Have you ever noticed that at times the present is past & the past present?
I know this sounds like an existentialist statement or a conjecture on Sci Fi time travel. But we all face these anomalies in our lives & so today we will be going on the first stage in an exploration of time.
First let us prepare, we need a few essentials for this journey, an all important hot beverage & delicious treat to give us sustenance for the trek. We also need a comfy armchair for this is armchair traveling at its best!
I have my favorite Earl Grey tea & a delicious Almond, blueberry & quinoa muffin… Now we’re ready let’s take off to the lands that time forgot or has it!
The Desert Bad Lands
These areas are hot, dry arid lands with little rainfall, the landscape has over the eons been eroded by desert winds & flash flooding creating the most exquisite sculptured beauty.
My late husband Ed & I toured Australia’s Bad Lands known as the Outback over two annual holiday road trips. We loved it so much we were planning a third road trip the following year across the Nullarbor to Perth.
Our first tour was visiting historic towns, land marks & places of interest such as Birdsville in the Simpson Desert, travelling the famous Strzelecki Track to Cameron’s Corner.
Then to Barcarldine where the first labor Union meeting in Australia was held, under a huge Ghost Gum that became known as The Tree of Knowledge & lived 180 years before it was poisoned by some unhappy voter, the remains can still be seen!
In our second outback tour we traveled to Longreach to see the Stockman’s Hall of Fame. Then to Alice Springs, visiting our iconic Uluru (aka Ayer’s Rock) which has to be seen to be believed, it is the world’s largest monolith & it’s the size of a mountain!
Then driving on down to Coober Pedy where our beautiful opals are mined. And where many residents live underground. In carved ‘dug out homes’ to escape the extremes of the outback desert heat by day & its freezing cold temperatures by night.
Hot, Dry & Arid Seasons
I’m sure all of us at some time have traveled through dry periods in our lives that felt as though we were traveling through a parched land.
Hot, dry & arid seasons where we experience little spiritual rainfall, where our faith is severely tested in situations that leave us wondering, struggling & panting for our spiritual thirst to be quenched.
Where hot searing winds of adversity by day & freezing cold temperatures of heartache by night, whip around our souls causing a flood of pain & confusion.
But through these painful seasons a much deeper force is at work…a powerful presence that can not be ignored.
One such season for me was when Ed & I had not long returned from our second outback tour. My sweet husband who was such a strong, gentle, kind & loving man was not well.
I had noticed subtle changes in his demeanor during that second trip. These subtle changes had become more & more pronounced on our return. Being a professional Clinical Counselor I saw that these changes were worryingly consistent with a progressive neurological decline.
After having an MRI scan, he was diagnosed with the most aggressive form of brain tumor (cancer), a Glioblastoma Multiforme Grade 4. The prognosis was terminal with approximately 6 – 12 months of life left, at best!
Sadly from that diagnosis to his death, was only twelve weeks… Going through those weeks which included his emergency neurosurgery, ushered in for me a spiritual journey through the desert Bad Lands.
You see we had only been married two & half years, when this diagnosis & prognosis was given. I felt this was so unfair, as we had found so much joy, love & happiness together.
A Greater Force At Work
With the hot stinging winds of supporting my husband through a terminal illness while running our 800 acre sheep & wheat farm by day. And in the long cold nights of facing a prognosis of widowhood, I clung to my heavenly Father for His comfort & strength.
But those winds were doing a far greater work then I could possibly have realized during that time.
Those winds of adversity were actually drawing me into a far deeper experience with Him.
And as the soothing rains of God’s grace & mercy fell upon my grieved & distraught soul…I could see the most beautiful wild flowers of His love & beauty sprouting.
This time left the most beautiful sculptures upon my soul that definitely have His signature, ones full of love & strength.
Sculptures…
- Called Trust, for He is always present in any situation I may face in life.
- Another is Love & Compassion, in Him they are all encompassing.
- The last is a beautiful sculpture of Comfort, for He has kept His promise & never left my side.
“God Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. I will not, I will not, I will not in any way leave you…Assuredly not!”
Hebrews 13:5
At this time each year, I find myself traveling back to review the past & present beauty of these sculptures of God’s love for me. As Ed’s diagnosis, emergency neurosurgery & prognosis all happened in the month of May.
Brain Cancer Cure
May is also Brain Cancer Awareness month here in Australia! So, I thought it was time to share a little more of my journey with you, as I have above.
