Palm Sunday started with a light snow this year, which considering it was in the seventies a few days ago, would have been shocking, had I not lived in the MidWest my entire life. Kansas likes to keep you guessing. "It's part of our charm," she said facetiously as her eyes rolled to the top of her head.
I'm not sure if my memory is failing, (which is possible, because Hello Peri-Menopause! Nice to meet you, ya schmuck.), or if the emphasis on the Triumphal Entry wasn't as prominent in the churches I grew up in. It is just as likely that they didn't spend a ton of time explaining the details in a way that the kids understood the relevance.
Blessed with a church that places a lot of significance on the entire Holy Week leading up to Easter; our children consistently have lessons and hands-on activities regarding everything that led up to the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ. On the Wednesday before Easter, they have a "Walk Through the Bible" event that starts with waving palm branches and shouting Hosannah in our little 'Jerusalem' and then moves into having their feet washed by our very gracious and humble servant leaders. It includes an example of the Last Supper, a Prayer Garden representing the Garden of Gethsemane, and ends with the reading of the Easter story and an explanation of the Resurrection. On Maundy Thursday, we have a self-guided silent communion service. Friday, we have a Tenebrae service (which for a girl who grew up in a small, old-fashioned, we ain't kiddin' around, we're Southern Baptists church is UNHEARD of) that is one of the most meaningful and touching services I've ever experienced. Lastly, the week culminates with the celebration that He is Risen; He is Risen Indeed.
My point being, my littles seem to know much more information than I did at their age. They're probably just smarter than me, so there's that.
Last week, as we prepped for Palm Sunday, my youngest came home with her construction paper palm branch that she made "just for me." She was explaining to her daddy and her big brother all about Jesus riding a borrowed donkey through the streets of Jerusalem. She bowed low at the waist, waved her branch, and with a very sincere little voice, shouted, "Han Solo, Han Solo!"
As we questioned if she meant "Hosannah," she dismissed us with a wave of her small hand, and a "yeah, yeah."
We returned home from church this afternoon (complete with a purple clothes-pin donkey, again made 'just for me' and actual palm branches) and set to work on our Resurrection Garden. I located this amazing thing on Pinterest. Check it out.
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/26458716535243572/
Today was the day to plant the grass seed. We will likely have an abundance of new grass now growing beneath our deck, because child-sized hands, a giant bag of grass seed, and a plant saucer may be asking for too much coordination out of a four and six-year-old. I am excited to see the grass start to grow. We need to go searching for our large rock that will be in front of the tomb. Monkey already picked out six sticks that we will form into the three crosses on Good Friday. I like that this is a full week and a half to two-week project that has separate lessons. It reiterates the main points. I love that my babies know and understand what I failed to grasp until I was older.
May each of you enjoy the rest of your Holy Week. If you're looking for a great place to worship, I may know a place. *wink, wink*
Showing posts with label Faith. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Faith. Show all posts
Sunday, March 20, 2016
Tuesday, March 8, 2016
No Kidding, Interuppted...
I keep telling myself (in my head, that is) that I MUST start writing again. Of course, then I find a reason to do something else. Occasionally, it is something totally worthwhile. Periodically, it may even be momentous occasions that distract me from my goal, but more often than not, it's something completely and totally trivial. I may need a nap. (Who am I kidding... I LOVE NAPS!) Perhaps there has been a TV series that I'm not completely caught up on. Perhaps my ADD has kicked into high gear, and I actually sit down to write but then forget what my topic was going to be...or start a sentence and remember that I forgot to start dinner, or forgot to stop the timer on something. In the end, excuses are excuses, and I need to get back in gear.
Those of you who know me, ok, all of you know that my sweet man had a spinal cord injury three years ago and that last year, well... last year sucked, to put it mildly. We thought he was regressing, the doctors had not a clue (someday soon I'll write a fabulous story about the importance of being an advocate for your loved one that requires intensive medical care) and we were clueless as to where our life was headed.
Isn't it amazing that after witnessing miracle after miracle, watching our sovereign God work in unexplainable ways, that your trust in Him can still waver when you're in the thick of it? I was swallowed up in depression, as was my man. He very literally could have died. Doctors thought he was in neurogenic shock. Want a real heart-stopper? Google that mess while you're sitting in an ER with your man. Lucky for me, I had a senior pastor that googled it on my behalf and sent me a text telling me not to.
