A Much Needed Reminder

As I mentioned in my post titled "Here we go again" I had a pretty miserable night. The next day I felt much better, but still not quite up to par. I hope that happens soon. I'm ready to be normal again. Saturday afternoon I was reading emails, blogs and checking on my facebook friends when I noticed I had been tagged in a note by my niece. I decided to check it out since the other things she has written have been pretty good. Here is her note just as she wrote it on facebook. I did this with her permission. She is grateful for the publicity!

"SO..here's what I woke up and decided to do today. I've never really written anything religious before, per say..and I didn't intend it to be that way when I started this. but sometimes, things strike you in a certain way and things happen that inspire you to do something. It's probably going to be added to and tweaked and played with, and posting it here can be sort of scary for me...so...if you happen to like it...I guess that would be pretty cool :]

Trudge on, weary foot soldier, while your world is torn apart
When the winds and rains and outright pains ne'er seem with you to part

And consoling word becomes hardly heard; merely duct tape to the heart.

Trudge on, weary foot soldier, when you feel you cannot stand;

For when you cannot, and you feel distraught, inner strength you must demand.

Keep the will to wear and endure the tear, and life's plaguing reprimand.

Trudge on, weary foot soldier, when you cannot keep the pace

Of worldly trials, when simple smiles are stolen from your face.

Grasp His redeeming, all-esteeming love and saving grace."

There have been a few moments during the last couple of months that I have felt like saying "I simply can not do this! Please take me now. The pain is too great. I can not carry on." When I read Elise's poem my eyes filled with tears and my heart ached. I know that my Heavenly Father will never give me more than I can handle. However, during the darkest and most painful moments I tend to forget that He is still with me and helping me get through. It makes me sad and feel a little guilty that during this time when I should be feeling extreme joy and happiness I instead feel intense pain and discouragement. Simple smiles are being stolen from my face. I need to "grasp His redeeming, all-esteeming love and saving grace". Thank you Elise for being willing to make this public and to let me post it here. It has helped me get through the days since I read it. You have an amazing talent and I hope you will continue to share it with us.

It really is no surprise to me that this sweet little girl...

Has become such a phenomenal young woman...