Monday, September 14, 2015

Been a long time since you have heard from me

     Thank you for the 7 that still follow me, after I have not posted I believe in over a year.  It has been tough over a year now.  Toward the end of 2013 and well into 2014 I began to fall into a deep depression, that I never thought I would get out of.  I started having seizures and I could not legally drive for 6 months after the last seizure.  Well after 1 year 7 months and 8 days I was able to drive again.  Praise God! 
     During that time, I watched my mother go from a vibrant mother/grandmother to a person who did not know any of us and wasted away due to Dementia.  I was with her on July 26th, along with my wife, to help her leave this world and step into heaven as a whole and healed person.  I didn't feel sorry, but joy, when she left us.  She is in a much better place than all of us.  Thank God for salvation!
     Over the past year, I have had more trials than I can name.  In March I found out that my cancer had changed from a Grade II to a Grade III and was going to require Radiation and Chemo.  This was not a good thing.  After finding I would be driven to Duke and back 5 days a week for 6 weeks, I reached out to friends to see if anyone could help pay for some of my gas.  I thought that I calculated right in the increment and asked for 500.00 hoping to get anything.  I got $500 in about 2 hours.  When it was all said and done with, the generosity was unbelievable.  I received about $1400, and guess what, that was exactly what I needed to get through it all (Apparently, I can't math....as I have been humorously told)  God is amazing! I am now on Chemo 5 days on and then 23 off.  The 5 days has been kicking my butt...but it is worth it.   Another blow came on July 7th when I could not reach my father.  I kept calling him while driving from Greensboro to his house.  Occasionally, he would go out and take himself out to eat, or go and sit beside my mother's burial plot.  This night my wife and I got there at about 7-7:30 and seen his car in garage.  I found the key in the secret hiding place and unlocked the door.  I yelled for him as I walked to where he spent his time in the basement.  When I turned the corner, he was sitting in his chair behind the computer where he always liked to sit, with his dog by his side, and had died.  Exactly where he wanted to go.  I am going to miss him.  I don't know how many times I have wanted to call him and tell him about something funny or just to talk to him.  I had talked to him about being a Christian and he assured me every time that he was a Christian.  So he is with my mom now, worshiping the Lord.  So much to take in all at once for you I know, but God is good and I love my God.  I pray that each day I can be a person that brings people to know Him, instead of pushing them away.  Thank you God for forgiveness.