REAL Love

I have some updates for you all.  The Amish ladies came to help me can the 350 pounds of meat yesterday.  They knew that I could not do this even with my children’s help.  That is what real love is and how community works.  We lay down our own plans, our own desires to help one that is in need.  I didn’t even have to ask.  They just did what they would want done to them, that is real brotherly love.  The Amish farmer, Harry came her one frigid evening to gut and skin out this cow for us (not our cow, a cow that was given to us from a neighboring farm-a cow with broken legs).  But what I did not realize, it was Harry’s birthday that frigid evening.  His wife usually always makes homemade pizza and ice cream for him.  I didn’t know this, I did not know what he was sacrificing.  He left his birthday party for gutting out a big, fat cow in the freezing windy night.  I send out a plate of food for him, but he would not stop to eat, the work was more demanding.  Finally, he felt hungry and grabbed for his cold plate of food.  Then after two hours of gutting, he was too tired to spend time with his family.  He ate a bowl of ice cream and went to bed.  Next day he and his 13 kids started cutting the meat off the bone.  This took about 6 more hours.  We showed up yesterday, me in my walker, my four little ones, and my mother in law.  She is not a morning person, but she sacrificed her resting to take us up to the Amish to help what we could. She wanted our family to be blessed with all this wonderful meat.  I was able to make the lunch meal.  I wanted to do something, I felt so horrible.  So unworthy.  I wished I could have been there earlier to cut up meat, but since I can’t drive, I have to wait until I have a ride.  You have no idea how inconvenient it can be, how frustrating it is when you want to help, but can’t.  I just prayed for a miracle, a ride.  God provided that.  He provided every detail.  I was able to feel better about making a meal at least.  I made my mexican casserole, because it is so delicious and easy to put together.  

Then yesterday Harry’s wife, daughter, and his mother came for the day to help can all the meat.  They didn’t even wait for me to ask.  That is real love, real community.  They have so many other things that they could have done, but they sacrificed everything yesterday to help a sister in need.  They fished all my canning supplies out of my basement to start off the day.  I can no longer get down there either.  My husband gave me strict orders never to try to go down there.  It is almost like a ladder to the basement.  They washed all the cans, they dug their hands into the ice cold meat for hours on end to stuff each and every jar.  I sat at the table and did what I could.  I was able to roll some meatballs and layer them into my 9×13 pans.  They did all the lifting and walking around.  It was so sacrificial for them to be in MY kitchen all day, working so tirelessly.  Then I said “I am just so humbled by your great help”  Edna May said “When my children were small, I needed much help and the Lord provided that help.  It is not always the same people that have helped you that you will one day help.  You help when you can and who you can- that is how to love your neighbor as yourself”  Talk about crying tears of joy.  Our God wishes for the church to be this way.  To love this way.  In our high tech society, we have lost touch with our real calling.  The calling of loving our neighbors the way we should.  

Now I will share with you another example of REAL LOVE…

Now that my RSD is getting worse, I have to try to save up to get another stem cell (my own cells) treatment in Mexico.  It costs over $3000 but the Lord can make a way again for me to go.  I went two other times.  I was supposed to go last fall again but did not have the money.  If you did not know, I have had severe nerve damage to my sciatic nerve two years ago this week.  While having a routine bladder lift surgery and hysterectomy, the doc stitched through my sciatic nerve causing over 600 mm of nerve damage.  I was paralyzed from my right knee down (drop foot).  I was in a hospital bed taking 35 pills a day for 3 months, wheel chair for 6 months after that.  The pain was worse than horrible.  The suffering was constant day and night, no sleep, lots of vomiting from the drugs.  Depression, anxiety.  It was so horrible.  I was so lonely and scared and it the kind of pain that you feel like after you dip your finger in burning oil but can’t take it out for 9 months.  Went to Mexico for the first treatment and I felt almost pain free for about 3 months, which was like a great awakening.  I felt so free.  I felt alive again.  After a few months I started to get pain and problems again so I went in February a year ago.  Debi Pearl, with No Greater Joy Ministries, took me that time and took care of me.  She wheeled me around or held my arm to walk about.  Then I was doing pretty good for another few months after that, until last summer.  I ended up getting much worse again.  And now I am using a walker again.  The disease gets progressively worse as time goes on.  It is like MS.  It affects lots of nerves, and causes pain, neuropathy, and lots of painful muscle and nerve spasms.  This past week was really hard, so my husband said if he has to work all day and all night and never sleep, he will do that to provide the money to pay for my next treatment.  If I am his help meet, I am not helpful until I can help.

My husband is so loving.  That is real love, when a man is willing to lay his life on the line for his wife.  I am so humbled by my husband’s sacrifice.  It is hard for me to ask for help.  I love to be the helper, the giver, and the strong one.  In my weakness, God is showing me His mighty strength.  I am overwhelmed with gratitude.  I actually never feel like I deserve anything.  I feel my life is not my own, that it is by the grace of God that I am still alive yet to proclaim His glory.  He paid the ultimate price, that is REAL LOVE.  I hope that by these examples of REAL LOVE, that each of you can find someone out there to minister to, to give the sacrifice of service for, even if it is your own family at home.  Love one another as you have been loved.  Remember God does not dominate us, He LOVES us.  He lovingly leads us into truth, and lovingly keeps us on the right path.  To Him be all Glory!!! 


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1 thought on “REAL Love”

  1. slowly, slowly, slowly
    patiently, patiently, patiently
    joyfully, joyfully, joyfully!!!!! —
    in Jesus the Messiah, He is Faithful and True….
    email me if able.

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