BLESSINGS IN MY LIFE

BLESSINGS IN MY LIFE

In 2009 I decided to go out on January 12 about 11 in the morning to feed the birds.   You can see the bird feeder here in this photo.  It is a post with a platform on it, and I usually, in good weather, would simply reach up with a gadget someone made for me to put seed up on that platform.  It was a pcp pipe with a little 3 cup plastic container on it.   So it usually was no problem.

That morning I remember, Henry had said, "let me feed the birds, June.  It is a bit icy."

In that morning as I washed the dishes from my kitchen sink, I could see the blue sky above.  The day beckoned to me.   And, to my regret, I did not listen to what Henry said.  I went outside with seed for the birds in that little gadget, and I was ready to go.  Hmmm.

There was snow on the grass.  I could see green grass showing.  It was just about 58 degrees outside so nothing was melting.   I should have known better.  

With God, I was always thinking how to do my best.   This time I just was not using my thinking cap.   There was ice out there.  Henry was right.

I should let him do it.  

I did not listen.  

I walked out to the Birdfeeder, and reached up,

and for a moment, stood there, relishing 

OUTDOORS, the hint of S P R I N G just 

beyond - a warmth coming from the sun

as I took one step,

put the seed on the feeder,

THEN I SAW WHAT WOULD HAPPEN NEXT.

I WAS GOING TO FALL.

I SAW ICE ON MY LEFT SIDE, GREEN ON MY RIGHT, SO I KNEW ! AS I FELL 

JUST WHAT WOULD HAPPEN.

"GOD, PLEASE WHATEVER HAPPENS IS IN YOUR HANDS." 

OUCH.

CRACK.  I HEARD MY BONES HIT THE ICE.

NOW LET'S SEE.  

HERE I AM - DOWN ON THE GROUND - HENRY IS IN THE HOUSE, AND DID NOT SEE THIS.   SO I HAVE TO GET TO THE HOUSE.  

Lord, I said, help me.   

And He heard.   My pcp pipe that held the little 

cup that put the seed on the feeder would be my "help" to get to the house.   So I grabbed hard on the PCP pipe and pushed and pulled - without that left side being able to move.  For thirty minutes I managed to pull myself to the sidewalk - without getting hypothermia - I seemed to be warm, and surely God was helping me.  

As I moved I was very aware that yes, I am a Believer in the Lord, but I just disobeyed a kind word of my husband to not feed the birds...now here I was, hurting and not sure of myself.

Talking with God helped.

I managed to get to reach the sidewalk where there was a puddle of mud and dirt and it was beginning to melt.  I did not want to get dirty.  Already on the ground, after arguing with myself, I did go through the mud.  Setting aside the pcp pipe I then looked at the sidewalk and guaged my options.

Could I pull myself to the steps? 

After talking to God some more, 

on I went to do this.

 So here you see how far I had made it.

The only thing was, it was winter - still January - and I had fallen on the ice.

So I got to the steps.   You see the porch here

- there were five steps - big ones.

I simply could NOT move any more.

So, I tried to call Henry.   The back door 

is where I took this photo.   

He did not hear me.  I knew he was in the study.

So I began to bang the wall.   

Shouted.

He came out the door and looked at me,

quizzically and asked, 

"Did you fall down the steps?"

No.  I fed the birds, and fell

I stated.

His eyes grew sad, and I knew he was 

thinking

but I told you not to do that.

  This was taken in 2006 three 

years before I fell.    

Hmmmn.

Well, I can say yes ! I got to the Doctor and I was operated on, in which a "ball" was replaced because I had fractured the one I had in my hip.

Henry and I had 3 years after I fell.  He had

to have an operation on his stomach - and with his heart - knew it was risky.   His attitude was wonderful.   The Doctor said, Henry, do you realize how risky this operation will be?

Yes, he said. But it's a win/win.   If I die, I go to be with the Lord, and if I live, I still get to enjoy my life.

