "older" brother (then 3 yrs) and he were playing in the garage and the brother dumped a gas can into the floor and the flame from the hot water heater caused an explosion which ultimately took the life of his younger brother. She spoke of YEARS of his family grappling with the grief/loss/what they might have done to prevent it, what they could learn from it, etc... all things that come through the healing process of grief. She also shared that one of her husband's sisters now has a grown son that just completed fireman training and is going to be a fireman. She said that she found it so interesting that as PROUD of him as everyone was, NO ONE seemed to "get" the connection between the loss of a family member to a fire and now ANOTHER family member is going to make it his life's occupation to save others from fire. This struck me in a powerful way. It brought up SO many things that I feel apply in my own life/the life of those I love.
I am very open about the tragedy my own family experienced in the loss of my mother. My mother lost her life due to a post weight loss surgery complication. 12 years later, there are still questions that crowd my mind, from time to time, about all of the circumstances that surrounded my Mom's death. They certainly don't "consume" me in anyway-because even if I knew all of the "answers" it wouldn't change the outcome. However, I am a person that seeks wisdom. I believe that wisdom is learning from "others" situations-both good and bad. I learned a LOT when I lost my Mom-there is not enough blogging space in the world to type all the things that one tragedy taught me. But, today, while I was watching that video, it struck me that I am not the only one that has learned a LOT from that tragedy or had their life affected in some powerful way. I would like to share what I believe is part of the "restoration" of my family through this tragedy.
My daughter, Rebecca, has been "home" with us here in Arizona this summer working an internship at a fitness center, part of the requirement she has to graduate from college next May with a degree in Exercise Science (nutrition/exercise degree). She has had an amazing journey during this internship-she has developed/taught pilates and stability ball workouts/classes. Her boss has given her some amazing advice about how to accomplish the goals she has for getting various certifications in the fitness field when she graduates next year. Her boss has been "inspired/encouraged" by my daughter's abilities/desires/passion for health and nutrition. Her boss has told her time/again how she is DEFINITELY well suited for the field of exercise/nutrition and my daughter has impressed her with her knowledge/willingness to learn as much as she can. I have attended Rebecca's classes-WOW, she is quite the instructor! She is truly dedicated/committed to health/exercise and so incredibly self disciplined/motivating to others. I am so very happy for her, that she has "found" something that she is passionate about. However, I believe it is highly possible that she did not just "find" this career path, but that she is on this path that God had planned for her to be the ONE that turns our family calamity into restoration. She is taking a strength/passion that God has given her and is using it to help encourage/improve others lifestyles so that they can be healthy. You may be wondering "how" does this all tie together?
It's interesting-a few weeks back, Rebecca and I were talking about grandparents and she said she doesn't really remember my Mom. The conversation began because a dear friend of ours lost his Dad and his daughter (who is the age now that Rebecca was when my Mom passed) gave a speech at the memorial service. I was telling Rebecca about how important grandparents are and how I've lost both of my Grandma's in the last year. I found it so fascinating that Rebecca did not remember my Mom, because she was 7 (nearly 8) when my Mom passed away. However, she VERY much remembers the way that my Mom's death has affected "her" Mom (me) and those in our family. She continues to see the affects that one event had on all of us-both good and bad. Particularly, Rebecca sees and has watched the affect this has had on my Dad's health, her PaPa. She has always been so very concerned about my Daddy. She was telling me that whenever my Daddy(her PaPa) passes away, it will be the first "big" loss she will ever have experienced, personally. I look at theses events and see definite connection. I don't believe it is mere "chance" that Rebecca is passionate/gifted in the area of health/nutrition. Instead, I see it as a wonderful/glorious opportunity that God is using to "restore" our family. Rebecca is the ONE that is changing the tide of bad health, poor exercise habits, poor nutrition, etc... in my family. She is "breaking a terrible cycle" that has already cost us so very much. She has chosen to "learn something" (demonstrating her wisdom) from others lifestyle choices and use it to help change things for her family. She has already had a positive affect on me, just being here this summer. I'm sure that, subconsciously, some of her reasoning for loving health/nutrition is that she wants to motivate her OWN Mom to be more active/be careful what she eats/etc... so that she doesn't find herself in the same situation (as a daughter) that I did 12 years ago. I want to honor her choice to follow the path that she has chosen and be here for her as she's getting married, raising children, etc... So many things that I've missed out on with my own Mom-if I can give them to her, it will be a gift at such little "cost" to me.
The benefits of better exercise/nutrition habits in my day to day life FAR outweigh the little I feel I am giving up. Particularly in regards to the extra stamina it gives me to do the Lord's work. I'm so proud of Rebecca for understanding that the PRIMARY motivation behind her choosing this path is that she wants to take care of her temple. The body that God gave her to use to serve Him in while she walks on this earth. It's not about "how she looks" (strictly the outer appearance), it's about having more energy, stamina, longevity of time to serve Him while she is here. It's about honoring God "in her body". I am thankful that God always has a plan for His people-a way to restore after calamity. I give Him glory/honor/praise for bringing Rebecca into our family to break a terrible cycle of poor health choices. Reminds me of what is said in the book of Esther-"who knows but that God has put you here for such a time as this". Truly, the greatest "restoration" we can have is the restored relationship with God. All paths of life lead us back there-to our starting point-our PURPOSE for living-to love/serve Him. I pray that I will continue to use my body for His glory/purpose on this earth just as my daughter, Rebecca, has chosen to do.
