A Mother's Day Poem: Unshakeable!

I hope you all had a great Mother's Day. I wanted to share a poem my son Jullien wrote for me: 

WRITTEN BY: JULLIEN HERRERA

As mothers we're not given guidebooks, we make mistakes, shed tears, have regrets, wonder what we could've or should've done differently with our kids. In the midst of all of that, we are given the gift of laughter, joy, pride, memories, incredible love and a lifetime bond. We wonder if we've done the most difficult job of our lives well?

My son's poem, brought me to tears and reminded me of the greatest lesson we teach our children; faith, strength and trust in the Lord. As we've weathered life's storms; they were watching, they were learning. They were being shaped and molded, even in the most trying of times and circumstances. As we stood strong when things looked hopeless or impossible...they were learning the valuable lesson that they too could weather any of life's storms and having made it through it...become more beautiful! Thank you, Jullien for this amazing reminder.

I'd like to say Happy Mother's Day to my amazing mom who taught me the important life lessons that I am now teaching my kids. I love you!!

Wrestling With Why

It's been a long time since I let so many days go by without updating my Blog. I somehow found myself in a rut. Usually my Blog & writing is my escape. But following the death of my friends two boys, Zach & Drake, I found myself just at a complete loss for words.

Anything that I could write about was just so trivial in comparison. So I just stayed away, trying to deal with it by reading my Bible a lot, hoping to find an answer to "WHY could this happen to this family?" They have been through so much.

The dad, Steve, almost died in 2000.

It started out as just a normal day. He went to a pizza party, got a mug of beer from the tap and drank it.

All restaurants have someone come in & clean out the drink lines with chemicals. The person who had cleaned out the lines on this particular day didn't drain out all of the cleaning fluid.

Steve ingested all of the remaining chemicals. It instantly ate away his esophagus. He dropped to the ground grasping his throat as his oldest son Steven looked on in horror.

Steve was in ICU for months. No one ever expected him to live. They eventually manufactured an esophagus from his intestines. He was a miracle.

At his sons funeral he recalled that he told himself he had to pull through, his boys needed him & he refused to leave them.

From that point on, his life changed. He could never sleep lying down, he had to be completely upright. If he bent over after eating, all of his food would fall out. He went from a healthy 220 lb. man to about 135 lbs.

The stress of this event, eventually took its toll on his marriage. He divorced and raised his three boys on his own.

Both Steve & Steven spoke at Drakes funeral. It was incredible. His inner strength and love for his boys was evident to all who attended. He said he didn't know why so much has happened to his family, but wanted to encourage everyone to continually show and tell their kids, spouses, parents and the people in their life that they love them. Look them in the eye, not a text or a phone call, but TELL them face to face. Stop what your doing everyday in your busy life and spend time with your kids/family members. You never know how much time you have with them. MAKE EVERYDAY COUNT.

As I sat listening to him, I couldn't help but think about how caught up I get in little everyday tasks. I get flustered, stressed & find myself sitting behind the computer, isolating to escape. I needed to hear that, I need to make more time for my family. I need to write when everyone is at their activities so that I will be able to be there emotionally for them.

As I was praying & reading the Bible, I realized that God knows exactly how Steve feels. He too lost his son. He had to witness his son, Jesus Christ, in unbearable pain & suffering.

When things like this happen, and the question is WHY...the only one who truly knows the answer & can help in your pain & suffering is God.

What an incredible man...I pray for him, His fiance Shannon, his son Steven and Venus daily.

Be sure to count your blessings & look for the good in your life everyday!

A Celebration of Life

It was a very different weekend, we celebrated Jullien's almost 18th birthday on Friday because he will be in NY on his real birthday, Nov. 14th. On Sunday we attended a "Celebration of Life" service for our dear friend Joanne Phillips who recently lost her 10 year battle with breast cancer. Stop by her Caring Bridge Website and read about her...she was an amazing lady!

I have to say that it was one of the most inspiring services I've ever attended. You see, Joanne was a woman who brought sunshine into a room. She always made you feel as if you were the most important person around. She never let on to anyone how sick she was or how much pain she was in...she had a cheery smile, warm hug and sincere interest in everything that was happening in YOUR life.

At her service, one of the speakers asked for audience participation. He asked everyone to close their eyes and picture Joanne, then he went through a series of questions. The final one asking, " Now, while your picturing Joanne, do any of you picture a woman battling cancer? Raise your hands." Not one single person lifted their arm.

At the end of his talk, he concluded with having everyone stand up and giving the loudest standing ovation to Joanne. This was who she was, she didn't want a funeral...she wanted a celebration of life. She wanted others to know about Jesus and that she was now free of all her pain that she so bravely hid.

She was a fighter and part of that fight included being positive. Her strength, determination, joy and spirit was an inspiration to all who knew her. She blessed so many people's lives. I know I personally want to strive to be a better person. One who doesn't sit around complaining about problems in my life or aches and pains I may be having.

Goodbye my friend...until we meet again!

PRAYER REQUEST TUESDAY

After you read the incredible story below, be sure to leave your prayer requests in the comment section. I will add it to our weekly HB Gathering Group to have others pray for you! Don't carry your burdens alone another day, turn them over to the Lord!

Cherokee Indian Legend
Do you know the legend of the Cherokee Indian youth's rite of passage? His dad takes him into the forest –blindfolded-and leaves him...alone. He is required to sit on a stump the whole night...and not take off the blindfold until the ray of sun shines through it. He is all by himself. He cannot cry out for help to anyone.

Once he survives the night he is a MAN. He cannot tell the other boys of this experience. Each lad must come into his own manhood. The boy was terrified-could hear all kinds of noise...Beasts were all around him. Maybe even some human would hurt him. The wind blew the grass and earth...and it shook his stump. But he sat stoically - never removing the blindfold. It would be the only way he could be a man.

Finally, after a horrific night...the sun appeared and he removed his blindfold. It was then that he saw his father sitting on the stump next to him...at watch...the entire night.

We are never alone. Even when we do not know it, our Father is protecting us...He is sitting on the stump beside us. All we have to do is reach out to Him.

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go" Joshua 1:9