God is faithful. Period.
Whether they're big problems or little tiny problems that no one else would even see as a problem, He takes care of it! Let me share how Jesus was my knight in shining armor today!
Firstly, I was supposed to have a doctor by the name of Jennings perform my spinal tap today, but another doctor was called in for some unknown reason. It must have been so last minute that when the nurse called only 3 minutes prior to the doctor's arrival, she was told that it was Dr. Jennings that was coming. But the man that walked in the door was not Dr. Jennings. He was a man by the name of Dr. Citrone. Citrone. Kind of sounds like trombone. :) And his presence was as noticeable as the blare of a bellowing trombone, but not because he was noisy. It was his gentle spirit and kind and respectful words that he spoke to everyone in the room that gave off an unusual fragrance of respect and sincere care through the room. I've been in enough hospitals and through enough procedures to know that doctors and nurses function together, but many, man times, they are on entirely different social levels. Many of the doctors that I have come across treat nurses as if they are a germ to be avoided. They somehow operate as if they are a superior race, immune to error. Well, not Dr. Citrone. He was phenomenal. A short man, with short, almost buzzed black hair. He had a kind face and concerned eyebrows. It was clear that he wanted to make sure that I knew exactly what was going to happen and have a voice throughout the procedure.
The actual "event" of my spinal tap wasn't that bad. I felt the first injection of numbing medication, and even less of the second injection to the deeper level of my back tissue, and by the time the large needle was inserted, I didn't feel a thing. That is, however, until Dr. Citrone bumped a nerve... ZING! I felt an electric shock surge down my left leg. It gave me a jolt and left my leg buzzing a little bit. After repositioning the needle and making sure with me that it was in a better spot, Dr Citrone continued with his probing. And then, again...ZING! Only this time I felt a true electrical frequency jolt down my left leg with a painful zap. I thought I even heard an electric POP, but it could have just been in my head. This happened only a couple more times, but it was the most odd feeling I've ever had.
After elevating the head of my bed to use gravity in their favor to get the fluid from my brain, down my spinal cord and into the needle in my back; and then deciding that they finally had enough fluid to call it good, my bed was lowered to it's normal position and I was rolled to an area where they took some blood. When the blood had been taken and I had waited for 30 minutes, I was released to go home. My wonderful mother-in-law, Jill was my escort. I was so thankful for her!
It wasn't until I called Calvin on my way home, that I learned about another series of events that had happened that day! He informed me that he had been on the phone with my dad off and on because Sam, our German Shepherd, had somehow gotten out of our newly fenced yard and picked up by the animal control officer! Calvin didn't have much time to chat since he was working up in McCall, so I called my dad to get the rest of the story.
Apparently, a good friend of ours, Heather Beam, was on her way to work when she drove past our house and noticed that neither of our cars were home and the gate was open. When she got to work, she informed my Aunt Rhonda (Gray), whom she works with, about the situation. When Aunt Rhonda found out that the gate was open, she immediately wanted to come and check on our place. She had been concerned when she had driven by and no cars were at our house (she forgot I was having my spinal tap today). So, she and Heather hopped in Aunt Rhonda's Explorer and they traveled the 6 or so blocks to my house. When they arrived, the gate had been shut (either by someone or the wind). They tried to find the latch to open the gate, but since it is so tall, they were unsuccessful. So...my Aunt, being the animal lover that she is and being worried about Sam, decides to drive her Explorer as close to our fence as she can so that Heather can stand on the bumper and peek over the gate to check on Sam. Their scheme worked and delivered the answer that Sam was no longer in the yard, which sent them searching our neighbor hood for him! In the meantime, my aunt called my dad and let him know what was going on. He, then left what he was doing at work and joined the search party. When they had no luck finding Sam, they called the police station and asked if Animal Control had picked him up. Yes, they had. But, this story has a surprising twist! The Animal Control lady offered to bring Sam home! She brought him home and delivered him to my dad and did not even issue a fine! He thanked her again and again and we were let off the hook! This all happened while I was in Boise for my spinal tap. When I arrived home, I would have never even known that Sam had been gone if I hadn't talked with Calvin!
