Christmas and Multiple Sclerosis

it's a rainy Saturday afternoon here,

and i sit eating one of my favorite soups 

{Panera Bread's vegetarian and low fat black bean}

our favorite-five-year-old is spending the Saturday with some grandparents,

and my favorite three-year-old is playing tea party with her animals.

{which, btw, my nativity set might not survive 

a certain animal-loving-three-year-old this year}.

 we've been kind of status-quo around here recently,

which,

after being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, is really good.

it's so nice to answer {we're good}

to the question how are y'all doing?

My MS symptoms are virtually non-existant.

except for a low-fat diet and daily injections,

i have little reminders of this progressive neurological disease.

and, when those reminders do come in the form of a tingly foot or burning hand,

it's just a reminder that this life is so short, and i am {we are!}

so desperately dependent on my Savior.

my heart is full looking into this Holiday season.

i have such new depth of awareness for the hope that we celebrate this year -

the hope that came in the form of a baby in a manger.

that baby brings me hope for this life -

that even if my barely-whispered worst-case-MS-scenarios came true down the road,

i will not be hopeless.

and i will be able to do all things through Him who will strengthen me, 

should that time come.

that baby brings hope for the next life -

hope for new bodies,

bodies not scarred by the sin of this world.

hope for an eternity spent by the throne,

saying worthy, worthy, worthy is the Lamb.

happy advent season, all.