Country Song Lyrics

Monday Makenna's knee was suddenly painful and a massive bruise formed internally. She has needed a knee brace for support since. The surgeon who replaced the ligament three years ago only works with kids so she has been referred to another orthopedic surgeon in the area to verify all is still okay with that ligament. That appointment is next Monday.

On Tuesday Greg lost his job due to downsizing within Cummins and then we found out our dog has a very aggressive cancer. So despite the sudden income surprise, we have scheduled surgery for the dog to insure a better prognosis. It was in the vet's office I asked Greg if it felt like we were living out someone's poorly written country song lyrics.

Today we took Kate to see the neurologist who specializes in concussions. She has not made much progress in her recovery, still battling daily headaches and extreme fatigue. She has yet to make it through a full school day and we were growing more concerned. Knowing she has access to the best of the best for her injury gives us hope. Her prognosis is still good despite the lengthy recovery and we left with a plan for therapy, medication and scans.

So despite the tough week, and believe me this one was hard, I am grateful for the way I can see God at work in our life. I have been proactively working to respond rather than react for a few years and that distinction has made a huge difference in my life. My type A personality (with every I dotted and T crossed six months in advance, please and thank you) still collides with my desire to be a bit more like Pollyannna. Spending time daily thanking God for simple blessings has shifted my perspective. My heart was aching early this year, as it's usually December before I wrestle with the season but in October I started noting how God is working through my brokenness. I want Ryan's heavenly Sweet 16 to be the sweetest birthday yet and that goal starts with my heart. I have been working toward getting  it properly aligned.

In counting blessings this week, my list includes health insurance that continues while we navigate our daughters' health, a ministry team that lets me serve our tiniest members during a month I crave their particular brand of joy, the peace I feel and faith I have God will redeem this mess as only He can, the connection Greg and I have invested heavily this year for our twenty-fifth anniversary so we are holding firm together and finally, of course the timing of having our grandson in town to offer the needed humor and best belly laughs. God is still good and very much in control.