Perspective

So, the night that I wrote that last post, I got a text from my cousin Shawna saying that her sister's (my cousin Anneka, also a best friend of mine from high school) little boy Hunter had choked on a popcorn kernel and was fighting for his life in the hospital. Wow. That kind of news immediately sucked all my breath away and took me to my knees in prayers for them. I can't imagine the anguish they must have been feeling. I spend the rest of the night agonizing over the situation and wondering and praying for them. It has now been a few days, and luckily, Hunter is going to be fine. He went into surgery and they successfully removed the popcorn kernel.

This whole situation really put things into perspective for me. I feel like I was a little complain-y in the last post and that was not my intention. Hearing about what Anneka was going through made me feel a little silly for complaining about the car and what not. This is a safe place for me to vent my feelings, though, so it's going to stay, with this new addendum of added perspective,

I was asked last week to teach Relief Society the first week of November on a talk that President Uchtdorf gave in the last general conference. It is titled, "Grateful in Any Circumstances." 
Could there be a more timely talk for me? I don't think so. I read it on Sunday and just loved every word. If you need a pick-me-up, please, go read & enjoy. Life is really a matter of how we choose to view things and our attitude affects so much.

So, with the two lessons learned from Anneka's story & from President Uchtdorf, I really had a shift in perspective. I am choosing to view the new developments as a blessing and to trust in God's timing for our family. To finish up the car story:  I was so worried about how much the car was going to cost to fix. We went down Saturday, and my kind and lovely Uncle Lynn (I should find a picture to post- visuals are always good).

How about this one? A real gem. Uncle Lynn having driveway races with Hals- maybe a year ago? Super good uncle, I tell ya. 

Anyway, my kind and generous uncle helped us tow our car away from my client's house (sorry clients- & thanks for letting me keep my car there a few days!) to one of the very few auto shops that were open on a Saturday (note to auto shop owners: open on Saturdays and you'll be in booming business). They let us know right away that it was the fuel pump as we suspected and then dropped the big bomb of how much it was going to cost.....A lot.

But, to view the silver lining in this whole story & to share the shift in perspective: I realized on the way home that the amount we had just spent on the car (and taken from our adoption fund, because savings=adoption fund), was the exact amount we have been saving each month toward the adoption. And guess what we know we just "gained" in the adoption process? A month.

So, although neither of those things were really pleasant news this month, I am trusting in the Lord's timing in it all. Maybe there is a reason we need an extra month in the process. Maybe we'll see it some day and maybe we won't. But, I am trusting that He who knows all is in charge and is guiding us in this process.