I was so touched by the three special lives that intervened in my life today! I was left with personal questions that kept bouncing around in my heart... Would I have even noticed an open gate at one of my friend's houses? If I did, would I do anything? Even if I knew something was wrong or that their dog had gotten out, would I have even cared enough to call them? Let alone do something about it!? Or would I have thought, "Oh man, that stinks...oh well"?
I was so convicted by these thoughts and the knowledge of what I would do and by what my aunt, my friend and my dad actually did! They gave of themselves, their time and their day! While all of these thoughts continued to press around inside my head and heart, I came across a saying, either on the internet or a billboard (I can't remember) that said, "God always repays what you give." Now, I don't know how God speaks to you, but with me, He gives me an initial conviction (what my family did for me today) and then He follows through with a series of Bible verses and even daily occurrences that confirm what He's asking me to do. When I was pregnant with Ella, it seemed that every verse I read had something to do with believing and not doubting. Today, every verse I encountered spoke to me about my conviction to give.
Proverbs 28:27
"He who gives to the poor will lack nothing, but he who closes his eyes to them receives many curses."
Another verse, which escapes me at the moment, had to do with giving to the poor and it said, when we give, we are giving to them, we are also giving to God himself. In my search for that verse, I came across these verses and they really spoke to my heart:
2 Corinthians 9:6-8
"Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work."
In all of my busy-ness of today, God spoke to me and convicted my heart to be more giving of myself, my time and my resources. Without the giving spirit of my dad, Aunt Rhonda and Heather, my day would have had a much different outcome (of searching for Sam, finding him at the animal shelter and paying big bucks to bring him home) all with a very sore back! I am so thankful for a God who can not only perfectly orchestrate my spinal tap, right down to the perfect doctor, but He can also take care of what's going on at home with my dog! And that's what He did just in my life today, not to mention Calvin's or Ari's or Ella's or yours!
What a God we serve! As I am left in awe of my awesome God, I reflect on what today really meant for me. I mean, I went into the hospital today initially to find out if I have MS, what my doctor calls a crippling disease, but I have not a fear in the world. A perfect peace coats my heart because I know that God is not only going to provide help, love, comfort and provision for my good days and bad days, but all the days in between! He cares about it all, every corner and crack of this journey is bathed in His care and precise planning. The joy of the Lord is made perfect in my weakness! This evening, my dad sat down with me and shared with me that this morning, he was in a home chatting with a man about his windows (my dad is a "glass man") when the man, out of the blue, asks if my dad is a Believer...this lead to more conversation and my dad sharing that I was at the hospital having a spinal tap. Right then and there, the man asked if they could pray together for me! A complete stranger prayed for me today because his heart was linked to my dad's through Christ! Would they have had the opportunity to pray had there not been a need today? Who knows, but I am so thankful that my weakness was used to His glory in one small way!
One might ask, how can my family have gone through everything with Ella and with all of this other stuff currently beating up against us everyday and still have joy? Well, the simple and honest answer is: We never do...until we die to ourselves and submit to Jesus. Then, His love and light covers everything and joy becomes a part of us. It is no longer an option, just an extension of God living in us. Because when we die to ourselves and Christ enters in...supernatural things happen and His joy permeates every corner of our hearts! That's not to say that there are never really hard days! There are! But there is a deep joy that would not otherwise be there that is sustaining us and bringing us closer to what our hearts long for - to be in God's presence and bask in the light of His Son!
I want to give God praise today! No matter the outcome of this spinal tap, I will serve Him. He has never, ever let me down. For He alone is good! He alone is just! He alone is mighty! And He alone can save! “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!” (Revelation 5:12)
Philippians 3:20
" But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ"!
Hebrews 11:16
" Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them."
2 Corinthians 12:9-10
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong."
