Timing Is Everything

 

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2011

Timing is Everything

I'll never forget the day we got home from taking Blake to the MTC (Mission Training Center) on September 23, 2009. I went into his room, sat on the bed, and cried. I have a lot of faith, but to be quite honest, I wasn't sure what my future would be or if I would have the opportunity to hold and hug my son ever again. I know for him, it must have been so difficult to leave. I worried night and day about him, wanting him to have a successful mission without worry or stress about me. Now I understand why the Lord has order and precision in all we do. Things are more apparent than ever before-

TIMING IS EVERYTHING-  

Most boys leave on their mission when they turn 19; my Blake was not ready. It broke my heart at the time. I now know the Lord is in complete control of all we endure, and HE understands more than we realize. Blake decided to leave when he was 21. All his friends who left at age 19 were just getting home from their missions. Only 6 weeks before he went, I found out I had breast cancer. During that time, I remember thinking, "This is the worst timing ever." Reflecting on that time, I realized how much I needed to learn. TIMING truly is EVERYTHING... 

I know I am alive with all my heart and soul because my son chose to serve the Lord. If it weren't for his service and Recker's Love, I think I would have checked out a long time ago. When I look back at the last 2 years of our lives, I can see the blessings, oh so many benefits of unselfishly serving the Lord. Tears run down my face as I think about what the Lord has blessed us. My son, my hero, I love him so much. He endured the last 2 years with strength and reliance on the Lord to help him through some tough days and nights.

Tonight I am sitting on his bed writing this blog- so many emotions are running through my head--he will sleep here tomorrow night. He will kneel and pray here in this room where I have knelt and prayed so many times for him to be safe and not worry about me or what is going on at home. So many pleas to the Lord on his behalf have been in this very room. Looking around, I see scriptures sitting on his nightstand--my scriptures, the ones I have studied. The Preach My Gospel book is right next to my scriptures. The pages are tattered a bit from me turning pages, trying my hardest to learn Christlike Attributes. I read every scripture I could get my hands on about faith, hope, charity, love, virtue, knowledge, patience, humility, diligence, and obedience. Boy, I have a long way to go before I can say I have mastered even one of those attributes. 

Yes, I believe TIMING IS EVERYTHING .... it's now time for Blake to come home, be with his family and start his life--I know he must have some mixed emotions too. I have been dreaming of the hug I will get from him, praying that my health would be good enough to greet him at the airport without him being disappointed or discouraged. He made it through, I made it through, and we all got through 2 years that I would not trade for anything in the world. My knowledge of our Savior's love for my family and me has been strengthened tenfold; I have said it many times, and I KNOW HE LIVES.   

I am so thankful to my friends, family, and the Lord for lifting me up on the days when I thought tomorrow would never come.... now as I pick up my scriptures to walk out his bedroom door, I am closing it like a chapter in my life is over, but opening it to walk towards a bright and beautiful future.

P.S. another reminder of Timing--precisely 2 years ago tomorrow, I was in Mayo Hospital having a radical mastectomy and being told my cancer had spread--and now we celebrate.

LDS Missionaries Coming Home Mix

 

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2011

LDS Missionaries Coming Home Mix

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQcSGVmXKNQ&t=179s

Next week I will be getting a huge hug from our Missionary Son. Thank you, Norm Watkins, for sharing this video with me; I cried like a baby.

Careful what you wish for

 

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2011

Careful what you wish for

I dream about running in a marathon--sounds crazy, I know, but I do, and I have for years. I have always been an athlete. When I was diagnosed with cancer, I was training for my 1st marathon--it was so hard not only to get the diagnosis but to give up running, cycling, kickboxing, and lifting weights. Tonight I went to a kickboxing class--and it kicked my butt. At one point, I seriously thought I was going to throw up. 

The funny thing about this story is as we were cooling down, I listened to the words to the song that was playing--it said, "Be careful what you wish for; it just might come true." I got the biggest smile on my face--my body was allowing me to do what I never thought I would be able to do again. I'm not sure I will ever be able to do push-ups like I used to with the lymph nodes being gone; it was excruciating. I did what I could (not much). Tonight, I'm grateful.

Poem to my Son-Blake

 

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2011

Poem to my Son-Blake

Today is Blake's 23rd birthday--I just sent through email this poem I wrote for him--I've never written a poem and don't know that I ever will again-but. This is how I really feel. I don't like to use the word PROUD, but I am. This boy is now a man; knowing he was out serving helped me get through some really tough days and months--


When you turned nineteen and decided not to go
my heart ached for what you didn't know.