There is still no cure for brain cancer, this insidious disease does not discriminate between age, gender or race…it attacks babies through to seniors in every people group on this planet & its impact is absolutely devastating.
So please consider supporting brain cancer research in your country…so a cure can be found & this disease can no longer take our loved ones!
Here are a few links…if your country isn’t below just search under Cancer Research…
Australia * The Kids Cancer Research Project
USA * Brain Tumor Reserach
May each of us count the blessings in our lives each day…
Until next time,
Jennifer
You’re most welcome to join me in The Reading Nook
© 2020 Jennifer M. Ross, teawithjennifer.blog All Rights Reserved. Photos on Pexels.com * Disclaimer: I do not receive any financial gain from these organizations.
Jennifer, thank you for sharing your heart, your journey, and your faith in the One who never leaves in the darkest of nights and when the winds of adversity may overwhelm us. This is such an encouraging post my friend♥️
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Thank you for your kind words Pam! He is such a comforting heavenly Father even in the most distressing of times, how blessed we are to know Him sweet friend. ♥
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Absolutely beautiful story, thank you for sharing. I will definitely make a contribution. ❤️
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Thank you, that is wonderful! I believe one day a cure will be found 😀
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I’m so sorry about your husband. How difficult it must have been for you. It must be comforting to have the memories of such beautiful travel together.
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Thank you Kara, yes beautiful sweet memories 😀
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Thank you for sharing your journey with us, Jennifer. I am sure many of us were helped by the information you shared. Anniversary dates do remind us of painful occurrences in our past. I am sorry you had to take such a dry, windy trip. May God be with you.
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Thank you Laurie, yes His presence, comfort & love have given such peace & comfort that only He can give. 😀
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Yes it is a terrible illness. The other day I listened to an elderly theologian who was reminding a young woman that Christianity never promised us safety in the worldly sense. But it does give us a deep abiding hope and peace that defies circumstance. Impossible to explain to one who hasn’t experienced it, but you do share a little of that here.
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Yes, He walks with us (though at times carrying us) through the hard times. His faithfulness is comforting. 😀
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Very!
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Thanks for sharing your story, Jennifer! I’m sorry your time with Ed was cut short in such an awful way, but I’m glad that you have happy memories of your trips together, and that you can see how God was working good in you even through such a painful time.
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Thank you Lesley, they’re sweet memories of a sweet man 😀
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Thank you for sharing this beautiful yet heartbreaking memory with us, Jennifer. I’m so sorry for your loss. But grateful that you are able to look back and know that God was not only with you through it all, but that he was growing you in the process. Blessings to you from across the pond! 🤗
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Thank you Laura, so glad you joined me for a cuppa today. Blessings to you too! 😀
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Thank you for your thoughts and a deeper insight into your life journey. I can’t imagine how hard it was to lose your husband to brain cancer. I have lost a cousin and a good friend to brain cancer. It is a fast-moving cancer. What a blessing that you were able to do some of the traveling that you did. Blessings!
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Thank you Mary, I’m saddened to hear you too have had to walk alongside dear ones with this insidious cancer.
Yes I have very sweet memories of our travels together 😀
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Aw, Jennifer … May sounds like a heavy month for you. I’m so glad you’re able to look back now and see how God used those seasons of great loss to draw you closer to Himself. And what a gift to have the memories from those trips with your husband. Hugs, friend.
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Thank you Lois! Lovely having you drop by 😀
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I am so sorry for your loss, Jennifer. Cancer is horrible and it is no respect or of persons. Thank you for sharing your story.
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Thank you Anita, that is very true!
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Thank you for sharing your heartbreaking story. Sending you prayers and hugs!
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Thank you Nadia, I appreciate them! Lovely having you drop by today! Bless you 😀
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How amazing to visit the outback! Maybe one day we’ll make it to Australia. I would love to see it.
I recently had a friend whose husband died from the same brain cancer that your husband had. Such a tragic loss every time. The book “I’ve Seen the End of You” is about a neurosurgeon who works with these cancer patients; it really opened my eyes to the devastation this particular cancer can cause. I am so, so sorry that you know that pain of loss.
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Thank you Lisa, it was a very painful time but I’m glad he is now enjoying glory & wholeness. I have some lovely sweet memories of our marriage.
I’m sorry you had a friend who recently went through this journey too. It really is devastating for all involved. ♥
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Your tragically beautiful story will leave a sculpture in the heart of whoever reads it….
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Thank you! What a beautiful thing to say ☺️
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