I am lucky and grateful to have friends that love me enough to make me aware of when I'm having a pity party. They encourage me in my faith. They remind me of where we've been and what we've overcome. They smack me around a bit to help me get my head on straight.
Last week, I finally started the process of getting off medications that helped me cope with the last three years. It's time. It's time for a lot of things. Time for me to get the extra 40-50 pounds off my hind end. Time for me to live abundantly again. Time to be free of any bindings I may have allowed myself to be trapped by. Time to remember that my identity should be wrapped up in Jesus, and not in my junk. Time to hit Reset again, as many times as is necessary going forward. So on that note...
*reset*
Monday, March 23, 2015
Not Getting The Answer You Want Does Not = Not Getting an Answer
To say the last few weeks have been a blur would be an understatement. My last post was about answered prayers, and man alive, have I had a few lessons in that recently! A week ago this past Thursday, Bob went in for his biweekly physical therapy, and I went to Bible Study. We were still waiting to hear back from the neurosurgeon's office. He was struggling with overall strength, and was having a particularly rough day.
We had plans with a group of friends scheduled for that night that both of us were really looking forward to. I stopped to have lunch and go to the grocery store to prepare for our dinner, and while I was there, Bob called to let me know that his physical therapist said his decline from Tuesday to that day was so significant that she felt it warranted an emergency, and that he needed to see the surgeon immediately. I contacted our family doctor, and after they made calls to the surgeon's office, it was determined that he needed to be taken to the emergency room at KU Medical Center, and that would result in an evaluation with the neurosurgeon.
I notified our friends that we would be unable to attend, hopped in the car, and drove to the rehab center to pick up my man. My mom was with me, so she took the Princess back to the house, and got her down for a nap. Another friend agreed to pick up the boy from Kindergarten, so all I had to worry about was my guy.
We had a 10 hour wait on a bed in the ER hallway. An MRI, CT scan, ultrasound and really good drugs later, and he was admitted and told that he would be seen by the neurosurgeon the following morning. There was another MRI, this time of the thoracic spine, x-rays, and a bunch of conversations with multiple doctors/nurses/etc. Morning turned into evening, and the surgeon arrived to tell us that Bob was not a surgical case. The syrinx that we thought was causing the problem was too small to surgically drain, and while the bone spur may eventually need surgery, it was actually not impinging on the spinal cord, and not causing any issues.
I wish I could tell you that this conversation was met with gratitude and a decent attitude by this gal, but it was not. I was running on no sleep and felt like we were suddenly back at square one. Technically, that was true. Since they had already admitted him, they were going to set him up for aggressive physical and occupational therapy, meetings with a neurologist, and some additional testing. They did a third MRI, this time on the sacral spine. They determined there were zero cord problems. No explanations of how he had declined. It was certainly atypical. No reasons for why he had suddenly lost so much muscle mass and overall weight, no answers for anything. My frustration bubbled over into anger.
It was eventually determined that if the insurance approved it, they would like to transfer him to the KU Spine Center for inpatient rehab. Prayer warriors went to the throne on our behalf and prayed that the insurance would approve. It would be unprecedented if they did, because there was not a new incident that explained the decline. Because God is good, and is sovereign, and knows way better than this girl... he was approved, and will likely have two weeks of intensive therapy. We discovered later that an additional spinal surgery would have not been a good situation for him. The doctors still can't answer our questions about what caused it, but the therapist has identified that the neurons are all firing, and the problem is simply muscle weakness. We can build on that.
He is attacking therapy like the bulldog he is, and looks and sounds so much stronger already. They are working with him on posture and balance, which is helping in all other areas.
Prayers aren't always answered in the way we think they should be. I went into the ER that day thinking that surgery was our answer. God is our answer.
Meanwhile, dear sweet people at our church continue to be the hands and feet of Jesus to us. They have prayed over us, and loved on us, and volunteered all manner of things, proving that despite the fact that everyone has their own stuff... these people are the real deal.
We got to pray over and watch as a family (a really young family at that) had their faithfulness put to the test, and a baby that was supposed to live for hours, maybe minutes, just turned a month old. The doctors can't answer any questions about her either, because she is a medical mystery. In other words, she is answered prayer. Miracles. They are all over, my friends. You just have to look. She had a surgery today, one that they didn't think they would do, and not only did she survive it, her smiling face is plastered all over my Facebook page as I type this, which gives me unbelievable joy.
