A Timely Word

Proverbs 15:20 states: "A man finds joy in giving an apt reply − and how good is a timely word!" That was never truer than last week for me.

While leaving after visiting my new grandson at Overland Park Regional Medical Center in K.C., my sister and I had difficulty with the scooter lift in my car. The boom came out of the car, went up and down just fine, but would not go back in.  That left the rear gate open and no way to shut the door. Finally, after multiple attempts, it began to go back inside, but required at least 5 incremental times pushing the "In" button.

Once my scooter was safely inside, that meant I wasn't going anywhere later because I could not risk having my scooter lift fail. Even if one of my sons could manually lift the scooter (assuming they were with me), there would be no way to shut the door. Long ago I lost the manual crank that takes forever to use.

When I called about parts and repair, I was quoted more than $500. Ouch! That's quite a chunk of change for most of us, and I had other things I'd rather spend it on. But then I remembered reading something from the latest book I'm editing. This was the timely word for me.

The author wrote a daily devotional based on Dave Ramsey's "Financial Peace University." It's unlike anything I've ever read before because it is a personal account of how she and her husband paid off more than $191,000 in unsecured debt in five years to become totally debt free. One of her devotions was about not freaking out about a large auto repair bill. She realized it was a blessing to have the money to do it. Voila − my apt word!

I have the money to make the repair; I just didn't want to spend that much, and having the resources to do it is a blessing I almost forgot. Usually, I'm a pretty grateful person who recognizes her many blessings, but I really needed that apt word. I couldn't wait to tell Lisa, the author, about the appropriateness of her words and thank God for the timing in reading them.

I really have everything I need, including money for repairs, and what could be a better blessing than that? Oh, and I'll also share the name of the book, to which I referred, when it is published because I can almost guarantee there is an apt word for everyone else too!

He's Here!

I first fell in love with Maddox when I learned of his existence and viewed his sonogram. And, of course, I think he is the cutest and most adorable grandchild ever to be born! I'd post pictures to prove it, but I am respecting his parents' wishes not to publicly splash his picture across the Internet!

Maddox was due on January 6, but finally made his appearance, after 3 futile attempts to induce labor, via an unplanned c-section yesterday morning (Sunday, January 14). The roads were not great into KC, and I slid through an intersection on a red light while all other cars were fortunately stopped waiting for the light to turn. (For the record, I was going very slow, but ice doesn't care.) I'm certain  the intersection was clear of vehicles because God listened to me praying the whole way there!

Maddox continues an uncanny occurrence in our family. There may be 365 days a year, but we seem to like duplicate birthdays. I have 2 nephews born on my paternal grandmother's birthday; a great-nephew born on my sister Lesta's birthday; my son Ryan was born on my sister Bette's birthday, another nephew was born on my paternal great-grandmother's (with whom I share my middle name) birthday; a niece was born on her paternal grandmother's birthday; and Maddox was born on my maternal grandmother's birthday. He missed my father's birthday by one day.

As you might imagine, Maddox is the screen saver on my Samsung tablet and I can't stop looking at him. At 8lbs, 12oz he can easily fill an entire page. He also very much resembles his father's baby pictures so that's another reason to love him even more!