Not Some of My Proudest Hours...

I came home from an amazing youth retreat one week ago today. It was a weekend full of unity, fellowship, and fun with our amazing Ignite ROCC Youth Ministries Group. Before we left camp, we talked to the kids about how satan likes to swoop in wherever God is working in our lives. Little did I know that I needed that speech for MYSELF!

Sunday night started as always... the kids had youth group and all was well. But, Chase came home from youth with a fever of 104.3, body aches, chills, and a horrible headache. Monday morning it was confirmed..... influenza! By Wednesday it moved into his chest and he developed lovely blisters all around the inside of his mouth. So... back to the doctor we went on Thursday and sure enough... we were now looking at a possible pneumonia! Lovely!!

As if that wasn't enough, Paige came home from school on Thursday with an itchy rash all the way around her eye. Since we were already taking Kayleigh to the doctor on Friday morning, we scheduled Paige as well.

Well.... Friday morning didn't exactly go smoothly! Turns out Kayleigh apparently tested positive for MONO the last time we were there and no one called to tell us! She also had some other funky labwork AND she has a mole on her shoulder that is changing quickly and looks a tad suspicious. So... they drew EIGHT vials of blood (they wanted ELEVEN!!), scheduled a procedure to have the mole cut out, and a follow up visit to go over all the labwork they did on the blood they sucked out of her.

Paige.... well sure enough it was another fungal infection, only this time they can't give her cream because of the eye. Instead she gets to take some yummy stuff called Grisefulvin that she has to choke down every night!

After all this I finally get Paige and Kayleigh to school and I head to work, getting there around 11am. At 12:10pm I get a call from Devin... he was in a car accident on Silas Creek Parkway! Thankfully he's ok... but his new Isuzu Rodeo is crunched up a bit in the back! Ughh!

By this point I was ridiculously frustrated and stressed out and really didn't even stop to pray about any of it... not proud of that, but it's the truth. Instead, the more I thought about it the more frustrated I became and when I got home I was just snippy. My best friend stopped by to surprise me with Haagen Daas, Sprite & Spiced Rum, Tulips, and a few hours of friendship... but as soon as she left I wallowed up in my pity party again.

But Saturday morning I was smacked upside the head with what I should have been thankful for... only not in a good way....

Another young Reagan High School student, Brooke Edwards, was killed late Friday night. In my sadness for Brooke's death is when I finally stepped out of my pity party and realized how blessed I truly am. Sure... I had a bad week, but... We have insurance to pay for doctors visits, we have the money to pay for all the prescriptions and medications, we have car insurance to cover Devin's car, and we still HAVE Devin!

... But the Edward's family... they don't have their Brooke.

So, my verse from this point forward is from Psalms 16:8: "I have set the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shakin." When I feel like satan is swooping in on me I will recite this verse and remember first and foremost that He is with me always and second, I am blessed!