Giving Thanks

God has been very real this month.

THANKSGIVING #1

About a week and a half ago, I came down with a sudden fever one night. It was accompanied by the most excruciating pain under my right arm, a pain unlike any I have ever experienced. Every breath hurt. I couldn't get out of bed. I am not a fan of painkillers, but CA had to pop out to the pharmacy to get me some Nurofen so I could breathe without groaning.

The doctor thought the fever might be a sign of infection, and prescribed a course of antibiotics.
He didn't know what brought on the pain, and muttered something about "muscular".

A week and a half later, the pain had subsided enough for me to feel only the slightest twinge when I took a deep breath.

Then it came back, worse than ever, and (again) I had all these thoughts: Pain. Must see doctor. What if it's breast cancer? I'm going to die. I don't want to be separated from my husband and my girls!

In the end, I didn't see the doctor. I called up and found out there were 21 patients ahead of me, and I thought, I'm not spending two hours waiting.

The next day was a glorious one. I woke up, and for the first time in a fortnight, I was pain-free!

The pain has not visited since and I have no desire to find out what that was all about. I'll just put it down to one of the mysteries of the human body.

It's weird how when you've recovered, you look back and wonder: how could I have been so drama? But when you're going through it and there's no promise of immediate relief, it feels like life-and-death. I can't imagine what it must be like for people who live with pain every day of their lives.

Thank you Lord for healing me.

THANKSGIVING #2

For the past week, we'd been stressing about who to get to look after Scottie while we're away in Singapore.

I talked with various people, but nothing turned up. I called up a pet boarding place, but they were booked out. The days went by, and I started giving in to anxiety.

Time to be proactive...

I mentioned our problem to a friend at church, and asked if her husband (who publishes out pew sheet) might insert a notice to say we are looking for a dog sitter.

I also printed out 20 copies of a notice for Beth to give out at school.

The morning of the notice distribution, I happened to be chatting with one of the school moms and I mentioned the Scottie problem.

"We'd be happy to look after your dog for you," she said.

Just like that! She didn't even ask what kind of a dog we have or any details.

On Sunday morning, we brought Scottie over to Libby's place so her dog Emma and Scottie could meet, and so she and her husband could observe if the dogs could get along.

Scottie spent the whole day there and when we came by in the evening, Libby and Simon said the dogs had got on really well and they shouldn't have any problems caring for Scottie while we were away.

What's really wonderful is that this couple are conscientious dog lovers. Their backyard has been designed to be dog-friendly, and they are the sort of people who walk their dog every day and take her to the beach and the park. So Scottie is going to have a fantastic three weeks hanging out with them.

On Sunday morning, one of the ladies at church came up to me waving a little notice that apparently had my name on it. Our friend had got her husband to insert a special notice about our hunt for a dog sitter after all, but this was the first time I'd actually seen the notice.

"I'd like to apply for the position please," said the lady.

I was very sorry to have to tell her the position was taken.

Later, over morning tea, an elderly lady who is our Chief Greeter and Scone Queen, came up to me and asked how the Great Dog Sitter Search was going.

I told her how God had answered our prayer.

"I just wanted you to know," said the lady, "that if you had been stuck, I would have been happy to come round and feed your dog everyday. I can't take him home with me, because we haven't got space for a dog, but I would have been happy to come to your house and feed him."

I can't tell you how much it moved me to hear that.

Thank you Lord, for finding us a family who is happy and able to care for Scottie, for showing us how much love and concern there is in our church family, and for demonstrating - in your perfect timing and in your own special way - that you care about the details of our lives.

"Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find, knock and the door shall be opened unto you." - Matt. 7:7