The Treasure Box

I asked my niece to write a blog post:

I like to think that I am a typical “teenager”. I go to school five days a week, try as hard as I can to party with friends on the weekends, and drag myself out of bed to go to church Sunday morning. I enjoy playing basketball, rocking out on the piano, and reading the newest fiction novel. I try to listen to all the “new” music and keep up with the style trends. I have two wonderful parents who love me no matter what. I enjoy being the oldest of 4 kids. I have had a very blessed life. There are no great trials that I could tell you that have dramatically changed my life. However, I have an aunt, that even when suffering through all her trials would drop everything and run to help me through mine. This is a blessing that not every person has the opportunity to have. As a young child Sarah played with me endlessly! On one particular “play date” of ours Sarah brought me a little orange box. Nothing really fancy this box was, but I loved (and still love) this little orange box. Sarah then told me that this box was meant to hold my “special treasures”. So she helped me scrawl the word treasures into the top of the box. This box of my “treasures” sits in my bedroom to this day. As I was thinking back on all the rocks and leaves that I shoved into this little box I began to think of all the real treasure that Sarah has given me. We went to Color Me Mine on a regular basis, swam in the kiddie pool together, danced on the driveway in the rain, ate all the candy out of her purse right before dinner, picked dandelions and turned our skin yellow, played in the sprinklers, had birthday parties, and always laughed no matter what! These are my treasures that I will NEVER forget. I look forward to every day I get to spend with her making new treasures to store in my box. Life is full of trials, times will get tough, and often times you may want to quit. When you feel this way think of your little box of treasures and times won’t seem quite so hard. I love Sarah to the moon and back, she has been a great influence on the decisions I have made in my life. I hope that we will continue to make treasures to store in this small, but extremely important, box of treasures.

Superhero

I asked my sister to write a post for me today, here it is:


I have a three year old boy. He is obsessed with Batman…and Spiderman…and Superman.. and any superhero really. He gets dressed up in his little Batman or Spiderman costume pretty much every day. I think Batman is his favorite. He has a Batman mask that he insists on wearing, even during his naps. He tells me to feel his muscles and to look how strong he is and that he is shooting webs at the bad guys. He tells me that he will “save” me from whatever enemy he is battling that day. For him when he puts on that costume and that mask he is transformed. He can do anything- protect, save, shoot lasers from his arm and get those bad guys.

A few days ago my sister asked me if I would give her a shot. An injection for her cancer treatment. I said no- that I could not do it. I hate needles. I even make my husband take the kids to the doctor when they have to get shots while I stay at home. Then I started thinking it over. Sarah is in a tight spot. Her husband is working and can’t give her the injection. She needs it done, but can’t give it to herself. After telling her several times that I really did not want to do it- I finally said I would- but I didn’t want to- and I wanted her to know it!

I was dreading the shot. But today was the day. I got my boys ready and went to Sarah’s house, the youngest in his Batman costume. When we arrived Sarah asked how he fits into his car seat with so many muscles…I do manage to squish him in. I said to Sarah “Let’s do this!” We put a show on for the boys downstairs- no distractions. Sarah got the shot ready. We turned on some music. It was time. As I sat with the needle, looking at my sister, tears streamed down my face. I didn’t want to do it. In that moment I was quiet and crying and Sarah was probably thinking- get on with it already! I thought of Sarah and all of the millions of things that she really did not want to do- but she did them anyway. She didn’t want to have cancer. She didn’t want to have Chemo. She didn’t want to be sick. She didn’t want her kids to see her sick. She didn’t want to get the shot. But somehow she has managed. Somehow she has faced her worst nightmare with dignity and grace. I thought about my son and his Batman costume and I said to myself- I can do this. I did it. I stuck the needle in and slowly pressed the medicine into my sister’s body. I did something for her that she could not do for herself. I put on my own Batman mask today. Sarah is the true superhero.

hard things

I'm not going to lie. Sometimes the challenges I am called to bare in this life are difficult...and it's hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel, but it is there. Some days it is hard to keep going, but I do. I've learned that I can do hard things. We all can. No matter what your trial may be...death, illness, infertility, loneliness...we can do it. We just keep going. One foot in front of the other, many a nights on your knees in prayer. I know God hears us. He knows us. He helps us. We are not alone. He knows we can do hard things...and I know to.