Pain, Discomfort and MY PERSONAL TESTIMONY!

HOSPITAL EMERGENY ROOM VISIT:

My son is such a trooper, when you explain to him what's going to happen in advance, he deals with pain and discomfort much better than the unexpected surprise and agony.  We went to the emergency room on Saturday, when I had just gotten home, I heard him upstairs balling his lungs out and just couldn't keep himself calm.  Of course, I run upstairs to find out what happened.

He cut his thumb using a potato peeler, trying to cut the skin off of an apple he wanted to eat.  Praise God he only cut his nail and only the tip of his thumb and nothing else.  His mom dressed the wound, but it just wouldn't stop bleeding.  So, we went to the emergency room.  Now of course while his mom was dressing the wound, my son was scared, because he thought all of the blood he had lost would cause him to die.  Oh boy, where or where did he get an idea such as that from?  Anyway, after talking to him, he come to understand that he wasn't going to die.  He would just be in pain and discomfort for a few days, while his thumb nail and tip of his thumb takes time to recoup and grow more skin.

RECOVERY AND BACK TO OLDSELF:

So fourty eight hours later, he only has a bandage on his thumb now, and of course while he is not thinking about it, he's 100%, but when I ask him how is his thumb feeling, his response is, it's feeling a little better.  LoL!  At least he can admit that himself and not be coersed into saying it.  His sisters were very empathic with him while he was in the hospital though.  His older sister was holding his hand and he was sharing his Wendy's food with his younger sister.  I looked at him and said, you like all of this attention don't you buddy,  he smiled, and shook his head "yes."

With that in mind, it's time to implement a more quality time schedule with all of the kids.  It's rather difficult to do and maintain though without a vehicle.  When my last salary decrease because of the economic situation, it took a toll on our household.  We had to move out of our home and move into a townhome community.  We had to let our van go back to company, as we could not afford the note on it any longer.  So walking to the store, catching the bus and train, was our adjusted lifestyle. 

DISCOURAGED/HUMBLED:

Feeling a bit humiliated and frustrated all at the same time, was what was going on with me.  So in essance, this was apart of my pain and discomfort level.  Then more happened which I won't go into detail on, but the more that happened, made me begin to question my faith and my God.  I was losing heart and ultimately my trust in him.  I had stopped going to service, so I wasn't getting enough word to substain me, so that I would know what to do/say in these troublesome times.

GOD SPEAKS:

But that still, small, quiet voice of God began to speak to me on my way to work as I walked 1/4 of a mile to work each day.  He began to remind me of all the things he has already done for me, and that the things I was going through right now, were only temporary, and subject to change once I got back on track and started confessing, believing and trusting in my creator once more.  So, I repented, I asked for forgiveness, and I started confessing his word again. 

BACK ON TRACK:

I started attending service again on Sundays only.  Since it was my off day, and the service didn't start until 10am.  Then I started taking the kids with me.  They loved just being able to get out of the house, and didn't mind the walk at all.  I would ask the oldest two to tell me one thing that they learned from the service that was taught on that day.  My son would always, answer very inituatively and intelligently.  You could tell he was truly listening to our Pastor as he taught.  My oldest daughter would always write down what she learned, so that she would not forget to tell me what it was.  My kids have grown to love the Bible and God's word.  Both of the oldest children can read the adult version of the bible with all of the thus's and thou's.  They can also tell you want they learned from what they are reading as well.  I'm so grateful to God for that.  Now all I have to do is continue to nurture that behavior.

The Blessings manifest after obediance:

Sorry didn't mean to go on a rabbit trail for a minute there. So, after I started confessing the word of God, more and putting myself and God in rembrance of his word and what he has promised me.  Things started changing.  Within the past two weeks alone.  My wife won 4 tickets to Thomas and Friends stage production production.  We had to only pay for 1 additional ticket which was $12.50.  We took the train and bus there and even that was enjoyable.  As you can see my attitude has changed about riding the bus and train.

