Positives and Negatives

This last week has been both a mental and physical challenge for me, and I want to thank all who prayed for us. Janell is the family member who has been sick, and I'm thankful to say is now home, as of lunch today. We arrived at St. Vincents ER Sunday night around 8:00 and days later, were told she had been hit with an intestinal bacteria. She has recovered for the most part, still weak from 5 days on ice chips and water. But it is so good to have her back home. I didn't even ask her to cook supper for me! I'm just kiddin' folks! But she did make me a pitcher of her awesome tea which I really missed!
This week I was reminded of some of the NEGATIVES of saying goodbye to Garrett and Jenn. Every week we would swap neck rubs. His hands were the biggest in the family to go around my 21" neck, Janell's can't work it any more, and his strength was comparable to his size. I don't know what I'll do now. I have chronic neck pain because as Kevin so lovingly puts it, I have a basketball for a head, only it weighs twice as much. Just a few weeks before the storm he put brake shoes on his mom's car. There goes my cheap auto mechanic. Jenn always gave me a hug that you could tell she meant it! Garrett and Kevin always threw a football around before a televised Auburn game. Kevin said the other day at the hospital, that he is not looking forward to football season. I've never heard that from him. Garrett was my go-to guy when I had a computer question. He picked out my laptop I got for Christmas from Janell. I just know how to get in trouble with one. I can't fix memory problems or software issues. All I had to do was call him. I knew he was rolling his eyes when I would try to explain what it was or wasn't doing. And I could go on.
The POSITIVES , if there can be any, are seing Christian brothers and sisters come together for a brother and sister that most of them didn't know. I've been reunited with friends of days gone by, and with special people in my life that have long been just a memory. I've been first handedly, reaquainted with a loss os such magnitude that I can only claim God's strength and peace as my refuge and comfort. I've seen God work through strangers and friends to sustain my household when things were very tight. And for the most part, I've seen the best side of companies and individuals who are striving to make our troubles and burdens as easy to bare as they can. And I could go on.
How in the world can a family who doesn't know the love of God, the cares and help of Christian friends, and the peace of knowing that separation from family members called home is just temporay, HOW CAN THEY COPE? I am just blessed beyond measure! Though the pain is still very real, and the tears still come when least expected, GOD LOVES ME! And that is an eternal POSITIVE