Hope Springs New

So we, along with pretty much everyone else in America, have been very busy lately. Josh and I both have full plates as we try to keep up with the demands of graduate school, internships, work, living (eating, sleeping, exercising, etc.), intramural sports, interviews, traveling, running half marathons, hosting staff meetings and events, and the list goes on and on.

We are so thankful for each-other during these crazy days. What a gift to share life, both its burdens and joys.

The past month has been a hard one, particularly because of the loss of my grandfather. My heart has not quite grasped that reality yet. Josh and I leave for his memorial service in Idaho on Friday morning. Time with family will be a healing like no other.

My grandpa loved life and his family. As a teacher, he loved his students and was a great blessing to all of them. He was brave. He pursued his passion for teaching and serving others, even at the risk of being misunderstood by those closest to him. He was human, he had a quick temper and plenty of faults, which made him real to us. He loved the Lord and instilled that in his children and grandchildren. He was a story-teller. His rich treasure trove of a life's worth of stories did not come out often, but when it did, it was heaven. He and my grandma have always been home to me, a constant in my nomadic military life. His loss is a reminder that our true home is with the Lord.

I miss him so very much.

Yet, in the midst of such heartache, I think we do have the opportunity to see the world with fresh eyes. Everything takes on a little more meaning. The lens we view life through is a little crisper, sharper. Small things seem overwhelmingly beautiful. Little moments take on an extra poignancy. 

I have a renewed thankfulness for so many things.

My husband, a sister, family, friends, and the list goes on and on.

Even the small comforts like my favorite green mug full of apple cider, a cozy home, and funny sitcoms feel like precious gifts that bring extra happiness to life.

Thank you Lord for Your many blessings, great and small, that comfort our broken hearts, point us to You, and make our lives sweet.