So, his operation in Sept of 2011 came and he was in the Nursing Home.  Meanwhile I had been in the Nursing Home 13 days mending with my hip - now I was home.   With a walker, and a cane,

I managed.    God was with me, helping me.

Henry was in the Nursing Home so the children came and helped me while he was there.  He came home in time for Thanksgiving Day.

Here he was - home - and just a smiling 

to beat any blues away.

How precious was that?

More than anything.

I remember his smile.

His trust in God inspired me.

He loved me dearly.  And surely, I would be able to handle whatever happened.

We went to Yakima to a heart specialist who told him, "Mr Cash, I am not going to have you get an x ray, or take any tests, for I see from your record you already have lots to stress you out.

Why don't you just GO HOME AND LIVE? 

That is what he said.

Henry gave him a big grin, and said, Yes, I will do that.

And that is what he did.

That was in November.  

THANKSGIVING in 2011 we all celebrated together.

The girls helped a lot when they could, but pretty much, 

I was increasingly doing a lot.   Therapists came both for diet and for speech, and guidance in exercise.   He walked up and down

each day to keep going.  

I marvel that I was able to have that time with him.

He told me, "June, the Lord spoke to me during my operation." 

I waited a moment, and said , "What did he say?" 

He said, "What do you want, Henry, to go or stay?"

I looked at him.   "What did you say?"  

"I told him He should choose - it was alright either way" 

Then Henry said, "I woke up, so I guess his answer was "to stay" 

He grinned at me.

We continued to have devotions every day.

He did not want me out of his sight.   He was failing, but he was doing his best.  On the weekend of the 19th of June he fell twice.

Then I noticed his temperature had gone up.   So I called the Doctor's office, and they said "have him come in for a blood draw." 

We did.    We got back home and had just sat together reading our Bible when the phone rang, and we were instructed that the ER was coming right away - Something was wrong.  

So I followed with my daughter to the Hospital.  They then examined him, and concluded that "Mr. Cash has pancreatic cancer, and it is very much spread.  We don't give much time to him"

They said, "Just in case we are wrong, we want you to go to Yakima to check the diagnosis"   

So that is what happened.

He was told yes, you do have cancer.   

Well, they asked, do you want to stay here? 

or go home?  If you stay here will you accept tube 

feeding ?  No he said.   If you stay here will you accept Oxygen

for breathing? 

No he said.

Well, If you want to go home, you need Hospice to help

and you can then do that.  We will let you go home as 

soon as Hospice is set up.

Two of our three daughters stayed with me and with their Daddy those last three days.     

It was a most blessed time.   I am so appreciative that I had my dear husband at home, and that I got to say "Goodbye" to him as did my children.   All the children came to see him, all the grandchildren.

So they got to say Goodbye.

June 24, 2012 in the Evening about 9 a.m  he left us to join our dear Savior the Lord Jesus Christ.  

In my next Post I will share how God led me from that point on.

That day that I fell, God helped me,so that I could be there for my dear husband Henry.  What a blessing that was to me.  How I thank God that I was able to care for him.

BLESS THE LORD, O MY SOUL,

AND FORGET NOT ALL HIS BENEFITS.

Psalm 103.2     

-----

HELLO AGAIN, FRIEND.

JESUS IS COMING AGAIN

THINK ABOUT IT.

MY DEAR HUSBAND IS WITH THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.
IF I HAPPEN TO DIE BEFORE THE LORD COMES
TO TAKE THE "BRIDE" - HIS CHURCH - HOME TO
BE WITH HIM - I WILL MEET YOU IN THE AIR IF YOU ARE
A BELIEVER.

IF YOU ARE NOT - THEN THINK ! SHOULD I NOT PREPARE MYSELF?
SHOULD I NOT BE READY ? FOR HIM TO COME?

Always, Ever
Lord for thee;
May my life
Committed be...
Every action,
Every deed,
Walking ever 
Close to Thee."
jec  jan 2003

This was taken with my family in 2011 sometime
after Henry had his operation in Sept.
It was Thanksgiving I believe.

