Answer to Prayer

How Great Thou Art, How Great Thou Art, that was the opening song on the new Gaither video, it is also the answer to prayer. The MRI that Kim had came back ok, no aneurysm or any indication of the AVM on this test, so thank you for all the prayers. She has one more test tomorrow so continue to pray that this test will also come back ok. As Sam says" Mop, Jesus healed the boo, boo, He is doing it right now, see?"

Over the weekend we went to our family reunion, actually two reunions. It was hot as always, it must be some unwritten rule that reunions must be over 90 degrees and if possible a couple of real downpours. I would enjoy them so much more if there could be air conditioning with bathrooms across the room. Instead you have to hope you bladder will last to go up the hill and over the valley as you make your way to the two holes and a sears catalog.

This year we all, well, the north won the battle with the south and moved the reunion to Hocking Hills Family Center. It was about even in miles for all to travel. You know when you go on line and look at the pictures and all the descriptions of the facilities you think wow that will be neat. They offered go carts, putt, putt golf and sand volleyball. What they didn't tell you the pictures had been enhanced or taken right after they developed the property, ohhhh maybe 20 years ago. Kim made the arrangements, the first indication there may be a problem was the address on the online materials. After the announcements went out in the mail, Kim finds out that the address she has sent out is the address of the company, the Family Center is down the road, exactly off Co. Rd 10. We actually drove past the sign, I don't know how it was only about 2 feet high off the ground and hand painted pointed up a gravel road. Up being the relative word. It was straight up with pot holes and big chunky gravel or stones, it is up to interpretation. The flags I think were posted on the side to distract the faint of heart as your car spun on the gravel or stone. When we pulled up on level ground and I am proud to say we had no casualties, we see, well, not the advertisement. When Kim asked about the sand volleyball court, they sent a tractor to mow the grass that had grown up through the sand, I guess there was sand, couldn't tell due to the big chunks of grass. The putt putt was well let's say a putt. The go carts worked as did the bathrooms. So buyer beware of false advertisement.

Although it was not the fancy fun center we anticipated we had a good time with about 50 people in attendance. In comparison to the other place the South goes, the bathrooms were closer and there were games to play in the office / game room. And really the place is not the reason we get together it is the time to see who has aged, gotten a little heavier, who has the most children, who lives where, who has had a baby or is going to have one ( ANDREA) and where everyone is living. It is a test for the older of the group to see if they remember who is who.

So although it was hot it was good to see everyone again. I was brave and had the boys ride with me and stay the night in my motel room. Two boys and a overweight, bad back, stiff knees mop trying to keep up with dynamo Joshua was a feat. I decided he has a game plan. He starts in one area, gets me distracted, I start that direction and he does a 360 and off he goes in another direction grabbing something else and as I slowly turn and groan, he is off to his next mission. Then he will stop quickly which then throws me off center and I am teetering as he turns his back and says "I shake my bootie" and giggles. Just as I raise my foot to tap his bootie off he goes to do something else. To say the least by the time I got home I was out in a flash as soon as my bootie hit the couch. Sam on the other hand was the studious person. He would say" ok Mop this is a math question" I have 6 apples and someone takes 2 apples' now what will I do" I wanted to say whew, you only have to eat 4. But instead I would reply " well, how many will you have if you have 6 and someone takes 2" " that is a hard one Sam" he would say" MOP" very sternly" you have to count" holding up his fingers" you have 6 and 2 gone, 1, 2, 3, 4 you have 4" do you get it?" so ask me any questions about apples I know all the combinations it was an hour and half drive. As Josh turned the TV off, he added " that wasn't nice" and moved on.

It was a good weekend and now it would appear a good week. The many songs on this new tape were encouraging music, What a Friend we have in Jesus, Leaning on the Everlasting Arms, What a Friend is He, Jesus Love Me and Great is Thy Faithfulness. All needed when things seem out of control.

What's important?

So each day I learn more about what is important. Sometimes I think having a new car, a big house, lots of money and someone to clean, cook, drive and fix my hair would be the ultimate of what is important. But then something happens that makes you sit back and take a real close look at what you have and you start to take inventory.
On one blog a young lady passed away from an illness, another is in a wheelchair from a diving accident, someone else trying to adopt a baby is now sitting by his bedside as he fights for life, a baby is scheduled for surgery, a young lady was killed while driving home after a big tree limb crushed her side of the car. A bridge collapsed and a young pregnate mother and her 2 year old are missing, a mine collapsed with 4 coal miners. What do you say when so much is going on around you.
Trying to find the important things and keeping our perspective. Kim has been having a whooshing sound in her head. She finally went to see the doctor it seems it can be a serious condition that could require surgery and is frightening to say the least. You see I would trade everything I own and anything I gain to not have that be so. And so we pray and wait for the results of her MRI and then the ultra sound of her arteries in her neck. As I thought of all the things that could be and hoped would not be I could only think of Sam and his faith. He will get a boo boo and may cry but the next time I see him he will point to the area and say "see Mop" Jesus fixed my boo boo" I may not tell this right but Joshua got hurt and Sam quickly said" See Joshua Jesus will fix it" and held his finger up and said "He is doing it now"
Children see the elementary of everything and the simplicity. They don't complicate it with how others might think if we express our faith. They don't try to analyze the situation and try to downplay the need to ask God to heal. They just believe. So I am going to take Sam's lead and just believe and have faith that God being the great physician will analyze the results of the test review the situation and will offer the outcome that is part of His plan.
But if you want to pray, it would definitely be appreciated.