Choose Joy! - Remembering Sara

I first encountered Gitzen Girl's blog about a year ago.

It was truly a gift from Our Lord.  A very awesome, timely gift.

I was struggling with the isolative life I had been living since moving to Dallas.  Living on the outskirts and as a pedestrian was proving to be more challenging that I first anticipated.  There simply wasn't (nor isn't) anything close to where I live; no hub in which to socialize . . . not while being a pedestrian and not even while being a triker.   Because of this, I was not able to really form lasting relationships nor was I very successful in creating beyond-the-surface friendships.  Part of that was due to the lack of people with whom to form such bonds; and part of that was the people I had met seemed to be unavailable because of their already well-established lives here in the Dallas area.

It took me several months; but I finally realized that the women who I had hoped would be natural "shoe-ins" for new friendships simply didn't need and/or want yet another relationship in their lives; they were content with their pre-existing friendships, and that was enough for them.  Perhaps, too, they were even intentionally choosing to not develop a friendship specifically with me; if so, then that is their prerogative and really none of my business.

Regardless as to the whys and wherefores, the very glaring lack of local friendships made me miss my once easily-accessible but now long-distanced friends and my pre-Dallas life even more.

So, my life shrank down to the various walled parameters within our house.

And, it became very lonely.

Almost intolerably so.

Then one day . . . I don't even remember how . . . I stumbled upon Sara Frankl's blog.

And, I felt that I had found someone who understood . . . even moreso than I did.

Sara was house-bound when I learned of her blog; she was combating an illness that would not even allow her to step outside of her home, lest her body react in severe sickness.  Soon, as the illness continued to ravage and degrade her body (but certainly not her spirit), she became bed-bound.

And through it all, Sara spoke of JOY!  The kind of Joy that can only come through Our Lord!
She lived, breathed and ate joy.  It was, in fact, her very essence.

I remembered such joy.  For, in fact, for years previous, I had often reminded people of HIS Peace and HIS Joy; regardless of one's circumstances.

Somewhere along the way, in trying to understand and adjust to my solitary life, I could no longer remind not even myself of these very precious gifts.  And, the darkness came and settled over everything.

But that's where Sara came in . . . she reminded me about Joy.  And, about Peace.  And, she did so through her various blog posts.

The journey was not a short one; it took several months for me to emerge from the depression that had enveloped my life.  But emerge I did!

My life, now, is still pretty solitary. But that's ok.  I have been able to accept various circumstances that a year ago were so incredibly and deeply painful to my soul.

I truly abhor pity parties  Really, pity parties do not produce any good results and are not edifying in any way at all.  And, I abhor them most of all when the host of such macabre activities is me.  I don't want to waste my life feeling sorry for what I don't have; all the while not even being able to see all the glorious blessings being continually poured out on my life.

I want to live MY life in joy.  HIS Joy.  I want my life to be a credible witness to who and what Our Lord is.  I want to honor HIM with my life and encourage others to look to HIM in their lives.

Sara helped me to remember this about myself.  I will be forever grateful to her.

Last September, Sara went home to be with Our Lord.  I remember crying from the depths of my heart when I learned that she had died.  I also remember rejoicing that she was now free of all pain and encumberances.  And, I remember being so very thankful for the gift of her.

Sarah is no longer here on earth, but her blog lives on.   Her words can be read again and again; continuing to comfort pre-existing readers and even welcoming new readers.  Her words and their meanings have survived.  What an amazing blessing!

Periodically, her sister, Shannon, will make a blog post over at Gtizen Girl.

Earlier this month, Shannon published the entry, "Sara's Story".

I share it with y'all, now, here.  I hope Sara's blog, her life and her story blesses y'all as much as she has blessed me.

Sara's Story / Gitzen Girl

Thanks for reading,
Y'all be blessed.

And, remember!  CHOOSE JOY!
~Sharmie