If you get discouraged, try to remember (and I'm saying this to myself more than anyone) that you don't always see the big picture. Only One does. One who fights for you. One who goes with you, who will not leave you, or forsake you. One who hems you in behind and before, and lays his hands upon you.
We had plans with a group of friends scheduled for that night that both of us were really looking forward to. I stopped to have lunch and go to the grocery store to prepare for our dinner, and while I was there, Bob called to let me know that his physical therapist said his decline from Tuesday to that day was so significant that she felt it warranted an emergency, and that he needed to see the surgeon immediately. I contacted our family doctor, and after they made calls to the surgeon's office, it was determined that he needed to be taken to the emergency room at KU Medical Center, and that would result in an evaluation with the neurosurgeon.
I notified our friends that we would be unable to attend, hopped in the car, and drove to the rehab center to pick up my man. My mom was with me, so she took the Princess back to the house, and got her down for a nap. Another friend agreed to pick up the boy from Kindergarten, so all I had to worry about was my guy.
We had a 10 hour wait on a bed in the ER hallway. An MRI, CT scan, ultrasound and really good drugs later, and he was admitted and told that he would be seen by the neurosurgeon the following morning. There was another MRI, this time of the thoracic spine, x-rays, and a bunch of conversations with multiple doctors/nurses/etc. Morning turned into evening, and the surgeon arrived to tell us that Bob was not a surgical case. The syrinx that we thought was causing the problem was too small to surgically drain, and while the bone spur may eventually need surgery, it was actually not impinging on the spinal cord, and not causing any issues.
I wish I could tell you that this conversation was met with gratitude and a decent attitude by this gal, but it was not. I was running on no sleep and felt like we were suddenly back at square one. Technically, that was true. Since they had already admitted him, they were going to set him up for aggressive physical and occupational therapy, meetings with a neurologist, and some additional testing. They did a third MRI, this time on the sacral spine. They determined there were zero cord problems. No explanations of how he had declined. It was certainly atypical. No reasons for why he had suddenly lost so much muscle mass and overall weight, no answers for anything. My frustration bubbled over into anger.
It was eventually determined that if the insurance approved it, they would like to transfer him to the KU Spine Center for inpatient rehab. Prayer warriors went to the throne on our behalf and prayed that the insurance would approve. It would be unprecedented if they did, because there was not a new incident that explained the decline. Because God is good, and is sovereign, and knows way better than this girl... he was approved, and will likely have two weeks of intensive therapy. We discovered later that an additional spinal surgery would have not been a good situation for him. The doctors still can't answer our questions about what caused it, but the therapist has identified that the neurons are all firing, and the problem is simply muscle weakness. We can build on that.
He is attacking therapy like the bulldog he is, and looks and sounds so much stronger already. They are working with him on posture and balance, which is helping in all other areas.
Prayers aren't always answered in the way we think they should be. I went into the ER that day thinking that surgery was our answer. God is our answer.
Meanwhile, dear sweet people at our church continue to be the hands and feet of Jesus to us. They have prayed over us, and loved on us, and volunteered all manner of things, proving that despite the fact that everyone has their own stuff... these people are the real deal.
We got to pray over and watch as a family (a really young family at that) had their faithfulness put to the test, and a baby that was supposed to live for hours, maybe minutes, just turned a month old. The doctors can't answer any questions about her either, because she is a medical mystery. In other words, she is answered prayer. Miracles. They are all over, my friends. You just have to look. She had a surgery today, one that they didn't think they would do, and not only did she survive it, her smiling face is plastered all over my Facebook page as I type this, which gives me unbelievable joy.
If you get discouraged, try to remember (and I'm saying this to myself more than anyone) that you don't always see the big picture. Only One does. One who fights for you. One who goes with you, who will not leave you, or forsake you. One who hems you in behind and before, and lays his hands upon you.
Monday, March 9, 2015
Anxieties & Answered Prayers
For the past few months, my man has been struggling with a myriad of issues surrounding his spinal cord injury. With two years having passed, we had expected his recovery to be much farther along than it was. More than that, he was deteriorating at a level that was both frightening, and just so stinking odd.
Last summer, he was rockin' and rollin'. His gait was barely altered, and our biggest concerns were about his hand strength and wrist flexion. He had moved over to a new medication to prevent blood clots. They took him off Coumadin, and moved him over to Xarelto. The plan was that we wouldn't have to have blood checks every week, and still rest easy that there weren't any new DVTs.
