Below is a letter I wrote to my second oldest sister, Joyce. I've edited it slightly to take out any personal stuff that isn't relative to this post. The reason I am posting it is because the Lord has really done so much for our family over the past 6 or 7 weeks. It is easy to forget, so hopefully this letter will always help us to remember:
Dear Joyce: Thanks for your note. I’ll let Nathaniel and Joshua know you are thinking of them. He (Nathaniel) is able
to bend his fingers and move them more, but they are still wrapped and in
little hard “football helmets” as the medical assistant called them. He was at
Therapy on Tuesday getting the dressings removed and it nearly sent Nathaniel
through the ceiling as they had to peel the dried blood-soaked gauze off the
wound. He decided he wanted to go off the narcotics and just took 2 Tylenol and
3 Motrin that morning, so he felt more pain than he anticipated he would. The
MA was so sweet and gentle and took an hour just to change his dressings and
show him some simple things to do to keep his fingers moving and to
de-sensitize them. Nathaniel has kept his incredibly great sense of humor
through all of this, and although he could be “kicking” himself, he has a
“heavenly” perspective on this all. And Joshua is stepping up doing Nathaniel’s
chores while Nathaniel is unable to do them…without complaint and without
expecting anything in return. Yup – I have two wonderful boys who love Jesus
and that makes me very happy and very proud.
One
of the most kind things was how quickly Dru’s family and Pam’s family
responded, lavishing gifts on him and sending sweet notes of love and comfort
just when he needed it most. He got the funniest card from Michelle today a
sweet note from Mack who hardly even knows him. They sent a balloon to help
“lighten” up the pain which he promptly inflated and put in his room. It’s the
simple thing that often mean the most!
Amazing
things happens when tragedy strikes – neighbors, friends, church members, my
friends on Facebook and Nathaniel’s Facebook friends have all sent kind and
caring messages to him. I got a friend request from the mother of one of
Nathaniel’s friends on Facebook who is an evangelical Christian and a
homeschooler. They want to send Nathaniel a get-well card and asked if I minded
sending our address – they want to surprise him and they have never even met
him! So, I guess it really shows how much love people really do have for one
another. As Dave’s mom said in a sweet note she sent to him, “sometimes
accidents happen.” Hindsight Is always 20/20, but I have always found the
Lord has a reason for everything and even this tragedy will result in something
good in the end…perhaps it will help Nathaniel become more empathetic toward
others who are hurting, perhaps it will open up new opportunities and doors for
more blessings. It will most definitely give him a great story that he can tell
for many years to come. AND we have heard our share of “finger” and lawnmower
stories, helping us to realize how much worse it could have been.
On
another note, our insurance settlement came through and we got a partial check
for the depreciated amount. Already we have watched the Lord open up
opportunities and bargains to us. Just tonight as we were looking to buy a
replacement for the DSLR camera that was stolen, we found one for $250 cheaper
than everywhere else we had looked. We wanted to get it, but none were on the
shelf and the sale ended today. The store policy is NOT to give rain checks on
advertised items, but the sales guy felt sorry for us and gave us one anyhow.
The rain check is good for 30 days! Two days earlier we found the exact laptop
computer that I had gotten for my birthday (which was stolen as well) on sale
for less than we paid when Dave bought it before. We had a warranty on the
stolen computer which our insurance would not cover (exclusion for items
insuring future loss), but the store honored the original warranty minus only
$30. They should have taken much more off. Joshua’s Xbox that was stolen we got
for almost $100 less than we paid for it two Christmases ago…again new and
exact same model. We have found games that were stolen for the same amount or
even cheaper than we originally paid for them….I could go on and on….
Even
the insurance adjuster at State Farm was a blessing. She kept giving us more
and more and felt badly that we had to wait so long because of playing
telephone tag and then some other things that had happened that prevented me
from calling back (my good friend from church was ill and hospitalized, so I arranged meals
for her family and helped her with the AWANA closing
programs this year). Our claim was for around $10,000 in the end and as Dave
and I have already seen, we are saving far more than we ever expected…deals
popping up before our eyes, checking websites and sales at just the right time,
etc. It is as though the Lord is saying to us that He will take care of us…and
the best thing of all is that He’s giving us new things for the old and worn
out stuff we had….not so much that they did not work, but they weren’t in
perfect condition. It reminds me of the verse in Isaiah 61:3, "...to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of
joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they
might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might
be glorified."
I
could go on and on, but I guess it is all to say that I am still learning how
to trust the Lord when difficulties come…but I know that in the end, the Lord
has the big picture in mind and He works all things together for good. What may
appear to the unseeing eye as a foolish or a crazy mistake is not foolish in
the Lord’s eyes. He has a greater purpose and plan in mind. All we must do is
trust in the Lord and allow His handiwork to shine through us.
It is a wait
and see situation with us…much depends upon the outcome of Nathaniel’s fingers
and our financial situation after that is all said and done. With no health
insurance, we have no other choice but to trust that the Lord will work it all
out…and you know what? He will! We have applied for assistance from the
government, a necessary step even if we don’t qualify, but we are not worried
because we know the Lord’s plans are not our plans, and there is no point in
worrying about tomorrow! If He can take care of the sparrows, how much more
will He also take care of us?!
We
are almost finished with school…the burglary and accident put us a little
behind, but I am Nathaniel’s scribe for his Geometry final which means he will
finish school tomorrow. Joshua should be finished as well. Nathaniel will see
the hand surgeon on Tuesday and hopefully will let us know if he can go to
summer boy scout camp in 3 weeks. We are thinking it might not happen and
Nathaniel, who is learning to accept the things he cannot change, is fine with
that. He can still play guitar and cello, albeit, holding a pick and a bow is a
little bit of a challenge right now. He may have lost the opportunity to
perform his cello recital, but he has gained amazing character, perseverance
and faith in the Lord because of this….money cannot buy any of those things! We
are so immensely thankful that the Lord would count us worthy of such trials
and tribulations to endure. James 1:12 says, “Blessed
is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he
will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.”
We are anxiously awaiting to see what the Lord has in store for us next!
Hopefully we will be able to stand strong and endure anything that comes our
way. We are definitely praying for God’s mercy!
Have
a wonderful summer and enjoy your flowers….they have been blooming here and we
are taking each day one day at a time.
Love,
Camille
and the rest of the Cantwell gang
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