Faith, Not Fear
What a week this has been for my extended family! Of course, some of you already know about this so there has been no need to write about it, but now I feel like I can write about some of what has been weighing on my mind without invading anyone's privacy. The bad news started with finding out on the same day that one of my cousins and two of Terence's cousins are now in jail. Not wonderful news by any means. It has been heartbreaking for their families, and there is nothing that makes you feel so helpless as to watch someone you love make such poor choices that they throw their freedom away.
Then only a few days after that we learned that my cousin Tara has a brain tumor, a large one. She had been having severe headaches for a couple of months, and everyone had assumed they were tension headaches, but she finally had a CT scan and a MRI and the tumor was impossible to miss. This was just devastating to hear. I can't even imagine how hard the news was for her family; I had a hard time believing it. It just doesn't seem real. Tara is just one of those happy, lively, sweet girls who you cannot imagine anything bad ever happening to. She is getting married the second week of June, and they are such a happy, cute couple. What a sudden drastic turn in their lives!
My tendency is to take news like this and just let it bring me down. Which I let it do. I've spent much time praying for them (and my other cousins and their families) and I joined in a family fast on Sunday, but for some reason, my response to something like this is not filled with faith. I just get gloomy and depressed and so fearful about the future that I struggle to function normally.
However, Tara herself has just an amazing attitude about this. She is having hard moments as well, but for the most part she is so filled with faith in God and her recovery and miracles that it can't help but lift everyone else around her. Her family has set up a blog for updates on her situation: http://taraschlappi.blogspot.com/ . Take a moment to check it out. Reading her posts has made me take another long look at my life and try to be grateful for all the truly important blessings I have.
Life is too short to waste. This morning I am going to try my very best to follow the advice Tara has posted at the top of her blog: "Come what may and love it."
Comments
Saying prayers for Tara and your family.
I finally am getting "in" to the blogging community now that Tara has a blog. I've really never tried it before. It's actually great to read your blog - yours is the first I've attempted to read other than Tara's and Rachel's. You are such a talented writer! I love reading your posts - just wish I had more time to read the entire blog including all the previous posts....
I had to laugh out loud at your temple dedication text entry. Your feelings about texting and misspelling and shortening of words are mine exactly!!! I am a grammar Nazi also to an extent. It was refreshing to find there is someone else out there like me.
Your blog entry about Tara brought tears to my eyes. Thank you so much for your thoughtfulness and concern - we really feel it from everyone. We could not make it with such good spirits if it were not for you and everyone else who is praying for us. Today was a great day - Tara is really feeling good these days; miraculously so. She better enjoy it - she may not be feeling so good next week!
We have much of your temple work done - I have samed some names for you. It's such a privilege to do those - get some more done in all your spare time!
Your pictures are so cute also.... take care of your wonderful family. We'll have to come visit some Sunday evening and catch up.
Love you,
Becky
i get the same way as you even when i hear about things that aren't so close to home.
prayers are with you and your families.