A few months later, he started to rapidly lose weight. His walking worsened, his knees began to bow inward, and he had difficulty lifting his feet. His balance, which was already awkward, became more difficult. He began to have quite a few falls. I would be in one section of the house, and suddenly hear an earth-quaking thud. Due to his initial injury, he was never able to get his hands up to help break his fall, so it was literally like a tree going down in the woods.
He lost all his muscle mass, along with a fair amount of body fat (which by the way, I found and promptly reallocated to my back-side) and this increased his pain level. Now bones were protruding. This made sitting or lying down for any duration excruciating for him, as it instigated nerve pain. His bowels and bladder regressed. His joints locked up, and his energy levels waned. It was scary, and it was suddenly visible to others outside of our immediate household.
We eventually agreed that the risk of potential blood clots was much less than the risk of a brain bleed after a simple fall. We took him off Xarelto. He had some instant improvements with how he felt overall, but no strong improvements in the walking or pain levels.
Last month, he had a fall that pretty shocking. He broke his nose, and had a slight non-displacing fracture of the C7 vertebrae. We finally found a physiatrist that didn't shrug his shoulders and say "I dunno why that is happening." Our family doctor (who is AMAZING) diligently went to work on pain management, actually found the new physiatrist, and coordinated care with him to determine our next steps.
The physiatrist mentioned that there was a slight possibility that he may have a syrinx, which is basically a cyst, or bubble in the spinal fluid. He wasn't presenting with typical symptoms, so we were unsure.
A week ago Saturday, he had an MRI to see if that was present. We have been not-so-patiently waiting for those results. His doctor got in touch with him late last night, and we scheduled an appointment to discuss the results.
Today, we learned that he does indeed have a syrinx, 6 mm, in the C3-C4 area. He also has a very large bone spur in the C7 area, that is impinging on the spinal cord. According to the results, it is contributing to "severe right neural foraminal stenosis and moderate right paracentral canal stenosis." Easy peasy, lemon squeezey, right?
Our family doctor (did I mention she is amazing?) is coordinating with the neurosurgeon, and the physiatrist, so that we can get in quickly for a consult and then schedule surgery. While it is nerve-wracking to have him go in for another spinal surgery, it is also SO AWESOME that for the first time in I can't remember how long, we have answers.
Here's the cool part... we have had many people specifically praying that this MRI would give us answers, and that the results would require a surgery or a treatment that would fix what he has been experiencing. Last night, the two of us prayed together, and our specific prayer was that there would be answers. I can't tell you how often there IS NO ANSWER where the spinal cord is concerned. Answered prayer. I love to reflect on specific answered prayers.
Now, of course, I'm giddy like a school girl, because I feel like there's a solution around the corner, and my man is one step closer to full recovery. Then again, I'm not the one getting ready to once again go under the knife. AND there's some documentation to suggest that the removal of the syrinx can stop the progression of the deterioration, but not reverse it. Let me be clear. Our God is bigger than that. Bob wasn't supposed to be able to walk again at all. There was a chance he would always rely on bowel care and catheters, and medicines that I can't even count. He's walking. He's managing (although right now with a high degree of difficulty) his own care, and driving, and a ton of other stuff. If our God wants him to be fully recovered, if it brings Him glory, then he will be fully recovered. I have prayed since February 2, 2013 that he would be 100% restored. Doctors have said that's impossible. They also said that he wouldn't walk. They also said that he would always have to do this or that.... that he would NEVER do some things that he is clearly doing, even in a weakened state. While I will trust our doctors, and follow advice, I will RELY on the only One who has all the answers.
Specifically pray for strength and peace for my man. He is the one that has to endure the surgery, and go through all the aftermath of healing up... I just have to watch. I believe that this is going to be amazing. I believe that he's going to come out with crazy miraculous results, just like his original accident. I believe it with every fiber of my being, but I am also going to say that even if he doesn't, our God is bigger than this whole mess, and we will stand firm.
So there you have it. Prayers are always appreciated. I will update as we have new info. Love you all.
Last summer, he was rockin' and rollin'. His gait was barely altered, and our biggest concerns were about his hand strength and wrist flexion. He had moved over to a new medication to prevent blood clots. They took him off Coumadin, and moved him over to Xarelto. The plan was that we wouldn't have to have blood checks every week, and still rest easy that there weren't any new DVTs.
