Out of the mouths of "no longer babes"

What an interesting day this has turned out to be, not at all what I had expected thats for sure! Today started out like any other Monday, well at least in the Burroughs household! The phone began ringing at 7:30 am "Hi Gene this is Pam from Dr. Gottfried's office if you can get here by 8:15 we can take a look at that tooth that's bothering you, but we only have until 9:00 am to look at it!" Well ok another change in the day's plans, and yes you guessed it another day at a Doctor or Dentist office, so off we go "gotta hurry girls leaving early!"
Upon arriving at the Dentist office they of course whisked me right in, after all I had spent all of Friday, Saturday, and Sunday afternoon, taking Hydrocodone like it was candy and even then the pain was hardly bearable.
As they looked at the xrays there was obvious concern on thier faces, or no maybe it was just wonder, yes that was it, nothing wrong, so the wonder was why do you have such pain? Let's try the cold test, you know the one where they touch your teeth with stuff so cold it would freeze a wart right off your finger, the stuff that is not intended to touch your teeth, ever, that is after all why God placed them in the mouth not outside of it! You guessed it, still no pain, like I been saying all along it's an infection from somewhere else, because after all an infection means antibiotics and antibiotics mean you must eat, and that means my forty day fast is broken, and that means the enemy has one, and you got it that means this has all been an attack! If there is any doubt I suggest you read on.
Once I left the Dentist office shopping was on the agenda, after two stops at Redding's largest markets and still not filling my list I gave up and went home. Because you see in the process via phone messages and conversations I was informed that our deductable even though we prepaid it has a $600 discreptancy, and of course not in our favor. Oh sure we can and will work it out, key word being work, yes I will need to prove it and yes it will take time. Ok so I'm becoming a little frustrated with the way this day is going, Mondays are after all by far my worse day emotionaly and today was by no way an exception, the tears just seemed to jump out of my eyes today.
I arrived home a little frazzled, a lot weary, and an emotional wreck, seeing Dawn cheered me up for a moment, at least until I remembered why she was home and on the couch. So far I had missed visiting some ladies that had invited me to their Bible study in Shasta Lake, both insurance companies are doing all they can to frustrate me to the point of giving up so they don't have to pay, or at least payment will be delayed, and honestly I am almost ready to. As if the day has not tormented me sufficiently Dawn informs me that the bathroom ceiling is dripping water and appears to be sagging, and sure enough you guessed it, major leak! So with a screwdriver and a bucket in hand off I go to relieve the pressure on the sheetrock and let the water flow, the bucket is still there, not full yet, only 20 more gallons to go! Oh by the way I won't make it to meet with you today Ron, I have a mess to clean up, lets try again later, yeah you got it I missed that one too, time to pick up the meds and the kids, thank God John and Jenn made dinner tonight!
Ok so now the good part, dinner is done, the girls have finished thier homework and the family is all together, I'll pay bills later let's take some time to read the word together. One thing this illness has done is cause us all to gather together every night we can, and read Psalms to Dawn, she loves it and it is of course good for all of us.
Tonight would be different however, tonight we will also each share what we are thankful for, something we have not done together in quite some time, certainly not since Dawn's diagnosis. As we shared there was of course the normal dialogue and items found on almost every thankful list ever made, Mom, Dad, Food, our Home, Family, you know you've heard it at your own table I'm sure. But then the silence was broken with words that I will never forget, words that single handedly cured my ills and took my thoughts of pity and transformed them to humility, and yes even pride, and I quote, "I'm thankful that God has chosen us to go through this trial, I am thankful that God cares enough to use this to teach us more about Him and what He wants us to learn"! Those words came amongst tears from one of my daughters, enough said?
Dawn is doing well, she has fared much better this time with the chemo than the last, and the swelling in her tummy is going down every day! Yes Praise God! Is she being healed, I really don't know and suddenly I'm reminded that either way it's all ok. You see while everything of the world in our lives appears to be a mess, falling apart, and quite out of control, each one of us is growing so much in our relationship with God and each other that we cannot help but rejoice in the midst of this trial. And guess what, the enemy hates this. I believe that he is indeed infuriated with a Church that is growing in Shasta Lake, children who are clinging to God as opposed to blaming Him, two parents who are hanging on every word of God doing all they can to ignore the circumstances around them. Then there are the hundreds if not thousands of beleivers who are knocking on heavens door and coming against the plans he has laid. Oh yes the enmy is not happy with all of us, and that includes you, aren't you glad.
Yes we can do this! By the way thank you all for your offers of help, Dawn's mom is now coming by three days a week, cleaning, cooking, and so on, my brother in law is a contractor who does much work for insurance companies. Then there is the staff and volunteers at Shasta Lake are doing an amazing job at the Church. It's not that we don't appreciate or want the help, we just have so much and for that words cannot express our amazement and humility, please keep those prayers, cards , and letters coming, oh how we love you all!!!!!!!!!!