THE
VALUE OF FRIENDS
This
weekend I have overwhelming gratitude for my friends. Several times I have
literally stopped what I was doing and offered thanks to the Father for giving
me people to walk beside me on my journey! No matter what degree of suffering, I
can always count on friends to come alongside me! And that is PRICELESS!
Michael
and I have been going through a tough “season” this summer. He rarely ever gets
sick, has had only one minor outpatient (knee) surgery in his life, and has
never spent one night in a hospital.
So having a back injury that he cannot just “bounce back” from has left
him debilitated and confused. It is going on 4 months now since he fell and we
have been to many doctors and had many tests run. We are possibly now honing in
on something that can be fixed surgically and hoping with that and a few weeks
of therapy, he can be back in the greenhouse and in the military park giving
tours as he loves to do.
I
have been right by his side as nurse and cheerleader, and have been picking up
the slack with the pool upkeep, and watering flowers in the Mississippi heat, along
with my housework and duties. At the risk
of sounding whiny, I have gotten tired a time or two (my fibromyalgia only lets
me go so far without a time-out). The stress of not knowing Michael’s prognosis
(in fact, we haven’t really gotten a definite diagnosis of what is causing him
so much pain) causes us both to be so exhausted physically and mentally at the end of the day.
But then friends step in...
In
the past few weeks, we have both gotten so many calls, texts and messages from
caring friends and I’m just overwhelmed by all the love we have
both received. I have one friend who
showed up at the diagnostic clinic at “just the right time.” Last week, Michael was having a little panic attack in
the MRI machine (this was MRI #4 in a week’s time), and had to take a rest
period. As we sat in the waiting room
taking deep breaths and wanting this all to be over already, an angel in white (she
was wearing a cute summer white outfit) walked in the door. Our precious friend
was “in the area” and thought she would drop by. She will never know how much
we needed the strength of her hugs and encouragement that day.
Another
friend brought us food this weekend – home-cooked and delicious food. Yes, I can
cook; I love to cook. But she has sensed my exhaustion in the past few days and
knew I could use a break… So thoughtful! She also brought us the book “Streams
in the Desert,” and even the first page I read today was encouraging – about the
rains that fall on us bring us beauty in the flowers and rainbows that appear
after the rains have passed.
My
sisters, my friends, have been with me every day for support, a shoulder to cry on, and "shopping therapy." They are my constant prayer partners. Don’t know what I would do without my
fantastic sisters.
Another
echo of God’s love was shown by a dear friend bringing me a writing about girlfriends
and how we need true-blue girlfriends to bless our lives. Those that share your
joys AND your sorrows. That listen and
give Godly advice. And pray with you.
As
we all go through our own stuff – illnesses, deaths of loved ones, crises and struggles,
may we always be aware of the people around us that God has placed in our lives
to show us His love. It is so easy to get bogged down in the sorrow and pain of
our night season that we don’t see the bright stars shining around us.
Fred Rogers said that his mother told him, "Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping."
I’m
just so thankful today…
Rebecca
(Becki) Logue
Author,
Writer, Blogger
SEASONS
FOR A REASON
EAT
IT AND HUSH
rebeccalogue.com
