July 5 is a very important date to me. It’s not simply the day after July 4. And it’s not simply the day before Barbara and I celebrate our marriage anniversary. Today symbolizes the beginning of figuring out what was happening in my body. Figuring out what it was that we were going to face. What I was dealing with. Seven years ago I had a CT-Scan done to get some results to take to my first meeting with a neurologist on July 12. I never met that neurologist. The scan showed other things.
On July 6 of every year, Barbara and I celebrate our marriage in 2002. She’s been putting up with me for 22 years now. God bless her. In 2017, we put our trip on hold because of the scan. We decided to just do some day trips throughout that week. Thank goodness we stayed home. I might not have made it back from vacation according to what we found out. Without going in the great detail, it revealed a mass infection that was killing me. Chances are it would’ve taken over my body on vacation. After being admitted to the hospital that day, we spent five days trying to figure out a plan of attack. But we had to fight the infection off first. And that was an eight week ordeal alone. Which included IV anabiotic‘s twice a day at home. With the infection being gone, on September 5 we had surgery where my right kidney and my gallbladder were both removed. But the main concern was the aorta and vena cava. Both of them were calcifying. It took robotics under the control of a brilliant surgeon to remove the calcification. Penetrating to deep would have led to me bleeding out within seconds. Barbara was informed of this in the middle of the surgery. Can you imagine hearing that. Just imagine what went through her mind. I learned about this after I woke up in recovery. Talk about shocking.
Although the whole time it was very serious, I never felt anxious. God gave me a calm and peace. But I cannot imagine what Barbara must’ve been going through. I would never want to face what she was facing. Her attitude was incredible. She really is amazing. God had us in his hands. And we expected nothing less than to be blessed. Whether that meant me being here with her, or being there with him, we were blessed. We knew we were facing difficulties. We knew we were facing a tough situation and hard circumstances. But negativity never entered our minds. We tried to stay focused on what his plan was for us. We didn’t know where we’re going, but we tried to see him in everything. And that’s the point of this devotion. Let’s keep our attitudes positive. No matter what it is we are facing. Let’s let God use us through the hardships to show others who he is. To show others his glory. Let’s be his tool. Because his plan is much bigger than we could ever imagine. And if you let him take control, his plan will be revealed.
