She Is Living In The Now – Sandy’s Story

“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven” Ecclesiastes 3:1

24 years ago I married the man of my dreams. He was in the military and, at the time we embarked on our life together, I hadn’t given too much thought to what life, as a military wife, would entail. I soon realized that the one thing that was certain was change. Each new military posting meant not just a new role for my husband, but at times a new location for our family, a new house, new friends and, once our two children came along, a new school, new sporting clubs, new doctor, dentist, hairdresser etc.

In this latest season of military life, my husband has been spending many months away on overseas deployments. This involves so many different emotions; loneliness, fear, frustration, anxiety and fatigue, not to mention the unique challenges of solo-parenting teenagers!

I’m often asked by other wives and mothers, ‘How do you do it? The frustratingly simple answer is, ‘I just do, I don’t have a choice!’ I realized quite early on that I had to embrace this season for what it is. I couldn’t change it, deny it or run away from it, as tempting as that has been at times. I knew I had the choice to either just survive or to really thrive. At the start of each year, I pray about one word that I can focus on for that year. In 2014, it was ‘Now’, to live in the present. That’s what I’ve had to do over these last nine months. I’ve learned to enjoy each moment, to not focus on counting down the days till my husband returns, but to make each and every day count.

In 2015, I chose the word ‘Focus’ as my theme and this has also helped to keep me strong in these last few months. I have kept my focus on looking outwards and being attentive to the people and opportunities around me. Whether it’s a new hobby, community project, a photo challenge or spending quality time with my children, I have learned to enjoy what I have in front of me rather than wishing for what is ahead.

It’s been very tough at times. There have been great days and other days when I’ve well and truly had enough! It’s during those days that my saving grace is Jesus and His word. I’ve learned to trust Him in the midst of things that I don’t understand and allow Him to calm my fears and give me peace.