**BEFORE STARTING THIS LETTER, MAKE SURE YOU TURN OFF THE MUSIC ON THE MUSIC PLAYER! DON'T TURN DOWN YOUR VOLUME. JUST CLICK STOP ON THE MUSIC PLAYER. YOU NEED THE VOLUME FOR THE END OF THE LETTER!!!**
12/30/07
Hello, all!!! I hope this letter finds you all doing well!! For those of you who get a Christmas card from me every year, you’ve probably guessed I’m a little behind this year. Some of you probably haven’t even gotten your card yet. But don’t worry…you will in the next day or so. Life just seemed to be a little busier this year than years past and the things going on in the lives of my friends and family took priority over my cards this year. And yes, I could have easily gone out and bought some cards from a store (which are beautiful) but that’s not me! So you’ll get your Christmas cards, well, New Year’s cards now…just some will be a few days late!
Also, some of you get a Christmas letter with your Christmas card. If you’re someone I unfortunately don’t talk to nearly enough, you get a letter every year updating you on the lives of us Lamberts. That didn’t happen this year either but that’s ok because this is it!! This is the letter and EVERYONE on my list is getting it. It’s been quite a year so this will probably be longer than most but that’s ok. It also has something attached that you don’t normal get in a card so sit back and enjoy a little reading!
It’s really hard to sum up 2007 in just a few words…or sentences for that matter. 2007 has been unlike any other year in my short 29 years of life. I don’t want to get too personal as far as the lives of those around me so I’m going to try to be careful but 2007 proved to be a year where I learned to really rely on God in His understanding of how this life works.
2007 started off with quite a shock with the death in the family of a friend of mine. And although this wasn’t someone I knew well personally, it still affected my life because it affected hers. The year began with her world being turned upside down. The song that came to mind then was “Love Them Like Jesus” by Casting Crowns because I honestly had no idea what to do or say. The other song that came to mind was “Praise Him in The Storm.” That’s a song that got me through another rough spot in my life. Little did I know that those songs would continue to play a huge role in my life.
On top of that, another friend of mine was dealing with a situation that I hope I never have to deal with. And one, I’m not sure I even understand. And again, I had no answers for her. All I could do was be her friend and support her in her decisions. Whether that was quite the right move, I’ll never know. But I continue to pray for her as she continues through this chapter in her life.
I helped throw a baby shower for my life-long friend Kelly in March!! We had so much fun!! Kelly was so excited! It was so much fun to spend the day with her family and other friends and just shower her with gifts!! Plus, she was having a girl so it was tons of fun to buy lots of pinks and purples!
For those of you who know me pretty well, you know that I was a member of the Women’s Ministry group at my church. And I love it!! I’ve met some amazing women through this team. In about March I think it was, our leader let us know that she would be stepping down in Aug. I had no idea what that would bring about for me. Theresa is an amazing woman and someone I really look up to. And I feel so blessed to be given the chance to get to know her and be a part of her life.
I signed up to start selling scrapbook products in April! I now sell Close to My Heart products!! I really did it for the discount and to be able to get the products whenever I wanted! I love their products and use a lot of them for my business so this was a great opportunity for me! It’s been fun and a learning experience! But I also sold way more this year than I thought I would!! Plus I’ve done more scrapbooking than I usually do. I’m behind again but I’m sure I’ll get caught up this winter.
My best friend Shanda had her second little boy on April 14th. Kale Michael. So adorable!! Just like his older brother Keagen Matthew! It was a fun few days for me. Our friend Fawne and I shared “custody” of Keagen while Shanda and her husband Dustin were in the hospital with Kale. That was a fun experience! We still joke that together we barely made a whole parent!! It was so much fun though watching their family grow again and getting to be a part of that. Doesn’t get much better than another baby coming into the world!
At the end of April, I led a group of women from our church to the Women of Faith conference down in Columbus. We had gone the year before but it was to Cleveland. So this was our first experience down in Columbus. And we had a great time. There’s nothing like the Women of Faith experience. Wow. It’s an amazing experience and one I hope to be able to experience for many years to come.
While we were gone for the weekend, the current women’s ministry leader brought it to my attention that she believed that I was the woman that God wanted to lead women’s ministry next. HA, HA, HA. Believe me; I got a good laugh out of that one! Yes, it crossed my mind but I thought I had made it very clear to God that the answer was NO. Yes, I also know how well that works but still! The conversation came up that weekend several times and just not from the current leader. So God and I talked again…but apparently He wasn’t listening.
