the open ocean...

"In all things it is better to HOPE than to despair..."

I was reading to Ben and myself over lunch the other day out of our Streams in the Desert devotional and came across the below. It wasn't the first part of the devotional that caught my attention but then end...

"A noted scientist, observing that the early sailors believed the coral-building animals instinctively built up the great reefs of the Atoll Islands in order to protect themselves in the inner waterway, has disproved his belief. He has shown these orgainisms can only live and thrive facing the open ocean in the highly oxygenated foam of the combative waves. It is commonly thought that the protected and easy life is the best way to live. Yet the lives of all the noblest and stongest people prove exactly the opposite and that the endurances of hardship is the making of the person. It is the factor that distinguises between merely existing and living a vigerous life. Hardship builds character."

There have been times, actually many, many times, where I have wanted to crawl into the reefs of the ocean and allow the water to just cover me and keep me protected from life and whatever else came our way. It is easy in there. There is protection from rough waters, from people, disappointments, and it would be easier to let the crashing waters pass over us and know that in those areas of reef that things would just be ok. As I read this though I realized that this was not the place where we are to live our lives. Ben and I are to face towards the ocean and grab life by the horns and hold on to the reef...Jesus. No, I am not going to go look for hardships, disappointments, failures and so on but I can at least fight against them when they come our way instead of hide from them.
It states that "the endurances of hardship is the making of a person." No, I don't want hardships, I don't need hardships, I don't want any more...we have enough already! No more hardships please. None of us like them but it seems like they do make a person and it does build character if you decide to deal with them and handle them correctly. You can see in peoples lives those that decide to face their hardships and those who simply give up. I don't want to give up. Ben doesn't want to give up. I pray that through all of this that God will continue to build character in my life, that I learn from all of these hardships that have been placed before me. I pray that I handle them right, that I handle them nobly and in those times that I am the woman of God that He has made me to be. The same goes for Ben too...man that guy is full of so much character, I don't know if he could get an ounce more!
Ok, that was my lesson for the week! May you glean from it too...love me some Streams in the Desert...so real for our lives!

On to some fun photos from our last weekish...

This past Friday one of Ben's therapist had to call sick so Ben and I just chilled in the morning and then we got to cleaning and doing some light therapy. Ben has been talking about "taking some weight off my shoulders" and so I had him start by mopping the floors! He did a really good job! He said next time he wants to try it standing up...we shall see. After mopping came lunch and then we did some stetching and ball work! Yes, we do have to give him a good neck stretch and yes, I am using my feet. Ben has such thick muscles that I have to use alot of my body just to get him a good stretch! Please also excuse the plaid PJ pants (they are Bens) and striped socks...it was a day off! A nap was in order for Ben after it all...












It's basketball season for my lil bro (who is finally playing again after a broken hand) and my two lil nephews...




Playing crib when my aunt and uncle were in town...Ben was the official peg mover...




It called for snow this weeked and tonight we got some and I think there is more to come. I have a love hate relationship with snow...




and we got some sunshine this week which brought with it a beautiful sunset...



i finally cleaned the fridge this week and found some good things to eat...




It has been cold, and so I have been of course drinking coffee of all kinds...




and a short video of Ben having his walker out in front of him and he has to walk to it. His therapist is just guiding him from behind and not doing much! Go God, go God!!



Just wanted to give you a few huge accomplishments from Ben this week too while he was at the gym...
Elliptical...15 min!
Sitting bike...32 min!
drum roll please....he leg pressed 200 pounds! 200!!! Like photo below...

ok and I ran Capital lake 3 times around only stopping to get my ear buds from the truck! That's 4.8 miles outside in 30 degree temps! I felt good after!
Big pats on the back for both Ben and I this week!

and I leave you with this...