WHERE TO, LADY???

Where can I take you, lady? 

 

"Where?  Well, actually I don't want to go anywhere...so how's about you cruise the sights while I sit back and relax, okay?  Keep the meter runnin' and drive."

 

Some things  happen in life that sort of...well, knock your socks off (so to speak).

 

The news has been full of extraordinary things lately...notably a new 'hero'. 

 

I imagine most of you have been and remain touched by Dr. Kent Brantly...I certainly am.  He is someone whose demeanor and words have influenced thousands...what an example for me, for us...a heart filled w/compassion.  He and his family are touched and called by God to do the work they've been doing; what outstanding service.

 

Talk about 'knocking your socks off'...I can hardly imagine being in the midst of an Ebola epidemic!   

 

Dr.  Brantly spoke very poignantly about his experience and don't you know it changed his life?  The doctor is much, much braver than Michael and me...but...like him, we were also called by God to do something...different...only in China.  Believe me, that experience also changed our lives!

 

This week something dropped into my life that sort of 'knocked my socks off'...and I reacted poorly...rather pathetically...but hey, so? I'm human...surely I'm allowed one goof up...even a few! 

 

Well, the last time I did that was when the two of us were introduced to Amy aka Amyloidosis.  M reminded me, after our initial shock, we grabbed  Amy by the platelets and took care of things.  We're doing the same in my case and it isn't nearly so dreadful as I first thought.  Sigh!

 

I read this from my Values e-mail today...caused me to think more about my life...some of what has gone before.

 "There's a time in your life

where you're not quite sure where you are.

You think everything's perfect, but it's not perfect...

Then one day you wake up and

you can't quite picture yourself

in the situation you're in. 

But the secret is,

if you can picture yourself doing anything in life,

 you can do it."

Tom DeLonge

 

Many difficult situations have come about in my life; situations that I never would've pictured myself in...for instance?

 

Michael was off to Nebraska, finishing his education...the four boys and I remained in Virginia awaiting his return.  One night...about 2:00 A.M. I was yanked from sleep w/a feeling that I was going to die; couldn't wait for an ambulance so I did the natural thing...left the four little boys in bed...called a friend to come and watch them...drove myself 40 minutes to the hospital.  Eureka...had a ruptured cyst, full of peritonitis and almost died...! 

 

End of story...I didn't die...M graduated from Univ. Nebraska...boys took care of me w/help from friends...I did make it...God was in charge.

 

Never would've pictured myself two years later...Michael was off to Ethiopia on a year's assignment...four boys and I remained in Oklahoma awaiting his return.  I had two emergency surgeries one month apart...left the boys home alone 'til they were rescued by my mother!  Another trauma ended and I did make it...again...God was in charge. ..awesome!

 

 

Hey Back There...You had enough cruising for one day?

 

 

Oh...yeah, I was day-dreaming and forgot where I was...time to go home.  

Please, don't worry...I'm okay...just did me good to drift a while...calmed me down.  

Say, you might be interested in something I was thinking about.

It was written by James Russell Lowell...you might have read it.

 

Oh, you don't have much time to read, huh? 

Okay, I'll share...you never know, one day you might could use a little pick-me-up.

 

"Let's be of good cheer, remembering that the misfortunes

hardest to bear are those which never happen."

 

Well, ain't that the truth? 

 

If I can picture myself in all those 'trauma times'?  Well then, I can picture myself still making it...and I really can as long as God's in charge.  Say, my memory's sharp today...I even remember 'Don't worry about tomorrow 'cause God's already there.' 

Good to remember...oh yes!

 

From my heart, to yours...

 

Vasca