Summer Storms

This summer was intense! Not with bad weather as the title might suggest, but with the storms of life. 

June 

This month saw James home on leave from Korea before he headed to Ft. Leonard Wood, Missouri for his next station.  Personality conflicts with his girlfriend kept us all wondering why they were even together. The night before he left, he admitted things werent right, but decided not to change them.  Our hearts remain burdened for his spiritual health and the future of their relationship.

July

Justin came home on leave from Korea, for 3 weeks.  He surprised his girlfriend and thus ensued a beautiful courtship with the promise of marriage in a year or so depending on his deployment schedule.  Before he left to head back to Korea he even picked out an engagement ring for her.  There was a huge kerfuffle among her close knit family and church, but God intervened and it seemed that all things were right and stronger.   His girl and I spent many hours discussing wedding plans and ideas and she we visited together as much as our schedule permitted. She started calling us Mom and Dad and spent time with us even after Justin left. 

August

August was one of the roughest months of my life.  I had prayed for Ted's job situatuion that would require him to be out of town to be delayed until after the boys left again.  God answered that prayer, but what ensued was a month where  Ted and I saw each other about 24 hours each week and most of those were sleeping or going to church.  I did not handle this separation very well.  Then Justin's little cat died and I had to bury it by myself.  God and I had many numerous talks,  I would often raise my voice, but He always remained calm and comforting. 

Justin's girl came last weekend to see us,  she had some concerns about their relationship, but I thought she was in for the duration.  She went to pick out his wedding band and look at rings with us last Friday.  

September

Unfortunately, in the middle of this week,  she started acting reallly strange and  called Justin yesterday and broke it off with him.  She has then gone to the extent of acting like none of us were ever in her life! I mourned for this all day yesterday and through the night,  and Ted and I have actively kept Justin bolstered through this shocking turn of events as he is 8,000 miles away and can't do anything.  Needless to say, this is yet another storm in this short summer time.  God has truly been my comfort.  

I also went back on my diet and have been trying to exercise and lose weight and stay healthy.   I also started a diary.  This way I can vent to God and put my thoughts on paper and not keep them bottled up inside.  I can then go back and see how God has worked these situations out or how He has taught me or consoled me through them.  We are earnestly praying for God to put Ted in a job that will not keep him out of home and church and family.  This job literally consumes him and he can't do anything about it. 

I had so many beautiful pictures I wanted to share from this summer, but with all that has happened just this week,  those pictures are just a memory of what could have been. 

I do not know what tomorrow will bring,  or how much the thunder will roll, or where the lightening will strike, but I am safe in the boat with Jesus, and I know I won't drown. My boat may be full of water, and seem like it's sinking, but I will just trust in God to get me to the other shore.