'Tis the Season

... to be sick apparently! We have had very few healthy days in the past several weeks. I would be totally lying if I said it doesn't have me pretty down. This is my favorite season of the year and I feel like we are missing out on all of the fun by staying home sick. We have had to miss out on or cancel several activities this season because of illness in our family. From pink eye, to ear and sinus infections, to all sorts of various coughs, congestions, etc...

I have really been struggling to deal with my frustration and then guilt about all of this sickness during this season as during this time I am watching a family from our church suffer through this season...

The McCormick family is a very loved family in our church who have 11 children! They are a kind wonderful family! Whenever women in our church are struggling with anything one of the first things I would hear is "Audra McCormick told me this..." They are a loving family who love God and their children well. Earlier this year before their 11th child was born she was diagnosed with Trisomy 13 and the family was told there was only a 5% chance that she would be alive at birth. Hadley Mae was born alive and has been alive now for 127 days! We are all so overjoyed for their family. But, at the same time. It is a very hard road for this sweet family as they know that the day will come soon that they will have to say goodbye to their sweet girl. Hadley deals regularly with episodes of apnea and other issues as well. At the same time, her father has been in and out of the hospital with a very serious case of pneumonia and hasn't been able to work (he owns his own business). To keep up with this sweet family please like Hadley Mae's Facebook page here. And if you feel led to give please go here. Even a small amount would bless this family so much during this time. The last thing this family should have to be worrying about right now is finances.


So while I am frustrated at all of our sickness, I know (and have to remind myself often) that Lord willing, we will all be well soon. It can be hard to keep perspective that this is not true for the McCormick family and so many other families. We want the Christmas season to be a time of 24/7 fun.We believe Pinterest that from Thanksgiving to New Years everyday should be a party. But, the reality is, that Christmas time, like all other times of year comes with hard things for many people. Sickness and pain don't go away. Daily struggles still abound (and are often brought even more to light during what can be a stressful season!)

But, I think we can see the meaning and beauty of Christmas even better when we are suffering (in a small or big way) during this time of year. Because without Christmas, without Christ coming, our suffering would be for nothing. We would have no hope. But, Hope came to earth on Christmas day. I might be celebrating Christmas by wiping lots of runny noses, administering lots of medicines, and getting little sleep instead of the way that I would like to. But, I have the hope of heaven. And not only heaven, a Savior who is walking with me, and the McCormick family, and your family even now as we go through hard things.

We have the opportunity to worship Christ well in our suffering. In the hard things. Our perfect gingerbread houses do not give hope to a broken world the way that seeing people sustained and moved by the love of Christ while going through struggles does.

And if you are suffering in any way this season (big or small) I would love to be praying for you! Please leave a comment or send me a private message and I will be praying for you! And we can all take comfort from Romans 8:18 "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us."