One Year Later

 

Ironically, I just saw that one year ago from yesterday, I blogged about it being one of the hardest weeks of my life.  Oh, I remember you, last summer.  You were a doozy.  It's a very good possibility that you were the hardest time of my life.  You at least ranked in the top 2.  Feeling physically beaten up without a bruise on my body; the enemy was attacking on every side.  There was literally multiple issues going on at once in my life.  It was nearly unbearable.  But thanks to my Jesus, I survived.  I remember one of my dearest friends reading Scripture to me on one of the hardest days.  It was a balm to my soul.

All of that to say, as strange as it may seem, the best day of my summer last year was a day at Lake Winnie. A small, kinda grimy (haha) amusement park.  It was as if my children and I stepped away from the surrounding world and entered into this tiny world of just us.  I smiled a lot that day.  Really soaked in my children.  Thoroughly enjoyed our time together.  Just the four of us.  Sweet memories.  Here are some pics from last year.

 Last week, we visited Lake Winnie again.  Remembering our time at the park last year, I was so excited to have another day there with just me and the kids.  At the end of this past school year, Sophia and Ezra received free tickets to get into Lake Winnie.  We were excited to use them.  Standing in line to purchase tickets for me and Amos, a lady gave us ANOTHER free ticket!  That was a savings of $37!  I was so excited.  We stopped and thanked the Lord for His goodness to us.  The day was beautiful, just as I expected.  I loved seeing Sophia and Ezra being best buddies and wanting to ride every ride together.  They got along so wonderfully the whole day!  It was Ezra's first time to ride the Cannonball.  They both loved it!  Amos had a blast as well.  He was my riding buddy all day. 

At one point, Amos and I were riding the sky lift across the Lake, and I really began to reflect on what a difference a year had made.  Life isn't perfect and easy now.  By any means. There are still struggles.  For sure.  But I'm NOT where I was a year ago.  Much healing has taken place.  Strength given.  Much victory won.  God's grace has been very real in my life over the last year.  I began singing "God, You're so good" on that ride as I looked out over the park.  He heard me.  His presence was filling my heart. 

At closing time, we had to walk past the restaurant area to make it out to the parking lot.  And just at the time that we were walking by, a worker brought out a huge tray of food that they were giving away!  The kids and I had not stopped to eat all day.  We were just so hot and thirsty that we had only stopped for snow cones.  I had planned on stopping at a drive-thru on the way home, but here the Lord was providing our dinner! 

This day was not a mistake.  It was confirmation after confirmation of the Lord letting me know that He will take care of me.  He's been faithful, and He will be faithful to the end.  I guess Lake Winnie has now become somewhat of a memorial for me.  We can find Samuel making a memorial in 1 Samuel 7:12.  "Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen.  He named it Ebenezer, saying, 'Thus far the Lord has helped us.'  That's what I can remember at Lake Winnie.  Thus far, the Lord has helped us.  He surely has helped me.  I have no doubt that He will continue.

Last year:

This year: