This week my husband and the two older boys were to be at Boy Scout camp. They didn't get to go, but it turns out that was for the better. I know at first they were sad about it because they go every year. Also, my husband had taken off this week for his vacation to spend it at scout camp with the boys,

Well, God's hand is always better than ours, isn't it??

I woke up on the Fourth of July, vomitting and very ill. After two days in bed with a very high fever, body aches, UGH, it hurts to think about it. I am feeling about 25% better. I am so thankful that my husband, who is always gone m-f every week, was here to take care of the little children because I couldn't. This is the worst flu that I have ever had. After I write this, I am going back to sleep. My wonderful husband set up the computer laptop so that I could check my email in bed. I don't know what I would have done had he not been home.

At first, we didn't understand why things worked out the way they did. But, we get it now. It's just my God's sensitive hand of caring for me, he caused my husband to be home. And, eventhough it really stinks to be this sick, I can barely turn my head or my body without intense body ache, I am grateful. I am full of joy for the praises I sang in that very cold bath to bring down my fever. I am thankful for, eventhough it takes me longer to get well without a spleen, that I have my life!!!!!!

Yesterday, my husband told me that there was something that I HAD to see. He said that I MUST get out of bed to see this. I was so weak that I felt like I had aged to be 100.  I couldn't stand on my own, but he held me all the way, down the hall and out the back door, still not telling me what he was going to show me. Well, that precious little fig tree, that meant so much to me as a gift, that had died, was, to my suprise, budding new leaves. It revived my heart so much that I can hardly express it.

I had taken advantage of my time in bed by reading my Bible, praying and just pondering God's faithfulness and goodness. He is SO good.

My heart if full of JOY today because I have so much in my life that it's bursting with new growth!!!!!!

I had to share it.

Love and JOY, as always,

Shannon