NaBloPoMo:Thankful for Death of a Fairy Tale Dream

Julie's Note: Carla Ane Coroy is another testimony to how moms need each other. I briefly met her during the flagship year of our local Mothers of Preschoolers chapter. Unfortunately I did not get to know her well because she moved. She stayed in touch with a lot of the moms, and this is how she found her way to this blog. I'm so glad she did.

I strongly encourage you to check out Carla Anne's blog and site listed in her bio below. Motherhood and marriage hold so many rewards but are tough, daily work. We need all the resources and encouragement we can find. I know you will be encouraged by Carla Anne's story!


I could wax eloquent about how I’m thankful for Christ’s love, sacrifice and resurrection power and I’d be telling the truth. Or I could tell you how I’m so grateful for a beautiful family of two boys, two girls and Christian husband. Again, that would be so true. My home is full of delightful evidence of God’s Providence and for that I am also truly grateful. However, this year – today – I am feeling very strongly about something else.

My young girl dreams for my life have not turned out like I would have imagined or planned. Prince Charming was supposed to show up as my knight in shining armour to carry me off into the sunset so we could live happily ever after. Instead some engineering buddy of my ex-boyfriend decided to put me on his prayer list and after a month of long distance phone calls asked me out over the phone. Then because of the twenty-four hour drive (or very expensive flight) and $700 monthly phone bills (this was before someone came up with the great idea of flat-rate calling) the only wise thing to do financially was to get married.

Our five-, ten-, and fifteen-year plans (which we had to make in our long-distance premarital counselling sessions) did not include four high-risk pregnancies, a miscarriage, a career that took my husband away from home more than he was with us, chronic health issues, a special needs child, nine family moves in ten years or any of the other circumstances I would have rather avoided.

Yet, today as I think about what I’m thankful for it’s not the sparkly, happy things of life.

• I’m thankful for the friends that carried me in prayer as I struggled to ask ‘Why God?’

• I’m thankful for the friends I have all over the continent that still pray when my life is turning upside down.

• I’m thankful for the scary moments when I chose to keep a baby that doctors said I should abort because she’d die anyway – today she’s a beautiful thirteen year old who blesses my life in many ways.

• I’m thankful for the many moves that taught me how to love people and hold my ‘stuff’ lightly.

• I’m thankful for the way God has given me lessons in contentment as my husband’s income wavers from great to non-existent.

• I’m thankful for the patience I’ve learned as my son teaches me how to love the differences in others that some might call disabilities.

• I’m thankful for the rough spots in our marriage because now I know without a doubt that even when things are more painful than promising God is faithful to be all I need and give me joy unspeakable.

• I’m thankful that I’ve had plenty of opportunity to see many characteristics of God up close and personal because He’s given me reason to chase Him, rely on Him and need Him like a fairy tale never would.


Bio:
Carla Anne Coroy is a gifted storyteller and teacher with contagious enthusiasm for life. Even the mucky parts. Her humorous and down-to-earth style quickly engages her audiences as she ignites God’s hope in everyday situations.
________________________________________
Carla Anne speaks and conducts seminars on a variety of topics including parenting, marriage and biblical finances. Watch for her upcoming book for married moms who solo parent, or check out her married single mom’s blog! www.carlaannecoroy.blogspot.com or www.carlaanne.com