Hey, Can a Girl Get Some Help Here?

Hey! Can a girl get some help here?

"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." (John 13:34, 35 NIV)

Last night as my Granddaughter Riley and I came up to the house after a weenie roast, she as always, wanted to play on my ipad. After telling her where it was I took a forbidden bite of cherry delight left over, while no one was watching. "After all," I thought, "I had stuck to my diet all evening and what would one bite hurt?" As soon as that delicious morsel hit my mouth, I went into a coughing fit, or as was diagnosed a few years ago “paradoxical vocal fold disorder”. It is a long name for “your vocal folds will close allowing no air to come in but no worry, because after you fall to the floor “as dead” you will indeed start to breath again”. Did you like the way I shortened that up for you? I coughed a few times, only to cause my vocal folds to close even tighter, so absolutely no air could pass. I talked to myself, “remember what you were told, just relax!” If I would have had the breath to laugh I would have? LOL! Riley finally returning with the ipad, was playing “Angry Birds”. She glanced my way and I’m guessing, as a six year old, didn’t think the peculiar color of blue I had become by this time was unusual. If I would have had air to talk, I would have told her that she could be a hero on the 10:00 o’clock news for saving her grandma, if she would put down the ipad and call 911!

As searing pain spread across my chest , my head began to throb all I could think of was good I’m going to pass out and then I will start to breath again, BUT I thought "maybe this is it!" Maybe when people see may picture in the obituaries the will says “Oh so young”! More than likely they will say things like "by the picture, looks like she suffered for a long time." They would probably hurry to the end to see if I fought a long battle with a terrible disease, not knowing I had fought a very short battle with cherry delight! As brain cells died from lack of oxygen, I wondered if Larry could fit the huge pan of chili into the frig or would he remember to get my precious cat Krekels in. Once I thought maybe I could call 911 myself but I didn’t know Morse Code because by now I wasn’t even gasping. If I could have gotten to my will, I would have scrawled “don’t give Riley my ipad, give her my big cotton underwear”!

I did think about going to heaven and in my oxygen deprived mind, that was looking better all the time.

I was finally able to get enough air out to say “get your Mom” to that came a “HUH”! And about that time my daughter came in, as I could get out a few breaths, I sucked air for a few minutes and started to get better. Just having someone near made me feel better! She didn’t understand exactly what happened but she was there! She wasn’t preoccupied with an iphone, Mac or an ipad! I had gotten her attention.

This morning as I rushed to the computer to share my story, in vivid color, I thought about those out there who suffer in ways that they can’t explain. In our busy world and lives, how many have those scars hidden away, that I wrote about a couple of days ago? How many cannot speak because the very life is being choked out of them by oppression, depression or desperation? How many of us “fiddle while Rome burns” or play Angry Birds while grandma dies? Oh, sorry just had to throw that in! I pray today that the Lord makes my senses aware of the hurting. May I linger long enough to hear hurt in their voices, I want to see in their eyes trouble that may be tearing their family apart. I want to be available to help and most definately show them the One who can show them the way. To be honest, most of feel like we are in a vice grip ourselves and life is squeezing the very life from us. We don't alway understand every situation but we can be there for them in their time of sifting.

Lord, give us courage and strength to help our brothers and sisters! Oh, and grandmas too!

I have had fun picking on my sweet Riley but you have to know she is one of my most precious blessings! I will leave her my ipad when "I go" but hopefully an updated version!