Talking To My Weight Loss Counselor – God

This past December was full of stress, but none of it for the usual Christmas reasons. No, it’s been an eventful, stressed month with two hospital stays for my Dad and one lengthily veterinarian stay for our dog, Willow.

To begin with, my Dad had knee replacement surgery on Dec. 7. He’s 82 years old and lives by himself in a house on the bay. His house is up on pilings, so he has to go up a flight of stairs to get in his house and another flight of stairs up to his bedroom. My siblings and I decided he should come to my house for his recuperation. My house is build on a slab without stairs and I’m retired. All my other siblings still work, so it was an easy decision that Dad should come to my house.

Then he developed cellulitis in his leg and had to go back in the hospital for antibiotics by I.V.  The doctor talked about another surgery to clean out the infection. We were praying not so.

Praise God, the antibiotics via IV worked. No additional surgery was needed. God answers prayer. Do y’all hear me? Yes, He answers prayers. Thank you Lord for healing my Dad.

STRESSED OVER DOGS – LOOK AT THAT SWEET FACE. WHO KNEW?

Willow, how could this sweet precious bite anyone? Even the vet didn’t understand why?

Meanwhile . . . during Dad’s stay in the hospital the first time, our little dog bit the gas meter man. What?. . .  This dog has been at our house for almost two years and he has never bit anyone. After all, does this face look like it would bite?

We had let his shots expire last March. Yep, I know. This was stupid on our part. Stupid, stupid, stupid. So first I visited Dad at the hospital after his knee surgery, then I had to take the dog, Willow, to be quarantined at the vet’s for 10 days. Learn from my example, keep up with your dog’s shots.

Goober, the big baby.

Guess the gas meter man is happy it wasn’t our big dog. He’s had his shots, but his bite might have been worse. Yep, he looks scary. Just looking at him is enough to make you stressed, but he acts like a big baby.

After Dad returned from the hospital the second time, he again returned to my house for recuperation. The next day I picked up the Willow from the vets. Praise God, Dad’s leg healed, but we found out the dog had hook worms and heart worms. Now I was stressed caring for two patients giving daily antibiotics to both.  And one of my patients could die due to my failure to provide preventive shots. Learn from my failure, keep up your dog’s shots.

In February, Willow has to go goes back to the vet and get heart shots to kill the heart worms. Then we’re supposed to keep him still for 30 days. I don’t know how we’re going to do that. He’s not supposed to get excited or stressed.

Then again in March, back to the vet for another shot treatment to kill heart worms and keep him still for another 30 days. Can you tell me how to keep a dog still? Because I have no idea. Learn from my example, keep up with your pet’s shots.

HANDLING CHRISTMAS

Then Christmas business everywhere, Christmas tree to decorate, shopping to do, Christmas cards to send, and the family gathering meal to cook for. (I make the official “Granny Crocker’s Dressing” for the all family gatherings.) Talk about being stressed.

Thank you Lord, for leading me to buy the grand-kids a present before Dad’s surgery. But then I wasn’t able to go shopping, so Hubby and I decide to give everyone money. It all worked out. Peace on Earth and goodwill to men. It turned out to be a calm, peaceful Christmas after all.

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. . . though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you love. . .   1 Peter 7-8

                 Be diligent to know the state of your flocks, and attend to your herds.                   Proverbs 27:23

A good man is concerned for the welfare of his animals. . . Proverbs 12:10