Thursday, September 25, 2008

Thankful Thursday Trust God

 


I knew I was going to say once again how thankful I was for last Thursday at the art show where I not only entered a piece of my artwork, but I won a ribbon award and a monetary one as well. Not to mention I sold two things on zazzle.com. It was my luckiest day ever except for my wedding day and the birth of my son.

Then reality hit as it always does. My cousin Ben was having hernia surgery and he is a hemopheliac, but prayers were sent out and up and he went through the surgery just fine. A little sore and probably felt like he'd been run over by a truck, but otherwise okay. My Uncle Frank who had brain cancer surgery back in June and did really well, started having strange episodes. My aunt had to have an inside alarm installed on their door to alert her if he tried to leave the house after she'd gone to bed. After the episode, she took him to his doctor and they did an MRI. The next day he was admitted to the ICU which scared us. His doctor had done all he could for him here and said if it were his relative, he would send them to the University of Alabama hospital (UBA), one of the best. My aunt will be able to stay there which is a blessing in itself.

My parents and I went to see him on Tuesday. I fell like all my days have run together with so much sicknesses going on that it is hard to tell which day is which. My mom went in first to see him since she is his sister and my son is not old enough to go into the ICU yet. So I remained in the waiting room with him. While in the waiting room, my son witnessed praying like he has never seen or heard before. At first it brought tears to my eyes because they went to the Master to thank Him for their doctor, but it became increasingly louder and louder. I don't think the Lord has a hearing problem. LOL

Then mom came to get us. She said Uncle Frank was outside in the hallway! When someone is in ICU, you don't expect them to be up walking around. He'd walked down the hall with her, my aunt and a nurse. He hugged Rhett and myself. And we all have to wonder if this will be the last time we see him. Uncle Frank thought I was taking him to my car. I guess he thought I was going to take him home or to UBA. I asked the nurse if he should be walking around and the nice male nurse said it was fine with a smile. So I walked him back to his room along with the nurse named Jeff, who was very sweet. My uncle asked Jeff to find him a job at the hospial, but the nurse took it in stride. Jeff got me a chair for my uncle's ICU room since my uncle was going to sit in the only chair beside the toilet seat. A lot of things he said did not make sense, but I never corrected him out of respect and not wanting to upset him. My uncle has been a truck driver most of my life so everything came back to a truck. He was even seeing one on the tv screen which was showing fishing boats hauling in crabs and other seafoods. It was so sad. Then we had to leave to go to Rhett's PTA.

Rhett is doing good in school. His gifted program is not interfering with his normal school work. His drama teacher even told him yesterday he is her best student! So I am thankful and could not be more proud of him. I don't know who is more proud of him, Rhett or me?

Then more bad news came... Don called me about putting him back on my insurance at work. I am thinking ok... he doesn't like his insurance so he wants to be put back on mine. I told him there was open enrollment beginning now, but there might be a waiting period until the first of the year. Then he said, "When your insurance is cancelled, you should be able to put me back on it." I asked, "Why would your insurance be cancelled?" Because he will no longer have a job after Friday! So here we go again... our history is repeating itself once more. I recalled how this affected Rhett in school and his gifted program.

Don had been telling me of others who had worked there longer than him being laid off and of how he'd been cleaning welding machines just to have something to do. I wasn't listening. He figured this was coming whereas naieve me did not.

The good news is... it won't be a problem adding him back on to my insurance due to his loss of work. We'd worried about his pre-exisiting non-functioning gall bladder condition, but because he had health coverage without breakage, that won't be a problem either. Whew! Thank you, Lord!

Still this has to be very hard on Don, a grown man approaching retirement, having this happen for a second time in a couple of years of his lifetime.

Last night was singing nite at church for which I am so thankful for because it not only eased my aching back but my soul as well. So "It is well with my soul."

As I had read Iris' post about change this morning, I thought she was writing about my life as of late. When I started to post this, I realize I don't have Iris' logo uploaded and I couldn't upload it on the home computer. It was frustrating. Then I hit the wrong button & kicked myself off AOL which is how I connect to the internet since our connection still doesn't work even after having the computer worked on last month. I figured that was the devil trying to stop my from doing this post. So I get back on AOL. I go back into Picasa. The first picture I see is the one I took awhile back; the one placed above and knew it was The pefect photo for today. I know it is a sign... literally and that I must trust God in all the things that have been happening in our lives this week. And I will. I am. I have been spreading this message on through emails this morning and now I am passing it on to you...