We came home from our Women of Faith weekend to another shock. While Mom and I were gone at Women of Faith, Dad had taken himself to the emergency room. He now had a catheter in (hopefully I spelled that right). Basically his prostate was swollen. Not a good sign. So that Mon. morning, the three of us went to my doctor. Now, Mom has her own Dr. and I go to the clinic here in town and so I have my own doctor. But dad hasn’t been to the doctor in YEARS so he didn’t have one and there was no way he’d be able to get into mom’s on such short notice. That’s why we went to mine. He got right in and he LOVED Dr. Atkins.
But unfortunately, a bunch of tests later, Dad was diagnosed with prostate cancer. I can’t say it was a complete surprise. Grandpa Lambert and Dad’s Uncle Lymon both had prostate cancer. We knew it was always a possibly but it’s still hard to hear. To make a long story short, Dad was referred to a VERY good doctor in Toledo. Mom and Dad loved him as well and he scheduled Dad to have surgery in Aug.
In the mean time, my friend Kelly gave birth to her second little girl in May. Absolutely beautiful of course! But unfortunately, the birth of her little girl preceded the death of her grandmother. Kelly’s grandmother passed away just a few days later. Again, what do you say? Kelly should be so excited about the birth of her baby girl but she’s so sad about the death of her grandmother. Sometimes life just doesn’t make sense does it?
No summer vacations for me. Just work! A few days off of work here and there but nothing major. And that was ok. I think you will all agree with me when I say that money seems tighter this year and part of it has to do with gas prices. The thought of driving anywhere just isn’t nearly as appealing as it used to be when gas is somewhere around $3/gallon!
My 10 year Class Reunion was in the summer though. July actually. And I’ll be honest, I didn’t want to go!!!!!!! I liked high school and all but a reunion? Really? I could spend time with some of those friends whenever. But the truth was, there were some friends I hadn’t seen since graduation almost that I wanted to see again and this was our chance. And I must say, I’m so glad I went. There were several of us that were friends in high school that really spent the evening together and I think it’s safe to say that we all kind of dreaded the idea of the reunion at first. But we had a blast together! It was sad to see it end really. I hope that it doesn’t take us another 10 years to get together again. I’m glad I got that chance to reconnect with them again.
Shanda’s oldest little boy Keagen turned 4 in Sept! And although he’s not my child, I enjoy sharing in his birthdays just as much as his mom and dad do I think! It’s just so much fun to watch kids get excited. It definitely reminds you of what it’s like to be a kid and to enjoy life so much. Keagen’s Shrek party was a blast and it’s hard not to smile when you see children enjoying a day as much as he did!!
Unfortunately, the actual day of Keagen’s birthday was not the greatest for me and others around me. My mom called me the day after Labor Day (the day after Keagen’s birthday) to tell me that our friend Jeff Hutchison and his son Jeremy were missing. Jeff, Jeremy and Joel (his youngest son) had been on their way home from Kelley’s Island in Jeff’s plane on Mon. evening and now they were missing. The Hutchison’s have been a part of my life for so long. They were a family who attended Gardendale Church of God where Mom and Dad go and where I grew up at. I remember seeing Jeff almost every week and watching their children grow in that church. We lost Jeff and Jeremy in that plane crash but God was good. Joel had made it and he has become quite the little testimony. It was just so hard to understand though. This family had already lost a little girl years before. And now this? How much can one family take? But again, all I could hear was “Love Them Like Jesus.” As hard as those next few days were, I was reminded of what it’s like to be a child of God. Even though Joel is only 7, he had complete faith that God would send someone to rescue him and God did. And he has complete faith that he was see his daddy and his brother again someday. Wow, to have solid faith like that. Joel knew he was being taken care of and he knew that God was in control. AMAZING. As we spend the next few days watching the many people that had been touched by Jeff, Jeremy or anyone else in that family, we were overwhelmed with what God had done and what was still doing. Joyce (Jeff’s wife), Josh (the oldest), Jennifer, and Joel will never be the same. And I imagine that today was a very hard day for them. Gardendale Church of God will never be the same. As I walked through the doors of the church the other night for their Christmas Eve service, I was reminded of the loss. Jeff was always somewhere near the door to greet me. The loss was felt. I miss him. But I’m trying to have the faith of a 7 year old. Jeff and Jeremy are with God. They’re in good hands. And I know I’ll see them again someday.
