I watched him struggle for breath. His chest heaving.
His face strained, pale and moist with sweat. A look of single determination
was etched upon his face. Breathe, it read. Slowly.Purposefully.Deeply. Exhale
– push out all the air, empty your lungs then breathe deeply, slowly again. Sit
up straight in a hard back chair and TRY
to relax.
He has struggled with asthma for the past 28 years. It
began when he was 38. That is what first drove us to the VA Hospital back in Ohio. Is this
service related? Is it from Agent Orange exposure? The tests there were "inconclusive" and rerun. We never heard back from them. For almost the same amount
of years we have been seeking an answer as to the reason for the delayed onset of asthma.
It has been 23 years we have lived in the Southwest.
The asthma is more controllable here, but it still affects his life, his
standard of living, if you will. This past Tuesday he received written
confirmation that the VA has determined this is service related. All medical
expenses related to not only his cardiac issues, but now the asthma will be
taken care of. Is this a “God Thing”?
Taking a step back to May 14th. I filled out
the form for a Hardship Transfer for his previous cardiac related disability
and the need to be closer to the VA Hospital in Tucson – it is a 124 mile trek
one way. I wrote a memo for consideration and attached the military / VA
paperwork showing his ‘disability award’. Early on the 15th, my
supervisor read and signed the document and forwarded it through the
chain-of-command. By that afternoon, I had it back in hand, all signed and
approved. My supervisor said she had never seen one approved that fast – ever. Is
this a “God Thing”?
Getting home from work, I told Husband the hardship
transfer had been approved. We could plan on moving to Tucson. We placed an ad
in the newspaper in an attempt to sell our home of 17-years. Within a week, we
had a firm offer our home. Is this a “God Thing”?
This coming Saturday we are having “A Get
Out of Dodge Moving Sale”. We are living out of boxes and will
officially move on June 30th. We are leaving 1400 sq ft of living
space and moving into 700 sq ft of living space. Do you recall my goal for
2013? It was to simplify our life, to minimize our home – to downsize? Is
this a “God Thing”?
My head is spinning. I am grateful. I am amazed. I am
excited. I am apprehensive. I am in awe of what God can and will do! I shouldn't be, but I am.
So, how am I sorting through 17 years of accumulations?
I have to ask myself honest questions: Do I own this or does it own me? If I
get rid of this, will I be trying to replace it in a month or two? When is the
last time I used it? Will I regret parting with this?
This is not our home. It is our temporary dwelling
place. It became our home because of the imprint we have placed upon it and the
love we have invested in it. That will also be found in our new 700 sq ft
apartment!
I am finding this somewhat liberating – to part with
accumulations! Here in America, most ‘third world’ inhabitants could live
entirely off our discarded items.
Pray for us and our transition. The morning will come
early and so with the bargain hunters. We will entertain any and all reasonable
offers. Our memories however, are not for sale. We will keep and cherish them.
This reminds me of the elderly couple who lived behind
us in Orrville, Ohio (home of Smucker’s Jams and Jellies!). They had owned and
operated a Mom & Pop hardware store until it was sold and he retired. He
would take off on walks in the neighborhood and get lost. Other neighbors or
the police would bring him home. His memories were gone, but his precious wife
was the torch bearer. She taught me so much by her Christian example. The
personification of love she displayed for her Savior and for her ‘lost’ husband
was beyond amazing. He was lost only to the memories they had once shared. She
exemplified grace and dignity.
After the summer’s gardening season was ending, she
brought a few items from her garden to my backyard where I met her. She was my
gardening master and shared so much with me. She informed me they were selling
their home and having an auction. They were to move to a residential care
facility where they could be together their remaining days. I broke down and
sobbed and she hugged me and said, “It is all right, we will be together in our
final days. He may not know me now, but I know and remember him.”
The day of the auction I went to their home. I came
away with a devotional book that had been hers. It was underlined and well
read. I cherished it until it was time for me to pack up and move to another
place, and another home.
God has been ever so faithful to bring persons into my life
who have been unknowing mentors to me, even when they are merely living out
their Christianity in everyday life events.
The little New Testament book of
Philemon, reads as follows:
4 I thank my God always, making mention of you in my prayers, 5 because
I hear of your love and of the faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus
and toward all the saints; 6 and I pray that
the fellowship of your faith may become effective through the knowledge of
every good thing which is in you for Christ’s sake. 7 For
I have come to have much joy and comfort in your love, because
the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you,
brother(s) (and sister(s)!).
Things will be quiet on this end for a while, but that
doesn’t mean you are not in my heart and in my prayers!
Simply yours,
Tamara