One of my all time favorite movies is "Romancing the Stone". I liked "Jewel of the Nile" also, but it doesn't measure up to the first one. Sequels rarely do in my opinion except for the movie "Mission Impossible II". I am currently reading a very good book by the author of the these movies and books entitled Wings of Destiny. It is a hardback regularly priced at $24.00, but I got it for a $1 at the dollar store! Did ya hear that, Abby? The author is a beautiful woman. Just by reading the flap covers, I really did not think it was a book I would become interested in, but I have been devouring every word. It had a some voodoo and black magic in the beginning, but there is still so much more good in it. It is about coming out of slavery and a man who builds California. I am only on page 137 out of 502. I highly recommend it, but since I found it in the dollar store, I am not sure of it's availablity now nor have I checked the internet.

In the past, I used to have some interesting tales of my trials of getting lunch. I have not had any tales in a long while, but I have one today.... I went to Wendy's and while standing in line, I had to run to the restroom. As I was putting toilet paper down on the seat, my sunglasses fell into the toilet! Luckily it was before I used it! So I washed my sunglassed and dried them with the hand dryer. It is hard to dry plastic! I get my food and as I was turning to walk out, I pulled my clean sunglasses out of the v in my blouse which decided to unbutton itself in a room full of mostly working men. I quickly placed my food bag up against me and went back into the ladies room to button it. I had to laugh at my reflection in the mirror. I am thankful for my sense of humor and the fact that I can laugh at myself. I told my tale to my "supervisor" who killed herself laughing. We all need a good laugh. I hope I have provided you with one today. If I have, then that is my good deed for the day.

The hospital where Don is to have his Hide a Scan done tomorrow called me instead of him to inform him he has a $350 deductible which has not been met. Because his insurance only pays 80%, he will need to pay $519.84 tomorrow. BUT... he can just put $100 down. I have never had a hospital call to say such as this before. I called him at work to tell him. He is not supposed to receive phone calls, but I figured it is his last day and it was not like he is busy. He told me they are wrong about him not meeting the deductible because he got the bill from the ER. He said he'd talk to him tomorrow. Which means he will speak in his deep, authoritative voice. It is just when one is facing the loss of one's job, then you are told you are expected to pay a rather large chunk of money is depressing to me, but he said he's okay for now. Just when you think you are getting ahead, an unexpected bill always comes up like an uninvited guest. But I will take the Scarlett O'Hara approach... "Tomorrow is another day." Hopefully it will be better.

Please keep Don in your prayer for his test tomorrow and that he will find another job very soon. My friend Penny who found a lump the size of raisin in her remaining breast tissue will have a biopsy tomorrow also.

I had been reminded by my friend Cheryl that my Uncle Frank may have to go to a nursing home. So I have to given in and give him up to that possiblity. Then my friend Anne adviced me to give him over to the Lord so I must do that also. My friend Genie said my plate is full.

If you would like to participate in Thankful Thursday, please go to the following...
http://www.eph2810.com/

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6 comments:

Richard Lawry said...

It is so true that we always have something to be thankful for. We never have to look very far to find someone whose circumstances are worse than ours. I wrote a short blog about how many blessings we never notice.

http://anarkiesmusings.blogspot.com/2008/09/let-there-be-light.html

Anonymous said...

Congratulations on a successful art show!

PERBS said...

Your plate is certainly full!

When I lost my last job, I just decided to retire although I was barely old enough by a month to get social security.

Prayers coming for the needs of you all.

Blessings! What kind of job do you work at?

becky aka theRAV said...

Yes, richies, we all have many, many things to be thankful for. I will cehck your short blog out. Thank you Lori at Front Porch Legacy. It was my husband that lost his job, Paulie, not me. He is a welder by trade. He is planning on taking about two weeks off to get some things in order around the house. He came thru his tests & his having an eye exam later to use up all his insurance benefits before the end of this month. Thanks for the blessings. We need them.

Nancie said...

Becky, thanks for this lovely thankful post filled with gratitude and hope in God despite the various challenges. My prayers are for you, your family and loved ones. It is encouraging to read of your thankful heart and your looking to a faithful God, entrusting yourself and your loved ones to Him and experiencing that it is well with your soul! Praise Him. May God continue to shower His love and mercies upon you and your loved ones. May He provides for your family's every need. I am so thankful to God for speaking to me through your post today. Thanks for sharing your thankful heart with us. Thanks for all your encouragements! Take care and may God grant you a very blessed weekend!

becky aka theRAV said...

Nancie, I believe that is The most beautiful comment I have ever received. Thank you for that. Thanks also for your prayers. May God bless you also, my friend.