God Is In The Details

Matthew 10:30 (The Message)

"He pays even greater attention to you, down to the last detail ~ even numbering the hairs on your head."

This past week we have seen God working in the all the details as we prepare for my cancer surgery on March 23rd. I want to express here how much your prayers and encouraging thoughts have helped me as I go through this process.

Isaiah 30:21 says, "Whether you turn to the right or to the left, you will hear a voice behind you saying, 'This is the way, walk in it.'"

Last week when this verse in Isaiah popped up, we grabbed on to it and claimed this promise, continually asking God to show us the way ~ where to have surgery, when, how to deal with my extensive allergies and sensitivities, etc. He has done that, and more. My Lyme specialist and her staff bent over backwards to help us make these decisions, and my GYN surgeon is open to my special needs. God has shown up in the details.

What I want to share is another small way God revealed how He is in the details of my life. My sister Jan sent me a birthday gift from Dayspring. Along with that she had ordered me some cards to send out to others. She knows how much I love cards and stationary~! I called to thank her for the gifts and shared how helpful the cards were. Several were absolutely what I needed to hear for myself, at a time when fear decided to camp out in my living room. I told her I thought I would just sign her name on them and keep them for encouragement! (smile). She then said, "Well, I know you like the Wooley brand cards, so I wanted to send some." I said to her, "Jan I did not get any Wooley cards, I got a number of encouragement cards from Max Lucado!" As we both realized that a "divine mix-up" had occurred for me, I told her, "I don't think I will sign your name to the cards, I think I will sign God's! He knew exactly what I needed to hear." God was in the details of even this. I am amazed and yet I should not be, at how He has walked us through this past week...one test, one procedure, one appointment, one birthday gift at a time. He will walk with us through the coming days too. If He knows the number of the hairs on my head, He knows just what I need at this time in my life.

Are you feeling lonely or forgotten today? Don't believe it! God loves us so much He is weaving His grace through the smallest details of our lives. We are deeply loved by a powerful God.

Stop over to Spiritual Sundays to read encouraging and inspirational posts. www.bloggerspirit.blogspot.com

Thankful Thursday Thinking

Today I am thankful for God being in the details of our lives. A story to share.....

On Tuesday I went to the lab to talk to radiology as I was going to have a CT scan on Wednesday concerning the uterine cancer. I was told by my doctor that I would not be having the IV contrast as I have so many allergies, but the radiologist told me I needed to have both the oral and IV contrast. He told us hardly anyone reacts and it does not really matter if you are allergic to seafood....that is an old wives tale. We reluctantly agreed....While Joel went to get the van I sat in a chair by the clergy office and as worry filled me I prayed. I looked up and there on the wall was a cross with the words above it ~ Go In Peace. I knew God would be in the details of this test too.

I started taking the oral contrast the next morning after a heavy dose of prayers. I had an appointment that morning with my GYN so we headed over to that, contrast in hand. When he saw me he asked, "Now you are having a CT today?" I said, "Yes, I am drinking the contrast now." He replied, "You are having contrast?" I said, "Yes and they told me I had to have the IV contrast too." He said..."I told them NO CONTRAST." He talked to his nurse and gave me an order that said NO CONTRAST on it. I decided to finish the oral contrast but when we got to radiology at the hospital we showed them the order. The tech was still told by the radiologist to talk to me about the IV contrast. Scare tactics were used to try to get me to change my mind. Joel said "NO". Period. We went forward with the test as is, praying nothing more would be found.

So I believe that God was in the details of this too. From the time we went to the doctor until last night we talked to 5 people who had bad reactions to the IV Contrast. One stopped breathing and had to be revived. My own GYN felt he was dying and had to have steroid shots to stop the reaction. One had hives for a year. Another said they had a terrible reaction and would never have it again. Another said hives showed up. Now, I know that most people can handle this stuff...but I am not most people. I react to fragrances, cleaning supplies, wood smoke, gas, ~ you name it! For now I could avoid this risk. This was God working in the details.

I am very grateful today for God's interest in the smallest things in my life. Grateful that He provided me with a cross on a wall telling me to walk forward in PEACE. Today as I face an unknown future, I am more aware than ever of who holds the future....

Memorial Box Mondays

Memorial Box Mondays was created by Linny at her blog, A Place Called Simplicity (listed at the right). You can go there to find out more information about MBM's and also read what others have written.

