Over a Year

I can't believe it's been over a year since I've penned a little about my thoughts. Today I'm feeling melancholy. It's my personality type, so I guess it's rightfully so. Nevertheless, I believe my heart is on my sleeve today.

I am so in love with my children. When they hurt, I hurt. When they are disappointed, I am disappointed. When they are happy, I'm happy for them. Through this year my oldest son tried his hardest to step up the ladder at work. Jumped through all the hoops, had to part with his family for the better of three months. Then the rug was pulled out from under him and he faced a disappointment I could feel 700 miles away. He's a fighter and will try again, but when one is faced with a major disappointment, what do you do? I try to be an encouragement to him, if it's only praying for him daily.
My daughter got married. She was surprised by this man who just dropped into her life. He took her off guard and swept her off her feet. They've been married almost five months now. I'm so happy for her. I want to hear her dreams for the future, her desires of her heart, and used to be that one. Happily I've been replaced, but I feel that empty nest syndrome again. I try to be an encouragement to her, if it's only praying for her daily.
My youngest son is going through a battle that is rarely heard about. His wife has amnesia. She doesn't know him. She doesn't know where she is and hasn't a clue who this man is that says he's her husband. When I talked to him this morning, my heart cried out. I didn't want to startle him with my emotions, but I tried to be an encouragement to him, if it was only a silent prayer for him and his wife.
My sweet friend Kerma lost her mother last November, and in the same week lost her 24 year old cat, Calli. Yesterday her father died suddenly. She's in New Hampshire, he's in Missouri. I tried to be an encouragement to her by praying over the phone with her.

Today as I talked with one of the ministers I work with, he stopped us in the middle of our meeting and prayed for these people.
As I walked down the hallway at work this morning, a sweet woman said "Ouida, we just got out of prayer group and I prayed for you out loud."
I am blessed to be a part of a praying church and am blessed that even at this moment, someone is praying for my sons, my daughter, my friend. It is humbling to know that our Father hears us.
You are an encouragement to me...mostly when you're praying for me. Thank you for lifting me up over this year. I feel like I've been in the eye of a hurricane, and now passing through the other side.
It's going to get rough, but God, my Husband is by my side. He is bigger than the wind, bigger than the storm and he is the gentle whisper in my soul.