The weeks are blending together. Work is busy; not yet a whirlwind, but with the first few days of warm, sunny weather, it will be. Kids are doing their school thing. Tara is trying to get more and more involved in home life. It is the first week without help at home since a week before surgery. While that is slightly overwhelming for her, it is also a welcome challenge….I think.
The reality of life has struck. Day 1 of life without help at home went well, but Tara is spent. I try to look ahead to see when it will be different, and I just can’t see it. I want so bad for Tara to be back to her old self, and life to go back to the old normal. But I can’t ask that of her right now and life won’t go back to the way it was.
We are in a fight and wartime rules apply. The men and women in the trenches didn’t get much sleep and a lot was asked of them for a season. A lot was also asked of the American family during World War 2. Men were at war so women filled the businesses and factories, and took on new roles at home. It was the way it had to be. Women became the breadwinners, the protectors, and more.
Now Tara is at war, and many of her roles are being taken on by me and the family. We want to do it but man is it hard. Simply not knowing when this phase will be over is one of the hardest thing for me. How can I budget my strength and endurance when I can’t see the end? How can I set a pace for the family? It shouldn’t be this hard, right?
God will sustain us. He will be faithful.
Perspectives From The Tree Tops 
A brilliant analogy, Jay. And yes you are correct, He will sustain you! He does have your back! He has promised! Prayers continuing…….love to you all.
Keep up the good fight. Be strong and courageous, for the Lord your God is with you… Sometimes we can’t or aren’t allowed to see the end, because if we could, we would give up or falter on the way. God allows us one moment at a time, because He knows it’s really all we can handle. I have learned this through experience, not unlike what you are going through. It’s okay to wish for normal though, as long as you continue to live in the here and now. God has a new normal coming and because it is good and so is He, it will bless you beyond belief. I love you guys.
Dawn
War is hard, no matter what kind or where it is fought. Remember that the Lord your God is with you, in it, through it, and beyond it. So be strong and of good courage, like Joshua and God will deliver you. It is really better that we can’t see the path in front of us and God has to lead us. If we could see the path ahead, we would be paralyzed often by fear. It’s always best to trust, obey and lean on Him. You already have a testimony of God’s mercy. It can only grow from here to eternity. I love you guys. May the peace of Christ fill you, enable you and lift you up. Talk to you soon.
Dawn
No, Jay and Tara, it shouldn’t be this hard ~ by some thoughts, you shouldn’t have to go through this at all……….darn that old “apple” anyway! But do you have any idea how normal you sound in your “new normal?” All your frustrations and fears are so very normal. Nothing is harder than not knowing and waiting for answers. But you;re right about something else………….God will sustain you! That is what many, many people who love you are praying for ~ daily, continuously, with every remembrance of you. That’s one reason why your blogs are so important to us ~ they keep us in the loop as to how we can pray. That said, may God bless you both (as well as your children, your parents, and all the rest of those who are struggling along with you), with the strength, endurance and comfort needed just for today. {{{Hugs}}} Gretchen
Hi Jay and Tara, The Lord Bless you and keep you, and give you strength. I’m praying for you without ceasing. Tara, I saw that the RAC has a yoga for cancer patients (and survivors) class starting this Sunday. I assume you’re too weak to do it, but the teacher was taking yoga during his battle and it helped him so much that he decided to get certified to help others. If you’re interested, I’ll gift the fees for you to join. Let me know:
See p. 10
Click to access RAC%20April%202013-ForWebsite.pdf
Click here
With love, Chantal
Hi Tara- I finally made a copy of the vegan brownies I told you about. They are so good and I have another granola recipe that I just tried that can use the RAW protein powder and it masks it very well. I bought the RAW protein powder when you told me about it. Anyway, you really don’t taste it in this granola and that is saying something!
I won’t be at your place to clean for the next 2 weeks- MOPS the same morning:( but if you’d like them sooner- send me an address that I can put an attachment on. Thanks- Julie
Thanks, once again, for keeping us all updated on your joys, success, struggles, and your honesty. We continue to pray daily for all of you. Know that you are loved and prayed for by many!! “The joy of the Lord is my strength”.
Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble and He saved them from their distress. Psalms 107:13
We can’t avoid trouble, but we can live without distress.
The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
Psalms 18:2
My protection is God’s job.
Yes God will sustain you & He is faithful! I really understand your willingness to get things back to normal and I commend your understanding that it never will be the same or better yet that you won’t let it be the same. That you realize the need for things to change and move away from the “normal”, which sometimes may have been to get complacent in our normal lives or too busy to wake up & “smell the coffee”, to be so aware of the beauty of everything God has done for us or will do for us if we only ask it of Him. I sadly am aware of how so terribly “normal my life has been for far too long.
The Lord is righteous in all His ways and loving toward all He has made.
Psalms 145:17
God is not mad at me because of the way I am, but He loves me too much to leave me this way. Thanks be to God that he loves us so much! Prayers for continuous healing, strength & His mighty power to sustain you all. Hope to see you all very soon.