Remember me saying that God wasn’t listening when I told him no? Well, He still hadn’t gotten the clue in Sept. Or maybe it was me that hadn’t gotten the clue? After lots of praying (and a little fighting), I took over the Women’s Ministry group at my church. I’ve been so nervous! I’ve never thought of myself as that type of leader. Plus I feel so young!! But I have a great committee behind me and they’ve been nothing but supportive. I’ve got a lot to learn and I know this is going to be quite an experience. But God has put me here for a reason so I’m ready! (Well, as ready as I’ll ever be!)
I had a great 29th birthday! I’m not one of those people that’s dreading 30! And that’s probably because I don’t look anywhere near 30! And that’s not me bragging! I hear it a lot! I still get carded for rated R movies from time to time! But honestly, my birthday this year really was awesome! I’d have to say that the two tickets to the Ohio State game were my favorite!!! I got to take my friend Sarah along with me and we had a blast!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Unfortunately, though, I had to miss Kale’s dedication. That really was a hard decision for me.) And not only did I get to see the Buckeyes play, but I got to spend time with my friend Sarah again. We don’t get to spend nearly enough time together (although we had a few days together in Aug) and it was so wonderful to just get that extra time with her. And now that she’s overseas serving our country for a few weeks, I’m even more grateful for that time.
In the midst of all of this though, my Dad decided he did not want to have surgery. One day while mom and I were both at work, Dad called the surgeon in Toledo and cancelled his surgery. He said he believed that God was going to heal him. I won’t lie. Mom and I were pretty angry at first. It felt so unfair that he made this decision without us but in the end, we knew we had to support him and so we did. And we prayed that whatever God had in store, we’d know that He was in control.
I spent the end of Sept. on a small girl's weekend with my friends Shanda, Fawne and Toni. It was just two days but it was a blast!!! We shopped!! And that’s honestly not something we get to do a lot of! And we goofed off a lot! It was just a great way to spend two days with friends! We have some silly but memorable pictures of our weekend and I can’t wait until we do it again! I hope that it becomes a tradition for us!
Just when it felt like maybe 2007 would end slightly better than it began; the world seemed to flip upside down again. Our friend Toni, the same Toni we spent our girls weekend with, lost her son at the beginning of Nov. I’m not sure I’ll ever forget the phone call I got from Shanda that day. And I know I’ll never understand. I know I’ll never understand that violence and the hatred in this world. But I remembered something said a few years ago when one of the babies from our nursery at work had passed away. The pastor at his funeral said, “There are some things we just won’t understand this side of Heaven.” And isn’t that the truth? Isn’t that exactly it? I can sit and think things through everyday all day long, and I still won’t understand. It’s not meant for me to understand. This was a terrible tragedy. And it felt almost as if you were watching it from a distance. Things like that aren’t supposed to happen to those around you. But it did. Now what?
“Love them like Jesus, carry them to Him, His yoke is easy, His burden is light. You don’t need the answers to the all the right questions, just know that He loves them and stays by their side.”
And it was so hard to do. It was so hard to look at Toni and not have the answers…not to know what to say or do. So I did the only thing that I knew God wanted of me…and that was to hold her. And most importantly to allow Him to hold her. Her family is on my mind heavy today. I imagine she’s really struggling without her son during this time of year. It’s hard to be in the spirit of things when something has been taken from you so abruptly. But I believe that God will get them through this. And although we’ll never understand why, she’ll be comforted knowing that God knows and He’s ultimately in control.
I haven’t mentioned Snoodles yet! But that’s because she’s got a major story of her own. Around the end of Nov, she got VERY sick. Not to be gross or anything, but she spent an entire 24 hour period puking. By the next morning, we knew we had to do something so Dad took her directly to the vet as soon as they opened. They decided to keep her for observation. It didn’t take them long to realize that she had some type of obstruction. So they gave her barium hoping that would bring it out. But at 5:00pm, I got the call I had been dreading all day long. Snoodles needed surgery. We all cried and cried. Dog surgery was not in the budget but I will say this…God provided. And Snoodles had emergency surgery that evening and is back to running the house! We cried so much that evening and even the next morning. Snoodles is a part of this family. We tease her about getting rid of her when she’s done something wrong (or just gotten on our nerves) but we couldn’t imagine our home without her now. It was so strange for her to be gone that night. We’re so glad to have her back!!
