Blessings

A short while ago I was visiting friends and the oldest daughter was talking to me about this AWESOME song she heard on K-Love.  I do not listen to that radio station often as I usually listen to Pandora, but on the drive home I decided to put it on to see if I could hear the song she was talking about.  That song never came on, but as I am driving and thinking a song by Laura Story came on titled Blessings and it touched me.

"We pray for blessings, we pray for peace

comfort for family, protection while we sleep

We pray for healing, for prosperity

We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering

And all the while, You head each spoken need

Yet love us way too much to give us lesser things"

This first verse of the song brought tears to my eyes and an ache in my heart because I pray daily for comfort, protection, and healing for not just Katie but our whole family.  We have tried really hard to shield David and even Madelyn from the battle we are fighting with Katie and though I know we have done OK with that, the kids still feel when our attention is diverted to something going on with her.  This is an internal battle I have been struggling with, I do not want my kids to ever feel like we do not have time to spend with them.  

'Cause what if your blessings come through rain drops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You're near
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise

What if m greatest disappointments or the aching of this life

Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can't satisfy

What if trials of this life

The rain, the storms, the hardest nights

Are your mercies in disguise'

This chorus hit me pretty hard because I really felt like this song was speaking to our family and what we have been feeling and going through.  The sleepless nights, the tears, the fears, the trials they have been such a constant in our life recently.  I opened up to my best friend a while back about some of my fears and we shared a moment of emotions together.  She reminded me that its OK to worry and OK to let my emotions show, I do not have to be strong all the time.  I then heard this song and I really felt that this trial we are going through with Katie was bringing us closer and showing us more and more that we are not in this alone and that God is fighting this with us. 

This face and her smile constantly remind me of how strong she is.  The sleepless nights, the tears, the fears, none of that matters as long as she keeps smiling.