The AWESOME Way GOD Works In Our Lives

Friday morning as I stood at the cash register at our local Sam's Store, trying to fight the lump in my throat and the tears begging to be released from my eyes, as I paid for our groceries, realizing as I swiped my debit card, that there would be no money left to pick up my much needed RXs for my thyroid
and my stomach and that our family would be left with only $19 to survive until the 3rd of next month, I could only Pray. 
This was so unlike me to be this emotional over something like this.  I am guessing after being so sick for the previous week I was just worn down.

Month after month, since our  Nightmare began our family has run out of funds about halfway through the month. 
But month after month God has continued to carry us through. We've seen MIRACLE  after MIRACLE unfold. HE has showered us with BLESSING after BLESSING. 
And this day was no exception.
Even though the day got worse for a while, by the end of the day not only did I have my RXs and $100 in our checking account BUT I received a call from the Promotion Company that sends people to give out samples and promote products in all the Sam's stores, asking me to come in for an interview.
An awesome thing was only minutes before the call I was thinking about the application I had filled out for them weeks earlier. I had never heard back.
I thought to myself I would look up the info, get their number and give them a call BUT before I could do that, they called me. 
Our God Is Truly
AN ON TIME GOD!!!

If I get this job, which the gentleman who called said he was almost 100% sure I would, this will mean so much for our family.
I'll have only a 5 minute drive to work.
Trammell will take over caring for David for the 24 hours a week I'll be working.
I know God will give me the strength and energy I need to do this.

PRAISING our LORD FOR HIS CONTINUED BLESSINGS.

            Isaiah 65:24
I will answer them before they even call to me.  While they are still talking about their needs,  I will go ahead and answer their prayers.

Quick  UPDATE -
PRAISING GOD!
I GOT THE JOB!

Abundant Blessings

    This week has been full of Blessings, as are most of our weeks.
    I was Blessed this week to be able to go to a Beauty Salon for the 2nd time in over 2 years.
    Amanda, a dear sweet friend of ours gave me a gift certificate for my birthday, for a wonderful place in Liberty, SC where I spent Thursday morning being pampered.  Another dear sweet friend, who by the way brought several meals over to our family this week, drove me over.
(We only have enough in our budget each month for one tank of gas, so making an extra trip that far was out of the question.)
    Then I was contacted by Tracy, a lady who had called AIMs telling them she had some adult diapers for someone who was in need of them.  They gave her our number. She had given us several cases before. This time she gave us 8 packs of diapers!!! What An Amazing Blessing!! We were down to 2 packs!
Our Lord is Truly
An One Time God!!!

    Then two dear Sweet Friends, Peggy and Ariel came over last night.  Peggy bought 2 pizzas and Trammell made Brownies. We had a wonderful time talking and laughing the evening away.            David really enjoyed his dinner and oh you should have seen his face when I gave him his brownie.  His eyes opened wide in childlike excitement as I placed his dessert plate in front of him.

    I believe of all the many Blessings this week, we are most excited about a phone call we received from the Peace Center in Greenville, SC telling us that Food Network Star, Alton Brown's people and the folks from the Peace Center had read Trammell's story and were so touched and impressed by him that they wanted to invite the two of us to come and see Alton's Live show at the Peace Center this coming Wednesday night. 
    Our seats are right down in the orchestra pit near the stage. Great Seats! PLUS Peggy and Ariel have volunteered to take care of David so that Trammell and I both can go.  PLUS I received birthday money from my sister Friday that will pay for the gas there and back!

     Yes, we were
Truly Blessed This Week.

We know without a doubt that EVERY BLESSING Comes From our LORD JESUS CHRIST and we are Truly Grateful.
     And So Excited to think about what HE has in store for us next week and all the weeks that follow.

2 Corinthians 9:8 ►
    And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.

   

No Nap Time

First let me say that we are PRAISING GOD because all my test results were Normal!!
AND
Trammell's new doctor says he is not too concerned about the 7 lumps in his lymph nodes but he does want to run more tests in a month if they are still there.

NOW
Over the past few days a couple of friends have asked, when Trammell answered the phone because I was too busy to get to it, if I was taking a nap.  A NAP?
To one Trammell replied,
"A Nap!?" He laughed,
"Do you know my Mom?"

  Although I have gone almost 8 years now with Less than100 nights of SLEEP there is absolutely NO time during our whirlwind days for me to even think about taking a NAP.

  That's why I continue to encourage everyone who knows a Caregiver to PLEASE let them know someone out there cares enough to give them some relief. 
Never Assume that someone else is doing something to help.
   Remember, you could be in their shoes tomorrow.

