My Cup Runneth Over

This has been a remarkable week. We have seen God's mighty hand in so many areas of our lives and our friend's lives that my heart is bursting at the seams.

We had been concerned for months that the upcoming social security hearing would be a stressor for another MS episode so I was meeting regularly with a psychiatrist and a good friend that is a psychologists to try to give me a good perspective on this whole thing and to give me some tools to keep my stress levels low. I was doing well but I knew that if anything I would more than likely ruin all the hard work the night before by stressing so much that I don't sleep which would then cause me to be susceptible to any virus I came in contact with. I have done this several times before so I know what I am talking about. But just as I was starting to feel the waves of worry and doubt and concern sweep over me, I happened to check my facebook page and saw a status update for one of the moms from the homeschool co-op.

I have known Julie for about 2 years and in that whole time she has had an oxygen tank connected to her to help her breathe. I don't know the whole story but I know her lungs were weak and in trouble. These last two months have been especially precarious and we have been diligently praying for her healing. Julie has been on the lung transplant list for some time so when I read on her update that there may be some lungs available, I was overjoyed. There was a link to her blog and from that point on, my stupid little hearing didn't seem so important. What a great joy it was to read the continuing updates as she was prepped for surgery and then the lungs were a good match, she was in surgery and is now out breathing on her own. Before we went to bed that night we prayed for Julie and her family and I realized that not only was God blessing her but He was keeping me from causing myself to become ill. I was so thankful and enthusiastic for Julie that I forgot about myself. We prayed earnestly for the family that had suffered the loss to allow Julie to live and we rejoiced and praised God for His perfect timing. It has been glorious!

Monday morning was the long anticipated social security disability hearing for me. We had been prepped by my attorney that it would take 1-3 months for a written decision to arrive in the mail. The only time a decision comes from the bench is when the client is there with a drool cup or as a quadriplegic. You'll have to take that statement with a grain of salt because he is a lawyer and a little prone to dramatics. The point is that getting a ruling from the bench is highly unlikely. After a couple of questions, the judge stopped and began to write a bunch of things and then asked to be put on the record and he began to dole out his decision from the bench! I was in complete shock. Isn't it like our great God to give us answers when we think none are to be had. The judge ruled that I was unable to work full-time and was indeed to be classified as disabled and awarded whatever social security benefits that I was entitled to. He then said to have a nice life and adjourned the case. The analyst from the social security office never even had a chance to question me or try to prove my capabilities at working full-time. Again, it was glorious!

After the hearing I had three doctor appointments so Dustin was like my chauffeur that day. At the first appointment we ran into a dear friend who let us know that a family member of his was receiving a newborn baby boy to adopt. Another moment of rejoicing! It was beginning to be too much for this fragile heart to handle. In so many ways God is moving mightily on behalf of His people. I see His fingerprints everywhere. And it dawned on me that this all happened the beginning of the Thanksgiving weekend. We have much to be thankful for. And even if God did not move in all those ways, we would still have much to be thankful for. For our God is a Living God. He paints the sky for us each day, sets the stars out for us to wonder at, He creates life and gives us love, and He even gives us these weak tents, made in His image, to live in so that we can see the work of His hands. Oh how glorious the love of the Father is for us that He would calls us his children, wholly and dearly loved.

It reminded me of the Nichole Nordeman song, Gratitude:

Send some rain, would You send some rain?
'Cause the earth is dry and needs to drink again
And the sun is high and we are sinking in the shade
Would You send a cloud, thunder long and loud?
Let the sky grow black and send some mercy down
Surely You can see that we are thirsty and afraid
But maybe not, not today
Maybe You'll provide in other ways
And if that's the case . . .

(Chorus)

We'll give thanks to You
With gratitude
For lessons learned in how to thirst for You
How to bless the very sun that warms our face
If You never send us rain

Daily bread, give us daily bread
Bless our bodies, keep our children fed
Fill our cups, then fill them up again tonight
Wrap us up and warm us through
Tucked away beneath our sturdy roofs
Let us slumber safe from danger's view this time
Or maybe not, not today
Maybe You'll provide in other ways
And if that's the case . . .

(Chorus)

We'll give thanks to You
With gratitude
A lesson learned to hunger after You
That a starry sky offers a better view if no roof is overhead And if we never taste that bread

Oh, the differences that often are between
What we want and what we really need

So grant us peace, Jesus, grant us peace
Move our hearts to hear a single beat
Between alibis and enemies tonight
Or maybe not, not today
Peace might be another world away
And if that's the case . . .

(Chorus)

We'll give thanks to You
With gratitude
For lessons learned in how to trust in You
That we are blessed beyond what we could ever dream
In abundance or in need
And if You never grant us peace

But Jesus, would You please . . .