The past two weeks have been intensive, to say the least. Springfield weather is usually so unpredictable and this year has proven to be filled with too much of a good thing. You can't prepare for it and you certainly never get used to it:) The area experienced major snowfall in February and record rainfall in April and May. Over a period of 3 days, we racked up greater than 10 inches of rain that had the ground saturated and people ready to build an ark. During that period of excess rain, some pesky rivulets decided to make their way into my walk-out basement. Never have we had any moisture or water so it came as a shock. It was only in one room but it was just one more "something" in a year filled with excess "somethings!" Thankfully I had the presence of mind to call a wonderful friend, Bob, who had helped Dennis and I get through our 2007 ice storm ordeal. He agreed to meet me at the house after school. In the mean time, I called a company to come to see if there was enough water to require it being extracted and the room dried out. The company arrived before Bob and determined that there wasn't enough water to require extraction but the pad and carpet did need to be dried out to the tune of almost $500.00 a day. Thankfully Bob arrived and had the equipment necessary to handle the problem. My downstairs den resembled a scene out of the movie "ET" with plastic taped up to help in the dry out, furniture here and there and the carpet pulled up and draped. They could have filmed a video for the song "Redneck Woman" down there as well since I had to empty part of my Christmas closet and there were two Christmas trees, stockings, decorative tins and other "out of season" decor all around. Bob checked the outside wall to the house to find the culprit that created this mess and found a gutter issue. Let me tell you, IMMEDIATELY I recognized that the Lord had blessed my life with Bob's help and expertise AND with the verdict. He brought in a load of dirt, some grass seed and a referral for a gutter man. The gutter company has repaired the gutters, put up a leaf guard and added a few down spouts.
There was another MIRACLE that was experienced in these past two weeks that I won't go in to but just let me tell you that it was a MAJOR issue. Someone I have never met and might possibly never meet intervened on my behalf and saved me worry, stress and ultimately money. This wonderful person may never realize how he was used by God to minister to my life.
Evangel's graduation week was painful as I watched some of my "kids" pack up and move for good. It was a privilege to be thanked by countless parents who told me that Dennis and I had such an impact on their children and how grateful they would always be. Well, it was mutual. Those precious "kids" of ours poured into us, loved us and allowed us to speak into their lives. What cherished and treasured memories I have to keep me warm in my old age. Godspeed Bryan, Brian, J.T., Jonathan, Ben & Joshua. To cap off my miracles, four precious young ladies invited me to "Mother's Day Brunch" at their house, gave me a card they each wrote in that made me cry and a vase with beautiful flowers. I was missing my Sara and Jason so much and this was a perfect gesture. Thank you Lauren, Julianna, Meredith and Desiree. Love you girls!
It is important for me to share these stories because in the midst of this difficult road, God is showing me that He really does care about my "now" and my future, and that He has everything in my life under control. Oh how I miss Dennis and his calm, always positive approach to everything. There isn't a decision made that I don't worry about whether it was the correct one and ask myself what Dennis would do in this situation. The burdens that we shared for 36 years are now squarely on my shoulders alone and it is unnerving. I find that even watching the news creates dismay and consternation. Today on Meet the Press, they were talking about how Medicare is predicted to run out 5 years sooner than they thought, around 2024. That will be just a couple of years after I am eligible for it. Oh great! Then what? That was my first response and then just as clearly as I thought it, felt the Lord speak to me. "I AM YOUR SOURCE." YOU CANNOT DEPEND ON YOUR OWN WAYS OR THE WAYS OF THIS WORLD" I WILL TAKE CARE OF YOU!" I turned the TV off and thanked Him while making my way to Sunday School and church, knowing that HE IS FAITHFUL!
Dear family and friends, thank you for continuing to pray for me. Never could I have imagined that grief would almost cripple and debilitate me. Never would have thought that this journey would be such a desolate, bleak, solitary walk. BUT, Jesus has walked with me through the valley of the shadow of death. He has cradled, sustained and undergirded me every step of the way. He has reinforced me and shored me up when I would have collapsed and He is MY FOUNDATION!
"Our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. --2 Corinthians 4:17-18
Love you!
Teena
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