Friends

My daughter’s seven month old puppy, who resides at her boyfriend’s farm (they have joint custody), was involved in an accident Tuesday night. His pelvis was injured, which is really ironic…our daughter was injured at night, at the same place, and one of her significant injuries is her pelvis. Anyway, Wednesday morning Bo had to have surgery, stayed overnight at the vets and yesterday we brought him home to our farm to take care of him.

Bo is an American bulldog, weighs 55 lbs. and is considered a large dog. Oh, he is not of Great Dane large size (Amanda’s boyfriend does have one of those too.), but he is large and solid. Bringing Bo home from the vets was an experience. When we got him in the car he refused to lie down on his bed and stood with his head on Daddy’s leg the 12 miles or so home. Then once home, he limped around the house for a good while crying and no matter how much coaxing we did, we could not convince him to get on his bed. Finally, our daughter, Amanda, realized Bo wanted up on the couch with her. The end result…Bo on the couch next to Amanda with his head on a pillow…crying ceased…sleep ensued.

The last 18 hours have been all about Bo. This puppy has personality and knows what he wants. And what he wants is companionship. We cannot leave him alone or even sit in a chair where he thinks he is alone or he starts crying! I spent the night in the recliner in the living room with Bo in his place on the couch. He has woke up about every two hours, sat up, searched the room for me, cried until I came over to sit with him, and then he settles down and goes back to sleep. He is not acting that different from a person when they are in pain, or sick, or just had surgery.

During the night watching Bo, brought back the memories of our time in Shock Trauma ICU and how important to us the other two families were. The Ashleys and the Eubank were definitely handpicked by God to be our extended family the month we spent in that waiting room. If we do the math…24 hours a day, multiplied by 7 days a week, multiplied by over 30 days…that is a lot of time spent with two other families. We needed that companionship, the strength that flowed through them from their faith in our God. We were afraid and as Elisha prayed for his servant in 2 Kings 6:17 “O Lord, open Then his eyes so he may see.” the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.’, so these two families and our own prayed this prayer for us. When we were too afraid and overcome they used their faith to give us courage. Also, because the righteous King was King of their lives they were able to give us spiritual shelter from the howling winds that raged around us. They prayed with us and for us and always spoke encouraging words. God refreshed us using them...”refreshed us as a river in the desert “using their powerful group prayers, which they always opened to everyone, to fill the room with the Holy Spirit. There were times I was so depressed and then their pastor would come in and hold prayer and the roof would be lifted off the top of the building! God would make his presence so real, so here, so now, that we would be on a high for days. Thank you Lord! “Look, a righteous king is coming! And honest princes will rule under him. He will shelter Israel from the storm and the wind. He will refresh her as a river in the desert and as the cool shadow of a large rock in a hot and weary land.” Isaiah 32:1-2

Companionship, friendship, support are essential in life. God loves us so much that he blesses us by bringing the right friends, at the right times into our lives. I am so grateful to God for covering us that very, very long month as we fought not only for Amanda’s life but for our sanity. He knew the friends we needed, especially in those hard times in the middle of the night, were the Ashleys and the Eubanks and thank God that that are such good and faithful servants. I am continually reminded of what a loving and merciful God we serve!
“I no longer call you servants, because a master doesn’t confide in his servants. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me.”
John 15:15

Making us into something better

As the mom and child walked through the garden, they spied a little cocoon. Upon closer observation, they noticed it wiggling and rolling with an unborn butterfly inside trying to break through the cocoon to greet the world outside.

Under the pair’s watchful eye a tiny hole appeared as the insect began to work its way out. Slowly, before their very eyes the butterfly enlarged the hole and began to squeeze through. But, to the young child it seemed the struggle would never end as the hole seemed far too small for the butterfly to squeeze through. It also seemed that even at one point the insect himself gave up. Hoping to make it easier for the butterfly, the child reached down and tore the small hole in the cocoon completely open thinking the butterfly could escape with ease. The butterfly did emerge from the cocoon but the child nor did mom know what a dreadful mistake had been made. The butterfly did emerge but his head was too large and the wings were too small and brittle. You see, God had designed the cocoon to be difficult to climb out of so that as the butterfly squeezed through the hole, the pressure forced fluids in the insect’s body back into the wings. In reality, it was the struggle that gave the butterfly its wings to fly!

Is it the same for us? I know that God is here with me, but is He making me stronger as I struggle to work my way through the hardships in life? As I wiggle and squirm down the steep hills in life I can have faith that God is always near. And when I grow weak and tired I can stand on his promises to give me strength…Isaiah 40:29…”He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.” I certainly don’t know why these trials and tribulations have been cast in my life but a little voice inside me whispers to hang in there for He is growing me into something far better than I was. When I bust out of this cocoon I will have wings not just to fly…they will be wings to soar!

“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 faint.” Isaiah 40:31