I'm praying for someone I love very dearly. I can't imagine how long the next 5 hours are going to be. I'll be anxious at best to get the call. I love my Pastor Emeritus Fellman Cheek so much. I can't imagine how many people can honestly say the same thing! I thought it would be best to put on some encouraging music and focus on the good while I listen and pray the minutes away!
I think we all to often want to do more when we pray don't we? I have a friend who wrecked last week. He is our Deacon Danny Byers. It just literally made my heart hurt to think of him and his wife and how this effected them. He is still in ICU and it grieves me to know what Jackie and Jenny are going to have to go through over the next few months helping their mom and dad. I wish I could do more, but the most I can do is pray.
I don't say this to belittle prayer. I realize how much prayer helps. When I was in the hospital with my mom, the day after her surgery, I truly felt the prayers for my friends.
- It was 3 in the morning and I was wakened out of my sleep to a scary sound. My phone was ringing and it terrified me. I knew a call only meant something bad. See my dad had told us he and my mom would be fine, and long story short my aunt had returned to her home that night, so no one was actually at the hospital for a few hours with my mom and dad. I had all of my kids with me at the SECU house in Winston. I stayed close just so that if something happened, I wouldn't have to travel back from Wilkes in the middle of the night. However because Bobby had to return to work the next day, I had just taken Rose and Valie with me overnight. Anna stayed behind to help watch Seth at home with Bobby.
- When I answered the phone, my mother's voice was in a state of panic. I first thought something had happened to my father. My mother was panicking and sounded like she was almost hyperventilating. I tried to listen to her and begin to try to reason with her and ask her what was going on. I finally got her to understand me long enough to say "who had handed you the phone" and she answered "your dad." Instantly I felt a sigh of relief. I really thought she was getting ready to say your dad has had a heart attack by the extreme desperation I heard in her voice.
- She shared with me that she had called my aunt already. I got her off the phone and told her I would be over. I called my aunt and she and I both discussed what we thought was probably going on, but we knew I needed to rush back to the hospital before we had it confirmed. When I finally made it back to the hospital and I walk into the room with my mom, I realized my suspicions were correct. My mom was having a reaction to the morphine she had taken. She was hyperventilating and hallucinating.
- I felt so bad for my father when I saw his face. He was so upset by all of this, and truly never expected anything like this to happen. ( This is part of the reason men should never stay with woman overnight alone who have just undergone surgery!) Funny things can happen when estrogen, morphine, and sheer exhaustion mix, and it's not pretty. Most men are not equipped to handle this, and need a female "nurse" with them to help them cope. Anyway, I sent my father out with my kids and began to explain to the nurses in the room and my mom what I thought was happening. I had a similar reaction to morphine when I was delivering once so I know how loopy it can make you feel.
- It took me a couple of hours to get her back down to where she felt slightly normal again. It took lots of praying and having patience. This was one of the hardest situations I ever remember being thrown into. I remember looking once at the clock and thinking, when is daylight going to get here! I remember when daylight came though, and something amazing happened!
I could almost tell you exactly when the clock turned 6:30 and the feeling I started having. See I had always heard others say when they were in times of distress, "I can feel the prayers" but boy could I really feel the prayers! It took me a few minutes to realize what was happening, but it was like a wave of calm rushed through a horribly rocky stormy sea, and suddenly their was this peaceful glass of a pond in front of you. The waves had not disappeared, however, all I could feel was the gentleness like the still water underneath a paddle boat crossing Lake Myers. The choppy current was almost forgotten. - See I realized a few minutes into this what was happening. I had not gotten but about 1 hour of sleep that night, so I was not rested. I had not gotten to doze back off, or even gotten my mother to resting. Why was this peacefulness surrounding me now? I had been praying from the moment I heard the phone ring. I had talked to GOD lots during the night and was desperately seeking HIS peace. Why now, now that it was light all of the sudden did my prayers start to feel answered and things calm? It was the prayers of my friends. I remembered how wonderful I felt when suddenly I realized that people were waking and praying for me. I knew this was the difference, I could feel it!
Now my kids are up, and I need to rush off to life again. I just wanted to take a few minutes and share a story of GOD's goodness in my life and the effects of prayers of the righteous friends in my life. Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for
another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man
availeth much. James 5:16
May I always be that kind of friend. I want to always support those I love in prayer. I'm must stop typing and go to pray for Fellman and Danny more now while I'm being a mommy.
GOD is so Good, isn't HE!
In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears. Psalms 18:6
I must tell Jesus all of my trials,
I cannot bear these burdens alone;
In my distress He kindly will help me,
He ever loves and cares for His own.
I cannot bear these burdens alone;
In my distress He kindly will help me,
He ever loves and cares for His own.
I must tell Jesus! I must tell Jesus!
I cannot bear my burdens alone;
I must tell Jesus! I must tell Jesus!
Jesus can help me, Jesus alone.
I must tell Jesus all of my troubles,
He is a kind, compassionate Friend;
If I but ask Him He will deliver,
Make of my troubles quickly an end.
I must tell Jesus! I must tell Jesus!
I cannot bear my burdens alone;
I must tell Jesus! I must tell Jesus!
Jesus can help me, Jesus alone.
