Doctor’s visit, too wet to work, Mission’s Conference

I have not gotten better over the last few days so I had Mama schedule a doctor’s appointment for me yesterday. It was a worthwhile visit. The nurse did all the preliminary work and asked which of my symptoms were giving me the most difficulty. I responded that I was having trouble breathing and that was the most troubling part of what I was experiencing.

“So you’re short of breath?” she clarified. “No. I am having trouble breathing because more than a shallow breath causes me to cough.” She left the room and came back with an O2 monitor that attaches to the finger and we went for a walk. As I sat my O2 levels showed to be 96. After a few steps down the hall and back they sunk to 80. She asked me if I was having trouble breathing now and I responded that I was getting there. She walked me to the x-ray room.

The x-rays came back clear so the final diagnosis was – again – a severe bronchitis. I took the shot just to jumpstart the medications. Mama was more unnerved by it than I was. That’s why I generally do not watch but she could not help herself. I am not much better this morning but I am hoping for fairly rapid turn for the better. Time will tell.

It looks like, starting tomorrow, we have a four day break in the rain during which I hope to work on several small overdue items at the farm. It will still be far too wet to get the tractor off of the roadways on the property to do any brush hogging but it should be dry enough to work the garden. We are overdue on cleaning out the barn but if I am to get it done now it will have to be done by hand with the pitchfork and wheelbarrow. That would not be the first time.

 If it does in fact dry out, Mama and I are going to Kim Cantrell’s house on Saturday to till up a garden spot for her. We have been planning to do this for several weeks but things have been too wet. Maybe this will be the week we can get it done for her. If we wait much longer it will be too late to grow anything.

Missions Conference has been great. The speaker has been focusing on our often neglected responsibilities as “home church” supporters of our missionaries and their works abroad. It has been very challenging. It is what we needed as a church.

Last night he told of a young missionary to Thailand who challenged his church in Mexico by stating that there are almost two hundred sovereign countries in the world along with sixty designated areas of limited self-rule and the average citizen can name less than forty. He then asked, “If you do not know them by name how can you effectively pray for them? Can you possibly be burdened for them?” The same goes for our missionaries.

Mama and I will be praying more - and more specifically. We have both been burdened for a long time to take more responsibility in prayer. If we prayed for our country the way our missionaries pray for their countries of service we would not be in the shape we are in here at home.