Seeing the Specialist

We took our son to the ENT yesterday.  He has had speech and language delay / he is prone to ear infections / he has been failing the tymponogram tests.  I was putting so much hope and expectation on this one visit to find a solution to his problems. 

Both girls ended up coming with us.  Buzz Lightyear was a gem of a kid; the baby needed a little attention; Nancy Drew had her nose stuck in a book.  The doctor came in.  He was very nice.  Checked his ears; prescribed nasonex and to “come back in 6 weeks.”

Wait! that’s it???  I’m not satisfied.  My questions are still unanswered and I’m not certain you’ve assessed the situation properly.  My son is not fixed!  I felt so unsettled leaving the office.

Isn’t that how it is with the Lord sometimes?  He gives us a plan of action, but we aren’t ready to act on it.  We want more.  Fix it now without the trouble.  “Have You looked at it from my angle, Lord?  Maybe you’ll see it differently”  The Bible says “Trust in the Lord with all your heart.  Do not lean on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your path.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)

The truth is we don’t know yet if the doctor’s prescription will work or not.  He may or may not have assessed the situation properly (although he was extremely patient with me, and he did try help me understand).  But he knows a whole bunch more than I do about ears and how they work – he’s the head of the department for crying out loud!

But God is always right on!  He always assesses the situation properly.  His ways are higher than our ways.  He knows a whole bunch more about it than I do – He’s the Creator of the Universe for crying out loud!

He Lives

I serve a risen Savior

He’s in the world today

I know that He is living whatever men may say

I see His hand of mercy

I hear His voice of cheer

and just the time I need Him, He’s always near

He lives

He lives

Christ Jesus lives today

He walks with me

and talks with me

along life’s narrow way

He lives

He lives

Salvation to impart

You ask me how I know He lives

He lives within my heart

One car wonder

We are trying our hand at living with one car.  Poor Scott ~ he was stuck at home while the kids and I went up north for the week.  He managed; but since we’ve been back, he’s hardly been home at all.  Flitting here; running errands there; driving anywhere! 

I’ve been wondering if he’ll be able to stay in the game.  I just think the planning and sacrifice and cooperation can only be good for us.  I may be a little naive . . .it just stands to reason that the forced interaction will bring about a deeper understanding of each others needs and how each of us operate.  Isn’t life interesting???

Unfortunately, the “check engine” light came on again in our only working vehicle.  We may be closer to that Buick LaCrosse yet . . .

Little Miss

What to do with a toddler who wants what she wants when she wants it??  I’ve taken to calling her “Little Miss”.  She pretends like she is listening to me, but truth be told, she usually has little intention to do it.  There is a sweetness in her.  She has an active imagination and likes to cuddle in a lap.  On the other hand, she can be mean to her sister and brother.  She has a complete meltdown when she does not get her way.  I was thinking of how often we treat our heavenly Father this way.  He tries to give us instruction, we pretend to listen – but we don’t really intend to change, much less give up what looks like so much fun.  What we want is to do things “our” way.  Oh our Father is so patient with us.  Oh He loves us so much.  Oh for open ears and heart to hear and obey what God is asking me to do!

Just another day on the home front

Last summer our son fell on the railroad tie in the driveway and cracked his head open on an acorn.  He opens the front door whimpering, and there was blood all over his head, hair and body.  The mom in me springs into action ~ I rush him into the kitchen and start flushing the area with water to try to assess exactly how bad it is.  I realize the wound is terribly close to the temple and whisper a word of praise that he had not been injured worse.  I sit him down with a cold compress and tell him to hold it.  Where’s the baby? Get her in the car.  Where’s Scott?  Up by the road trimming the lawn.  “SCOTT” I scream.  No response.  I run back into the house for the dazed and still bleeding little boy.  I carry him to the car “SCOTT” I scream again ~ twice this time.  No response from him. 

However, my screams had not elicited a complete lack of response from the neighborhood.  Our neighbors from across the street came running lickety-split; cell phones in hand to dial 911.  Still Scott is working away on the lawn.  Little did I know another of our neighbors who is a state patrolman was headed to the house to “save me from whoever was attacking me”.  I did not realize the lungs I have on me!  I still feel embarrassed when I think about how much trouble I caused because I was in such a panic.  But I am more grateful for the kindness and selflessness of our friends and neighbors who live around us. 

Poor kid couldn’t have stitches because the acorn had made a little puncture wound, but in the end all is well.  It’s the little ways God shows His hand of protection.  You just never know what a day will bring!

What is Love?

About a month ago we realized that the Buick wasn’t going to make it much longer.  Scott would be diving along, and with no warning whatsoever it would shut itself off.  This is a dangerous thing – this could cause an accident easily.  We made the decision this week to become a one car family.  Can we do this in the 21st century?  Can a family only own one car??  We are about to find out.

I’ve been thinking about planning ahead and sharing a vehicle.  I’ve been thinking about being subject to someone else’s schedule and getting the children to and from school.  I noticed something ~ There are people, our friends, who are accommodating their schedules, who are planning ahead and sharing their vehicles, who are going out of their way to get our children to and from school and my husband to and from work.  Jesus said “greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.”  This is exactly what my family is experiencing right now!  These friends who sacrifice themselves for us.  I can only praise our Lord for making a way for us.