The Lord Will Turn Mourning to Joy

Thank you friends and family...

...for your prayers and thoughts for my son and me, as well as the Haedrick family.

July 4th a beautiful creature left our lives and went to God's garden to grace them with her wonderful spirit. Taylor, my son's girlfriend, was the sunflower and the butterfly all in one amazing package. The beauty of  the sun's reflection on a sunflower and the grace and joy of the butterfly. She passed away in my son's arms loosing a battle with illness that left us all speechless.

My Taylor Elephant

I have been buying Christmas presents in July as I have more money this time of year. This little elephant will remind me of our shared love of the Indian  Elephant Moteff. In Indian culture, elephants are a symbol of mental strength, earthiness and responsibility. I feel that is a great way to describe what Taylor and I share, along with a bit of this Free Spirit Child.

This summer I have spent time embracing my my God-given uniqueness. Taylor has been one of the people who excepted me on face value. The love she shared with my son was something I could not understand. I was blessed to see them enjoy something I have never experienced. Perhaps that was, because it would be such a short time they had to enjoy eachother. God gave her an extra measure of grace for my son.

S.C Lourie at Butterfly and Pebble described what I have

learned this summer about me.

This summer I learned most of the lessons about myself through the interactions I had with others.

My co-workers, friends, and even the fellow shoppers at Trader Joe's. I know I am a bookworm who would rather spend my free time in the summer ~ curled up in a cool place with a book. I have done that enough to get my prize at the library reading program for summer. BUT...I have made myself get out and I have invited people into my nest. This summer I reach out of my bubble of comfort.

I have also been going to counseling. This week I am to begin a program called "Brain Spotting". I still don't know what that is, but the internet and my therapist assure me that it will help with anxiety and PTSD.

Jeremiah 31:13b

"...  For I will turn their mourning into joy and will comfort them and give them joy for their sorrow.'

Ian and Taylor (the happiest couple)

Grief will have it's unpleasant cycle, but our strength is in the Lord of the Butterfly and the Sunflower.