Some examples are:
1. Shannon makes my breakfast and my coffee and brings it to me in bed each morning. Sigh.
2. I am thankful for my home, and now I realize what a blessing it is to be able to clean it by myself.
3. We have plenty of food to eat, and I can't wait until I can cook a meal for my family again. (I know, some of these things are just as shocking to me.)
4. I love my family and friends so much. They have called me, sent me cards, emails, and prayed for me while I have been recovering.
5. My boys have surprised me by really helping out
I could keep going, but you know what I mean.
As I was making this list, I was reminded of some Scripture verses in James.
James 1:2-4, 12
Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don't try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.
Anyone who meets a testing challenge head-on and manages to stick it out is mighty fortunate. For such persons loyally in love with God, the reward is life and more life.
I have definitely learned a lot about myself and God through this trial. I would love to tell you that I always considered this time of recovery a gift, but that would not be true. But I have realized so many more things in my life that I am thankful for, that I am sorry to say when I was in perfect health, I most of the time took for granted. So realizing that now is a gift, amen?
I wanted to tell you all about a way God blessed my family through this trial.
Last week, one of our good friends from church, Michel, made our family salad and spaghetti for dinner, and her daughter Heather made us some chocolate chip cookies for dessert.
We were thrilled to receive such a gift (especially Shannon). The food was delicious, and it was so nice for Shannon to come home and not have to immediately start cooking dinner. And we had enough spaghetti for three nights of dinners. We felt so blessed that someone took the time out of their busy schedule to do that especially for us.
Then this past Tuesday night, another couple from our Sunday school class, Stoney and Kim, came by our house (all the way out in Crazyville). They came loaded with food. We could not believe our eyes. They brought us 2 rotisserie chickens, potato salad, rolls, lima beans, corn on the cob, white cheese dip with tortilla chips, and a homemade strawberry cake. Unbelievable! We have never received so much food in our lives. We felt like we were kings and queens while we were eating our dinner.
And we had enough left over for several nights of dinner, not to mention all of the chips and dip. With two teenage boys in the house that is always nice to have on hand for their 24 hours a day snacking routine. :)
Then Friday night our friends Alecia and John from Sunday school provided us with a meal of a wonderful baked spaghetti dish, garlic bread, salad, and brownies.
John 1:16
And of His fullness have we all received, and grace for grace.
Talk about receiving the fullness of God. We were full spiritually as well as physically! :)
Shannon and I have been so touched by our friends and their acts of kindness to our family.
So much so, that now we hope to be able to do the same things for families in need in the future. We want to pass the blessings that we received on to others.
Last but not least, I feel like God finds a great deal of humor at my expense sometimes.
When Stoney and Kim arrived, I walked into the living room to greet them. Needless to say I had been in bed all day, so the house was quite a mess, but that is not what bothered me. As I walked into the living room it dawned on me, "I must look like Thelma Harper with my house dress and circulation stocking knee highs on."
Oh well, like my favorite lady Erma Bombeck says, "If you can't make it better, you can laugh at it."
So I'm laughing, God; I'm laughing! :)
Thank you, God, for the gift of laughter. It makes the trials of my life so much easier to bear.
I also want to say thank you to my son, Matthew; he used his Photoshop skills to give Thelma Harper my face. :)
Before I sign off on this post, I just wanted to let you all know that I am going to the see the surgeon tomorrow morning at 11:30. This will be my first visit with him since I had my surgery, so if you feel led to do so, please pray that the visit goes well. I have no idea what to expect, but I know that God already knows the outcome, so I will trust in that.
Luke 6:19
"Everyone tried to touch him, because healing power went out from him, and he healed everyone."
