When I think of an “F” I go back to grade school thinking about getting a bad grade and not wanting to show mom the report (yes, I got one F in middle school and it was the last time I ever did thanks to mom!). So if you’re thinking like I am, I totally get you BUT the three F’s I’m talking about are Faith, Family and Friendships.

The past few years have been full of moments of –

• “What the….”
• “How did I get here?”
• “I didn’t think it could get any worse…”
• “What’s around the corner?”

As you get older you start to realize you’re not the first person who thought of all of these things. Leave it to Grandma to put you in your place if you think differently ha!

Faith

This has been the ultimate go to the past few years. You might think, “well why is it not a go to for many years?” You’re right, I’m guilty of many times that I pushed aside putting God first because things were going so smooth. I had a great life, I was in church, had amazing health, great friends and well you get the picture. I never had a moment in life where I didn’t pray or I wasn’t thankful but I got “comfortable.”

It’s amazing what one year can bring along in your life from trials, friendships, acquaintances, laughter, death, tears and how your faith gets tested on a daily basis.

What does taking a stand mean to you?

To me it means – choosing the hard truth over lies, where the road looks dim and curvy down the narrow path and you know that if you take this road it will be only you and it will be HARD.

Sound like something you’ve done before?

Something that I’ve learned this year is that when you take the road less traveled by, you’re going to learn a lot about people you’ve known for a long time, some you just met, you’re going to get kicked in the gut a lot and you’re going to have some true victories. I’ve been down the narrow road this past year and to be honest a situation I never thought I would find myself in by just helping out a friend in need. I’ve watched the situation evolve and it’s unreal to see the lies, the gloating, the name calling, the lies (did I say that twice, oops!) fabrication of the truth and how greed can overcome a person within a blink of an eye. If I even went into the situation you would think it’s a Lifetime movie so that is for another day BUT what I have learned is that no matter what comes your way, if you have your health, family, good friends, your faith and yes, a little wine then you’re doing awesome. The greed thing is what amazes me how people want and want, feel they can’t get enough or will trample over anyone to one up someone. I look at these people and I honestly don’t get it, they want and have everything in the world (according to them) and they look absolutely miserable. How the heck does that add up? You’re right it doesn’t…..

Today is a special day, my sister Rachel would have been 28 years old. I’ve been meaning to finish this but I know this is perfect timing because I started writing what I’ve learned each year (on her bday) since the accident. This is the first time I’m going to share it with you though so here we go….

Perspective 

What does that word mean to you and what is your definition of it? It’s a powerful word that I have been hearing over and over especially the past few years. Many look at my family and I’s situation as a terrible thing and that we are the ones hurting. Don’t get me wrong, it’s something nobody should go through and an unbearable pain but I also gained something just as I lost something – perspective. 

A few years before Rachel passed away, I had a friend that lost their best friend unexpectedly in a tragic accident. I was upset and confused on how a young, good looking and awesome guy could leave this earth with so many years left to live. My friend quickly picked up and moved away for a few months to Alaska to get away. I never truly understood it and part of me thought what is he running away from? What it boiled down to is that I couldn’t assume anything because I was not in his shoes. Fast forward to July 2012 and I knew exactly why he left. You see, what I have learned is that everyone grieves differently and you cannot judge them for it, even your own family. My dad and I are exactly alike but even we grieve differently.

I was recently in a lawyers office and the lady in the office lost a family member. When I asked how she was doing, she replied with “I’m hanging in there.” I told her the same thing I just told you and said to her, “I understand what you’re going through and let me tell you why.” She said, “oh that situation is worse than mine.” And I replied back to her, “No, a death is a death.” Sure someone may look at someone else and think they have it worse than this person but in all truth every situation can hurt, especially when we all deal with it completely differently. I also start to see where God puts me in situations where I get the chance to talk to someone that I can relate with about what I’ve been through. At first it was strange but now it’s comforting (laughing as I’m at a lawyers office but my main reason to be there was talk to her). Perspective.

You know how you stumble across something amazing and that hits you right between the eyes like “why have I not seen this before?” Well, that is how I felt when I stumbled across the 30 sayings of the wise in Proverbs.

Just when you feel like you have things under control in your life, you run smack dab into a wall that makes you wonder how the heck you got knocked out in the first place. Ever feel like that? As a Christian, it’s an every day struggle but we know deep down that we are here to fight the good fight at the end of the day. Do I wish sometimes life wasn’t so tough? Absolutely.