I have had a lot on my mind, and my plate this week and it has led to a rare Saturday morning when I have too many things pulling on me for this blogspace.
Earlier in the week, or maybe even the end of last week, I saw a post on facebook regarding a dog that had been found and taken to our local vet's office. The dog was later reunited with his owner, after he had been missing for 2 months. I was very happy for the dog and his family. When the dog post first showed up that the vet was trying to find the owner, I shared and prayed that he would be reunited. As excited as I was when he was reunited with his human, I felt a little sad because what if we got that passionate about lost souls? The Bible talks about the angels rejoicing when one sinner repents. (ever have a visual of an angelic facebook-type site?) I made a new list of friends who have made it pretty clear they don't want "preached" to, or anything to do with God. I have my own little lost file, and am now praying daily that they may be reunited with their creator. I know that by praying for them, I also have more of a responsibility, should God want to use me in that quest. So I pray that if that happens, I don't screw it up.
Another thing that has been going through my head this week....I have been reading my chronological Bible. Abraham had a thing about telling people Sarah was his sister instead of his wife. Technically, Sarah really was Abraham's half sister, but still, he was not truthful about the situation. This actually brought a plague to Pharoah for taking her into his haram, so Abraham's lie damaged someone else, who didn't realize they were being lied to. Later, Abraham did this again with Abimelech, and then, Abraham's son, Isaac, did the same thing with his wife and Abimelech. There are a lot of lessons to be learned here, and I am not trying to belittle Abraham or Isaac in their role in our past, but I think at times we, or I, anyway, get it in my head it was easier to serve God and not sin in those times. Abraham and Isaac clearly had times where their faith waivered, and they took things in their own hands instead of relying on God. But just like for us today, it always works out better when we let God take care of us, and trust that He will. Easier said than done, I will be the first to admit that.
Something else big happened for me this week. About 7 years ago, I started getting sick. I didn't know what was wrong and I really didn't want to find out. It started right after Christmas that I would have horrible pain in my lower stomach, and then bouts of really bad bathroom trips. In early June of that year, we went on vacation to Cincinnati, and to see the Creation museum. While we were on that trip, I had my first accident and basically had to face facts that I had a real problem. In July, I had a colonoscopy. I remember vividly, 2 o'clock in the morning the day of my colonscopy, I woke Andrew up because I seriously thought I was going to bleed to death. I had self-diagnosed myself as, "this has to be cancer" to be this bad. So, when the doctor came in after the colonoscopy and said it was Ulcerative Colitis, I was honestly relieved. I spent the next few months with that doctor, and not getting any better, lots and lots of accidents, lots of pain, and lots of prednisone. I had a friend who was a PA an would let me go to her office and sit in the back room and take IV's of prednisone. That would usually get things under control for a couple of weeks. It got to the point though where she said we had to find me a different doctor for this and she did. She is who found Dr. Peterson. I saw him for the first time in June of 2011. He promised me he wouldn't stop looking for the right combination to get this under control, and he didn't. I know I had tears in my eyes Wednesday as he said it had not been easy, but he thought we were finally there. He has invested a lot of time in me, and I can't even begin to tell you the gratitude I have for him. I have been on the phone with him numerous times after hours, and on weekends. My pharmacist will still tell you of the day that she and him were on the phone for over 3 hours because due to Andrew's job changes and me losing insurance, the medicine that had been covered and I paid about $10 for, suddenly went up to over $700 and I told him we couldn't do that. They found me a $60 medicine that worked the same way, but true to his word, he didn't give up.
I have had a lot of times over these last years that I had to keep the "why me's" at bay. I have friends that have cancer that can say, why not me, so I should be able to as well. I also had a lifelong friend who had Cystic Fibrosis. When asked how she could stay so positive, she would tell you there is always someone worse off. She was my prednisone buddy for a lot of years. People tell you constantly how evil prednisone is, but it was a little miracle for me, and she felt the same way. There were side effects, but it kept us functioning, and for that, we were thankful. Amy has been on my mind a lot lately. She passed away two years ago the 3rd of this month. That morning, my phone, in all of its artificial intelligence popped up, "Do you have Amy Marrs Young on your mind?" It was seeing the algorithm that showed a lot had been discussed through my interwebz connections that day, but still...
I thought about her Wednesday night, knowing she no longer needed the prednisone, she no longer had trouble breathing, and knowing, if she were here, she would be one of the first to congratulate me for the remission.
Yesterday morning, I was on the road at 6 to get my mom to her doctor in Terre Haute. It was still dark outside but ahead of me in the distance, I could see, low in the sky, flashing lights. I knew it was a helicopter, and I was pretty sure it was probably taking someone to a hospital. That brought the memories back of Amy as well. I prayed for the person in that helicopter. I will never know what the circumstances was, but pretty sure they could use prayer. Several years ago I started praying anytime I saw an emergency vehicle, weather I was meeting a police officer, an ambulance, or a firetruck. Any of those running down the road with lights glaring more than likely means someone at the end of their trek is having a problem, so I pray, and of course, when I see a helicopter, sometimes, it is just the local Rural King guy travelling from store to store, but maybe he needs an extra prayer that day too!
This weeks challenge is for you to do the same, it takes seconds to ask God to be with the situation, and I am a firm believer that prayer changes things, I have lived it too many times first hand, but will save the rest of my scattered thoughts for another day. After all of the events of the passed year, I have started praying for police officers every time I see them, or meet them on the road. Add that to your list.
I am leaving you with Prayer Warrior by Heirloom, one of my favorites. I have actually sang this at church before and I always want to be a Prayer Warrior.
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