Some people in mundane jobs are nicer than others. I've had the not so nice before but today I found a nice one.
I've probably bored you with knee pain complaints since the end of February. (I know I'm bored with it.) I've had four injections with no change. I called my doctor yesterday for an appointment and got the general appointment line. The woman gave me an appointment time for mid July. I told her about the pain and asked for something sooner but she said "no way" and sent me to the voice mail of one of the doc's assistants. I explained everything to the invisible person on the other end (ie.pain, shots ended, etc.) She called this morning when I wasn't available and talked to Husband. He isn't as pushy as I am and got nowhere. She said the doc wants to see me when the injections are over if I'm not better. WELL? She said she has nothing to do with making appointments.
Let me digress. When Son-in-law who knows him and works with him asked for him to see me, I saw him in less than a week. Hmmmmm?
I called the clinic once more and was sent to another assistant's voice mail. I gave her my info and just asked for her to call so I could speak to a real person. Then I called the appointment line and that's when I met Jeff, the nice guy. He, too, couldn't give me an earlier appointment than mid July but he said, "Let me check the west side." Lo and behold there was an opening the end of June. A little better although still far into the future. He even said he could put me on a wait list. However, the list is long for cancelled appointments. Still, he offered and tried where the first woman didn't.
I'm sure these people get patients who want to be seen NOW, just like me. Maybe they aren't as calm as I tried to be and maybe they push and curse and cry (which I was tempted to do) so they do the best they can and let it go. But Jeff offered more and I appreciate that. He even gave me directions to the west side clinic.
When we were hanging up, I thanked him and gave him a compliment about his service. His humble answer, "I'm special." He is.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Homes
Our company has gone home. While they were here, they worked to clear out the garage and make it livable. They took two pieces of furniture we needed to get rid of and would have had to find these pieces a home.
We loved having them here but are glad to be able to get back to the task of making the house comfortable.
The past few months has been the most stressful time in our married life. I've asked God many times if He accomplished anything in us during these months. At times I was sure we should have gone to Amarillo instead of staying here. When some health issues came up for both of us, we were thankful that we had medical professionals who know us to care for us. For that reason we thought maybe we had made the right decision.
The week we moved in we were overwhelmed with unpacked boxes. I sat and looked at the mess and knew there was no way we could ever do it all ourselves. That and some other stresses (a knee that is bone on bone and requires using a cane and pain pills to move around) caused a physical response that put me in the hospital over night. But Someone came to our rescue and although He came in the bodies of six women, I know our rescuer was divine. These women unpacked all our boxes, put things away and cleaned the furniture that had been gathering dust inside PODS.
Without all the boxes we were able to begin putting things in order. But the garage remained a mess.
California Son and his wife and son came to our rescue. (God comes in many disguises, doesn't he?) By the time they left this morning the garage was such that we could get our van in, a work table and tool bench had been put together for Husband, and empty boxes and trash removed. They drove away with their SUV filled to the top and pulling a full trailer--all items we wanted them to have.
Now we await our new living room furniture. This afternoon the window lady will come to help us with window coverings. We wanted her to come earlier but she had to leave town. When she comes today, the furniture will be in place, which is as it should be when we make our choices. Tomorrow, next Monday and Wednesday will probably be the last of the deliveries we will have until the window coverings come in.
When we needed help, the help came--at the exact right time. The move has cost us in many ways but we look forward to what we will do and finding out why we are here.
Have we learned to trust God more? I hope so because I have a feeling we will need that trust for whatever is coming. God doesn't put us into class just to have something to do.
Our family has gone home. The furniture they took now has a home and although this house doesn't quite feel like our home yet, we are ready to make it that.
We loved having them here but are glad to be able to get back to the task of making the house comfortable.
The past few months has been the most stressful time in our married life. I've asked God many times if He accomplished anything in us during these months. At times I was sure we should have gone to Amarillo instead of staying here. When some health issues came up for both of us, we were thankful that we had medical professionals who know us to care for us. For that reason we thought maybe we had made the right decision.
The week we moved in we were overwhelmed with unpacked boxes. I sat and looked at the mess and knew there was no way we could ever do it all ourselves. That and some other stresses (a knee that is bone on bone and requires using a cane and pain pills to move around) caused a physical response that put me in the hospital over night. But Someone came to our rescue and although He came in the bodies of six women, I know our rescuer was divine. These women unpacked all our boxes, put things away and cleaned the furniture that had been gathering dust inside PODS.
Without all the boxes we were able to begin putting things in order. But the garage remained a mess.
