This has been a year of many changes.  Yes, it’s been a roller coaster ride, but God has brought everything together so masterfully.  We’re in a wonderful home, which is almost completely remodeled – in only 5 months no less!  My parents are coming here for Christmas, and so are some relatives from Alabama.  I’m very excited about that.  Our church has been a blessing to us in many ways.  The lessons have been stirring, and I have continued to grow spiritually – even through this transition period.  Our children are healthy and well-behaved (around others anyway).  My husband is flourishing in his new job.  God has blessed us financially and with more family time.

Indeed, all these are good reasons to feel blessed.  But, I’m also thankful for the problems we’re not facing.  There are four people who are heavily on my heart as I approach this Christmas Day.  One is a very dear friend of mine who has had a very difficult year, and the other three are children who are fighting for their lives this very moment.  Please do me a tremendous favor and remember them in your prayers as you enjoy your holiday season.

My friend is a survivor of extreme child abuse and neglect and has made it her life’s calling to rehabilitate children with extreme behavior problems within the foster care system, and to help children who have nowhere to go and no one to care - because she's been there herself.  Through this life's work, she has adopted two of the children she had previously fostered.  She is absolutely amazing, although she doesn’t realize it.  She sacrifices so much in order to give these kids a chance.  For all her life, she’s had to fend for herself and face the world alone.  Trust me, you wouldn’t believe the things she’s been through.  Anyway, this has been a very tough year for her.  Her oldest child had to be placed in a children’s home because he had become violent toward her, injuring her multiple times (with increased intensity) and finally threatening to kill her – even before witnesses.  Soon after this, she became sick with what appeared to be the flu.  She became increasingly weak – to the point of not being able to stand and sit.  When her liver began to fail, she sought medical help.  Many tests were run before they diagnosed her with a disorder called polymyositis – a rare, debilitating muscle disease that disables muscle function.  After weeks in the hospital, and so far, months in rehab, she is still in the hospital.  For the first time in her life, she has had to depend on others (church family), and they have shown love to her in ways she’s never experienced in her life.  Her daughter is being cared for by one family, while several other families are caring for her on occasion to relieve the main caregivers.  This Christmas, my friend will be in the hospital, physically immobilized, with bills stacking up, on leave w/o pay, totally dependent on others to care for her and her daughter, with no real family.  What’s even scarier is the fact that when she’s released, she’ll be the sole caregiver of a daughter with special needs – and confined to a wheel chair with limited mobility of her trunk and arms.  She’s one of the most brave…most determined… most honorable people I know…and I love her dearly.  I just wish she would believe in and accept love.

Ethan (12 months old) and Maddie (6 years old) are unrelated and are both at St. Jude’s hospital in Memphis.  These two children have fought a losing battle with cancer for all or most of their lives.  Over the past week, Maddie was taken off treatment and given 1-2 more weeks.  Ethan’s parents were planning to make a last ditch effort at one more stem cell transplant (not recommended by the doctors), but now his white blood cells are skyrocketing and the leukemia is trying to finish him off.  At this time, the second transplant attempt may not even be allowed.  It’s looking very grim for Ethan right now.  The parents of both children have maintained websites.  Feel free to read their stories:

http://ethanpowell.com/Encrypted.cfm?id=121

http://www.caringbridge.org/tn/madelyn/index.htm.

Finally, a friend from my former congregation has a brand new baby niece who was born weighing only 1 lb, 15 ozs. a few days ago.  At first, she seemed remarkably healthy, but problems arose.  First there was an infection that would not go away, and then her kidneys started to fail.  The kidneys were restored, but then she had to have a heart procedure today, and finally a lung collapsed.  *sigh*  Things aren’t looking very good for Hailey.  She, and all these children, are the parents’ first child, so I the emotions they’re going through are unimaginable to me.

I’m blessed to have the challenges I have with my kids – because I have 3 healthy kids who love and respect the Lord and their parents.  I’m blessed to have a husband who irritates me on occasion – because he loves the Lord, he loves me, and he is an amazing contributor to this family.  I’m blessed to never have a 'quiet moment to myself' and to have 'unending chores' to do – because I’m not alone…

Have a very merry Christmas, and please don't forget to count your blessings. 

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Posted by mijubrifarms

Hey Girl,
Just thought I'd check in and let you know that I'm alive and well, just busy as he**. Thanks for posting about all these amazing people. It helps me keep things in perspective. I'll keep your friends in my prayers.
Hopefully, I'll get back to blogging soon; before the new semester gears up. Hope you had a beautiful holiday.
Julie

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