Matthew 11:28
Then Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.

Waiting

As I sit here at Greenville Radiology on this chilly Monday morning WAITING to go back for my test I am thinking about how this one test can change my entire life and the life of my family.
How we never know what the next minute will bring.  What the next phone call will bring. What the drive home will bring.
It is for those reasons we must put ALL our faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, for when we hand EVERYTHING Over to HIM there's NO Need to worry.

2 Corinthians 12:10
Now I take limitations in stride, and with good cheer, these limitations that cut me down to size - abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks.  I just let Christ take over!  And so the weaker I get, the stronger I become.

Strength For The Journey

Do you know what Total  Exhaustion feels like?

Before our family's Journey began on December 25th, 2006, I only thought I knew what that phase ment.
I had no idea what my body and mind could withstand until this Journey began.
In these 7 years and 9 months, I have been awake,
"On Call" 24/7 every day and night except for 98 nights.
Each of those nights was a gift from someone, Most times Trammell, our Precious son, who took over the cared of David so that I could SLEEP through the night.
That leaves 2,728 NIGHTS that I have cared for him.  A few years of that I was up with him and Trammell right after Trammell was paralyzed and in a wheelchair.
It's All a Labor Of Love.
BUT
My body aches from exhaustion.  It's so hard to function because my mind is sometimes like a fog. And my memory is non-existent.
BUT
Still I carry on.
I know without a doubt that the ONLY Reason I am able to carry on is by
THE GRACE OF OUR
LORD JESUS CHRIST.

There is No Other Way.

HE gives the strength to continue to crawl out of bed all during the night, every night to check on David, change his diapers, bed pads or shirt and calm him when he's scared and confused or having bad dreams.

HE gives me the strength for my feet to hit the floor running at 6:30 each morning and face another NON-STOP, NEVER A DULL MOMENT Day. Day after Day after,  Year after Year.

I, like so many others, dream of a time when life will be Calm,
Peaceful & Restful.

I dream of a time when I will get to lay down at the end of an exhausting day,  close my eyes and go to Sleep, knowing that I don't have to get up until morning.
But I know with all my heart that this Journey we are on is part of GOD'S Plan.
And GOD'S Plan is Always The Best Plan.
When we submit ourselves to GOD'S Plan, HE Will carry us through.
HE Will give us the strength and the courage we need to finish the race. And in those times when we fall and are so exhausted we can't get up
HE lifts us up and carries us in HIS Loving Arms until we are able to walk again.

      Isaiah 40:31
But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength.  They will soar on wings like eagles;  they will run and not grow weary,  they will walk and not be faint.

THRIVE

There's a song by a group known as "Casting Crowns" entitled "THRIVE" that really speaks to my heart.
Every time I hear that song I feel as if God is speaking directly to me through the lyrics.
We were Not created merely to Survive. 
We were created to THRIVE!
So,
Starting this past week we have begun our new "family plan" called
        CREATED TO THRIVE

For almost 8 years now we have looked at our life as being in
            "Survival Mode"
But as of now we are looking at our lives in a different light.
   We Are Going To
                 "THRIVE"!
That's what God Created Us To Do.
No matter what this world throws at us our LORD CAN AND WILL Lift us up far beyond any of this.
HE HAS OVERCOME THIS WORLD.
HE has a Plan for us and
We will continue to Trust HIM Wholeheartedly.

John 16:33
These things I have spoken unto you, that in Me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

GOD'S TRAINING CLASS

IThis week has been filled with so many Blessings.
God continues to show us that no matter how bad things get HE is STILL HERE To Carry us through.
I Truly Believe that HE is Training us to Help Others in so many different ways.
We know so much more today than we did 8 years ago.
We know the REAL NEEDS of the disabled, the sick, the home bound and the elderly.
We know the REAL NEEDS of the Poor and the Needy. 
We know how easily a family can become homeless when hardship strikes, while doing everything in their power to keep their loved ones off the streets and out of shelters.
(No, we have not been homeless. There were a couple of times that we were close But GOD sent an Angel on earth to help us.
We have, however, been Blessed to help a couple of families who were.) 

During these almost 8 years we have learned how to REALLY Reach Out and Help Others in ways that we NEVER knew BEFORE we experienced these hardships first-hand.

We know with All our hearts that GOD has a Purpose and a Plan for Everything that happens in our lives.  We know It's HIS way of teaching us how to help others.

What is HE Teaching You in your present circumstances?

Ephesians 3:20
Now all glory to GOD, Who is able, through His mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.