The Old Ugly Chair Becomes Brand New

Close your eyes. Now try to remember Christmas as a child. The tree, the smells, family, and wrapped gifts. Now remember the feeling of expectation.  Do you remember it? The sheer child like anticipation of waiting. Agony waiting. You wanted Christmas morning to come quickly. You dreamed of the gifts you were waiting to receive. Few emotions can match Christmas as a child.

For 14 years I've lived with two ugly green wing backed chairs. They were functional. They even matched the room. It wasn't that I couldn't replace them. I just couldn't find material that I liked. I wanted something different. I wanted something that stood out. That popped. Something I couldn't find.

Every morning for the past 5,068 days I'd look at those sad outdated chairs as I passed through our living room. For 5,068 days I anticipated something spectacular. I knew it was out there. I never lost hope. I just couldn't find it. Until this past May.

I went to a fabric store, 30 miles away, to buy fringe for some pillows. Boom! Out of the corner of my eye I saw it. Could if be?! I excitedly walked, no I skipped with glee, over to the spectacular fabric. It was
pewter- bronze metallic faux alligator skin. I bought the entire bolt on the spot.

No one saw my vision, that fit me perfectly, but me. Even my mother in law, who has a marvelous eye for the unusual, was skeptical. My husband declared it "ugly" but gave it his blessing, and checkbook, because he trusted me.

On the way to the beach one Friday we dropped the chairs off at the upholsterers. Can I just tell you that the past 3 months have been AGONY. The anticipation was killing me! This so far surpassed Christmas Eve as a kid. It was painful--oh, the waiting! Either I had just made the biggest colossal mistake in decorating history or I should be featured in Southern Living. It was truly a toss up. I was dying!

Yesterday morning I borrowed Robin's SUV. My daughter and I ventured east to pick up the chairs. First we got lost. We had to make some phone calls but we found the shop. I could hardly stand it. As we stepped inside Olivia Whitford immediately spotted them. Her first words "Oh, my!" They were STUNNING
(at least to me). Hallelujah, the wait was over! Success. Euphoria. Pure unadulterated joy. Amen.

Isn't that how meeting Jesus is? We look our whole lives for something magnificent. We buy clothes, cars, homes, electronics, boats, motorcycles and we just can't fill "it". We know there is something better out there . We just can't find it.

We have a friend, family member or acquaintance who is so happy. They truly seem to be content. Even in the face of life's mundane or hardship they are satisfied. We ask what "it" is that makes for such a fulfilling life. "Jesus" they reply.

Some of us commit immediately. Others of us aren't so sure. Will this faith thing be too much? Will it turn people off?  So we politely decline. Life goes on and we realize we are still empty. We need happiness, fulfillment, closure, the answer. 

Once we say "yes" to Christ it's like Christmas morning as a child. It's like my pewter-bronze chair. We are still the same old us yet some how we are brand spanking new.  We are different. We see things from a Christ like perspective. We no longer have that gnawing, empty, restless feeling in our soul. We remember the ugly us with compassion. We recognize that our old self was part of the journey. We are finally home. {And} it is a perfect fit. Amen.

"He who was seated on the throne said, 'I am making everything new!' Then he said, 'Write this down,
for these words are trustworthy and true.'"-Revelation 21:5

Coincidences or God?

My life is full of "coincidences".  Really, an abundance of "coincidences". If I excitedly mention a "coincidence" my daughters will give me a polite "That's nice" or "Uh hmm" . Particularly my youngest. "Mama, not EVERYTHING is a God thing" - redhead rolls eyes. Ha! I got the last laugh. Jesus and I are good like that!

This morning my youngest texts me. The message was in all capitals.  That means she's excited. That means I need to pay attention. I can go days without a text from her. Her roommates mother suffers from the same type of migraines that I do. Sounds like no big deal right? I mean lots of people get migraines. Well, not Hemiplegic. These migraines are rare. Have you ever met anyone with Hemiplegic Migraines? Didn't think so. Only 0.03% of America's population suffer from Hemiplegic Migraine. It's so rare that my spell check doesn't recognize the word Hemiplegic.

I texted Carrington back and said "That, my beautiful daughter, is a perfect example of how God ordains EVERYTHING". My kids went thru a lot with (and because of) me in their teen years. My youngest, I think, was the angriest. I have missed a lot of their milestones.  You can usually soldier thru autoimmune fatigue but with migraine you can not move. This  blesses me knowing these two young women, roommates, now have each other to talk to. A safe place to complain to someone who understands what migraine can do to the dynamics of a family.  God truly is amazing.

