Friday, April 7, 2017

The Voice of the Lord


Psalm 95:7
The Lord is our God, and we are his people, the sheep he takes care of in his own pasture.  Listen to God's voice today!

If you want to make God laugh, make your own plans.  ~Ceil Ryan, Surrounded by the Spirit 

My husband, Danny, and I have planned this anniversary getaway to Big Sky Lodge, a luxury cabin in the Nantahala Mountains of North Carolina, for months.  After long weeks of illness and stress, we are more than ready for a vacation together, to reconnect with one another, and to recharge with God.

But there is a problem.

Over the past two weeks, Danny experiences bouts of light-headedness and shortness of breath whenever he overly exerts himself.  He attributes it at first to having been under the weather for a while.  But when he makes a run to our local Costco the Friday before we are slated to leave on Sunday, he has a spell, which forces him to sit on the curb to regroup before he can go into the store.

Concerned, Danny calls his cardiologist's office (he has an ICD - Internal Cardiac Defibrillator) just to make sure these episodes have nothing to do with his heart.  The nurse assures him that there is no reason to be alarmed.  He has an appointment scheduled for the week following our vacation, and is advised to wait until then to be checked out.

This is what Danny wants to hear as he is as excited as I am to be returning to the mountains, but he can't shake the feeling that something is wrong.

Saturday, we are at Publix, making a final grocery run, when Danny decides to check his blood pressure and pulse.  The former is fine, but the latter?  Forty?  And holding???

Now Danny is truly anxious.

Once home, he calls the cardiologist's office again, and speaks with the P. A. on weekend duty.  He, too, nixes the need for panic, but does recommend, since we are embarking on vacation, the purchase of a blood pressure cuff.  Danny follows his orders, and the cuff is packed along with a week's worth of groceries, clothing, toiletries, and games into our Subaru the next morning as we prepare to head out.

Giovanni, Danny's son, helps me load up the car, as Danny is reluctant to exert himself.  "You know you'll have to unpack the car once we get to the cabin," he tells me.

"No problem,"  I assure him.  "Consider it done."

When we set off Sunday morning, Danny is seemingly feeling better, and is able to drive without any issues.  That's a good great thing since I cannot handle expressways.  No way, no how!

It appears for all intents and purposes that our plans for an awesome vacation will come to fruition.

~

Danny wakes at 1:30 that night.  He takes his pulse.  Forty.  He prays the Lord's Prayer over and over and over again before he can finally fall back asleep.

Monday morning, the pulse reveals the same low and disturbing number.  Danny places another call to the cardiologist's office, and blessedly, reaches the triage nurse.  This time, he receives the right advice.

"Get down to the nearest hospital, and have them do an EKG.  Now!"

The voice of the Lord speaks loudly and clearly through this woman, and Danny doesn't hesitate to move on her admonition.  "Martha, grab your purse.  We have to drive to Bryson City asap."

"What?"  I am incredulous, and I've just opened my Bible to do my reading for the day.

"I'm serious," Danny says.  "I'll drive us down the mountain, but you'll have to take over on the Great Smoky Mountain Parkway."

"But Danny, you know I can't . . ."

"Yes, you can.  You have to."

I grab my purse and my Kindle, and out the door of Big Sky Lodge, we fly.

Praying all the way.

To be continued . . .


22 comments:

  1. I know how this will end, but it still doesn't stop the tension here, Martha. Good story about a scary event.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you, Glynn! Yes, I think everyone will know it turns out for the best, but it's God's hand working in our lives that makes the story.
      Love and blessings!

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    2. First, since you are writing this, it's clear that things will be (relatively) ok...
      And,second, you learned that, in an emergency, we can do many things we'd never believe possible. Now, you have to grow from there.

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    3. Yes, Roy, things turned out much better than we could have ever imagined. And because of God's help, I was able to rise to the occasion as needed. I do plan to keep growing!
      Love and blessings!

      Delete
  2. Martha, way to leave us on a "cliffhanger"! I know it can't be too horrible since you are writing about it already, but good gracious, I need to know what happened! In the meantime, I'm praying for you and Danny.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you for your prayers, Beckie! It was quite the "vacation," that I can tell you. Stay tuned to find out how God worked so magnificently through all the trials. Praying this story will be inspirational to others.
      Love and blessings!

      Delete
  3. Sounds scary to me. It certainly makes me want to see the next episode now. I hope you still got to enjoy some of that vacation.

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    Replies
    1. It was totally scary, Barbara. The next episode will appear on Tuesday. Hope you will stay tuned!
      Love and blessings!

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  4. Martha, even though I know the outcome of this scenario you have set up--the cliffhanger is great! And yes, we can do so much more than we can begin to believe with God in control!

    Love and blessings!

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    Replies
    1. Amen to that, Kim! God was in control every step of the way; I had to trust totally in that fact.
      So much happened in those short days (that seemed like an eternity), I'm hoping I won't leave out any of the most important details.
      Love and blessings!

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  5. I'm so sorry all this happened, Martha. I'm looking forward to more of how God held you close through this difficult time. But you left me worrying about your husband... Love and hugs to you!

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    Replies
    1. Trudy, I know I left a lot of folks worried about Danny, but he is fine now - truly! Thanks be to God!
      I'm sorry it all happened, too, but God had His reasons, and I'll be exploring that more fully in the blogs to come.
      Love and blessings!

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  6. Oh my! Isn't it something how our plans are not always "God's plans", but I am trusting that His plans turned out to be the BEST plans. I will tune in on Tuesday to hear more. Praying all is well...it must be, or you wouldn't be able to post this story so calmly....right???

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    Replies
    1. Yes, Pamela, it is well with both our souls right now, thanks be to God! But the story of God's goodness and mercy through this whole ordeal is too glorious not to tell. I pray it will touch hearts and minds for Christ.
      Love and blessings!

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  7. Replies
    1. Waiting? I did a lot of that during this fateful/faithful week, Bill. The answers are coming!
      Love and blessings!

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  8. Indeed, Martha, God directs our steps, especially when we think we are in control of our plans! Trusting that the Lord had you and Danny in His hands all along (and happy to see in the comments that Danny is fine!), I look forward to hearing more about your journey of faith.

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    Replies
    1. Yes, Galen, it was quite the journey of faith, and God was so good and so faithful through it all. I'm glad you will be coming along for the ride. Do you like roller coasters? LOL!
      And Danny IS doing fantastic now. We are so blessed!
      Love and blessings!

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  9. Hi Martha! Oh no! I hope everything was okay, but I see by your comment to Galen that Danny is doing well. Phew! What a scare you had that morning, and I'm sure you weren't looking forward to driving on the parkway. Can't wait to keep reading!
    Blessings,
    Ceil

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  10. Definitely, a frightening time for both of us, Ceil. Glad you want to keep reading - as I mentioned to Galen, it is one heck of a roller coaster ride!
    Love and blessings!

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  11. I am reading Martha.. and thankful to know that somehow it all works out in the end! So sorry that your vacation went like this though! But, God's plans always do have a way of turning ours upside down!

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  12. Martha ~ Thank God I already know this story has a happy ending! On the edge of my seat!!!

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