Mom and Dad celebrated their 33rd wedding anniversary on Dec. 14. And boy, did they get an amazing gift! Dad had appointment that morning to check his latest PSA numbers. They were 7.8 when he was originally diagnosed with prostate cancer. THEY’RE NOW 3.8!!! Dr. Atkins looked right at him and said, “Looks like we’re getting that miracle we’ve been praying for!” The numbers have gone down without ANY treatment what-so-ever!!! GOD IS GOOD!! He doesn’t have to go back until March and Dr. Atkins says if his numbers at 2.5, then he’s out of the woods…and so that’s what we believe they’re going to be!
Unfortunately, we lost another friend just about two weeks ago. Jeanne Hoover. I used to work with her at the Learning Tree. But she was known and loved by so many. Jeanne had been an employee at the Tree for 27 years so many kids had passed through those doors and the arms of Hoover. But Jeanne is in a better place. Cancer no longer runs through her body. She’s no longer in pain. And it doesn’t get much better than spending Christmas in the presence of the one born on Christmas day!!!
Mom had a pretty good year health wise. She’s been much healthier this year. Plus she’s gaining some weight! (Some days I feel like she’s eating us out of house and home!) And of course, she’s still rotten as usual!
In some ways, it’s really hard for me to say I had a good year! My friends are like my family so when something happens in their lives, it affects me as well. And this year has been quite a year. Unfortunately we experienced a lot of loss around us. But I really am blessed. Heavenly Creations is doing well. Steady business (although I have taken about the last month off). I’ve been blessed with new friends…and old ones returning. My parents are in good health. I’m in good health. I love my job. I’m surrounded by amazing people who challenge me everyday to be a better person. God has been very good to me.
Whatever 2008 brings, I pray that He continues to surround me with His love and His peace. There will always be bad times to go along with the good. I just pray that no matter what, I stand in the knowledge that He is ultimately in control. And I pray the same for you.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Deidra Faith
P.S. Make sure to take some time to watch the little video I put together. More than likely your picture is included! Unfortunately, I couldn’t put all of the pictures I wanted to so I may have missed a person or two. But I just wanted to show you just a little bit of what the Lord has blessed me with this year. I hope you enjoy!
12/30/07
Hello, all!!! I hope this letter finds you all doing well!! For those of you who get a Christmas card from me every year, you’ve probably guessed I’m a little behind this year. Some of you probably haven’t even gotten your card yet. But don’t worry…you will in the next day or so. Life just seemed to be a little busier this year than years past and the things going on in the lives of my friends and family took priority over my cards this year. And yes, I could have easily gone out and bought some cards from a store (which are beautiful) but that’s not me! So you’ll get your Christmas cards, well, New Year’s cards now…just some will be a few days late!
Also, some of you get a Christmas letter with your Christmas card. If you’re someone I unfortunately don’t talk to nearly enough, you get a letter every year updating you on the lives of us Lamberts. That didn’t happen this year either but that’s ok because this is it!! This is the letter and EVERYONE on my list is getting it. It’s been quite a year so this will probably be longer than most but that’s ok. It also has something attached that you don’t normal get in a card so sit back and enjoy a little reading!
It’s really hard to sum up 2007 in just a few words…or sentences for that matter. 2007 has been unlike any other year in my short 29 years of life. I don’t want to get too personal as far as the lives of those around me so I’m going to try to be careful but 2007 proved to be a year where I learned to really rely on God in His understanding of how this life works.
2007 started off with quite a shock with the death in the family of a friend of mine. And although this wasn’t someone I knew well personally, it still affected my life because it affected hers. The year began with her world being turned upside down. The song that came to mind then was “Love Them Like Jesus” by Casting Crowns because I honestly had no idea what to do or say. The other song that came to mind was “Praise Him in The Storm.” That’s a song that got me through another rough spot in my life. Little did I know that those songs would continue to play a huge role in my life.
On top of that, another friend of mine was dealing with a situation that I hope I never have to deal with. And one, I’m not sure I even understand. And again, I had no answers for her. All I could do was be her friend and support her in her decisions. Whether that was quite the right move, I’ll never know. But I continue to pray for her as she continues through this chapter in her life.
