It's a God thing........

Here's a picture of my Daddy last year, all decked out in the Richard Petty Racing Experience suit. It's a great little program - daddy got to drive a race car for several laps around Lowe's Motor Speedway. He loves racing and is so hard to buy for, so this was the perfect gift for him a couple of Christmases ago! So, here's a little story about my daddy............

The past two weeks have been really rough ones. I've had a lot going on with life in general, but my dad's health has really been through the ringer the past little while. I'll start with a little about my daddy. For those of you in Sunday School with me, you know from my prayer request email that I'm a daddy's girl. But not in a normal "daddy's girl" sense. My daddy is a very quiet, mild mannered, hard working man. He's one of those people that believes if you don't have something meaningful to say, then you just shouldn't say anything. I've never heard him speak unkindly of anyone, and rarely have I ever heard him complain -- so when he does I know that something's really wrong. I know some of you might not understand this - but as far as I can remember, my daddy's only told me he loved me a couple of times and the only time I remember him giving me a kiss in my 'grown-up' life is the day I got married. But I have never doubted for a minute that he loves me. He had a hard life growing up, and I believe as a result of that, it's hard for him to show affection. But daddy has always provided for me and been the most wonderful Christian example a daddy could be. His humility amazes me. I just love and respect him so much.

Well, he started feeling bad a couple of months ago and went to his doctor. She discovered he had a hot little gallbladder (that's not a compliment!). So, he had it removed about a month and a half ago. About two weeks after that, his calf started swelling and hurting really bad and he pretty much knew what it was. He'd had a DVT (blood clot) before. So, he had a DVT around his knee area and started meds to thin his blood. About two weeks after that, he began having thigh pain and was having trouble breathing. Well, come to find out, he had several small clots that had moved to his lungs and the clot that was in his knee had moved up his thigh and grown significantly. His doctor did nothing more about his treatment. This little nurse was not happy! So, it just so happens that the hubby's in grad school with a cardiologist whose business partner specializes in vascular/endovascular medicine. He said daddy needed to be seen right away. So, Dr. Navarro (who I highly recommend) saw daddy last week and immediately suggested that daddy have a filter put in to keep further blood clots from reaching his heart and lungs. He had that done yesterday and is doing GREAT! Believe me, this story is really condensed -- so much happened last week that it really seems like a blur.

Now, I tell that story to give all the examples of how God's hand was upon Daddy and our family during all that time.

1. Daddy has raised cattle ever since he's been alive almost. In January, he had someone offer to buy them (he had over 100!) and he decided to take them up on it. If he had the cattle during all this, there would've been no way I could've taken care of them. The fellow that bought them picked up the last of them a week before Daddy's surgery!

2. The kiddos were on Spring Break last week. Had they been in school, there would've been no way I could've taken care of things for Mama and Daddy last week.

3. Who would've ever thunk :) that a cardiologist would be getting his MBA? God knew this would happen when J got in grad school and he knew just who to let him be friends with. The other God thing about the situation is that they usually have a long wait to get into their clinic - but J's friend got Daddy in within two days.

4. Mama was also on break (she teaches for the community college) last week when all this happened with Daddy.

I am also so thankful to many of my church friends, who offered so much support, encouragement, and prayers on daddy's behalf. Thank you, y'all. I know to the outsider looking in , these definitely don't seem like big things. But, to me, it is amazing to see how God worked during all of that, and how He gave me such comfort during what seemed like a nightmare almost. He provides a peace that is unexplainable......He is Amazing God!