California Son and his wife and son came to our rescue. (God comes in many disguises, doesn't he?) By the time they left this morning the garage was such that we could get our van in, a work table and tool bench had been put together for Husband, and empty boxes and trash removed. They drove away with their SUV filled to the top and pulling a full trailer--all items we wanted them to have.
Now we await our new living room furniture. This afternoon the window lady will come to help us with window coverings. We wanted her to come earlier but she had to leave town. When she comes today, the furniture will be in place, which is as it should be when we make our choices. Tomorrow, next Monday and Wednesday will probably be the last of the deliveries we will have until the window coverings come in.
When we needed help, the help came--at the exact right time. The move has cost us in many ways but we look forward to what we will do and finding out why we are here.
Have we learned to trust God more? I hope so because I have a feeling we will need that trust for whatever is coming. God doesn't put us into class just to have something to do.
Our family has gone home. The furniture they took now has a home and although this house doesn't quite feel like our home yet, we are ready to make it that.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Grace When We Need It
We're in the house and mostly unpacked. Just a little more organization to be totally livable.
One of my daughter-in-laws and I talked this morning. The fact came back to me that God gives us the grace we need when we need it. Not before. Worrying about what might happen is fruitless because I don't have grace for that. But if--IF--something does happen, the grace will be there.
Comforting and at the same time, a little scary.
One of my daughter-in-laws and I talked this morning. The fact came back to me that God gives us the grace we need when we need it. Not before. Worrying about what might happen is fruitless because I don't have grace for that. But if--IF--something does happen, the grace will be there.
Comforting and at the same time, a little scary.
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Place Your Order
Our life has changed so much in the past 5 months. I can hardly recognize who we are today compared to who we were before.
For a month we've been in a temporary place. The house we will eventually move into is an enigma. I can't picture myself living there at all. We made some quick decisions that don't look good to me today. It will take a lot of God's grace to make them work for us.
I remember a time before moving to Abq when I sat in my OK house and experienced total contentment. First time in my life I'd ever felt that. Haven't since. Certainly not feeling it now.
A friend wrote a poem and sent it to me. She said I can share it.
"As my mouth salivates
and my mind jumps to and fro
I wonder if life will ever
return to a simpler time.
Will my thoughts ever be
simple and shallow?
Will they ever center around
anything but me?
What did I used to think about?
What were my days filled with?
When was my job(life for me) fulfilling
enough that I didn’t
struggle with my thoughts?
If my mind would just
settle down!
I long for contentment."
I pray that with this new phase of life will come contentment.
Yesterday I looked at the house with different eyes---on purpose. If I believe God was in this move then I have to trust him with all of it.
I found this quote today from the same friend:
“If you feel a deep hunger but don’t know what you want, just ask God to order for you. That way you’ll always get whatever is the best on the menu.”
“I spent the last week so lost in myself and unresponsive to God that I hadn’t asked
Him to order anything for me.
Yet He still gave me exactly what I needed to fill the emptiness.”
From Sister Chicks Down Under by Robin Jones Gunn
Yes, He is faithful.
Paul said he was content in all circumstances. I wonder if he put in an order?
I pray that when I look back on all this I will see how God worked contentment into me---no matter the circumstances.
For a month we've been in a temporary place. The house we will eventually move into is an enigma. I can't picture myself living there at all. We made some quick decisions that don't look good to me today. It will take a lot of God's grace to make them work for us.
I remember a time before moving to Abq when I sat in my OK house and experienced total contentment. First time in my life I'd ever felt that. Haven't since. Certainly not feeling it now.
A friend wrote a poem and sent it to me. She said I can share it.
"As my mouth salivates
and my mind jumps to and fro
I wonder if life will ever
return to a simpler time.
Will my thoughts ever be
simple and shallow?
Will they ever center around
anything but me?
What did I used to think about?
What were my days filled with?
When was my job(life for me) fulfilling
enough that I didn’t
struggle with my thoughts?
If my mind would just
settle down!
I long for contentment."
I pray that with this new phase of life will come contentment.
Yesterday I looked at the house with different eyes---on purpose. If I believe God was in this move then I have to trust him with all of it.
I found this quote today from the same friend:
“If you feel a deep hunger but don’t know what you want, just ask God to order for you. That way you’ll always get whatever is the best on the menu.”
“I spent the last week so lost in myself and unresponsive to God that I hadn’t asked
Him to order anything for me.
Yet He still gave me exactly what I needed to fill the emptiness.”
From Sister Chicks Down Under by Robin Jones Gunn
Yes, He is faithful.
Paul said he was content in all circumstances. I wonder if he put in an order?
