Season Of Crazies & Dena My Friend

Lately with the onset of getting another job to keep my family afloat financially I have developed a huge case of the crazies. Stress of flying home from my full time job to change into my Wawa uniform and throwing my hair up for work in food service. Running into my house grabbing a few bites to eat before running right back out the door. Stopping only to grab my newborn grandson for a few precious minutes and kisses. Maybe pat my Jack The Dog on the head and a scratch him behind the ears. While at work I make numerous phone calls home because I miss my kids. I want to be home. I want to be with them. They are why I am working this stupid job. And I have to make a trade off somewhere. But what price must be paid in order for me to make this happen?

There has been no time for church. No time for fun. I want to drink. A LOT. I want to completely numb out the pain/stress/fear/loneliness/exhaustion. I want to drown myself in a vat of wine and never emerge. It’s that bad. I have no time for friends. No time for sleep. No time for my own sanity. And on top of that I realized this morning that I am pissed at God for allowing my ex husband to get $22K dollars behind on child support while I struggle to meet my obligations and try to raise my kids without any help from that piece of shit I call their father.

All this will pass. Each season of my life shifts and changes. And I somehow make it thru. Sometimes yearning for the season to pass quickly so that I can move onto the next. This season of the crazies will pass. All in His timing.

I want to tell you about my friend Dena who is in a season of her own. Dena is in a season of her life where there is nothing but blind faith and hope.

I met Dena at a wine tasting last year. Funny thing is that we lived right down the street from each other for 2 years and we never knew each other. I moved away and we bumped into each other at this wine tasting. Funny thing is….is I have to wonder if God the creator and orchestrator of life planned for us to meet all along. When life and circumstances and we get in the way… He goes to plan B. I have to believe that there is a reason and a season for all. No matter what that is. He has a plan.

Dena and her husband Paul are some of the most authentic people I have ever known. They are from the mid-west and there is no pretentiousness about them that I have ever seen. They are ‘what-you- see is- what –you- get- kind of people’. The kind of folks that you meet and you are truly richer for knowing them. The kind of people that remain friends with you for years. They are true.

My lovely friend Dena was diagnosed with stage 3 lung cancer recently. Dena is meeting this season in her life like she has met all else. Straight on with authenticity. She is sharing her story online. Reaching out to others. She is magnificently walking every step with nothing less than total class and dignity. She is working all this out with her eyes wide open to the struggle and fight ahead of her and Paul. She knows that she is far from alone. Dena inspires me.

As a believer in Jesus Christ the first thing that struck me about this battle that Dena is fighting was the concern and fear that she didn’t know Jesus. I was afraid that she didn’t have Him on her side. That she wasn’t secure in His hands. That she was alone. Where was her hope? Did she have faith? But, I know that she has made peace with this season. She has reconciled herself to the fight before her. That kind of integrity and grace can only come from the Father. I know that Dena knows Jesus. I have heard the faith. I have heard the hope. I have witnessed the courage and strength that doesn’t come from this world. Dena is walking straight on with that faith like she does everything else….with authenticity.

One of Dena and Paul’s favorite songs is The Boondocks by Little Big Town. This song is posted here as tribute to them and the fight ahead of them. I want to ask you guys out there that read my blog to please stand in the gap for my sister Dena. Pray that she is strong thru this season. Pray for healing and restoration. Pray for my friend to be healed. We are specifically praying that this cancer has not spread outside the lung cavity. Dena is starting treatment by having the lower lobe of her lung removed surgically on 5/21/08. Then we will know more. This is where faith comes in.

Let me just close this with the promise of further updates on Dena. And to Dena I want to say that you are one classy broad girlfriend. You are not standing alone. I love you.