So, back to work.  On my way to work, I still reminding myself and God of his word concerning seedtime and harvest time.  You see, my wife and I have sown (or given away cars) that were in good condition and that were totally DEBT-FREE after we had gotten married.  So I was believing and trusting God in his word concerning those seeds we had sown (given away) for a totally DEBT-FREE vehicle to be returned unto us because of the fact that we had given when we were endowed with that sort of blessing at the time when we did sow/give them away.  So, I told the Lord, I know you're faithful to your word to perform it, so I choose to believe what you said in your word about seedtime and harvesttime.  I choose to believe you when you said that if I was willing and obediant to your word, that I would have the good of the land.

So while I'm at work, one of Deacons of our church wife called me, and asked were we able to handle tag/insurance on the Mazda MVP minivan that they had, and if so without us having to avoid paying any of our other bills, that we could have that vehicle.  ANYONE THAT TRIES TO CONVINCE ME THAT GOD DOESN'T ANSWER PRAYER, can kiss an EGG, because I know he does.  So I called my wife, and told her the good news, she checked around, and now we're going to be receiving on my son's 6th birthday this coming Thursday, July 2nd, 2009, we will be the proud owners of a 1995, Mazda MVP minivan that is totally DEBT-FREE, and has been well maintained, etc...

Yesterday, my wife and I received another blessing from our usual babysitters.  They blessed us to be able to go out on a date without receiving any compensation for their time with our kids.  Boy and I ever so glad that my wife and I confess over our children that they are obediant to those that are given authority over them and that they have meek, quiet and teachable spirits.  So, my wife and I went to dinner, and then we went shopping for my son's 6th birthday party/gifts.  He wants a skateboard or scooter.  Well his mom won't allow him to have that without the helmet, gloves, knee pads, you know the whole nine yards. 

So we were price comparing everything.  It's going to run around $60.  Well I had about $25 that day, so that wasn't going to fly, plus I'm a firm believer that you must show that you can EARN a certain type of gift, through your good grades, obedience and properly maintained attitude.  So I told my wife we would get some the scooter or skateboard for Christmas, if he maintains his attitude, good behavior and grades in school.  She agreed that sounded like a good incentive for that type of behavior.  So I told my son today, that he wasn't going to get the skateboard for his birthday, but if he did the things I just mentioned, then he would be able to receive it for Christmas.

THE MORAL OF THIS TESTIMONY:

That's all for now, I simply wanted to share what was on my heart to share with some of you, that may be believing or used to believe God, or may be in a state of LIMBO, right now.  The word says in Isaiah 1:19, that if you are willing and obediant to what God instructs you to do, then you shall eat the good of the land (in some translation, is reads you shall eat the best the land has to offer.")  As you can tell from my personal story above, that we received the blessings we did after I can been obediant to what God was showing me.  Not only that, but my son will receive the blessing of his skateboard/scooter after he has been obediant to and follows through on the instructions that I've given him.  It isn't that I don't want to bless him and both my wife and I together could have gotten him this skateboard/scooter; but I want to teach my children about the blessings of God, how to believe him, how to be kind to others, how to hear from God themselves and ultimately how to obey and receive the blessings he has to offer.

Now, we are going to believe for a debt free home.  We have sown seed for that in times past as well, and we believe that we will reap that which we have sown, because of seedtime and harvesttime.  The word says: As long as the earth remains, seedtime and harvesttime shall not cease.

I don't usually share my intimate life details with others unless I feel led by God to do so.  I believe this little small testimonial today will encourage others that are in need of encouraging.  Will cause others that may be in similar situations to turn back toward God and believe and trust him all over again.

In my own words:

If you fall into any of those scenarios above, just know this one thing, that no matter what you're facing, or what has come up against you or even if you've made terrible mistakes.  God will always LOVE you and will NEVER leave you or forsake you.  He LOVES you dearly and wants to bless you.  SO, just trust him and believe him, HE HAS NEVER FAILED.

May God bless you and thank you for taking the time to read this.