BUT GOD is so good.

Earlier this week, I was sooo sick with the flu ( or something?)....it came on suddenly IN the car (yuck) on the way home from being in GA for the Thanksgiving holiday. Barely made it in the door before the worst hit....no further details required! About mid-week I started to feel human again. Being sick is sooo....no fun.

BUT GOD is so good. He brought me through the sickness. It wasn't cancer or some other terminal health problem. I am keenly aware of that fact because my sweet 83 year old Mama has advanced bone cancer. When I'm around her (she lives in Atlanta & I am in Charlotte), I am blessed because I see her persevering in the midst of a GREAT trial. Last Saturday was particularly hard on her. She was in excruciating pain...so much so that she was screaming and asking Jesus to take her home. At one point, she even accusatively asked me, "Don't you care?!" I didn't take her comment personally because I know my Mama knows that I love her and that I do care immensely about her. But the pain was talking at that moment. Later when the pain meds finally kicked in, she was resting easier and I was on my knees beside her chair laying my head on her chest, she said in that Mama-like way, "I pray you NEVER have to experience pain like this." My reply...."If I have to Mama, I hope that I will be able to remember how strong you were and that if you could endure, then so can I."

In the midst of so many health challenges, sweet Stella chooses to focus on the good things in her life. She has her down moments for sure, but she's an amazing woman of God who's lived her life before me with all its many ups and downs, all the while trusting her God and displaying His glory as over and over again she chooses joy.

Today, to my surprise, a little bit of my Mama came out OF me.........the plumber had to be called earlier this week because of an outside water leak. An opportunity to worry & complain or choose joy & trust. Which will I choose this time? (another "to my surprise").... I let my husband make the "call" about how he should handle the details of this situation (I reeeeally have to work hard on the submitting thing due to a very strong sin nature in this area!!!). Because Neal just couldn't make up mind about what to do and which plumber to use and what work he wanted him to do or not do (what an opportunity for decisive Sherri to force things!), the plumber didn't come yesterday. BUT, he did come today. When he arrived and walked downstairs to our basement, a gigantic mess awaited him. The toilet had overflowed and lots of "poo" and other wonderful things had found their way all over the bathroom floor and into the family room.

When Neal came upstairs to inform me of what they had just discovered, I raised my hands to my head and said, "Oh no!" But just a few minutes later, my mind began recounting all the blessings of the situation.......wait! who is this Sherri & what has someone done with the "old one"?!!!

1-we are having a large Christmas party at our house next Saturday, not today; it didn't happen next weekend!
2-we have a stained concrete floor in the basement so no carpet is ruined!
3-the plumber was already on his way today when the other problem ocurred! if he had come yesterday, another call to come out would have most likely cost extra money & there was no waiting to address the problem!
4-God has graciously provided some extra income through Neal's sales, so there is CASH to pay for it! THIS IS HUGE because we NEVER have extra money!
5-it didn't take me days or weeks to have this perspective! wow, God reeeally is still working IN me!

There are just sooo many issues in this life to juggle, aren't there?! I know. I understand.
BUT GOD is so good!