A few months later, he started to rapidly lose weight. His walking worsened, his knees began to bow inward, and he had difficulty lifting his feet. His balance, which was already awkward, became more difficult. He began to have quite a few falls. I would be in one section of the house, and suddenly hear an earth-quaking thud. Due to his initial injury, he was never able to get his hands up to help break his fall, so it was literally like a tree going down in the woods.
He lost all his muscle mass, along with a fair amount of body fat (which by the way, I found and promptly reallocated to my back-side) and this increased his pain level. Now bones were protruding. This made sitting or lying down for any duration excruciating for him, as it instigated nerve pain. His bowels and bladder regressed. His joints locked up, and his energy levels waned. It was scary, and it was suddenly visible to others outside of our immediate household.
We eventually agreed that the risk of potential blood clots was much less than the risk of a brain bleed after a simple fall. We took him off Xarelto. He had some instant improvements with how he felt overall, but no strong improvements in the walking or pain levels.
Last month, he had a fall that pretty shocking. He broke his nose, and had a slight non-displacing fracture of the C7 vertebrae. We finally found a physiatrist that didn't shrug his shoulders and say "I dunno why that is happening." Our family doctor (who is AMAZING) diligently went to work on pain management, actually found the new physiatrist, and coordinated care with him to determine our next steps.
The physiatrist mentioned that there was a slight possibility that he may have a syrinx, which is basically a cyst, or bubble in the spinal fluid. He wasn't presenting with typical symptoms, so we were unsure.
A week ago Saturday, he had an MRI to see if that was present. We have been not-so-patiently waiting for those results. His doctor got in touch with him late last night, and we scheduled an appointment to discuss the results.
Today, we learned that he does indeed have a syrinx, 6 mm, in the C3-C4 area. He also has a very large bone spur in the C7 area, that is impinging on the spinal cord. According to the results, it is contributing to "severe right neural foraminal stenosis and moderate right paracentral canal stenosis." Easy peasy, lemon squeezey, right?
Our family doctor (did I mention she is amazing?) is coordinating with the neurosurgeon, and the physiatrist, so that we can get in quickly for a consult and then schedule surgery. While it is nerve-wracking to have him go in for another spinal surgery, it is also SO AWESOME that for the first time in I can't remember how long, we have answers.
Here's the cool part... we have had many people specifically praying that this MRI would give us answers, and that the results would require a surgery or a treatment that would fix what he has been experiencing. Last night, the two of us prayed together, and our specific prayer was that there would be answers. I can't tell you how often there IS NO ANSWER where the spinal cord is concerned. Answered prayer. I love to reflect on specific answered prayers.
Now, of course, I'm giddy like a school girl, because I feel like there's a solution around the corner, and my man is one step closer to full recovery. Then again, I'm not the one getting ready to once again go under the knife. AND there's some documentation to suggest that the removal of the syrinx can stop the progression of the deterioration, but not reverse it. Let me be clear. Our God is bigger than that. Bob wasn't supposed to be able to walk again at all. There was a chance he would always rely on bowel care and catheters, and medicines that I can't even count. He's walking. He's managing (although right now with a high degree of difficulty) his own care, and driving, and a ton of other stuff. If our God wants him to be fully recovered, if it brings Him glory, then he will be fully recovered. I have prayed since February 2, 2013 that he would be 100% restored. Doctors have said that's impossible. They also said that he wouldn't walk. They also said that he would always have to do this or that.... that he would NEVER do some things that he is clearly doing, even in a weakened state. While I will trust our doctors, and follow advice, I will RELY on the only One who has all the answers.
Specifically pray for strength and peace for my man. He is the one that has to endure the surgery, and go through all the aftermath of healing up... I just have to watch. I believe that this is going to be amazing. I believe that he's going to come out with crazy miraculous results, just like his original accident. I believe it with every fiber of my being, but I am also going to say that even if he doesn't, our God is bigger than this whole mess, and we will stand firm.
So there you have it. Prayers are always appreciated. I will update as we have new info. Love you all.
Wednesday, December 31, 2014
Miracles and Coincidence
I don't believe in coincidence. I used to, but that time has passed. Isn't it funny how time and specific situations can forever alter your perspective? What some call coincidence, I choose to believe is God using specific people, specific incidents, and specific timing all to achieve His greater purpose.
