You know, for the past few days, I have been dealing with medication issues. At 71, I have been so blessed to be on only one prescription drug - blood pressure. It runs rampant in my family. Recently, my prescription no longer works. I hate drugs and for other health reasons need to stay away from as many as I possibly can. I take lots of herbs and vitamins for prevention, exercise, drink lots of water and try to be cautious of what I eat.
I refuse to be that old lady who sits with friends and discusses her doctor appointments, prescription drugs and side effects while waiting for my next meal. Had to make an emergency run to the hospital when my blood pressure went over 200; elevated 30 points in just half an hour.
We decided to make an emergency run to an Emergency Room about 10:00 pm. My husband was concerned about some road construction so we took and alternate route. Just minutes after using our detour, there was a single head light looming on the horizon. As we got closer, Steven slowed down realizing the light was stationary.
In my travels, I have had the opportunity to drive through some harrowing situations and this brought one to mind. A time when going through the Appalacian's, I had to pass through an area where people were putting things in the road (fires, trees, effigy figures) to stop cars for the purpose of robbery. This came to my mind. I was uncomfortable with him stopping and slowing down was giving me concern - just from a past memory. We are in a rural area that has never had such an issue. Funny how our minds work.
As we approached the light, it became obvious that it was one working headlight on a car that was stopped with the entire front looking like a wadded piece of tin foil. There was a young couple in the road behind the car, pacing with a flashlight. We stopped to inquire of the situation. They had no phone, the young woman was in early stages of pregnancy and had blood on her. She was in shock and ranting about a rented car, hitting a cow and what they would do about the car. The young man was pacing with her, scanning her with the flashlight for cuts and she kept saying she was pregnant but that she was "okay". It is only providence of God that I had my phone with me.
My husband's phone is for work use only and he left it on his desk at home. I only turn mine on when away from home so he can reach me. Seldom do I carry it if I am with Steven. I called 911 emergency and reached a town 45 miles away. It took awhile to get reconnected to the correct county, decide what county road we were on, what was the closest EMT, exactly where we were and establish the fact that we were not the victims but rather on our way to the ER for help ourselves. Can you believe this? My husband was getting stressed but I found it to be quite amusing. All I could think was, "Something strange happened on our way to the ER". Soon, other vehicles approached with phones, willingness to help and more knowledge of the area than we had. We were soon back to our personal objective.
Long story short, we spent several hours at the ER with a wonderful nurse and an amazing D.O. who was 75 years old. I love old family doctors. They are the real knowledge - Too few and far between. I am adjusting to new medication while being monitored and feel there was a reason we were on that road at that time on that night. Prayers are sent up for that couple - who did not show up at the hospital we went to.
What was God up to? Others were on that same road with phones. We were the first to arrive - on our own emergency mission. Why did that couple not have a phone? I thought everyone but Steven and I had phones. That exact place and time came together. We will never know their names or see them again. I wonder about the young woman and her unborn baby. My heart goes out; she was in obvious shock. Was it a test for us to stop? Was it a test for someone else on that road that night? We could have been minutes earlier and hit the cow ourselves. We never know but God is always aware and close. He shields and protects His children.
I am confused about His reasoning but God is good.
Amen
P.S. It was a cow - a large one and she was dead.
"My God" has made Himself personal to me:
I called on Him when I prayed "Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep" during my parents divorce. I was seven years old and He made His presence known to me.
He put His wings around me during the abuse I endured at the hands of a stepfather, and sent me a savior; my grandfather.
He advised me when I was molested by three teen boys at a bus stop. I was 16.
When there was disappointment over missing high school graduation, due to minor surgery, He was there holding my hand.
I held fast to Him through the loss of two children at birth.
During marriage to an alcoholic, He advised me through His spirit.
He was there to console me after the death of Grandfather, the only earthly father I have known.
An angel, in the form of a police officer, was sent when my brakes failed early one morning on busy city streets.
I prayed "Our Father" in an ambulance after a car accident. It left me with 44 stitches to my face, a broken foot and crushed vertebra, but He chose to spare my life.
Late one evening, in New York, He sent an angel to perform a miracle and save me from an assault in a public parking lot.
Again, He held my hand during surgery for malignant tumors, consoled me when I learned that I would never have children and held my hand during the hysterectomy ten years later.
I had traveled across this country for forty-five years to sell my art work. I remember dangerous driving conditions, storms in the mountains, icey roads and being lost - a lot. My God was sitting next to me in the passenger seat every inch of the way.
In Alabama, He sent an angel with yet another miracle to keep me from an auto accident with two little girls in my car.
During a time of great depression, from many wrong choices through the years, He spoke and saved me from suicide.
He has loved me from my conception, with a plan for my life. Thirty-five years ago, my God placed me in His church, changed my life and my way of thinking and, twenty-six years ago gave me my greatest earthy treasure, a husband who truly loves me.
My God bandaged emotional wounds and started the healing. He has always made Himself personal to my needs.
He sent me a healer and holds my hand every time I take a treatment for liver failure.
He stepped in to fill a huge void when my mother died and consoles a great loss, again, when my brother died young.
A compound fracture in my ankle was set without anesthetic by a strange doctor in a strange hospital in a city far from home. I was alone for surgery - except for my God.
Throughout my life, and even now, my God has been with me every minute to make sure I did not suffer more than I could bare. He has been there watching, teaching, protecting; keeping my heart, my body and my soul in His ever gentle arms.
My God took hate, fear and guilt and replaced them with joy, compassion and peace.
My God is the magnificent "I Am" who made time and space and lives on the sides of the north in the third heaven. Every existence exists in His thought. He knows every inch of every star in the universe, every grain of sand on every beach and cares enough about me to know how many hairs are on my head - He is the keeper of my soul.
My God loves, protects, blesses, teaches, comforts, heals and answers my prayers. Getting to know Him is a lifetime of joy and amazement.
The Christian life is not easy but the rewards are great.
Amen
The next time you feel like God can't use you, just remember:
Noah got drunk
Abraham was too old
Isaac was a daydreamer
Jacob was a liar
Leah was cross eyed
Joseph was abused
Moses had a speech impediment
Gideon was afraid
Sampson had long hair and was a womanizer
Rahab was a prostitute
Jeremiah and Timothy were young
David had an affair and planned a murder
Elijah was suicidal
Isaiah preached naked
Jonah ran from God
Naomi was a widow
Job went bankrupt
John the Baptist ate bugs
The apostles were under the age of 20
Peter denied Christ
The Disciples fell asleep while on watch
Martha worried about everything
The Samaritan woman was divorced, 5 times
Zaccheus was too short
Paul was a Pharisee
Timothy had an ulcer
Lazarus was dead
No more excuses! God can use you to your full potential. Matter of fact, He uses the weak. Everyone knows that you have a flaw. If you let God use you, the world will know it was not you doing this great work - you are not capable. Only God could have done it. This is how He shows Himself - through the common sinful man.
Stop making excuses and let God use you to do miracles. Be a miracle worker.
Amen
