How do you do it?

A friend asked me recently "How do you do it? How do you get through all of this and stay positive and in a healthy frame of mind?" I am not sure if he meant this in a "How are you doing it" kind of way or in a "How will you do it because I think you may need some support and redirection" kind of way. Regardless, I pointed to this picture hanging in our home: 

This painting appeared on our doorstep the afternoon of the very first hearing, February 28, 2013, the beginning of our treacherous walk through the court system. It was from someone in Madisonville named Lissa Lee, a stranger to us but obviously a compassionate, loving sister in Christ. In actuality, I know where it really came from. It was another of our early signs from Austin that he is in the arms of our Heavenly Father and enjoying one glorious day after the next. 

Early on in this tragedy I listened to a podcast by a popular pastor named Greg Laurie, who tragically lost a son in a vehicle accident. He said, "People have asked me did I ever get mad at God. You know, I never did. Sadness, yes; but I couldn't be mad at the very God that held my son in his arms at that moment. " He went on to describe an image of Jesus with his son sitting on his lap on one side, and the rest of the family on his lap on the other side, embracing all of them. When I close my eyes and imagine my family of 5 snug on the lap of Jesus, it brings me peace. We know without a doubt that Jesus has carried us through this from the beginning. We don't know what his plans are, or why, or where we will go next, but we know he will lead our steps if we focus our hearts and minds on him.

I am OK with where he is. I am NOT OK with how he got there. But that's another journey...