Still Breathing

I breathe in, I breathe out, and drop to my knee's and pray. That's been my last week and a half. To think it all started with a phone call from Chad telling me in was in a horrible wreck that we soon discovered was pretty amazing he survived, much less got out of and was walking. Then to find out it was a miracle that he didn't become paralyzed by walking after the accident because of a torn 8th vertabrae. GOD has shown us miracles with Chad. He's coming home today (it's after midnight in Germany, so he's coming home TODAY!!!). To think that a week ago he had surgery and I sat here praying and waiting for word that all went well. He came out of surgery so loopy that I couldn't help but laugh at him. I came home and after getting the kids to bed, got online and chatted with my friend Rebekah who was in the hospital for surgery to have her spleen removed in hopes of it putting her into remission against ITP, only surgery never happened, instead she went that night and met face to face our Lord, Jesus.



The last week and a half seems so surreal. Did this all really happen to our family and to one of my dearest friends and her family? How can this be? I know all of this was determined by GOD, that our father's hand was in every part and I know that it's for his GLORY, every single part of it. I can absolutely praise him for Chad's outcome and have and will continue to. I praise GOD that Rebekah is no longer in pain, but praying for us left behind. Her beautiful 2 sons, her sister, brother, niece and nephew, her parents, her estranged husband who's now left to raise two boys who has been recently rebuilding a relationship with them in the last few months. I don't understand the why's of our Lord taking Bekah home, but I know it's for his Glory and I'm trying so very hard to simply praise him for it, vs continuing to ask why.



Tomorrow as our family celebrates Chad's return home, Rebekah's boys will be preparing for her funeal and saying goodbye to their Momma. Please be in prayer for her boys. Her dad and brother are there with them, and then on Friday her body will be sent to NC where her parents live, where she grew up and next week they'll have a funeral there for their family, friends, and bury her there. My heart is heavy and aching. I miss my friend so much. My nights will never feel complete without chatting with her, saying goodnight, and I love you to her. I'm so thankful that the last words I typed to her was "I love you". She knew how I felt about her and the last words she typed to me were "I love you" and I know how much she cared about me. I was blessed to have had her friendship for the last 11 1/2 years. I'm blessed to know that her faith was with Jesus and that she's in Heaven.



Blessed Assurance


Blessèd assurance, Jesus is mine!

O what a foretaste of glory divine!

Heir of salvation, purchase of God,

Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.



Refrain

This is my story, this is my song,

Praising my Savior, all the day long;

This is my story, this is my song,

Praising my Savior, all the day long.



Perfect submission, perfect delight,

Visions of rapture now burst on my sight;

Angels descending bring from above

Echoes of mercy, whispers of love.



Refrain



Perfect submission, all is at rest

I in my Savior am happy and blest,

Watching and waiting, looking above,

Filled with His goodness, lost in His love.



Refrain