I helped throw a baby shower for my life-long friend Kelly in March!! We had so much fun!! Kelly was so excited! It was so much fun to spend the day with her family and other friends and just shower her with gifts!! Plus, she was having a girl so it was tons of fun to buy lots of pinks and purples!
For those of you who know me pretty well, you know that I was a member of the Women’s Ministry group at my church. And I love it!! I’ve met some amazing women through this team. In about March I think it was, our leader let us know that she would be stepping down in Aug. I had no idea what that would bring about for me. Theresa is an amazing woman and someone I really look up to. And I feel so blessed to be given the chance to get to know her and be a part of her life.
I signed up to start selling scrapbook products in April! I now sell Close to My Heart products!! I really did it for the discount and to be able to get the products whenever I wanted! I love their products and use a lot of them for my business so this was a great opportunity for me! It’s been fun and a learning experience! But I also sold way more this year than I thought I would!! Plus I’ve done more scrapbooking than I usually do. I’m behind again but I’m sure I’ll get caught up this winter.
My best friend Shanda had her second little boy on April 14th. Kale Michael. So adorable!! Just like his older brother Keagen Matthew! It was a fun few days for me. Our friend Fawne and I shared “custody” of Keagen while Shanda and her husband Dustin were in the hospital with Kale. That was a fun experience! We still joke that together we barely made a whole parent!! It was so much fun though watching their family grow again and getting to be a part of that. Doesn’t get much better than another baby coming into the world!
At the end of April, I led a group of women from our church to the Women of Faith conference down in Columbus. We had gone the year before but it was to Cleveland. So this was our first experience down in Columbus. And we had a great time. There’s nothing like the Women of Faith experience. Wow. It’s an amazing experience and one I hope to be able to experience for many years to come.
While we were gone for the weekend, the current women’s ministry leader brought it to my attention that she believed that I was the woman that God wanted to lead women’s ministry next. HA, HA, HA. Believe me; I got a good laugh out of that one! Yes, it crossed my mind but I thought I had made it very clear to God that the answer was NO. Yes, I also know how well that works but still! The conversation came up that weekend several times and just not from the current leader. So God and I talked again…but apparently He wasn’t listening.
We came home from our Women of Faith weekend to another shock. While Mom and I were gone at Women of Faith, Dad had taken himself to the emergency room. He now had a catheter in (hopefully I spelled that right). Basically his prostate was swollen. Not a good sign. So that Mon. morning, the three of us went to my doctor. Now, Mom has her own Dr. and I go to the clinic here in town and so I have my own doctor. But dad hasn’t been to the doctor in YEARS so he didn’t have one and there was no way he’d be able to get into mom’s on such short notice. That’s why we went to mine. He got right in and he LOVED Dr. Atkins.
But unfortunately, a bunch of tests later, Dad was diagnosed with prostate cancer. I can’t say it was a complete surprise. Grandpa Lambert and Dad’s Uncle Lymon both had prostate cancer. We knew it was always a possibly but it’s still hard to hear. To make a long story short, Dad was referred to a VERY good doctor in Toledo. Mom and Dad loved him as well and he scheduled Dad to have surgery in Aug.
In the mean time, my friend Kelly gave birth to her second little girl in May. Absolutely beautiful of course! But unfortunately, the birth of her little girl preceded the death of her grandmother. Kelly’s grandmother passed away just a few days later. Again, what do you say? Kelly should be so excited about the birth of her baby girl but she’s so sad about the death of her grandmother. Sometimes life just doesn’t make sense does it?
No summer vacations for me. Just work! A few days off of work here and there but nothing major. And that was ok. I think you will all agree with me when I say that money seems tighter this year and part of it has to do with gas prices. The thought of driving anywhere just isn’t nearly as appealing as it used to be when gas is somewhere around $3/gallon!
My 10 year Class Reunion was in the summer though. July actually. And I’ll be honest, I didn’t want to go!!!!!!! I liked high school and all but a reunion? Really? I could spend time with some of those friends whenever. But the truth was, there were some friends I hadn’t seen since graduation almost that I wanted to see again and this was our chance. And I must say, I’m so glad I went. There were several of us that were friends in high school that really spent the evening together and I think it’s safe to say that we all kind of dreaded the idea of the reunion at first. But we had a blast together! It was sad to see it end really. I hope that it doesn’t take us another 10 years to get together again. I’m glad I got that chance to reconnect with them again.
