I am Thankful!

Especially in the last four months I have found so many reasons to be thankful to God on so many new levels. I thank God for answering prayers that I needed to pray even before I prayed them. I’m thankful for the little things like a painless I.V. puncture and the giant things such as making a $250,000 hospital and doctor bill evaporate in front of my eyes. While I’m thinking about that I.V. puncture, I’m also thankful that after I accidentally pulled my I.V. out, I am thankful that I was able to endure 8 tries to get a good vein to put the I.V. back in! I am just thankful that I serve a God that is so big that he can be in every aspect of my life –the big things and the small things. I hope that my words today will cause you to stop and think about all the veritable ways you can offer thanks to God too. (I apologize now for the length of this entry… but sometimes a guy has to say what a guy has to say!)

I am Thankful…
…to be alive; to able to walk; that the damage to my spinal cord was minimal; that God blessed my medical services providers –Dr. Ben White and his staff –with the hands, hearts, minds, strength and stamina to perform near miracles as they operated on me for 8 hours. And that Kevin my nurse that cared for me the night before this horrifying surgery stayed with me and talked me through my fear and anxiety. I’m thankful for the post operative care I received, for the gentleness of the nursing staff; and that my body has healed so well from such a massively invasive surgery. And, I’m also thankful for the wonderful care of Dr. Michael Keefer and his staff in the Cancer Care office(s) at Mercy and at Hefner Point. All of these people started out as doctors, nurses, and hospital staff, and now, many of them feel like friends.

I am Thankful…
…for my wife who worked day and night to help take care of me. She’s fed me, bathed me, dressed me, prayed with and for me, and she has done it all tirelessly while worrying about her own mother who is fighting her final moments with cancer and while teaching school every day possible. And, for my daughter who stays in daily contact with me, comes to see me, rubs my shoulders; and encouraged me to be a part of the ministry message of this blog site. She has reached out to me and loved me and cared for me and encouraged me on the down days and laughed and enjoyed the good days with me. She brings the little girls over to visit “Poppy” and they bring me cards they have made. And, for my son-in-law who stayed with me the night before the surgery. He has definitely seen the worst of me, and he’s still helping me! He came and installed a “handicapped” commode for me before I got home from the hospital. If there is fetching and toting – he’s my man. But the best thing about him is that he loves my daughter and his two little girls. I used to think that Damon was the “son I never had” then it dawned on me one day recently in a prayer, that he is the son God gave me.

I am Thankful..
......for my Mom & Dad for praying for me every day. They call to check on me very often. They always have their best words of encouragement for me to “bundle up, keep warm, don’t fall down, and take good care of myself.” What would I do without my parents??? What would any of us do without our parents??? And, my thankfulness extends specifically for my DAD who at almost 92 years of age prayed for me over the phone before I went down for surgery. [ I think it was the first time he had ever done anything like that!!!]
And, for my brothers and their wonderful wives. They call to check on me, jot me e-mails, keep me buckled down in the “little brother” role, and never miss a chance to take that all important swipe at my ego. Man… my brothers are great guys. They treat me like I’m still the same old me. Refreshing.

I am Thankful…
…for my job; for good insurance; for the blessing that I refer to as my boss! for a support staff and colleagues that still catch work I can’t get done; for other staff members who come by for their daily hug or that shared word of encouragement.

I am also very Thankful for…
…Mike who taught me how to live and how to die; for his wife Lori who is the image of what God had in mind for how a Christian woman is to live and act.
…Jeff and Bobbie who lead our class so successfully and who check on us all the time.
…for Harry and Cindi who have literally stood by us during this entire ride! God could not give us better best friends.
…for Scott, Josh, Mark, and our other ministers, and ministers from other churches, and our elders, and elders from other churches who came to see me in the hospital, and who still check on me,
…for Micah, who at the last minute agreed to try to find something to say over me if the surgery didn’t go well J. I told him I wasn’t speaking from a lack of faith, but I was speaking from a mind of realistic possibilities. He agreed (with a tear in his eye) and said he’d share the task with James (the next guy down.)
…for James who drove down from Lawrence, KS and helped me get settled when I came home from the Hospital, for running errands, for installing a new door knob to help improve security around home central. For checking on me, calling me, emailing me and reaching out to me.
...for Dan who a few years go suffered a very crushing injury. He has taught me not to ask the "why" questions. He taught me to ask the "why not me" questions.
...for Mark & Randy who check my blog almost every day and anways send me notes of encouragement.
...for my two brothers who stepped up to lead my discussion group on Wednesday night. They both agreed to “help” and ended up with the whole thing. Awesome men... serving an awesome God!
...for Lisa & Katie who stayed at my family's side the entire night of my surgery. Thanks for supporting my girls.
...for the 30+ people who came in to check on on my family while I was in the grueling surgery.
...my friend, brother, and doctor Jeff who came to the hospital and sat with me the night of my diagnosis. He came to comfort me and dispell my fears. Jeff will never know what that meant to me.
…for Wilma and Sam who brought my Mom and Dad to see me while I was in the hospital! Thanks so, so much.
…for Scott L. who drove from Springdale, AR to spend the afternoon with me one Sunday, and took me to help me wash our car, and who prayed for me through a few tears.
…for Kelley and Jade for their loving concern, and e-mails, and willingness to let us crash at their house when we travel down to Ada.
…for Michael who came and watched the season opener OU game with me (…and No.. I’m not an OU fan, but he was a friend who came and it made it all okay!)
…for David and his daily hug and word of encouragement.
…for the tons of folks who send me e-mails, cards, and letters. And MANY of them are dealing with their OWN life worries and health problems.
… for the ones who leave comments on the blog site, for the ones who call to check on me day after day, and who pray for me.
…that many, MANY people from all my past work, school, and church families have reconnected with us!

And… last, but certainly not least…I am Thankful to God…
…that he loves me,
…that he cares for me,
…that in spite of my callous attitudes of the past, he has lavished his good grace and blessings on me!
…for healing me
…for being there for me when I need him
…for waiting patiently when I forget to need him
…and for letting me live long enough to find my way back to him

And… this is only the tip of the iceberg. I could keep going, but even with the fear of leaving out someone I must stop. God has blessed me with friends, family, good medicine, and a loving spiritual family that helps lift the burdens. What more could a guy ask for?

Give thanks to God the Father,

Grace & Peace…and Happy Thanksgiving!

Bob