My hip was fractured but repaired after surgery. Our house had sold. My husband was leaving soon to start a new job in a new state. I couldn’t travel. Our new adventure was not panning out as I had envisioned. 

Fortunately, some very dear friends opened their home to me. This allowed me a place to recover other than a rehabilitation facility. Their generosity was overwhelming to me. They set me up in their full size daylight basement complete with beautiful views of the large backyard, bedrooms, bathrooms and a family room with a big screen TV. I settled in to begin Home Health Physical Therapy and the healing process. All was going well until the second week. 

You know that saying, “When it rains, it pours?” That second week seemed like a flash flood. It began late one night when Tara received a phone call that her Dad had a heart attack. She woke me up to say they had to leave and drive the 2 hours to the hospital. She was so scared. Her nerves were already so raw. She and her husband Mark, had an appointment in 3 days to have their beloved lab, Cooper put down. He had been ill and suffering for a long time. We were all sad anticipating the arrival of that day. And now this fear about her dad.

Prior to Bob leaving we promised to talk every day while we were apart. One phone call was extremely sad when he told me our miniature Schnauzer, Bailey, who traveled with him was very sick and having seizures. She was 15 years old. A local vet whom Bob found from the help of a neighbor said she wasn’t going to make it. We lost Bailey the day before Cooper died. 

Then 2 days later Bob called telling me he was in the Emergency Room with severe deep leg pain. He has a history of blood clots causing pulmonary embolisms so this was serious. I was so scared. I felt so incredibly helpless being hundreds of miles away. I prayed over and over again, “Please dear God, don’t let anything happen to Bob.” Several hours later he called to say he was ok. He didn’t have a clot.

That week was awful. All of us shared so many tears. My emotions made me feel like I was on a carnival ride moving up and down, around and around. Gratitude, sadness, fear and anger were all in constant motion. Every day was harder than the day before. And my prayers included a cry of “I can’t take much more of this!” Then one night through my fears and tears, I reminded myself that God is in control and He carries my burdens. I just need to let Him.

Father in Heaven, Even when difficult times are hard to bear, help us to remember you are always with us and help us to learn the lessons that can come from these moments.

“Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens.”  Psalm 68:19