Back to work!

Hi everyone! I thought I’d update you on the latest news. I met with the doctor on March 9th and my counts are still doing well. No sign on Leukemia J having said that, I am now back to work. Yipee!! I really enjoy what I do and I love the people I work with. They have been so welcoming. They gave me flowers and cards and gift cards to Whole Foods. (They’ve read my blog about how I had to change my diet J LoL) I missed them so much.

Physically everything is going well. I’m eating right, exercising and getting my sleep. However, I was going to write an update a few weeks ago and I was going to title it; Crashing and Burning. Emotionally and Spiritually I was doing just that, crashing and burning. If you were to talk to me a few weeks ago you might have wondered if I was the same woman who has written about trusting God and staying focused on Him and being at peace in the midst of trials. At the Ladies’ retreat I went to with my church, the topic was about Choosing Joy. The passage was 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances.” Joy is a choice. We can either choose to focus on all that is going wrong that we see from our perspective, or be joyful always by praying continually and giving thanks in all circumstances, knowing that God works all things out for the good of those who love him. He sees things a bit differently and in order for us to choose Joy, we need to pray of course, but also trust God that He knows your needs and we do that when we choose to give thanks in everything. He knows what you can handle. He uses suffering to shape our character and develop Christ like character. If we would do as Psalm 37:4 tells us; “Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give to you the desires of your heart.’ we would not be so caught up on the little things, or what we may perceive as big things. Our hearts desires are often misplaced. They are all about comfort, personal gratification, and security as we understand it; money in the bank, a good job, good health. God is talking about so much more not that good health and money in the bank aren’t important, but they should not be the primary center of out attention. Things are temporary. Life is fleeting. Hearts that desire knowing God and loving him first and foremost, leave a legacy and impact eternity. In my last update I mentioned wanting to leave a Legacy for my family and those who God brings into my life. If I’m so wrapped up in how I look or don’t look, if I have a job or the job I want, If we have money or not coming in, whether or not I get to go here or do this or that, then I miss out on what Life is really about. Loving God and loving others. Living out of an understanding of Gods grace for me and how I impart that grace to others. Growing in peace and coming alongside my family and then others in learning how to follow Christ, forgetting what is behind and pressing forward. Being joyful always in everything, knowing that we only have today and how we choose to live impacts us, those in our life and ultimately eternity. Be at rest. Take time to smell the roses so to speak. Slow down, think before you speak. Don’t live your life complaining about the things you cannot change, but embrace each day with a new perspective, God’s.

I can’t say this way of living comes naturally. I’m a perfectionist, and I was the one with a list of complaints just a few weeks ago, but God gave me a kick in the butt by a few people and reminded me that I was not choosing Joy and I was wasting my life and negatively impacting those around me and destroying my witness for Christ. Uggh!! What’s the name of that song by “Point of Grace” something like “It’s How You Live”? Anyway, I’m not sure about the song title, but those words are in the song and it should be the title, LOL. I do not want to go backwards and forget all that God has done for me and not be full of gratitude that I am alive and have a second lease on life. When we find ourselves backsliding, we simply repent and turn back to the Lord and move forward each day putting on our armor against doubt and fear and discouragement and stand firm and Know Your God and His purposes!!

Love you all!! Thank you for your continued prayers, support and encouragement.

~Edie