A Story of Faithfulness in Very Difficult Times

Two weeks ago we were just arriving home after spending a week in Virginia with Brian's dad during his final days. He passed peacefully and we were very thankful for all the extra time we had with him (click here for previous post on preparations). We came home to a very sad, empty house, it was like coming home to another funeral. There were just blank walls where our smiling family pictures used to be, empty closets where all our clothes used to be and an empty fridge when once it fed a family of 7. We had packed everything we owned in the RV before we left. Anything left in the house after packing the RV was donated or sold. And our property was not RV ready yet, which has made a very strange living situation. Living in an empty house walking back and forth to our RV outside to get eating utensils or underwear or shampoo. I was really putting off fully unpacking knowing that I would inevitably be re-packing the RV this month.

  

It was back to school, work and our usual season of busyness. But it was September and we haven't even given a thought to school, I had groaned and worried and prayed all summer not knowing what on earth I would do for curriculum. We had so much to keep us busy just with the move that I let time get away from me, my teacher planning summer was over and I had nothing. This is where God reaches His mighty hand into my little world and bombarded me with grace and faithfulness. I was contacted by a woman I had never met and read an amazing message:

"Shannon, I don't know if you have plans for this school year yet but the Holy Spirit prompted me to gift you 3 spots in the local Classical Conversations (CC) program. It's really pretty all encompassing for school - it makes schooling with a large family really organic (little ones and big kids learn together). I would love if you would consider joining."

We have our homeschooling for this year figured out, not based on my amazing planning and teaching ways but, PURELY by God's amazing grace and loving faithfulness to our family!

                          

The kids have loved the past 2 weeks at CC and it has kept me organized and structured while so much of our life is chaotic right now. We have continued working on the property after school so life is busy, busy now. More good news, when we got back the goats had completely eaten all the greenery from their penned area and were ready for more clearing ground. We started "operation move goat pen" and pulled up the 100'x50' area worth of fencing. Now we had to get it up around their new very green, ready to be eaten area. As we were just getting started on the fifth post the unexpected happened......
 As Brian was pounding the top of the green t-post with the 25lb fence post driver (red tool pictured) he must have pulled it just high enough to clip the top of the post and his sweaty hands slid to the bottom of the handles making the pure steel tool top heavy and it dropped on his head.
                    

He stepped back momentarily holding his head, he was answering us saying he was fine but as he pulled his hands away blood began spilling down his face and shirt. We rushed to the van, my heart pounding and screaming directions to the kids. It took too long to figure out how to call 911, I couldn't tell the operator where we were, what had happened or what was wrong. I couldn't think, I was freaking out, I was driving but I didn't know where. I just know that while I was being told to "calm down ma'am, I can't help if you don't calm down" Brian started to pass out.

This had to be the most traumatic thing I have ever been through. All I could do was beg the Lord not to take him, I wasn't ready! This is my husband, my best friend, the father of my children! I am so in love with him I still get excited butterflies when he comes home from work. This is the man that texts me without fail everyday that he loves and misses me. This man completes me, our love lets me know how two can really become one flesh.

The operator had me pull over, remove my shirt to press against the wound and wait for the ambulance, Brian was drifting in and out of consciousness and every time he came to he would whisper, "we'll be fine, the Lord is good." What would I do without him, I pleaded that the Lord wouldn't bring me down the path that I would have to find that out. After some oxygen and the paramedics checking his vitals Brian was back with us and asked if I could drive him to the ER. He knew we don't have insurance and ambulance rides cost a fortune. The EMTs were worried about me as I was shrinking next to the car in a tear-filled panic. "Sir your wife can't drive you like this." My sweet Brian just said, "it's okay, I will keep her calm." We made it safely to the ER and he is just fine. We even recognized our ER doctor as he lives in our neighborhood and I had babysat and dogsat for him on several occasions years back when we were gung-ho paying off debt before we had kids! Brian got a CT scan and 10 staples and I recovered from the shock of it all after many more bouts of tears and prayer. 

                        

Since we didn't have any insurance or a way to pay that moment they sent in a lady from billing for us to talk to. She was very helpful and told us not to worry. As she was taking our information she realized she had met us at a co-worker's wedding in May this year. We were one of the only couples with kids at the wedding (let alone five kids of different color) and she definitely remembered us! (Here are some flashback pics from the wedding 5/18/13!)
                           

She kept going on and on about how well behaved and sweet and cute our kids were and how she talked about our family for weeks after the wedding because she was astounded by just how well our kids listened and behaved while still fully enjoying all the events of the wedding! I love the paths God crosses and the people we meet as He weaves the story of our lives!

Brian turned out to be just fine and healing well, not based on my amazing emergency crisis handling ways but, PURELY by God's amazing grace and loving faithfulness to our family!

 

We did have to finish the goat pen fencing the next day but this time Brian couldn't help (doctor's orders) and we bought a hard hat based on Wikipedia's recommendation! :)

 "Single-person post pounders tend to be around 20 pounds (9 kg), but weight varies with model types. The diameter depends on the size of the post to be pounded. They can be dangerous to handle, especially if the lower edge of the pounder catches on the top of the post, when it can pivot towards the user and strike them on the head. Hearing protection and a hard hat are often recommended." - Wikipedia

                           

We couldn't even imagine what was going to happen next...

  

Just yesterday an army appeared. An army of strangers and friends. They all came to help get our property cleared.

  

They came with backhoes, trucks, chainsaws, shovels, wheelbarrows, rakes, trashbags, gloves, water and hotdogs. They came because the Holy Spirit prodded them to help us, a neighbor in need.

  
 
They came and worked so hard! They got two over full truck loads of trash picked up and hauled away. They got pile after pile of trees knocked down and burned.

 

  

They cleared almost 2 full acres of land and we have a perfect leveled out spot just right for our RV!

 

  

We have our property cleared and ready for our move, not based on my amazingly skilled land clearing ways but, PURELY by God's amazing grace and loving faithfulness to our family!

Do you know!?! Our God is SO big and SO good!


Posted by Shannon
Soli Deo gloria - Glory to God alone