Whether they're big problems or little tiny problems that no one else would even see as a problem, He takes care of it! Let me share how Jesus was my knight in shining armor today!
Firstly, I was supposed to have a doctor by the name of Jennings perform my spinal tap today, but another doctor was called in for some unknown reason. It must have been so last minute that when the nurse called only 3 minutes prior to the doctor's arrival, she was told that it was Dr. Jennings that was coming. But the man that walked in the door was not Dr. Jennings. He was a man by the name of Dr. Citrone. Citrone. Kind of sounds like trombone. :) And his presence was as noticeable as the blare of a bellowing trombone, but not because he was noisy. It was his gentle spirit and kind and respectful words that he spoke to everyone in the room that gave off an unusual fragrance of respect and sincere care through the room. I've been in enough hospitals and through enough procedures to know that doctors and nurses function together, but many, man times, they are on entirely different social levels. Many of the doctors that I have come across treat nurses as if they are a germ to be avoided. They somehow operate as if they are a superior race, immune to error. Well, not Dr. Citrone. He was phenomenal. A short man, with short, almost buzzed black hair. He had a kind face and concerned eyebrows. It was clear that he wanted to make sure that I knew exactly what was going to happen and have a voice throughout the procedure.
The actual "event" of my spinal tap wasn't that bad. I felt the first injection of numbing medication, and even less of the second injection to the deeper level of my back tissue, and by the time the large needle was inserted, I didn't feel a thing. That is, however, until Dr. Citrone bumped a nerve... ZING! I felt an electric shock surge down my left leg. It gave me a jolt and left my leg buzzing a little bit. After repositioning the needle and making sure with me that it was in a better spot, Dr Citrone continued with his probing. And then, again...ZING! Only this time I felt a true electrical frequency jolt down my left leg with a painful zap. I thought I even heard an electric POP, but it could have just been in my head. This happened only a couple more times, but it was the most odd feeling I've ever had.
After elevating the head of my bed to use gravity in their favor to get the fluid from my brain, down my spinal cord and into the needle in my back; and then deciding that they finally had enough fluid to call it good, my bed was lowered to it's normal position and I was rolled to an area where they took some blood. When the blood had been taken and I had waited for 30 minutes, I was released to go home. My wonderful mother-in-law, Jill was my escort. I was so thankful for her!
It wasn't until I called Calvin on my way home, that I learned about another series of events that had happened that day! He informed me that he had been on the phone with my dad off and on because Sam, our German Shepherd, had somehow gotten out of our newly fenced yard and picked up by the animal control officer! Calvin didn't have much time to chat since he was working up in McCall, so I called my dad to get the rest of the story.
Apparently, a good friend of ours, Heather Beam, was on her way to work when she drove past our house and noticed that neither of our cars were home and the gate was open. When she got to work, she informed my Aunt Rhonda (Gray), whom she works with, about the situation. When Aunt Rhonda found out that the gate was open, she immediately wanted to come and check on our place. She had been concerned when she had driven by and no cars were at our house (she forgot I was having my spinal tap today). So, she and Heather hopped in Aunt Rhonda's Explorer and they traveled the 6 or so blocks to my house. When they arrived, the gate had been shut (either by someone or the wind). They tried to find the latch to open the gate, but since it is so tall, they were unsuccessful. So...my Aunt, being the animal lover that she is and being worried about Sam, decides to drive her Explorer as close to our fence as she can so that Heather can stand on the bumper and peek over the gate to check on Sam. Their scheme worked and delivered the answer that Sam was no longer in the yard, which sent them searching our neighbor hood for him! In the meantime, my aunt called my dad and let him know what was going on. He, then left what he was doing at work and joined the search party. When they had no luck finding Sam, they called the police station and asked if Animal Control had picked him up. Yes, they had. But, this story has a surprising twist! The Animal Control lady offered to bring Sam home! She brought him home and delivered him to my dad and did not even issue a fine! He thanked her again and again and we were let off the hook! This all happened while I was in Boise for my spinal tap. When I arrived home, I would have never even known that Sam had been gone if I hadn't talked with Calvin!