Example: I worked for a dear lady who has become a close friend. She witnessed the aftermath of my divorce, and knew what my hopes were for the future. She left the company we worked at, and later recommended me for a position at the company she went to. After I accepted that position, she left again (I was starting to take it personally) to work for a man that she kept insisting I meet. She pestered and cajoled, not just me, but him as well. After continuously declining, she was 'casually' mentioning that he was picking up his son for weekend visitation, and that he was also picking up his ex-wife's son from her first marriage. He had raised that child since he was two, and was maintaining visits with him as well as his biological son. Having my own children from my first marriage, that piqued my interest. At the same time, she shared something with him about me that caught his attention. We agreed to meet... and were engaged 9 months later. It could be seen as a series of coincidences, just happenstance. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that God set those plans in motion.
We had some difficult decisions to make over the last year or so. There were financial limitations to some of these decisions, but after much prayer, we had to step out on faith and spend money we didn't really have. I'm talking about several thousand dollars. After much prayer and angst, we pulled money out that was earmarked for something else. Within the week, I opened a junk drawer in the kitchen that I am literally in ten times a day. I came across an envelope from our insurance company that I assumed was something we'd already dealt with electronically. I opened it to confirm, and a check for almost the same amount we'd pulled out was inside. It was over a year old, and had to be reissued from the insurance company. It was taken care of within that same week. Again... several thousand dollars. Overlooked? I don't think so. It's not like we live in a fashion that we can just not need several thousand dollars of expected income. God knew when we'd need it, what we'd need it for, and He provided.
Still not buying it? Try this on for size. My husband had a severe spinal cord injury almost two years ago. He was told he'd likely never walk again. If he did walk again, it would be 6 months before he would be able to take even 1 step. It would be exhausting, and he'd only be able to take two or three steps and then have to sleep for hours just to recuperate. At the most, he'd maybe be able to recover maybe by 80%. He would always have pain, he would always have muscle tone and spasticity, he would always need bowel care and catheters. The list goes on and on. He took his first steps 1 month and 4 days after the accident. Instead of walking a couple of steps, he walked 11 feet. He hasn't had a catheter in over a year, and his bowels require no additional care most of the time. Miracles have abounded throughout this journey.
In that vein, here's another 'coincidence' for you. We have a dear friend that we got to know better during Bob's initial recovery. She and her sweet husband helped us tremendously. They followed our story, they prayed over us, they even did our laundry, and managed some very personal care for Bob while I had to be away. Somewhere along the way, they made friends with a couple in Florida. I don't know their whole story, but I don't believe they share our faith. A couple of weeks ago, their son had a diving accident in Miami, and suffered a spinal cord injury. He's at the beginning of this journey, and from personal experience, I can tell you it's a scary road. Doctors aren't always people of faith. Typically the opposite, as they breathe science day in and day out. The spinal cord and brain are so crazy complicated, that even the specialists will tell you that they never know exactly what to expect. We have experienced more than once the condescending pat on the head when explaining that we have experienced new functionality after intense bouts of nerve pain. When we tell them symptoms we believe are healing, they let us know that it is likely symptoms of a plateau in recovery. They don't always offer hope. Contrarily, they are trained to prepare you for the worst. Because our friend has seen my husband's healing process, she has been able to relate example after example of positive results from devastating circumstances. Is it a coincidence that she began a relationship with this woman when she did? Is it just by chance that she's been able to offer hope, share her faith and love on this family? I don't believe it is.
Over the last couple of months, my husband has had some nearly unbearable pain. He has struggled with functionality, and that can be disheartening. We were able to remove one medication that has turned that around, for the most part. Still, he's had horrible arm pain on his weak side. (His injury impacted his right side more than his left). Last night, he came home and said that there was a wave of electricity that was washing over that right arm. It was painful, traveling down from underneath his shoulder and into his fingers connected to the ulnar nerve. He was excited, knowing that new abilities may be around the corner. I can assure you that his physiatrist would look at us while shaking his head and patting our hands. He would tell us that we could believe whatever we need to in order to get through this. An hour later, my husband pinched me hard with his right hand. The hand that he could barely grip with a day ago, snatched ahold of my arm with some vigor.
God is in every detail. He performs miracles every day. You can choose to see them for what they are, or you can choose to call it coincidence. Personally, I think it takes more faith to believe in coincidence than in Him. What about you?
