Fightin’ Crime… and Cancer.

In those hard, early crime fighting days, we called ourselves the Three Amigos. This past winter, I had planned to slowly unpack our story of combatting crime and evil for all of you. But God had different plans…

It was almost a year ago when I pulled The car aside into a North Dallas park (just leaving my first ever writer’s conference) to speak with our lead prosecutor. A plea bargain is what they call it—the best possible and expected outcome for ALL parties involved. And we accepted the plea. God was so good and faithful to bring us through the journey and justice was finally served after four hard-fought years. It’s difficult to fathom what a difference a year would make!? But God knew. He knew [then] that I would literally walk out of one life crises and into another—my mama’s cancer journey.

By the time the plea wrapped, it was Dec. 20th. And to put it in perspective, God showed me our new house in Hometown, OK in early Jan.. Of course it goes without saying, in between was the Christmas holiday. And if you know anything about our family holidays and my mama, Christmas was a lot of work! Especially, when you add in a twelve-hour drive from Nashville to Oklahoma. Not to mention the round trip, sixteen-hour drive retrieving our bundle of joy—Cousin Carl. So, basically I had ten glorious days crises-free. But in the tiny midst of those two major life crises, God stuffed all the hope and fulfillment of promises He could in those days. Not only that, but He loved us so well. I truly believe we were so incredibly blessed through it all because of my Mama’s prayers.

For mama’s funeral, Carl and I had a beautiful wreath made to lay at her graveside. It read “Miss Maime”. Mama had monikered us the Baldwin Sisters (from The Walton’s) because we were so terribly bossy. And fussy—as mama bears are prone to be!

Each one of us is put on this earth with a job to do and only God knows how long that job will take… But one thing I know for sure, there is meaning in the journey. And I consider myself incredibly blessed to count it all JOY!

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. James 1:2 

I want to lack absolutely nothing on that final accounting day, my friends. My hope and prayer is to hear those golden words “Well done, thy good and faithful servant.” How about you? What crises do you find yourself battling today? How are you counting it joy? I’d love to hear… 💕