Fun!

Have you ever had a stage of life where you describe it as fun?  I found myself more then once over the last few days commenting that my life is fun, that I can't ever remember having so many fun opportunities come my way at the same time, and that I am just enjoying life!  Yes, there are a lot of issues and hard times still in the mix, but man! the memories that I am making and the activities and travel and friendships to experience never cease to amaze me. 
The above picture is me, sitting with my guys after they won a really big victory...not that the point spread was large, but they beat a previously undefeated team.  And I was so stinking excited for them, and proud of how well they played as a team...the effective way they worked together...and was hyper as all get out (to the point that there were cheerleader kicks and cartwheels).  I sat down for the picture, taken by Heith Carnahan of KC Derby Digest who was also taking pics on Saturday night.  Great guy, by the way, and amazing pictures...you should check out his photos.  Right before he snapped this picture, one of the guys had commented something about their photographer being excited, and then Duct Tape, comes sliding up next to me, and he gets a great photo of them smiling!  The whole evening was a lot of fun and a great reminder of why I got addicted to this sport in the first place.
And for the last two days, I have looked at pictures (took just under 2000, and kept maybe 800 for a slideshow for them), and just smiled.  I have thought about this life I am living and just smiled.  The word that keeps popping up in my head is fun.  I am having a blast in this stage of my life!  And that speaks so loudly to what God has been doing, the doors He has opened, the healing He is doing, and the joy that is reaped when you give it all to Him and walk the path He has for you.  I have also gotten reminders from team members, friends, and a new friend, of how the work I am doing for our league is helping them out.  And we all know how much I like to help.  The encouragement is amazing and so different from what I have experienced in the past...but seems to be a lot more present in my life right now.
Every one has a past.  Every one has issues they have to work through, and healing processes they have to go through.  I am no exception.  For ten years of my life, things were all too often rocky and eruptions were way too common.  I got to the point that I couldn't remember what there was that was valuable about me, or worthwhile, and began to enjoy the new-found ability to blend in with the walls and become almost invisible.  Walking on eggshells hoping to be spared of eruptions was more common place then I care to admit (and wasn't all that effective anyways).  When it all fell apart, I felt guilty because below the pain was almost relief and hope that things could be more controllable.  I drew closer and closer to the God who made the way for us, who provided everything we needed and already had amazing supports systems in place for us.  And I began to learn that He just wants me to walk one day at a time with Him, leaving all the tomorrows in His hands.  And there is so much freedom in that!  It is amazing.
Over the last almost three years since everything changed, God has brought so many good things back into my life, despite the struggles that have also been there.  He has provided His perfect peace, His never-ending joy, hope like I have never known, and a love and excitement for life that I didn't know existed this side of Heaven.  He has shown me repeatedly that I don't have to get down just because life is hard...but that I can choose to look for even the smallest thing to be thankful for and hold on to.  And that when I do that, it just doesn't knock me near as far down. 
There are just as many unknowns for me right now as there have ever been.  I have absolutely no clue what the future holds, or even what I would like for it to hold.  But I know that He is writing my story, and has already shown me how very delightful and fun that story can be.  I would have never guessed, EVER, that I would be where I am right now, doing what I am doing, but I wouldn't trade it for anything.  This is the greatest adventure, and I can rest assured that He knows and is taking care of all the details!  And again, I find myself saying...This is the life!
(and if you only knew even a small bit of all that is going on right now...you would be just as blown away by the fact that I can say this...its truly only by the grace of God that I can see my life this way!  And I am sooooo thankful!)