So Very Thankful

We have several new things to be thankful for on our journey with JD. I just wanted to take a moment and share them here.
Things have really been progressing well with JD. He is currently through 2-1/2 weeks of his meds and is doing well with them. I've never seen a kid take medicine like JD. The doctors had told us that one of his meds was extremely bitter. It's a capsule that we have to break and mix in with food, but we were told it's very hard to. I asked both the doctor and pharmacist if they had any suggestions for what to mix it with and they said, "Just don't mix it with applesauce." Other than that, no ideas. They said usually once you find something to mask it with the kid realizes there's medicine mixed in and stops taking it so you're constantly having to find new foods to mask it with. *yay* Well, the first thing we tried was a Snack Pack Pudding cup and guess what - two and a half weeks later JD is still taking his meds with a pudding cup. I only give him one large spoonful of pudding with ALL of the capsule mixed in so I know it has to be really bitter - but he does GREAT! You'd think he was just eating regular pudding! We are blessed! Knowing that we have at least 12 weeks with these meds it makes it so much easier knowing that he takes it so easily.
Also, on our blessing list - GOD has been greatly meeting our financial needs. We received an encouraging card with a chack in it from a friend of ours that used to work with Jeremiah's mom. GOD laid it on their hearts to help us out. It was such an encouragement to know that GOD was watching out for us! Then on March 21 we noticed an announcement in our church bulletin - on March 28 our church would be taking an offering for us as an expression of their love and support for us. We were dumbfounded! I was beyond speechless - I was in awe! Now, let me tell you, it doesn't matter how badly we are hurting I really have trouble taking anything from anybody. I don't know if it's pride or what but I know there are other people who are worse off than we are and I would rather them have the blessing, ya know?! It is very hard for me to be the receiver - I want to be the GIVER! I didn't want people knowing just how bad it was for us, but...I wasn't in control - GOD was! When we saw the announcement in the bulletin I knew I had to just let go of it and allow GOD to work.
After the morning service Jay (Jeremiah's brother) was driving our truck and a lady made a U-Turn without yielding and well...let's just say the cars "made an impact" that day! :O) Our truck was totalled! That was NOT part of my plan either. Thankfully, Jay wasn't severely injured, just a bit sore. We were out a vehicle though. We are definitely a two car family but GOD again, chose to do things in a way we weren't understanding. Due to the economy finding a new vehicle has been very challenging. GOD is great though! It looks as if he may have provided a vehicle for us in a way we wouldn't have expected! (If it works out, I'll post details later!)
As we were dealing with all of this mess March 28 came around. This was the Sunday of our Love Offering. I felt so vulnerable that night. I felt as if everybody knew my business. They had been told about the medical situation and about how much we owed. It was hard for me to be that open with so many people, but I knew that GOD was using this situation for reasons unknown to me. The message that night seemed like it had my name all over it. It was so challenging I couldn't stand it! On Monday night Pastor came by the house to drop the check off. When we opened it I was stunned!!! Our church family had pulled together and paid over HALF of our medical bills. Jeremiah and I knew that whatever we received from that offering would help but had no idea how much it would be! GOD used the people of our church to bless us unimaginably!
We are still in the midst of the situation medically and financially but we are now facing it differently. We have seen GOD work time after time through this and are amazed at how HE keeps blessing us! When hard times come it's so easy to just "fall apart" and say "woe is me". It's easy to worry - I'm a pro at that! But I think GOD sometimes uses these hardships as ways to show Himself strong to us, and to others, so that one day, when a harder time comes, we can look back and say "If HE took care of me then, why wouldn't HE take care of me now?!" We are so blessed.
I had written a personal thank you note to our Pastor and church family, but I have to say again on here - Thank you for allowing GOD to use you to bless us! Also, to all that have joined this group and followed our story - thank you for your prayers. I believe we have been blessed because of your faithfulness to pray! There truly is power in prayer! I hope to post more soon!

In His Hands-
Jeremiah, Crista, & JD