You may have noticed I did not blog or write during July and August this year. To be honest, I was very purposeful about taking this summer to just renew and relax. I wanted to spend quality time with my husband, children and grandchildren. I wanted to camp, enjoy lazy, long days and read.

I was delighted to learn that I was once again shortlisted for the Word Awards for my post “Peace in the Midst of Calamity” My “Journey Thoughts” blog also surpassed 16 million hits. My books were getting renewed attention after Shoot the Wounded went on a Canadian Tour with the band, Petra. Truly, I am humbled by the way God continues to use my writing for His purposes. Yet, this summer I needed a break from writing too. I journaled of course, in detail at times, about the goings on of God around me. I took picture after picture of my family, especially the Grands, and I captured sunrises and sunsets, soaking in the breathtaking scenes of God’s Creation. It was possibly the most peaceful summer I had ever experienced, and that is why when I woke up with chest pains on August 28th, while camping with my husband, I was incredulous!

I will spare all the details of my nine day stay in the cardiac care units, with cardiologists trying to figure out why I presented with chest pains. Echocardiograms, x-rays, countless blood tests, an angiogram, and MRI failed to determine the exact cause. Oh, they had several theories, but in the end it still remains a bit of a mystery. Prayer Warriors bathed me in prayer, and I felt held by God throughout the ordeal. My eighth grandbaby was born on September 1st, while I was in hospital. I wept tears of joy, and showed my nurses the pictures of Greyson, (my son and daughter-in-law’s fourth boy). I had been able to hold each one of my grandchildren on their BIRTH day, but I had to wait five whole days to hold Grey!

I will admit, I’m a bit beat up physically, and emotionally. I’m tired, and the doctors have prescribed some new medications to prevent this “mystery” cardiac event from happening again. Those meds have some other side effects I’m only starting to experience now, and they are not pleasant. There are no “free rides” I guess. So, I feel like I have to pull back a bit, and let my body recover and get used to another new normal for me.

While in hospital, I was asked by the organizer of our town’s Terry Fox Run if I would be a “starter” of this year’s run. It is a great honour to represent “Terry’s Team”, by starting the race this upcoming Sunday. I don’t know if I will physically be able to complete the five kilometre course, but I’m going to give it my best try for Terry #nomatterwhat!

So much for “pulling back”…LOL!

I am a firm believer that things happen for a reason, and although I don’t understand why things happen as they do, I just have to look for God to direct my steps in all my circumstances. I felt God’s “peace in the midst of MY calamity” to be sure.

I don’t much like hospitals, but I do try to be a patient who appreciates the nurses, doctors and technicians who care for the sick. They are my “angels of mercy”, and I told them that! When I was released from critical care and placed on the cardiac care ward, I no longer had my own room, but had to share a room with an eighty year old gentleman. With only a curtain separating us for privacy for four nights, I learned his story and he learned mine. Initially, I was uncomfortable with sharing a hospital room with a male roommate, but as I conversed with this man, I felt God was directing our conversations. I had the opportunity to pray with him, the morning I was discharged from hospital. He was facing the prospects of open heart surgery, and though he had a large family, he was a widower, and he was afraid. I may never see him again, this side of eternity, but I continue to pray the seed that was planted, God will now water.

Amen.