Here was Henry all smiles back about 1999.   I enjoy 

the memories, and I am thankful for his attitude that 

a person needs to remember to laugh a little, love a lot, and to 

trust GOD in all that happens.

NOW ALONE, I GOT EVERYTHING READY FOR A YARD SALE, IN WHICH

ON THE DAY WE HAD IT, MY CHURCH HELPED ME SO VERY MUCH.

I USED MY WALKER TO WALK DOWN TO CLE ELUM TO GET THE MAKINGS 

OF A POSTER TO SELL THE HOUSE.    I  REMEMBER MOVING FURNITURE AND 

BOXES AND BOXES WITH THE HELP OF MY "EBENEZER" [THE WALKER] 

DOWN FROM THE HOUSE TO THE BACK YARD INTO OUR "CABANA" 

THINGS BEGAN TO LOOK GOOD.   GOD WAS GIVING ME STRENGTH

ONE DAY AT A TIME.

Interesting developments 

*People were bringing me boxes

*People were praying

*People were surprised that I was moving? 

and yes, I was still going to sell

the house.

HMMMMMMnnnnn.   

FAITH MIGHTY FAITH THE TRIUMPH SEES

AND LOOKS TO GOD ALONE,

LAUGHS AT IMPOSSIBILITIES

AND CRIES,

IT SHALL BE DONE.

Matthew 7: 7,8   

--------

On July 11th my church  Calvary Baptist Church of Ellensburg, WA helped move me to my new apartment at Briarwood.

Here is a picture of my living room after I had been there a year or more.

Christmas came, 2012,  and I still did well.

Spring time, and then my PAIN CAME BACK.

OW.  OOH.  WHAT SHOULD I DO? 

going to the Doctor, I found out

I needed another HIP OPERATION.

On March 8th of 2013, I did that.

THE MIRACLE WAS THAT I SURPRISED EVERYONE BY THE FACT THAT EVEN THOUGH IT WAS A MOST 

UNUSUAL OPERATION - I ONLY WAS IN THE NURSING HOME - FOR TWO WEEKS.    HOME I CAME, 

THIS TIME A LITTLE SLOWER, AND

VERY CAUTIOUS.

EVERY DAY WAS A CHALLENGE.

AND BI-MART MY BEST FRIEND.  IT WAS JUST 15 MINUTES AWAY - AND GOING INSIDE I COULD NAVIGATE PAST EVERYTHING, BUY A FEW ITEMS, WALK AND EXERCISE, AND STAY ALERT AND ALIVE

COME BACK TO MY APARTMENT

AND THANKFULLY 

PRAISE GOD

THAT I WAS STILL ABLE TO DO 

WHAT I COULD.

Here I sat playing my keyboard, on a tea table that

substituted for a piano seat, that had survived since my mother brought it with us from Massachusetts.  My grand-daddy had made it lovingly and it lasted all these years.  It had survived my children using it for a double bunk bed for barbie dolls.  It had survived being used to make Play-dough cookies and shapes for hours on time.   It had survived being used for checkerboard and dominoes, and yes, leggoes being put together.

So here I was, and I had been told by the Doctor,

Mrs Cash, this is bone on bone, and it will hurt, I do not 

know if you can manage it, but you might decide on another operation at some future time. 

In 2014, on June 9th my 82nd birthday came and went.

Meanwhile I was enjoying visiting, walking, and receiving care from my daughters when they came, and doing for myself.

Life was not the same, but just as much fun for me, as 

I could study, write, walk with my walker, and

visit with friends.

Bible Study to me was important. 

Next time I post we'll discover together 

the next venture in my life

ANOTHER MOVE.

Bill and Rachel, and Rebecca 

came to visit me a lot.

I needed that.

Be aware that I am a Grandmother of seven

and have a lot to live for.

My faith is a lot to me,

and I like sharing it. 

SO JOURNEY WITH ME AS I KEEP CLIMBING ! 

SEE YOU SOON ! 

BIBLE LADY JUNE BUG