Round 4, Day 2 - Goodbye 2013

Today went pretty smoothly. Blessed with friends today helping out. Jane dropped me off, Carol spent part of her birthday sitting with me, and Esther spent the last half of my long treatment hanging out. IV held strong for day 2.

To say 2013 was eventful would be an understatement. Full of tears and heartache. Mourning 5 lives loved and lost. Yet uplifted by the amazing love, prayers and encouragement by the amazing community we've been blessed with.

An old university friend, Leanne, also went through a heartbreaking and hard 2013. Her words eloquently capture the heart of pain and loss.

"Instead, I look back with a certain sense of awe that we all made it through. I look back with profound gratitude for all the support and prayers of those that love us that were gifts to us every day.  And you know what’s most amazing about this year?  This was the hardest year of my life – and it’s the nearest I felt God to me in many many years.  When I look back on this year, I feel overwhelmed by it, but I don’t feel despair.  I will remember this year as one of many miracles, many blessings. There were many sorrows – yes – but many moments of God’s grace.  And it is good.   

 

And so if you are facing this New Year’s thinking that you don’t have a lot of show for 2013, I invite you to be thankful for what wasn’t.  And if, like me, you look back on a year with a lot of struggle, I hope you can see the blessings in amongst the trials. In whatever category you fall, may we both welcome 2014 together knowing God will still be with us.  Here’s to a boring year!!  (And if it isn’t, here’s to knowing God will still be GOOD.)" - Leanne Friesen