Dear Reader:

Yesterday was definitely one filled with memories. I came across this card of encouragement (title picture) that I received from Susan Johnson and the Presbyterian Women at my church last spring. When I read the note it was congratulating me for finally completing my treatments…graduating so to speak (from my infected foot wound following surgery) that kept me laid up for months.

I paused. Was it just last year, 2019, in the spring of the year when I was finally released from the Comprehensive Wound Center in Mt. Pleasant? Really?

I have pushed this challenging experience so far back in my memory I have almost forgotten about it. Foot surgery gone awry, my car stolen (twice), months of bi-weekly trips for treatments with family and friend volunteer drivers! And pain…more pain than I have ever experienced with my on-going breast cancer treatments. How could I have blocked these memories out?

It was all too “big” for me. I just remember praying fervently for God to take this burden from me….He didn’t… but He did hold my hand every step of the way and in the end the wound healed and today there is only a tiny pink scar on my left foot to show where it all happened. I am off and running again.

Now that I think about it…maybe this experience from October 2018 – April 2019 was just preparing me for Covid19 and the quarantine that has followed…after all I had been quarantined for almost six months in 2018 and 2019.

I then remembered reading an article that spoke to me and gave me four wonderful thoughts to consider when life appears to hand us more than we can absorb. *I finally re-discovered the article.

Dave Willis, in his report (Four Things to Remember When Life is Hard)… recalls vividly one particular morning that about took him under… until he stepped back and remembered four important things about his relationship with God.

“I was getting all three of our boys ready for school which is a massive undertaking and makes me respect my wife even more because she is normally the one doing it! Amidst the screaming infant and complaining grade schoolers, there was a mess in the kitchen, a dirty diaper on the floor, toothpaste on the sink and stress in the air. When we FINALLY got out the door, Connor had forgotten something and had to run back in. The door was open just long enough for (I’m not making this up) a bird to fly in the house.

Now, I’ve got to figure out a way to get the bird out of the house and all the kids loaded up as fast as I can. I eventually got the bird out (unharmed) and the kids loaded and just before I pulled out onto the main road, a garbage truck cut me off and started driving about five miles per hour and stopping at every other house. I wasn’t sure whether to scream or laugh at the irony of it.”

After Willis dropped the children off at school and he finally had time to calm down and re-think life’s trying moments he decided on these four important “tools” needed in our daily dealings with life.

1. Remember that your Character should always be stronger than your Circumstances.

Circumstances will come and go but what lives forever, in the memory of others, is how you reacted to trying circumstances…your character.

2. Remember that your Struggles always lead to Strength.

All pain has a purpose. God uses difficulties to strengthen our faith and perseverance.

3. Remember that God’s timing is always perfect.

We must learn to stop trying to force our preferred timing upon a troubling situation but instead, learn to wait on God’s…because it is always perfect timing upon reflection.

4. Remember that God will never leave your side.

Once you ask God in for help you are not alone and never will be.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

So today…as I walk around my garden with absolutely no pain from my foot…I need to remember to thank God for delivering me from this potentially disabling physical challenge. I am once more an independent woman who recognizes just how precious and hard-fought this independence is.

So until tomorrow….We must remember….“Our problems are God’s opportunities to show us new possibilities.” 

“Today is my favorite day” Winnie the Pooh

I promised Rutledge I would come to one of his LaCrosse practice/ games before the end of the season…but unfortunately just as were packing up to head over it was called for the third Wednesday in a row…due to distant thunderstorms.

Still we ate supper together and I got to read some chapters from Rutledge and Lachlan’s favorite series...The Magic Tree House.

Walsh was leaving for work but got some good loving in with Eloise before he left…

I had just given Lachlan and Eloise their lollipops to watch Rutledge’s practice with…when the game was called off…Rutledge was practicing for me as we loaded up.

The sunset was gorgeous as I readied to leave…

Mollie had bought this home decor wall hanging long before the quarantine began but it really works now.

And as I drove in at 8:00 with darkness quickly settling in…I hurriedly checked the moon flower trellis and look what I found…it was huge …like a gigantic moon pie! My first successful moon flower bloom! Just Beautiful!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  🙂