Shanda’s oldest little boy Keagen turned 4 in Sept! And although he’s not my child, I enjoy sharing in his birthdays just as much as his mom and dad do I think! It’s just so much fun to watch kids get excited. It definitely reminds you of what it’s like to be a kid and to enjoy life so much. Keagen’s Shrek party was a blast and it’s hard not to smile when you see children enjoying a day as much as he did!!
Unfortunately, the actual day of Keagen’s birthday was not the greatest for me and others around me. My mom called me the day after Labor Day (the day after Keagen’s birthday) to tell me that our friend Jeff Hutchison and his son Jeremy were missing. Jeff, Jeremy and Joel (his youngest son) had been on their way home from Kelley’s Island in Jeff’s plane on Mon. evening and now they were missing. The Hutchison’s have been a part of my life for so long. They were a family who attended Gardendale Church of God where Mom and Dad go and where I grew up at. I remember seeing Jeff almost every week and watching their children grow in that church. We lost Jeff and Jeremy in that plane crash but God was good. Joel had made it and he has become quite the little testimony. It was just so hard to understand though. This family had already lost a little girl years before. And now this? How much can one family take? But again, all I could hear was “Love Them Like Jesus.” As hard as those next few days were, I was reminded of what it’s like to be a child of God. Even though Joel is only 7, he had complete faith that God would send someone to rescue him and God did. And he has complete faith that he was see his daddy and his brother again someday. Wow, to have solid faith like that. Joel knew he was being taken care of and he knew that God was in control. AMAZING. As we spend the next few days watching the many people that had been touched by Jeff, Jeremy or anyone else in that family, we were overwhelmed with what God had done and what was still doing. Joyce (Jeff’s wife), Josh (the oldest), Jennifer, and Joel will never be the same. And I imagine that today was a very hard day for them. Gardendale Church of God will never be the same. As I walked through the doors of the church the other night for their Christmas Eve service, I was reminded of the loss. Jeff was always somewhere near the door to greet me. The loss was felt. I miss him. But I’m trying to have the faith of a 7 year old. Jeff and Jeremy are with God. They’re in good hands. And I know I’ll see them again someday.
Remember me saying that God wasn’t listening when I told him no? Well, He still hadn’t gotten the clue in Sept. Or maybe it was me that hadn’t gotten the clue? After lots of praying (and a little fighting), I took over the Women’s Ministry group at my church. I’ve been so nervous! I’ve never thought of myself as that type of leader. Plus I feel so young!! But I have a great committee behind me and they’ve been nothing but supportive. I’ve got a lot to learn and I know this is going to be quite an experience. But God has put me here for a reason so I’m ready! (Well, as ready as I’ll ever be!)
I had a great 29th birthday! I’m not one of those people that’s dreading 30! And that’s probably because I don’t look anywhere near 30! And that’s not me bragging! I hear it a lot! I still get carded for rated R movies from time to time! But honestly, my birthday this year really was awesome! I’d have to say that the two tickets to the Ohio State game were my favorite!!! I got to take my friend Sarah along with me and we had a blast!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Unfortunately, though, I had to miss Kale’s dedication. That really was a hard decision for me.) And not only did I get to see the Buckeyes play, but I got to spend time with my friend Sarah again. We don’t get to spend nearly enough time together (although we had a few days together in Aug) and it was so wonderful to just get that extra time with her. And now that she’s overseas serving our country for a few weeks, I’m even more grateful for that time.
In the midst of all of this though, my Dad decided he did not want to have surgery. One day while mom and I were both at work, Dad called the surgeon in Toledo and cancelled his surgery. He said he believed that God was going to heal him. I won’t lie. Mom and I were pretty angry at first. It felt so unfair that he made this decision without us but in the end, we knew we had to support him and so we did. And we prayed that whatever God had in store, we’d know that He was in control.
I spent the end of Sept. on a small girl's weekend with my friends Shanda, Fawne and Toni. It was just two days but it was a blast!!! We shopped!! And that’s honestly not something we get to do a lot of! And we goofed off a lot! It was just a great way to spend two days with friends! We have some silly but memorable pictures of our weekend and I can’t wait until we do it again! I hope that it becomes a tradition for us!