Example: I worked for a dear lady who has become a close friend. She witnessed the aftermath of my divorce, and knew what my hopes were for the future. She left the company we worked at, and later recommended me for a position at the company she went to. After I accepted that position, she left again (I was starting to take it personally) to work for a man that she kept insisting I meet. She pestered and cajoled, not just me, but him as well. After continuously declining, she was 'casually' mentioning that he was picking up his son for weekend visitation, and that he was also picking up his ex-wife's son from her first marriage. He had raised that child since he was two, and was maintaining visits with him as well as his biological son. Having my own children from my first marriage, that piqued my interest. At the same time, she shared something with him about me that caught his attention. We agreed to meet... and were engaged 9 months later. It could be seen as a series of coincidences, just happenstance. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that God set those plans in motion.
We had some difficult decisions to make over the last year or so. There were financial limitations to some of these decisions, but after much prayer, we had to step out on faith and spend money we didn't really have. I'm talking about several thousand dollars. After much prayer and angst, we pulled money out that was earmarked for something else. Within the week, I opened a junk drawer in the kitchen that I am literally in ten times a day. I came across an envelope from our insurance company that I assumed was something we'd already dealt with electronically. I opened it to confirm, and a check for almost the same amount we'd pulled out was inside. It was over a year old, and had to be reissued from the insurance company. It was taken care of within that same week. Again... several thousand dollars. Overlooked? I don't think so. It's not like we live in a fashion that we can just not need several thousand dollars of expected income. God knew when we'd need it, what we'd need it for, and He provided.
Still not buying it? Try this on for size. My husband had a severe spinal cord injury almost two years ago. He was told he'd likely never walk again. If he did walk again, it would be 6 months before he would be able to take even 1 step. It would be exhausting, and he'd only be able to take two or three steps and then have to sleep for hours just to recuperate. At the most, he'd maybe be able to recover maybe by 80%. He would always have pain, he would always have muscle tone and spasticity, he would always need bowel care and catheters. The list goes on and on. He took his first steps 1 month and 4 days after the accident. Instead of walking a couple of steps, he walked 11 feet. He hasn't had a catheter in over a year, and his bowels require no additional care most of the time. Miracles have abounded throughout this journey.
In that vein, here's another 'coincidence' for you. We have a dear friend that we got to know better during Bob's initial recovery. She and her sweet husband helped us tremendously. They followed our story, they prayed over us, they even did our laundry, and managed some very personal care for Bob while I had to be away. Somewhere along the way, they made friends with a couple in Florida. I don't know their whole story, but I don't believe they share our faith. A couple of weeks ago, their son had a diving accident in Miami, and suffered a spinal cord injury. He's at the beginning of this journey, and from personal experience, I can tell you it's a scary road. Doctors aren't always people of faith. Typically the opposite, as they breathe science day in and day out. The spinal cord and brain are so crazy complicated, that even the specialists will tell you that they never know exactly what to expect. We have experienced more than once the condescending pat on the head when explaining that we have experienced new functionality after intense bouts of nerve pain. When we tell them symptoms we believe are healing, they let us know that it is likely symptoms of a plateau in recovery. They don't always offer hope. Contrarily, they are trained to prepare you for the worst. Because our friend has seen my husband's healing process, she has been able to relate example after example of positive results from devastating circumstances. Is it a coincidence that she began a relationship with this woman when she did? Is it just by chance that she's been able to offer hope, share her faith and love on this family? I don't believe it is.
Over the last couple of months, my husband has had some nearly unbearable pain. He has struggled with functionality, and that can be disheartening. We were able to remove one medication that has turned that around, for the most part. Still, he's had horrible arm pain on his weak side. (His injury impacted his right side more than his left). Last night, he came home and said that there was a wave of electricity that was washing over that right arm. It was painful, traveling down from underneath his shoulder and into his fingers connected to the ulnar nerve. He was excited, knowing that new abilities may be around the corner. I can assure you that his physiatrist would look at us while shaking his head and patting our hands. He would tell us that we could believe whatever we need to in order to get through this. An hour later, my husband pinched me hard with his right hand. The hand that he could barely grip with a day ago, snatched ahold of my arm with some vigor.
God is in every detail. He performs miracles every day. You can choose to see them for what they are, or you can choose to call it coincidence. Personally, I think it takes more faith to believe in coincidence than in Him. What about you?
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