Saturday, June 30, 2012

Missing Another Wedding


Yes, I have a very bad neck.  I landed on my head doing a back hand spring in high school.  I ran into a plate glass window in college.  I was smashed between two semi-trucks when I was thirty.  I had my neck fused three years ago.  I have a very bad neck.  It flares up often causing me a lot of pain.

I just missed Steven graduating from dental school.  I just missed my best friend's son's wedding.  I have missed many Christmas celebrations, weddings, birthdays, etc. in my life.  I lay at home with an ice pack on my neck while everyone else is having fun.

However, don't feel sorry for me {but I do appreciate prayers!}.  I have an amazing husband who I absolutely adore and who would do anything for me.  I have four children who walk with Jesus and God has truly blessed me with them.  I have a wonderful son-in-law and daughter-in-law that I love like my own.  I have the most precious grandbaby, my icing on the cake!

I have hot water to take hot baths in every night.  I have a comfortable bed to sleep in.  I have ice to ice my neck with.  I have the most delicious food to nourish my body.  I have a television with a million stations, an Ipad to read, and great books.

I have a giving mother and father who do everything they can to make my life comfortable.  My mom brings me fresh juice, shops for me, and makes salads for me.  I have two incredible sisters who have amazing families.

Most of all, I have Jesus Christ as my Savior.  I know that there is eternal life after my life ends here on earth.  This life is just a speck in eternity.  Jesus lives inside of me and gives me the strength to endure.  His Word continually renews my mind so I don't fall into depression.  He gives me hope and joy.

We take so much for granted.  We have the best medical care system in the history of the world.  We have the best sanitation anywhere.  We have firemen, policemen, and the military to protect us.  We are blessed.

Even if we were in a jail cell being persecuted, we are commanded to rejoice and be content...We are far from that.  I want to encourage all of you to start being thankful.  I know many of you are in pain physically, emotionally, mentally, or spiritually.  Start dwelling on all the good in your life.  If you have Jesus, you have everything.

Thank you, Lord, for your many blessings.  You are so good and I am so undeserving of your love but you pour it upon me abundantly and for that, I am eternally thankful.

Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.
Philippians 4:11,12

The picture is of Tyler and Megan's wedding that I  just missed.

Comments (16)

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I'm sorry you had to miss the wedding but thankfully you have a very good attitude, some people wouldn't. Our priest always tells us to not waste our suffering, offer it up for those who need our prayers and for those souls in purgatory (we're Catholic). I hope you feel better soon.
You have a great attitude because you have a great perspective - you're looking at it through a thankful and content heart ;) I hope you feel better quick! Praying for you too!
thank you for your blog - the ministry you Can Do. i have been in bed for several years and learned I Could pray, then i was able to move into other things. i only recently subscribed to your post and have been learning from you as i'm working on building up my strength in all areas, with some down times/days
again, thank you
This is great. Thank you. I will remember this on my "bad" days!
I will pray for you, Lori. You are blessed. And especially that all your family are believers, I wish that were true of my three adult children. I hope that you feel better soon!
--Tommie--
Jesus will help us get through everything. Sorry you missed the wedding.
I am praying for you Lori. I think of you during my day often and say a prayer. When I think of the suffering that you have to live with and my problems with TMJ, I think of the apostle Paul who also had something he was dealing with. God's strength is with us at all times. I have been keeping a gratitude journal. I have a friend who lives in Nigeria. We speak on skype when she can walk 5 miles one way to the internet cafe. She lives in a house 100 sq. ft with 3 kids. Her husband is here in US studying at Moody to be a pastor. You are so right. We have it so good!
I just found your blog, and I'm so thankful for this post. I needed to read it tonight, though I am sorry you had to miss the wedding. Prior to reading your post, I was merely thankful for my first pain-free day since Tuesday (and air conditioning). Thanks to your post and self-reflection, I am now thankful for so much more! I hope that you, too, can soon have a pain-free day.
So sorry Lori....praying for you!
Bless your heart! I'm so sorry to read about your health. But I know the Lord is with you each step of the way.

Praying for God's grace to carry you, and for His healing to touch your body.

Blessings to you on the Lord's Day!
This sounds painful! Praying for you. You have a great attitude about this, embrace the pain and see the joy that is there in amongst the suffering.

Blessings,
<><
Lori,
As someone who has had a lumbar fusion, I feel your pain. Praying the pain goes to more tolerable levels.
What a lovey post. You have your priorities straight it seems.
Good sharing and thoughtful "teaching". And, yes, even though I'm not walking through much of what you are, I DO think of how blessed we are that reaching heaven and eternity will make all this seem like a small dot in the "forever." Blessings. AND lovely picture.
You inspire and mentor, with the right-side way you look at the world. Thank you for this.

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