Today I am remembering an event from 1979! We were living in a small town in central Montana where Joel was working as a seminary intern for a local congregation. Our family had moved there for 1 year and then would return to MN for Joel to finish seminary. On one February day, Joel was having a lot of pain that turned out to be his appendix. A friend, Ron, offered to drive Joel and I to a hospital 90 miles away. Another friend took our 4 children home with her as Joel, Ron, and I headed out in a snow storm. It was touch and go at times and we were praying hard that Joel's appendix would not burst before we got there. Sometimes our friend Ron was driving 100 mph across that flat part of Montana....in a snow storm..... I don't know how he could see to drive. Needless to say prayers were keeping us on the road. We arrived at the hospital in record time and a surgeon we had never met before took Joel in for immediate surgery. The doctor said the appendix was ready to burst. We spent 4 days in the hospital because the blizzard closed all the roads down. The doctor offered me one of his family's cars to drive, and he and his wife offered me a place to sleep in their home! Now that is Montana hospitality at its best. I chose to stay close to Joel sleeping on the floor beside him until a cot eventually was brought into the room for me. All the "circumstances" fell into place for Joel that night. A gifted surgeon with a big heart, a good friend to drive like the wind, and a place for our children to stay. I would put a small snow globe in my Memorial Box to remind me of this time when God's plans came together to bring Joel through a medical emergency.

This is especially important for me to remember at this time since I was just diagnosed last Friday with uterine cancer. I already live with Lyme Disease and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. These illnesses have weakened my immune system and caused me to have a multitude of chemical reactions to medications, cleaning supplies, fragrances, plastics, etc. that make surgery even more risky. As we digest this new diagnosis and what it means, as we try to put everything into place for a safe surgery, and as we wait to see exactly what I am facing, we remember that God guided us during a snow storm, a fast car ride, and in the operating room. He will do so in the coming weeks too! I remember that God's grace and goodness get us through the tough times...and that every day is a gift.

Standing In The Need Of Prayer

Do you remember the spiritual Standing In The Need Of Prayer?

"It's me it's me it's me oh Lord"

Standing in the need of prayer...

It's me it's me it's me oh Lord

Standing in the need of prayer.

Not my brother, nor my sister

No, it's me oh Lord

Standing in the need of prayer......

At times in our lives we all stand before our Lord in need. A need that comes from deep inside. It is where I find myself.

First of all, thank you to those who came by my blog last week and offered to pray for me. I felt your prayers as they carried me through the week. If I may so humbly request, I am asking for prayers again as I now face surgery for uterine cancer. It appears to be a slow growing cancer so that is good news. What complicates matters for me, are my low levels of health due to Lyme Disease and all the reactions I have to medications, fragrances, chemicals, plastics, etc. It makes surgery and staying in a hospital risky for me.

God has been showering us with scriptures to deal with our worries, and the many decisions that need to be made concerning this surgery and where to have it. I must share two that brought both Joel and I comfort this week. Two scriptures blessed us two days in a row in two different ways. Leave it to God to make sure we get the message! I hope it blesses you too.

Proverbs 3:5,6

"Trust in the Lord in all your ways and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight."

Isaiah 30:21,22

"Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice saying, "this the is way, walk in it.' Then you will defile your idols overlaid with silver and your images covered with gold...you will throw them away like a menstrual cloth and say to them, 'Away with you!"

As we come before the Lord we say, "It's me Lord! Here I am standing before you in the need of prayer" And as only a Heavenly Father can, he blesses us in our times of need.

Join us at www.bloggerspirit.blogspot.com. Thank you Ginger and Charlotte.

Thankful Thursday Thinking

Today I am giving thanks for all those who shared comments with me concerning the secondary medical problem I am dealing with. All your prayers carried me through this week of another procedure and the long wait for the biopsy results. Hopefully tomorrow the wait will be over and we will be able to take action as we make decisions concerning our options ahead.


Today I am giving thanks for scriptures giving me wisdom and comfort. Proverbs 3, :5,6 and Isaiah 30:21, 22 have come to me more than once in the past couple of days through devotionals and other resources.

I am thankful that I can trust God. Life is not always fair, but God is good and can be trusted.

I am very thankful for my husband Joel, his steady, never unwavering love for me over the years. I always say I know how much God loves me because he brought Joel into my life.

I am blessed.

Three Words Wednesday

TRUST

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IN

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GOD

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"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight."
Proverbs 3:5,6