Today was Sophie’s year-end picnic at school. The weatherman predicted storms, but we enjoyed bright sunshine and the peal of  laughter as dozens of children ran willy-nilly all over the yard. I looked around the playground at the goodness of my family: Eric’s sister and mother, my little niece, and my mother were all present to celebrate the end of a good year with Sophie, Emily, Eric and me. All of us. Together. We are so blessed.

I came home from the picnic and created a celebration of the goodness God gives to us when we endure difficult things for His Glory. For me and my family, it has been a tough 5 years of wrestling with the incapacity of prolonged illness. I endured two rounds of life threatening pregnancy, fighting to save the lives of these precious girls while my family fought to save me. I recovered from delivery only to face the uncertainty of pancreatic cancer, but I am well now and we are all alive and well. Finally.

We will enjoy the fruits of our labor for the rest of our lives.

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Galatians 6:9

This digital slideshow generated with Smilebox