Share this:

You never really know what is going to happen or how it is going to happen… but I sure do have a story to tell after our family trip to Maine.

I went on the trip feeling a bit of stress (and our last-minute purchase of a van surely didn’t make it any less stressful.)  I thought that the meaning “for me” of the Exodus 14:14 scripture was revealed with a smooth van purchase, but as it  turns out it was just the tip of the iceberg.

We had an uneventful and quick (if you call 20 hours a quick trip) trip to Northern Maine on Friday night and Saturday in the middle of July.  The only casualty of the trip was my legs that swelled and made some pretty beautiful cankles for me.  After relaxing, drinking, and putting my feet up, they returned to normal.

Isaac began complaining of a toothache Saturday night, but (in my mother-of-the-year) way, I gave him a tylenol and blamed it on Isaac being afraid to sleep out in the camper at Grandma’s house.  I ended up sleeping with him that night and Tony slept with Gideon.  Sunday he seemed fine and we went to the Ashland AC Church and then down the river in Kayaks until a storm blew up and we had to shorten our trip.  Sunday night he again complained, and I agreed to try to get him into a first thing Monday.  Wonder of wonders, miracle of miracles, the dentist agreed to see him at 11:30 and off to the dentist he went.  His mouth began to swell, he had an abscessed tooth and started antibiotics, but Tuesday his face had doubled in size on one side… and back to the dentist we went.  They extracted his tooth, and drained the infection.  By Thursday he was still swollen… back to the dentist and they upped his antibiotics.  There… I was still… the Lord fought my battles and got us not one, not two, but three dentist appointments with dentists who aren’t even accepting new patients.  God is Good!

While the tooth fiasco was unfolding, Tony was given some very encouraging news.  Someone who had been angry with me for more than 3 years, told him that they knew that the way they had treated me was not really the way they wanted it to be and wanted to “try again” with me.  You could have blown him over with a feather.  The relationship is healed.  I stood still and the Lord fought my battles.  Healing is good.

Anna and Emily attended Camp Nomacca as senior campers.  There was a bit of fear and trepidation that stemmed from the possibility of their biological father showing up and making things difficult for them.  They had a good week.  No incidents.  Old relationships were rekindled and new ones forged.  We stayed still and the Lord fought our battles.  He has protected the girls from what surely could have been emotionally upsetting.

After going back down the river with my mom, sis, niece, nephew, friend, and children, I began to feel – no so good.  I had a spot showed up on my leg.  I thought maybe a fungus or bite or something.  Either way it got to be a BIG spot – oh about the size of a tennis ball in diameter – and swollen… with a dark spot in the center.  Tony took me to the doc.  We were first in line.  The doc said it was a bite of some kind.  (Maybe a spider – maybe not.)  She gave me prednisone and an antibiotic and sent me home with directions to have me email her on Tuesday if I was better, and to come to her office in Fort Fairfield if I wasn’t.  I emailed her … she thought my description was encouraging.  (Today I look nearly all better…)  God is good.  He got me to a doctor who understood, took time and gave me ways to follow up before heading back to the land of Sweet Tea.  I stood still, and God fought my battles.

My girls wanted to go to State Road Church on the second Sunday we were in The County.  Folks were warm and wonderful and that day, my heart grew softer yet again.  The God of the universe who has so many better things to do than to worry about all of my “little issues.”  There were many people in the church family who were on vacation.  But, God arranged for old friends to meet once more in His house.  Folks I hadn’t seen in years and years and years.  I couldn’t sing without tears.  To worship with people I have missed for a decade and a half.  Healing is good and it comes from God.  The sermon was about the transformation that only Christ can do – and thinking back through your own personal history as a follower of Him.  State Road was a very important era in my life.

Family camp at Nomacca was wonderful.  It was there that I finally knew that my chains were gone, and I’d been set free.  You see, when you follow God and strive to stay in the center of His will, the battles will not be yours, but His.  I only needed to show up.  I needed to be present.  He took care of the rest.  I couldn’t have orchestrated the week and a half that we had.  I wouldn’t have wanted to try to do it.  God did it.  Easy as pie.  How awesome is our God?

 

Advertisement