Trusting In God 3/16/2019

Good Morning World!

It has been a few days since I wrote to all of you and it's been the same amount of days without a cup of coffee. Today I celebrate a milestone with a mug of Door County White Chocolate Cinnamon Dolce Coffee.

In my last blog I wrote about needing eye surgery in my right eye. The retina in my eye tore in two places causing my vision to become blurry. This led me to a retinal surgeon and the game was on. The surgery was short and I must say uncomfortable at best. The results in the view of the experts were reported to me to be good. Part of the recovery methods was to walk or sit with my head facing the floor at all times and sleeping on my side with my face down. Today is the first day that I can walk and sit upright. All of me beverages needed to be taken in through a straw. Hot coffee through a straw just didn't work for me.

My vision is still blurred and I can now barely make out two fingers when held close to my eye. The recovery time is much longer than I expected or hoped for. I will take it one step at a time, returning to work early next week if all goes well at the next Doctor's appointment.

I am praising God for the surgeon, his staff, my friends and family for taking care of me. With my head facing down there were times that I needed to be led by the hand through offices and doors. God blessed me with a great care team. Some will be reading this today. They know who they are and how much they are loved and appreciated.

Now this happened for a reason and I have tossed that through my mind a thousand times over the last few days with no answer from God. I was sent two passages to comfort me and I want to share them with you now. They both gave me comfort and helped me to do what I need to do and that it is to place my trust in God. I need to look to Him for peace and healing if that is His will. This experience has taught me a lot of things and a lesson in humility was the biggest. On the first day when the surgery took place I couldn't even

tie my own shoes. It had to be done for me. God supplied a great friend and wife who helped me get dressed. God supplied a lot of things through others once again for us like a turkey pot pie and humorous notes. All arrived just when I needed them most.

Psalm 46:10 New King James Version (NKJV)

I will be exalted among the nations,

I will be exalted in the earth

¹⁰ Be still, and know that I am God;

Psalm 46:10 is one that I have given out many times to others who are in need of comfort. When this verse came to me from a cousin I was in the midst of whining and throwing myself a one person pity party. It soothed my soul and led me back to the passage that I was repeating to myself the day of surgery and at night when I could not sleep and worry would overcome me like a disease that spread quickly.

Psalm 121 New King James Version (NKJV)

God the Help of Those Who Seek Him

A Song of Ascents.

From whence comes my help?

² My help comes from the Lord,

Who made heaven and earth.

He who keeps you will not slumber.

⁴ Behold, He who keeps Israel

Shall neither slumber nor sleep.

The Lord is your shade at your right hand.

⁶ The sun shall not strike you by day,

Nor the moon by night.

He shall preserve your soul.

⁸ The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in

From this time forth, and even forevermore.

121 I will lift up my eyes to the hills—

³ He will not allow your foot to be moved;

⁵ The Lord is your keeper;

⁷ The Lord shall  preserve you from all evil;

Again this is a passage that has calmed my fears before and set me on the right path of trusting God in the middle of calamity. I will keep everyone posted on the progress in my pursuit of healing. God did remind me of two things I needed to do while reflecting. One will be complete today and the other one is being worked on. But for those facing uncertainty I share these verses that were and are so dear to me.

Love to all,

Marty