but how do you know?

My daddy is having surgery right now. I wish I were there. We spent all weekend in Decatur. My dad, grandma and uncle have all been in the same hospital. I'm so thankful that everyone seems to be doing fairly well...except daddy. He's been in extreme pain all morning. But the doctors have said that after his surgery, he should be able to go home...today! After a week in the hospital, it will sure feel good to be home I'm sure.

It seems like when life gets hectic and hard, it all happens at once. My husband wasn't going to let me go to the hospital to see my dad because he was so afraid that it would bring back all the trauma from the last week of my grandpa's life. I was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress syndrom after that ordeal and although I believe I've mostly overcome it now, he was quite worried that it would all rush back seeing my dad in so much pain.

However, this time has been different. For several obvious reasons. My dad is going to be ok. Yeah, this is hard...and I suppose (God forbid) some horrible freak thing could happen. But as far as we know, he going to be fine. He'll go home, go back to work, and play with his grandson again. But the deeper reason is, I no longer doubt the awesome power and peace of God.

So many times people question (including myself a few years ago) how do you know that God is really there...and even if he is, hos do you know he cares? It's a tough question to answer, especially when you're going through hard times. But for me, I know because I've seen it. I've felt it. I just know. I have seen the amazing ways that God has used horrible circumstances in my life. I've seen the way I've been able to help friends in ways no one else could because of my own painful experiences. And I've seen the way that God has provided for me, surrounding me with amazing people at just the right times...my angels. I may not be able to "prove" God...but trust me, He's there, He's real, He cares...there's nothing that I know to be more true.