What about you? Do you look for the God moments in your day? Or do you think life is merely coincidence?

{Because} my youngest went off to high school my oldest daughter was often the one taking me to Doctors appointments or the E.R. when Robin was unavailable. In hind sight it was very unfair.  {And} yet her faith is rock solid. God used those moments to speak to her.

Hemiplegic Migraines literally mimic a stroke. The aura starts , usually the day before, with my left leg going numb, my left hand tingling, my ears ringing, vision blurred, and skewed hearing. The second day usually involves numbness down the entire left side. Sometimes it's accompanied by a really cold like sensation on my left cheek or behind my left eye. My face usually begins to droop. At that point I start the abortive drugs and go to bed. Sometimes the headache is so excruciating I'm unaware of my surroundings. Other times I only have a slight headache. When I loose speech we go to the E.R. for an IV cocktail to knock the episode out. The key with Hemiplegic Migraine is to get the medicine as quickly as possible.

One of the first times this happened, when they thought I was having TIA's, my oldest had to drive me to the E.R.. On the way we stopped at Wendy's to get a Frosty. Don't judge me :-).  I knew we would be at the hospital for hours.  If I don't have something on my stomach I will "loose" all of the contents of my stomach, including med's,  fairly quickly. Because I have difficulty swallowing during an attack  Frosty's are perfect.  As we were waiting in  line I said ,actually I slurred, to Olivia Whitford "I think I'd like you to pray". She said a quick prayer. We grabbed the frosty out of the drive-thru window. I took the lid off . There Jesus was staring back at me!  No, really He was! For real, Jesus! The top of the Frosty had a Jesus face. It was very similar to the pictures Starbucks makes on the top of Lattes. Olivia Whitford looked at it and and then me "Mama, that can't be real". But it was. Jesus was right there.

Upon arriving at the E.R.  I was wheeled in immediately. The E.R. Doctor knew exactly what Hemiplegic Migraines were! We didn't have to explain! We didn't have to have him call my neurologist. {And} he gave me the exact IV cocktail (it's pretty detailed. It took months to figure out what worked quickest)  that my neurologist would have. "So what?" you say. E.R. Doctors rotate in and out. It's unusual to ever get the same Doctor twice. I'd never seen this Doctor. This was short of a miracle. That was not coincidence. That wasn't even about me. I think God used that experience to show my daughter just how big He is. Just how awesome He is.

Are you convinced yet that everything IS a God thing? Should I keep going?

Last Fall I was home by myself.  Robin was at a board meeting. My whole left side went numb. I looked in the mirror.  My face was drooping and I was drooling.  I texted Robin and told him I was going to find a neighbor to take me to the E.R.. At this point I had no headache which was fantastic. I walked into my neighbors back yard, it was dark. My heart sank and I started to panic. I did not want to call an ambulance.  As I turned around to leave my neighbor came outside. He saw my face (no one but my family & doctors knew my medical history) and completely flipped out. He thought I was having a stroke. I couldn't speak to explain otherwise. He put me in the car and his wife hopped in. He got me to the E.R. in probably 3 minutes! We walked in and he stomped his fist on the desk "I am Dr. Dick Evans! You need to get this woman in the back NOW!"  Can I just say he was precious! Best of all it was hysterical. His wife looked at me, rolled her eyes, then looked at him "Dick, you are a dentist, sit down". They took me back immediately. A Female Doctor came in and said "I've looked at your records and we are just going to do the same med's as last time". Robin arrived and as we left she said "Have a blessed night". E.R. trips take hours. We were in and out in 2 hours. That was not coincidence. That was God.

This is probably one of my favorite topics. I love sharing with people that The Lord really does know us by name. He knows us intimately. He knows what makes us tick. He knows how to orchestrate "coincidences" to sharpen our faith. He is who He says He is!

When we can look at the bad stuff in life as "God stuff" it makes life bearable. When we can grasp the fact that He is so much bigger than we are it makes life understandable. Even humorous. When we have the revelation that, maybe, He is trying to show us just how much more to life there is- we become teachable. The longer I walk with Him the more I realize I have no concept of the vastness of His Majesty!

Do you believe that Jesus is who He says He is? Do you look for Him? Or do you assume all coincidences in your life are merely by accident? He created it all: the stars, the moon, the sun, the sea, the rivers, lakes, mountains, animals and you and me. Nothing is impossible for Him. Nothing. 

"For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways,
and My thoughts than your thoughts."-Isaiah 55:9