An Unexpected Year

Ok, so I really did expect 2018 to arrive, but the events in it?  Not so much.  What to do with a year like this one?  I have had to really work on how to have good days in the midst of hard things.  Biopsies, surgeries, treatments, multiple pokings and then a missing dog!  I will be the first to admit that I am not always successful at seeing good days.  Sometimes I lie in bed, or sit in a chair, and just wish everything was "normal".  But I really do believe that Heavenly Father knows what He is doing, and He knows when things are hard for me.  I believe He sends us what we need to get through things, but it is our job to look for those things, and to be grateful for them.  Here are a few things I am thankful for:

1.  People.  Family, friends, medical personnel, neighbors, strangers.  People who are nice.  People who care for other people -- in this case me.  I would not do well without all of the good, kind people I know, and the ones I met, and even the ones I don't know who have smiled and been encouraging in some way.

2.  Music.  Derek gave me Alexa for his birthday (He's nice like that).  I like asking her to play whichever artists I can come up with names for.  I tried David Osmond.  She said, "shuffling songs by David Osmond".  She then proceeded to play exactly one song.   I have listened to it over, and over, and over.   The song is by Shawna Edwards and I love the words. "If we seek the light when peace is hard to find, He'll send us silent nights and touch our ears so we can hear an angel voice.  And in the darkest times He will lift our eyes to see the star still shines."  In the hospital, after some hard days, I was blessed with peaceful nights, and was very thankful. You can listen here.  It will likely give you a commercial first.  Sorry!

3.  Prayers, and the faith of others.  I pray, and it has helped me through some tough things, but the prayers of others helped too, both with my challenges and when Teddy the dog went missing.  We looked for him for hours, and we were all so sad, and I was so discouraged and worried.  Before going to bed on the second night Teddy was missing Dan said, "Mom, I will pray for Teddy again that he will come home -- like I prayed last night.  When I prayed last night I got a warm feeling, so I think he will be okay and will come home.  I don't know when.  But he will come home."  I am so thankful for the faith of my 11 year old!  I needed it in that moment.  Today, when I was out looking for Teddy and praying aloud asking if Heavenly Father could please just have Teddy walk home -- Teddy walked home.

Even in a "normal" year I am thankful for the things listed above, but in an unexpected year, or more accurately a year with many unexpected challenges, my need for these things is magnified, and hopefully my gratitude for them is too.