My Ebenezer

“Samuel took a stone and…named it Ebenezer, saying ‘Thus far has the Lord helped us.’” 1 Samuel 7:12

Yes, this is a coffee pot (not a stone) but a reminder nonetheless of the great faithfulness of our God. Shall I start from the beginning?

Some of you know about the health issues that have plagued James over the past few years. If not, lets recap: going on almost 6 years now James has had headaches and not just occasionally or often , but always. Everyday, all the time, terrible bad headaches. Years, literally, of going to see all kinds of doctors, getting tests run, drug after drug, led to not much information except that he had headaches and not much helped but hardcore, intense pain meds which still didn't eliminate the pain, just lessened it. He would go through times where he just decided that was going to be the norm and nothing was going to help. Frustrated and clearly in pain, it effected all areas of his life. I am not going to lie, I had a hard time dealing with it all as well, going from feeling sorry for him, wishing to do something to help to feeling sorry for me that I didn't have help around the house, or with Amelia, or a husband who wanted to hang out and have fun. Oh how I feel terrible for those selfish thoughts.

Finally, we both decided to get serious about figuring this all out. And James returned to his Doctor. What a blessing he has been with fresh ideas one after another. But more drugs, more tests, more guesses: we tried ADD meds, a gluten free diet, nerve blocking injections, just to name a few. And then! After years and years of prayer, tears, confusion, anger, and still more prayers, The doctor stumbled upon it while performing yet another test. Heighten pressure in his spinal fluid... his brain is reacting as if he has a tumor, but he doesn't or, technically speaking, pseudotumor cerebri, which is most common in young, pregnant, overweight, women. Doesn't really scream James, does it?

There is an easy fix. What? After all of this time, an easy fix? A pill. Yes, more drugs. After some time it will help decrease the pressure helping his headaches. WOW. Oh, and the coffee pot? These new pills make pop taste horrible, his preferred drink of choice. Supposedly, it tastes metallic and flat. Blah! So, the former coffee hater has tried several different methods of the coffee drink, cream, black ... creamer. Now though, the man drinks a giant cup in the morning and always makes a pot at night. He's hooked. And I am thrilled I have a friend now to sip coffee with or stop in at Starbucks but more so than that... I am thankful for what the coffee pot means.

Every morning it is a reminder. The Lord is with us and His grace covers us. I don't know why it has 5+years for this to be figured out, maybe to teach me a lesson in what a godly wife should look like, maybe a lesson in prayer, or maybe so God could show up a in very big way. They don't really know what caused the high pressure ... no other weird issues or underlying causes. Praise God.

He still is not completely headache free, not yet, but they have been increasingly better with a bad day here and there. But it's working. And whether it takes one more week or more years to clear it all up, God has it. He's got it. And every morning I have a constant reminder of His sovereignty.

Come, Thou fount of every blessing,

Tune my heart to sing Thy grace;

Streams of mercy, never ceasing,

Call for songs of loudest praise.

While the hope of endless glory

Fills my heart with joy and love,

Teach me ever to adore Thee;

May I still Thy goodness prove.

Here I raise my Ebenezer,

Hither by Thy help I’ve come;

And I hope, by Thy good pleasure,

Safely to arrive at home.

Jesus sought me when a stranger,

Wandering from the fold of God;

He, to rescue me from danger,

Interposed His precious blood.