This is me in April 2002.
Before April 22, 2002.
The morning of April 23rd, 2002 started like many of the mornings previous to it.
I’d slept poorly – sleep apnea will do that to you. So will sleeping sitting up in a recliner. But honestly, that’s the best way to at least attempt to sleep if laying down closes off your airway.
I hurt – an extra 235 pounds will do that to you. That added to degenerative joint disease and osteoporosis.
My blood sugars were way out of whack. I’d taken my meds faithfully – all five diabetes meds, and yet my fasting blood sugar was in the high 200s. Ugh.
I had a lot to do – I often felt like I had to do more than the average person. To prove my worth? That I could do as much – or more – than a normal sized person? I don’t know.
And as I sat at my desk I thought I’d get so much more done if I took the few minutes that would be required to clean it off and start with a tidy work area.
So I dug in.
Before long I came across a packet of information. Stuff I’d kind of pushed from the forefront of my mind. John and I had scrimped and saved to come up with an extra $100 to open a bank account. Our church had encouraged us to do so – so that if anyone wanted to help us out financially toward the seemingly impossible goal of paying for my weight loss surgery, that they’d be able to do so. We’d asked one of the elders from church to be an accountability person for that account – he’d agreed, and we’d given the church the information to access the account. That way, if someone wanted to remain anonymous, they could.
John and I figured that if we gave up things like extra trips to the grocery store, date nights, and cable, we could scrape together $100 a month to funnel into that surgery account. At that rate, well, we knew I’d be dead long before we had enough money.
I looked at that banking information and remembered that I was supposed to set up the online banking function, so that we would be able to monitor the account from home.
I got out the paperwork, followed the directions carefully, and set about setting up the online banking.
First, I was to dial the 800 number they provided. I was to enter an account number, answer a series of questions, and after several steps, I was told that I would be given the balance of my account. When I was done with that step – I read – I would then access the online component, download my account information – and if the balance matched – voila! I’d have done it correctly.
So I dialed.
I entered the account number.
I answered the series of questions.
And then an automated female voice said, “Your balance is $15,100.00.”
I froze.
My pulse accelerated.
I began to panic.
“OH NO!” I thought. “I’ve accessed someone else’s account! I’m going to go to jail!”
I quickly hung up the phone and tried to think what I should do.
I quickly dialed John’s number at work. I told him, “I think I’m going to jail. The FBI will be here in minutes, I’m sure!” Then went on to explain to him what had just happened.
Being the calm, logical, thinking person he is, he asked me to provide him with the appropriate information so that he could repeat the process. He told me to hang up the phone, and that he’d call me back in a few minutes.
I sat there shaking – sure I’d done something very, very bad.
Sure enough, John called back minutes later.
“I got the same balance.” He told me, and then went on to say, “So I pressed “0″ for operator, and spoke to a customer service representative. Yesterday afternoon, April 22, 2002, at about 4:15 pm someone deposited $15,000.00 in your surgery account.”
WOW.
Eight years ago today someone from my church – no, I don’t know who – went to my bank and deposited $15,000.00 in my surgery account.
Can you say miracle?
I can.
‘Cause you know – I was dying.
Just about the time someone was making that deposit in my surgery account, I was in an appointment with my primary care physician – who was telling me that if I didn’t have surgery SOON – like REAL SOON – I wouldn’t be alive to have surgery.
God is so amazing.
What a mind-blowing thing that someone would be so moved to obedience to God to do this incredible act of service and compassion.
Sorry – gotta say it again: WOW.
It still moves me to tears.
I hope it always will.
Thank you, Lord!
…and to that person out there who made that deposit – I don’t know words enough to adequately say how deeply you’ve blessed me. But please know that each day starts with a prayer for blessing on your life.
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