Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. James 1:16-17
The flu really got me down this past week. It seems like our family gets it every January, and I am at heightened awareness with it since a few years ago the flu turned into pnuemonia for two of my sons. Gage spent days in the hospital and had major surgery when it escaped from his lungs into his chest wall, resulting in a life threatening situation. Praise the Lord for doctors and hospitals, because a hundred years ago, I probably would have watched helplessly as he died...
I thought I had it one night when my stomach was upset, but that must have been something else, because Wednesday I noticed I was really tired during a shopping trip, and by the time we got home, I had chills and fever and was down that night, all the next day and the next night. Friday, I thought I was better, although very tired, but last night, I was headachy again and had a restless night. Getting up this morning I felt lightheaded and was craving something, but I wasn't sure what. A coke? Tea? Nothing sounded like it would feel good on my stomach...
I HAD to go to the feed store, we had been out of feed for two days. I decided to make the trip without any kids along. I just wasn't feeling strong enough, although I'm sure I 'could' have taken them if I had had too. But Daddy and Mary Susannah were here, so I decided to go alone.
One thing having the flu did was cause my grief from not getting Luke's sisters to hit me pretty hard. I worried over them as I lay in bed. I felt like I was in a depressed funk. So as I left this morning, and I stopped at the gas station, I decided to treat myself to something to drink. Maybe that Coke or tea? But instead, I saw a big bottle of orange juice, and I knew that was what I needed. But wow, what did that big bottle cost? There was no price. It might cost two or three dollars my tightwad mind kept saying. Finally, I decided, just this once, to just get it and not worry. So I did, and had the bottle open before I was out the door of the convience store. I was right, it was just what my body was craving.
I headed over to the first feed store and bought rabbit food. Getting in my car and backing out, I decided to stop at the garage sale I saw a few minutes before. I had less than an hour before the feed stores closed, so I knew it would need to be quick.
I pulled up and got out, and a very friendly lady greeted me. I began to go through her boxes, and knew I had found a kindred spirit - always the best kind of garage sale to go too!! Right away, I found an old cassette player. You can hardly find those anymore. My kids don't handle CD's very well, and honestly, I don't either. But cassettes last a long time around here. And not only did she have the player, but she had a box full of children's Christian cassette tapes. I snatched up several. I found an Amelia Bedelia book that we didn't have. Several Little House books, which I always get because ours get worn out so quickely. Tiny New Testaments for free, and a few other books we could use for school. I got a cute Winnie the Pooh alarm clock, the kind with legs and bells on top. I had to hurry and leave, but the lady invited me to come back later. I was pleased that I only spent $7!
I headed over to the feed store. There is a very friendly man who works there that Mary Susannah teases me about, because we always talk as he loads my feed. There is also an autistic man who is the son of the woman who owns the store, and he runs the money end. He flaps his fingers and talks to himself, but he knows how to do what he needs to do, although it upsets him if you do anything out of order. Today, the friendly man was loading up my car, and I went to pay the autistic man. Suddenly, this man who had never said anything to me other than his standard words as he takes my order, said, "Do you go to the nutrition center?"
For a minute, I was so surprised, I just stood there, finally, I stammered, "You mean the one in Cleburne?"
"Yes," he said. "What day do you go?"
"Oh, no particular day, just whenever I am in town." I answered. "Do you like to go there?"
"They are closed today. They are Seventh Day Adventist, you know."
"Yes, I know. Did you want to go today?''
"I'll go tomorrow." he said. "They are open from ten to five." Then he walked off in his quirky way I've come to know.
I turned to the friendly man and said, "Wow, that's the first time he's ever talked to me!"
"Oh, he likes to talk sometimes," was his answer.
I felt kind of on a high as I drove off. Then I laughed at myself. All it had taken to get me back into a cheerful mood again was a bottle of orange juice, a garage sale, and having a real conversation with a man I had been buying feed from for many years.
The simple things really are the best!
