Life has been a little hectic for me lately.
This week, my darling husband and I have been dealing with a few obstacles. We found mold growing in our bedroom, and have subsequently been sleeping on our front room floor. The mold problem has resulted in us needing to move because of not knowing where it is coming from and also because of the possibility of it returning. Erik has asthma, so living in a home with a mold problem is just not an option. We have lived here for 2 months, and now it is time to move... Oh well.
The mold also caused some significant damage to our belongings... Our mattress and box spring: ruined. Our shelving for our clothes: destroyed. Our nightstands: in the dump. All of my shoes (yes I said ALL OF MY SHOES): gone forever. Unfortunately, all of these things had damage from the mold and moisture that was just not repairable. So, that will cost us a pretty penny to replace!
On top of that, last week, my Grandma was diagnosed with uterine cancer. She had a radical hysterectomy yesterday. So far, it looks like the cancer was just in her uterus, so hopefully no further treatment will be needed. But, if chemo or radiation is needed, my Grandma is up for it. she is 69 years old, and told us the other day that she plans on being around until she is at least 80. That sounds good to me Grandma! I am praying (and I hope you will too) that the tests come back with good results, and that I will have my grandma around for many years to come.
So, to say the least, this week has been a bit overwhelming. But you know what? I'm doing okay. We have had great friends praying for us, offering advice, and just helping us out in general. I am so grateful for that! There is one person in particular that has really been such a great friend. And that is this girl right here:
This is Catie, and she is amazing. The day we found the mold, she came over and helped me completely clear out that bedroom. It was just her and I, as I wouldn't let Erik anywhere near that room with his asthma. So Catie and I, we moved all the furniture out of the room, and took it to the dump. Then, we took out all of our clothes, blankets, sheets, etc., bagged them up, and started doing load after load of laundry (when you have mold spores in a room, anything that can be washed needs to be, in order to kill the mold spores). Catie took a number of bags to her house and did many, many loads of our laundry. She gave me a hug when I whined that I didn't want to move again, and she drove around with me for 4 hours helping us find a new home. This girl is such a good friend, and I would have been lost without her this week!
Another great help this week has been my ceramics class. It is so therapeutic and really helps to release my stress! I have been having a blast building some beautiful pieces, and I can't wait to do even more. I truly look forward to that class every Tuesday.
Most of all, my greatest help and comfort has come from The Lord. I know, above all, that God has a plan in store for us. I know that there is a reason that we need to move again, and I know that it is all part of God's plan. That gives me so much hope and peace. If I didn't know those things, I would be so lost in frustration that I wouldn't be able to think straight! Instead, I am comforted by the fact that God is in control, and I am just asking for his wisdom and guidance through this. I hope and pray that when you are dealing with stress and uncertainty in your life, that you turn to The All Mighty God for your source of comfort and strength. There just isn't anything better than what he provides. Take peace in that, my friends. I know I do.
~Amber