Times were rough, and thoughts weren't clear
deep inside, I was glad you were still here.


Dad and I raised you in the Church, saying,
"where will you go?"
your answer to us was "NO."


I prayed morning and night, wanting
everything to be just right.


I'll never forget the day of your call
it was such a shock to us all,
seems you, too, had been praying and preparing.


Tears of joy filled my eyes, for now, I knew
and could empathize-


You would go out and tell
of Heavenly Father's Plan
and how Adam fell.


When my diagnosis returned positive for cancer
I cried, "no, this can't be."
I wanted a different answer.


You were given a blessing saying,

If you are obedient, 
"Your mom will be here."
then I begged the Lord to take away your fear.


The day I hugged you goodbye,
I wasn't quite sure how I'd get by.


As I felt my heart explode in my chest,
I knew it was time to let the Lord do the rest.


Every letter, Christmas and Mother's day
there was so much to say,
you were serving the Lord, and it made me glad

to hear you so happy for good days and bad


Now those two years have gone so fast,
soon you will be home with us at last.


Our family has been so blessed; you have
served with honor and done your best.


When people ask me, "How did you survive your fight?"
I look at them and say, "because I have a son who chose
to share HIS light."


I love you, Elder Blake Williams-Happy Birthday.

XOXO Mama

Heaven - 9/11 Tribute - 10 years

From Boy To Man

 

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2011

From Boy to Man

Blake wrote this letter to us recently. Eric and I were really touched by how much he has sacrificed. It's hard as a mother to know some of the conditions Blake has lived in; however, hearing him speak about how much he loves the Dominican people and how much he will miss them makes me happy. Before he left, Blake was rough around the edges, but after reading his letters and seeing the refining, he has done is a blessing.

Mom & Dad

I've been thinking about the time I have left here in this country. It has really come to be part of me. I mean, I really consider myself a Dominican. I love these people, and I will miss them so much, even those who don't want to listen to us, the dogs that always chase and bark at us, or the random drunk man that's is always interesting to talk to. Even the things I don't like, I will miss so much. Like when there is no light in the whole town for 24 hours, having to go to sleep drowning in your own sweat being eaten by mosquitoes when there's no water to shower in before you leave the house, or no light to iron your shirt before church or when, no one is in their homes the whole day not even the members to give you some water or juice, and then it starts to pour down rain, these are the things I really am going to miss, I love this country. I will always say it is MY country...

I am so grateful to be in the best mission in the world, with the best mission president in the world.

Things have been a little different this week after the hurricane; it took out a hotel right on the beach here and ruined this street. The place got flooded here, which is crazy because it never rains. It's like a desert here; it's the first area I have been in. It reminds me of home because there are cacti here, haha.

This week has been pretty good. I think I gave my last talk in the mission this last week, so it was 830 in the morning on Sunday, and we were preparing ourselves to leave and go pick up this investigator, and the branch president called and told me to prepare a talk for church, and I said that its fine ill do it cuz I thought at. First, it was for the next week but then like 15 minutes later, it got to me, so I called him and asked if it was for this Sunday or the next, and he said this Sunday, and said to make sure it was long cuz my mission president was going to be there, so he tells me 30 minutes before church when I'm already in the street to church that I have to talk, but its OK that's just another thing that I really am going to miss it went really well they told us that the chapel is going to be remodeled and that we will be moving into a little house for 5 or 6 months. We are going to baptize this guy named Avelino in a few weeks. He has 8 years with the missionaries, and his wife is a member that has her endowments. She tried and tried, and so have the missionaries, so we have been working hard with him, and we put a date for him, so we will be baptizing him a week or so before I get home. I cant wait to see the look on his face. His wife's face when he gets baptized. This is one of the things I am going to miss the most is seeing the lives of people change.

con mucho amor
ELDERblakeWILLIAMS

Elder Williams Itinerary

 

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2011

Elder Williams Itinerary

Saying Goodbye was so hard Sept 23rd 2009

I wish I could bottle up this feeling I have right now---I'm in Mexico I opened up my email and had gotten a little itinerary from Salt Lake City saying--Elder Blake Williams will be home in the US of A sky harbor airport on September 28th at 5:25 pm--not only did I do a little dance by myself in my kitchen--I smiled from ear to ear and even let out a few "oh yeah's he's finally coming home" with my hands in he air...I know this is bitter sweet for him, but it's ALL SWEET to me.... I miss him so much and I literally dream of that first hug, nothing I can write will even come close to explaining the feelings in my heart---I think it's time for some SUGAR--