Handfuls of Blessings

 That was a long week! As I mentioned in the last post, I checked into the hospital Thursday, October 6. On Friday, the surgeon's mother-in-law (Christian lady who also works at the hospital as an anesthesiologist) came and sat with me as I was prepped for surgery. Several people told me, "You must be a very special lady for Mary to come in on her day off!" I know I'm no one special, but I serve a God Who enjoys sending special blessings.  When Keith buys me roses, he always requests 1 yellow (Yellow Rose of Texas). I feel doubly loved as this one was a double bloom! The surgery went well, and the surgeon even shared pictures with me. The reason I kept having repeated bouts of swelling in Uganda is that the bacteria made pockets inside of my knee, so when I would get it aspirated to relieve the fluid, not everything was being drained because of the many pockets, so the bacteria would just regrow.  However, the doctor said getting it aspirated 9 times probably saved my

 Results are back, and there is an acute infection. I will check into the hospital in about 2 hours,  and tomorrow the doctor will perform open knee surgery to totally clean out the infection. I get a weekend stay at the hospital and then will be released with a pic line to wear for 6 weeks to administer strong antibiotics. THEN . . . I will be able to have the knee surgery I came for. The other day I was reading Exodus 2, and the Bible said that Moses' mother laid the ark of bulrushes in the flags by the river's brink. I feel as if that is where God has placed me right now. My ark seems to have one purpose right now - to keep me alive. Not to sail. Not to race. Not to carry cargo. God has pulled me out of the fleet of ships serving . . . to float.  God's ways are not our ways - I want to be with my family . . . I want to be serving.  Yet, I will trust Him!           He is my Heavenly Father.           I know He loves me. 

 It is hard to believe I have been here five days already, but life has been eventful! When I left Uganda, the airport in Orlando was still closed because of Hurricane Ian.  I wasn't sure if I would have a flight there or not, so I packed several changes of clothes in my carry-on luggage. Because Chicago was my point of entry, I had to claim my checked luggage and then re-check it in.  As I did so, the lady reassured me that the airport was open and my flight was good, "But you had better hurry!" I looked at my watch and discovered there was just 20 minutes until the doors were supposed to close. The wheelchair attendant suggested I just go to the United desk and schedule a later flight, but I declined and said that I had to try to reach there and then started praying. Despite the long line in security, we arrived at the gate to find that the airplane door was still open! Praise the Lord! Unfortunately, my checked luggage didn't make my same flight but opted for the l