I pray that when I look back on all this I will see how God worked contentment into me---no matter the circumstances.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
A Long Month
It's been a long month.
We are out of our house and into a furnished apartment. The house we may move into closes tomorrow. I say "may" because we've had so many stops and starts that our heads are spinning. This house is in a perfect location and is larger than the two that fell through. However, it needs painting, new flooring and some other upgrades which will have to be done before it is move in ready.
My knee is still in pain and my cane and I have become constant mates. I've been to my chiropractor, a PA, a sports medicine doc for a cortisone injection, and see another my primary care this afternoon and an orthopedist tomorrow. I think I'm looking at knee replacement, a scope or chicken cartilage. My sights are on the chicken.
The only word I've heard from the Lord in the past few weeks is "Count it all joy" from James 1:2. When we look back, maybe we can see that we have matured and our completeness in Him is closer than it was before all this began last year. We've had to put our trust in God in a way we haven't before.
One thing I know I've learned: My life is not totally under my control.
We are out of our house and into a furnished apartment. The house we may move into closes tomorrow. I say "may" because we've had so many stops and starts that our heads are spinning. This house is in a perfect location and is larger than the two that fell through. However, it needs painting, new flooring and some other upgrades which will have to be done before it is move in ready.
My knee is still in pain and my cane and I have become constant mates. I've been to my chiropractor, a PA, a sports medicine doc for a cortisone injection, and see another my primary care this afternoon and an orthopedist tomorrow. I think I'm looking at knee replacement, a scope or chicken cartilage. My sights are on the chicken.
The only word I've heard from the Lord in the past few weeks is "Count it all joy" from James 1:2. When we look back, maybe we can see that we have matured and our completeness in Him is closer than it was before all this began last year. We've had to put our trust in God in a way we haven't before.
One thing I know I've learned: My life is not totally under my control.
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Whining and Thanking God At the Same Time
Whine, whine, whine.
We are still in the process of packing. Next week the POD comes to be loaded. We will close and be out of here on the 9th and have rented an apartment for a month. As far as we know this house (number 3) will go through then we can move in and be settled after so long.
The month of getting the house ready to sell, the two months of showing it and the entire month of March going through two house failures have left me exhausted. We've been packing for weeks now so the house is totally upside-down. I do believe it's getting to me.
This morning I woke up feeling lonely. I miss having fun times with our friends. We still see them some but I'm always so tired and so distracted that I'm not able to embrace their loving presence. I think it's because our lives are so unsettled right now. I need to be creative and I'm not able to do that. I'm having a lot of pain from arthritis, especially in my right knee, and waiting, waiting, waiting. All I really want to do is lie on the sofa with my leg up and just watch junky TV. Eating sugar has become my comfort food and sugar inflames arthritis. With the Lord's help I've been able to slow way down on that.
Now that I've voiced my feelings, I lift up my eyes to where my help comes from. The Lord Almighty hasn't abandoned me. I'll get through all this, look back and give thanks! Actually, I'm giving thanks now even as I whine.
We are still in the process of packing. Next week the POD comes to be loaded. We will close and be out of here on the 9th and have rented an apartment for a month. As far as we know this house (number 3) will go through then we can move in and be settled after so long.
The month of getting the house ready to sell, the two months of showing it and the entire month of March going through two house failures have left me exhausted. We've been packing for weeks now so the house is totally upside-down. I do believe it's getting to me.
This morning I woke up feeling lonely. I miss having fun times with our friends. We still see them some but I'm always so tired and so distracted that I'm not able to embrace their loving presence. I think it's because our lives are so unsettled right now. I need to be creative and I'm not able to do that. I'm having a lot of pain from arthritis, especially in my right knee, and waiting, waiting, waiting. All I really want to do is lie on the sofa with my leg up and just watch junky TV. Eating sugar has become my comfort food and sugar inflames arthritis. With the Lord's help I've been able to slow way down on that.
Now that I've voiced my feelings, I lift up my eyes to where my help comes from. The Lord Almighty hasn't abandoned me. I'll get through all this, look back and give thanks! Actually, I'm giving thanks now even as I whine.
Monday, March 29, 2010
Do You Think?
Are we supposed to know what God is doing in our lives?
Another house. Maybe a month with no where to live.
Found out today that California Son can't come pick up his furniture and help pack a POD. We'll have to ask other help and store his furniture until he comes.
Why?
I don't have a clue!
I wonder if we'll ever know.
Another house. Maybe a month with no where to live.
Found out today that California Son can't come pick up his furniture and help pack a POD. We'll have to ask other help and store his furniture until he comes.
Why?
I don't have a clue!
I wonder if we'll ever know.
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