The flu really got me down this past week. It seems like our family gets it every January, and I am at heightened awareness with it since a few years ago the flu turned into pnuemonia for two of my sons. Gage spent days in the hospital and had major surgery when it escaped from his lungs into his chest wall, resulting in a life threatening situation. Praise the Lord for doctors and hospitals, because a hundred years ago, I probably would have watched helplessly as he died...
I thought I had it one night when my stomach was upset, but that must have been something else, because Wednesday I noticed I was really tired during a shopping trip, and by the time we got home, I had chills and fever and was down that night, all the next day and the next night. Friday, I thought I was better, although very tired, but last night, I was headachy again and had a restless night. Getting up this morning I felt lightheaded and was craving something, but I wasn't sure what. A coke? Tea? Nothing sounded like it would feel good on my stomach...
I HAD to go to the feed store, we had been out of feed for two days. I decided to make the trip without any kids along. I just wasn't feeling strong enough, although I'm sure I 'could' have taken them if I had had too. But Daddy and Mary Susannah were here, so I decided to go alone.
One thing having the flu did was cause my grief from not getting Luke's sisters to hit me pretty hard. I worried over them as I lay in bed. I felt like I was in a depressed funk. So as I left this morning, and I stopped at the gas station, I decided to treat myself to something to drink. Maybe that Coke or tea? But instead, I saw a big bottle of orange juice, and I knew that was what I needed. But wow, what did that big bottle cost? There was no price. It might cost two or three dollars my tightwad mind kept saying. Finally, I decided, just this once, to just get it and not worry. So I did, and had the bottle open before I was out the door of the convience store. I was right, it was just what my body was craving.
I headed over to the first feed store and bought rabbit food. Getting in my car and backing out, I decided to stop at the garage sale I saw a few minutes before. I had less than an hour before the feed stores closed, so I knew it would need to be quick.
I pulled up and got out, and a very friendly lady greeted me. I began to go through her boxes, and knew I had found a kindred spirit - always the best kind of garage sale to go too!! Right away, I found an old cassette player. You can hardly find those anymore. My kids don't handle CD's very well, and honestly, I don't either. But cassettes last a long time around here. And not only did she have the player, but she had a box full of children's Christian cassette tapes. I snatched up several. I found an Amelia Bedelia book that we didn't have. Several Little House books, which I always get because ours get worn out so quickely. Tiny New Testaments for free, and a few other books we could use for school. I got a cute Winnie the Pooh alarm clock, the kind with legs and bells on top. I had to hurry and leave, but the lady invited me to come back later. I was pleased that I only spent $7!
I headed over to the feed store. There is a very friendly man who works there that Mary Susannah teases me about, because we always talk as he loads my feed. There is also an autistic man who is the son of the woman who owns the store, and he runs the money end. He flaps his fingers and talks to himself, but he knows how to do what he needs to do, although it upsets him if you do anything out of order. Today, the friendly man was loading up my car, and I went to pay the autistic man. Suddenly, this man who had never said anything to me other than his standard words as he takes my order, said, "Do you go to the nutrition center?"
For a minute, I was so surprised, I just stood there, finally, I stammered, "You mean the one in Cleburne?"
"Yes," he said. "What day do you go?"
"Oh, no particular day, just whenever I am in town." I answered. "Do you like to go there?"
"They are closed today. They are Seventh Day Adventist, you know."
"Yes, I know. Did you want to go today?''
"I'll go tomorrow." he said. "They are open from ten to five." Then he walked off in his quirky way I've come to know.
I turned to the friendly man and said, "Wow, that's the first time he's ever talked to me!"
"Oh, he likes to talk sometimes," was his answer.
I felt kind of on a high as I drove off. Then I laughed at myself. All it had taken to get me back into a cheerful mood again was a bottle of orange juice, a garage sale, and having a real conversation with a man I had been buying feed from for many years.
The simple things really are the best!
I am sorry things have worked out the way they have for those children and you. so sad. Sorry you got the flue on top of all that disappointment. It seems so terribly unfair, but I suppose it only makes things worse to dwell on that.
ReplyDeleteGod knows.I have been telling myself that over and over in my recent disappointment. I can only trust He has a better plan.