Thirty-Seven Minutes

Thirty-Seven minutes.  That's all. Sounds simple enough.  You think? 

Last night was truly a miracle.  We got home around 8:00 p.m. (not exact, can't remember these days) after the blood transfusion and we ordered take out Chinese food, huddled in David's room and a sigh of relief all escaped our (smelly) breathes.

I can say that I was worried.  Within 20 minutes of the last bag of blood that was finished we were being handed discharge paperwork.  Now, don't get me wrong, we did want to leave. David and I were given the option of staying until Saturday morning or leaving that night.  Grandpa and the kids would be visiting so it made sense to do it that night and have everyone help out.  My lovely bed came into my mind. Sleep. Yes, sleep on my bed. Comfy bed.  Everything was set up at home, hospital bed, deluxe mattress, bedside commode, shower chair, wheelchair and walker.  I laughed (inside) when the Case Manager was suggesting we go to Goodwill in Georgetown to get a walker and that if we needed a shower chair, to use a table you use for flowers at the Garden Center at Lowe's.  I gladly handed her the $115.00 we needed for the walker and the hip kit.  I guess she had no clue that I'm a nurse and that the Salas family is filled with brilliant nurses, including myself.  And we do have our own personal Pastor; Juan Salas.

David felt at peace. He never awoke at night.  I decided at 6:30 a.m. to check on him. Yup. He was awake.  "Are you in any pain?" I ask.  Yes.
Like I said, it was a miracle.  He slept.  The pain was controlled.  It was as if God's heavenly angels sang lullabies to him.  Prayer. That's what I can say.  Prayer is powerful.  

So, after settling in this morning and finishing up breakfast at 11a.m., he decided to go back to bed.  I've been lost without running, but I will cope and hopefully my mood will be good.  "You can go run if you want." It's as if he read my mind.  I was planning on doing the treadmill and a YouTube video of some exercises, but running sounded better . Thirty-seven minutes I told myself. Not Forty minutes; 37. Run. Fast.

 "Are you sure?"  Yes, I'm sure, the kids are here, I'm fine, Go!!  

Weather check before I go.  Yup. 91 degrees already.  Okay, sunscreen, glasses and off I go.  Legs were fast. Of course they would be, last run was Monday and my legs were screaming!!!  4 miles was the plan.
Halfway through my run I see an older gentleman walking.  I'm always drawn to people. No matter what, I always stop, say hello and ask (yes, I'm nosy) as to where they are heading.  Who walks in 91 degree weather?  Well, who runs in it too?  Find out this man, who by the way had a triple bypass surgery recently, had thought it was Friday and decided to take the bus to Lakeline Mall and then take the bus back to Leander where he would walk about 2 miles to get home.   Apparently it doesn't take you back on a Saturday.  A friend of his had knee surgery and was unavailable to take him home.  This man walked 3 hours from Lakeline to the New Hope Baptist Church on 183. What in the world?  I offered to give him a ride, he said he was fine and I told him I would pray for him.  The more we talked (he asked me if I was Hispanic and if I knew anything about Cactus plants), I felt a tug at my heart and could see Jesus.  Well, not literally, but I could see Jesus in disguise.

1 John 3:17-18
English Standard Version (ESV)
17 But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him,how does God's love abide in him? 18 Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.

I remember the verse in Matthew 25 where Jesus speaks about seeing someone in need and doing it as if it was Jesus.  That is a strong concept to accept in a society where if you are a different color, people tend to see you as less equal.  Now, I don't like to talk about people's prejudices. Let's just leave it at that.

Mr. Walker was his name.  He was an older African American from Arkansas who walked 3 hours to meet Jennifer.  Jennifer then would run back home as fast as she could and take him to his little home in Leander.
10 miles.  That's what he would have walked to get home.  103 degrees by the time I picked him up.

If you were to see Jesus in disguise, would you look the other way or would you stop and listen?
In the midst of my busyness and my circumstances with David, God uses each and every one of us.
Listen to the call.  Don't turn a blind eye. We all need each other.

Until Next Time,
Eat Organic, 
Eat Gluten-Free, 
Jennifer Salas
( And No, I'm not a Saint, or an angel.  I'm not Perfect either. I'm just a plain old girl who is in Love with God.)

Overdrive

I lied when I said that I was going to stay in bed all day.  I wouldn't even change out of my pajamas.  Nope, I would lay in bed all day and do nothing.  I lied to myself.  David and the kids had no idea what I was planning on doing today.  The plan was:  no church, a good meal, and that I would not be running around doing errands today.
11:30 am came too soon.  I woke up, that was after getting up at 7am to take my older son, D.J. to work at Schlotzskys.  He needed my expertise in writing his two week notice for work.  Yup. No more spending money for this 16 year old. In fact, I feel bad, no more Schlotzskys sandwiches, their salads or more importantly, no more cinnabons.  No more free meals. Sad. But with school approaching and football being his number one goal in life, he would soon have to leave. D.J.'s work isn't done yet, for in two days, his father, my beloved husband will be going under the knife.  It feels like just yesterday that we were getting the news that in a month the surgeon would be performing both total hip replacements.  Yup, you heard right.  Not one, but two.  We are not crazy and we did not plan on him having both done at the same time.  Both hip joints are at the brink of death.  When you've suffered 3 long years with pain, you will do anything for the pain to go away.  This is where the healing begins.  In that song by Tenth Avenue North, the singer states, "This is where the healing begins. This is where the healing starts. When you come to where you're broken within, the light meets the dark."  The healing we have been praying for years.  The healing that only the giver of Life gives freely to those who have confessed that he is Lord.  The healing that for so long our soul longs for.
 David has experienced spiritual healing; physical healing awaits.
We waited patiently for this.  David more than I.  I just didn't know what to do sometimes.  This is where I just kept pushing through. I kept praying. I was a woman after God. A woman praying for her husband's healing.
Yesterday I felt like the energizer bunny.  I went all day.  Never stopped.  I felt if I sat for one moment the world wouldn't function without me.  There has been so much to do that I had to just keep on going. So as I stumbled out of bed at 11:30am, I wasn't refreshed, but I  finished the rest of the preparations for David.  No matter what we go through in life, God is always there.  It seems when I can just sit and absorb all his glory that's when he recharges me.  He restores my soul.  He gives me peace. 

 I am a woman after God's heart because if I pursue him like he pursued me at the tender age of 18,  he will give me all the strength I need to endure whatever may come my way.

Isaiah 40:31
but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.  They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.  

Our Vacation at Padre Island.
His favorite pic of us. 

Until Next Time, 
Eat Organic, 
Eat Gluten-Free, 
Jennifer
(My daily sweet has been Hail Merry's Chocolate Almond Butter Tart. If you haven't tried, I strongly recommend )