Just when it felt like maybe 2007 would end slightly better than it began; the world seemed to flip upside down again. Our friend Toni, the same Toni we spent our girls weekend with, lost her son at the beginning of Nov. I’m not sure I’ll ever forget the phone call I got from Shanda that day. And I know I’ll never understand. I know I’ll never understand that violence and the hatred in this world. But I remembered something said a few years ago when one of the babies from our nursery at work had passed away. The pastor at his funeral said, “There are some things we just won’t understand this side of Heaven.” And isn’t that the truth? Isn’t that exactly it? I can sit and think things through everyday all day long, and I still won’t understand. It’s not meant for me to understand. This was a terrible tragedy. And it felt almost as if you were watching it from a distance. Things like that aren’t supposed to happen to those around you. But it did. Now what?
“Love them like Jesus, carry them to Him, His yoke is easy, His burden is light. You don’t need the answers to the all the right questions, just know that He loves them and stays by their side.”
And it was so hard to do. It was so hard to look at Toni and not have the answers…not to know what to say or do. So I did the only thing that I knew God wanted of me…and that was to hold her. And most importantly to allow Him to hold her. Her family is on my mind heavy today. I imagine she’s really struggling without her son during this time of year. It’s hard to be in the spirit of things when something has been taken from you so abruptly. But I believe that God will get them through this. And although we’ll never understand why, she’ll be comforted knowing that God knows and He’s ultimately in control.
I haven’t mentioned Snoodles yet! But that’s because she’s got a major story of her own. Around the end of Nov, she got VERY sick. Not to be gross or anything, but she spent an entire 24 hour period puking. By the next morning, we knew we had to do something so Dad took her directly to the vet as soon as they opened. They decided to keep her for observation. It didn’t take them long to realize that she had some type of obstruction. So they gave her barium hoping that would bring it out. But at 5:00pm, I got the call I had been dreading all day long. Snoodles needed surgery. We all cried and cried. Dog surgery was not in the budget but I will say this…God provided. And Snoodles had emergency surgery that evening and is back to running the house! We cried so much that evening and even the next morning. Snoodles is a part of this family. We tease her about getting rid of her when she’s done something wrong (or just gotten on our nerves) but we couldn’t imagine our home without her now. It was so strange for her to be gone that night. We’re so glad to have her back!!
Mom and Dad celebrated their 33rd wedding anniversary on Dec. 14. And boy, did they get an amazing gift! Dad had appointment that morning to check his latest PSA numbers. They were 7.8 when he was originally diagnosed with prostate cancer. THEY’RE NOW 3.8!!! Dr. Atkins looked right at him and said, “Looks like we’re getting that miracle we’ve been praying for!” The numbers have gone down without ANY treatment what-so-ever!!! GOD IS GOOD!! He doesn’t have to go back until March and Dr. Atkins says if his numbers at 2.5, then he’s out of the woods…and so that’s what we believe they’re going to be!
Unfortunately, we lost another friend just about two weeks ago. Jeanne Hoover. I used to work with her at the Learning Tree. But she was known and loved by so many. Jeanne had been an employee at the Tree for 27 years so many kids had passed through those doors and the arms of Hoover. But Jeanne is in a better place. Cancer no longer runs through her body. She’s no longer in pain. And it doesn’t get much better than spending Christmas in the presence of the one born on Christmas day!!!
Mom had a pretty good year health wise. She’s been much healthier this year. Plus she’s gaining some weight! (Some days I feel like she’s eating us out of house and home!) And of course, she’s still rotten as usual!
In some ways, it’s really hard for me to say I had a good year! My friends are like my family so when something happens in their lives, it affects me as well. And this year has been quite a year. Unfortunately we experienced a lot of loss around us. But I really am blessed. Heavenly Creations is doing well. Steady business (although I have taken about the last month off). I’ve been blessed with new friends…and old ones returning. My parents are in good health. I’m in good health. I love my job. I’m surrounded by amazing people who challenge me everyday to be a better person. God has been very good to me.
Whatever 2008 brings, I pray that He continues to surround me with His love and His peace. There will always be bad times to go along with the good. I just pray that no matter what, I stand in the knowledge that He is ultimately in control. And I pray the same for you.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Deidra Faith
P.S. Make sure to take some time to watch the little video I put together. More than likely your picture is included! Unfortunately, I couldn’t put all of the pictures I wanted to so I may have missed a person or two. But I just wanted to show you just a little bit of what the Lord has blessed me with this year. I hope you enjoy!
Comments