I was so touched by the three special lives that intervened in my life today! I was left with personal questions that kept bouncing around in my heart... Would I have even noticed an open gate at one of my friend's houses? If I did, would I do anything? Even if I knew something was wrong or that their dog had gotten out, would I have even cared enough to call them? Let alone do something about it!? Or would I have thought, "Oh man, that stinks...oh well"?
I was so convicted by these thoughts and the knowledge of what I would do and by what my aunt, my friend and my dad actually did! They gave of themselves, their time and their day! While all of these thoughts continued to press around inside my head and heart, I came across a saying, either on the internet or a billboard (I can't remember) that said, "God always repays what you give." Now, I don't know how God speaks to you, but with me, He gives me an initial conviction (what my family did for me today) and then He follows through with a series of Bible verses and even daily occurrences that confirm what He's asking me to do. When I was pregnant with Ella, it seemed that every verse I read had something to do with believing and not doubting. Today, every verse I encountered spoke to me about my conviction to give.
Proverbs 28:27
"He who gives to the poor will lack nothing, but he who closes his eyes to them receives many curses."
Another verse, which escapes me at the moment, had to do with giving to the poor and it said, when we give, we are giving to them, we are also giving to God himself. In my search for that verse, I came across these verses and they really spoke to my heart:
2 Corinthians 9:6-8
"Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work."
In all of my busy-ness of today, God spoke to me and convicted my heart to be more giving of myself, my time and my resources. Without the giving spirit of my dad, Aunt Rhonda and Heather, my day would have had a much different outcome (of searching for Sam, finding him at the animal shelter and paying big bucks to bring him home) all with a very sore back! I am so thankful for a God who can not only perfectly orchestrate my spinal tap, right down to the perfect doctor, but He can also take care of what's going on at home with my dog! And that's what He did just in my life today, not to mention Calvin's or Ari's or Ella's or yours!
What a God we serve! As I am left in awe of my awesome God, I reflect on what today really meant for me. I mean, I went into the hospital today initially to find out if I have MS, what my doctor calls a crippling disease, but I have not a fear in the world. A perfect peace coats my heart because I know that God is not only going to provide help, love, comfort and provision for my good days and bad days, but all the days in between! He cares about it all, every corner and crack of this journey is bathed in His care and precise planning. The joy of the Lord is made perfect in my weakness! This evening, my dad sat down with me and shared with me that this morning, he was in a home chatting with a man about his windows (my dad is a "glass man") when the man, out of the blue, asks if my dad is a Believer...this lead to more conversation and my dad sharing that I was at the hospital having a spinal tap. Right then and there, the man asked if they could pray together for me! A complete stranger prayed for me today because his heart was linked to my dad's through Christ! Would they have had the opportunity to pray had there not been a need today? Who knows, but I am so thankful that my weakness was used to His glory in one small way!
One might ask, how can my family have gone through everything with Ella and with all of this other stuff currently beating up against us everyday and still have joy? Well, the simple and honest answer is: We never do...until we die to ourselves and submit to Jesus. Then, His love and light covers everything and joy becomes a part of us. It is no longer an option, just an extension of God living in us. Because when we die to ourselves and Christ enters in...supernatural things happen and His joy permeates every corner of our hearts! That's not to say that there are never really hard days! There are! But there is a deep joy that would not otherwise be there that is sustaining us and bringing us closer to what our hearts long for - to be in God's presence and bask in the light of His Son!
I want to give God praise today! No matter the outcome of this spinal tap, I will serve Him. He has never, ever let me down. For He alone is good! He alone is just! He alone is mighty! And He alone can save! “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!” (Revelation 5:12)
Philippians 3:20
" But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ"!
Hebrews 11:16
" Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them."
2 Corinthians 12:9-10
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong."
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