Friday, May 10, 2013

Prayer Pocket

 
A Prayer Pocket For My Sweetie
 
Yesterday was a rough day as it was the five year
mark of my husbands stroke. He had a real down day
which is very rare, but after all this time he had
hoped he would be alot further in his recovery than
he is. He works so hard every single day doing rehab
things here at home, and also sees a trainer at the gym
who is studing to be a physical therapist. Until today he
had been going to a rehab center for the last eight weeks
but on our visit today, he was told he was done.
 
Medicare and his insurance won't cover it anymore
because he isn't improving enough for their standards.
He was crushed! Today was not the day he needed this
news! He is improving although it is slow, but it's also
encouraging. Through all this mess we have found
that insurance companies could care less about patients,
their care, or rehabilitation. Money is all they care
about, and they will find more ways to keep from
paying what you need your insurance for, and we have
been told....it's going to get worse. We have to pay huge
dollars for our insurance which isn't easy on SS and
disibility, and every time we turn around, they raise
our rates, and then find ways to cut our coverages.
 
His stroke was a really bad one...most people don't
even survive the type he had and most of the ones who
do have severe brain damage...he was so lucky on that
part. It did take everything on his right side, speech,
and his vision was a mess. His speech is pretty good and
improving all the time. His vision is better but still has
some issues which affect his balance. His right arm, hand,
and fingers still have very little use, along with his right
ankle, foot, and toes. He has to wear a brace on the leg
to protect the ankle from breaking, but with the brace he
is able to walk....not far or long, and sometimes really
unstable, but he isn't in that wheelchair constantly anymore!
 
Five years is a long time and seems forever when you
live each of those days, hours, and minutes, with it in
your face every breathing second. Life has totally changed
and all he wants is for his life to be as it was. Most of that
is being able to do what most of us take for granted. He
misses so much all the things he and I used to love doing
together and so do I. So today he was so disheartened
to realize he still has so far to go, and wondering will he
ever get better. He works so hard, stays so positive, but
today was just so tough and he was so down. I couldn't
blame him and it broke my heart watching him struggle
with it all today. So as I worked on some things I was
making for Mother's Day, I prayed and talked with God.
 
I remembered a prayer I came across a few days ago,
so I went to find it. I was making some Mother's Day
pockets for flowers, and thinking of that poem, I decided
to make my sweetie a prayer pocket to let him know I
love him and care, and try to get a smile on his face. It
is a lovely poem and I thought it's message was just right
for this day and him. I needed my spirit lifted too, and
creating helps me with that sometimes.
 
So this is how it came out....
 
 
I made the pocket out of burlap, added some vintage
lace, some frayed yarn, the prayer transfer, and a
strap for hanging. I put a mason jar inside and added
some sweet baby's breath. On the strap I stamped
pray, faith, believe, and love.
 
 
 
The prayer says:
 
Be Blessed
I said a prayer for you today, and know God must have heard.
I felt the answer in my heart although He spoke no word.
I didn't ask for wealth or fame, I knew you wouldn't mind.
I asked Him to send treasures of a far more lasting kind.
I asked that He be near you at the start of each new day,
to grant you health and blessings, and friends to share your way.
I asked for happiness for you in all things great and small,
But it was for His loving care, I prayed for most of all.
 
 
 
and it's now sitting on his bedside
table where he asked me to put it.
 
In his sweetness he said to me, "my first perfect thing in
the morning is seeing your face and kissing you good
morning. This prayer would be his second, and he could
sit and read my prayer for him every morning while he
did his regiment of morning stretches before he gets up for the
day." Isn't he just the sweetest guy ever....made my day to see
him finally smile. It also made my heart swell with even more
love for him because he always says the sweetest things to
me even when his heart is hurting. I'm so happy he is mine!
 
Being perfect in not important, but being loved is everything!

I found this free sweet poem image here at
Janet . K Design

This would make a nice and thoughtful gift for
someone you may know who needs prayer.
 
Thanks for sharing your time with me!
 
TaTa for Now!!!
 
Love, Hugs, and Blessings!
 
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10 comments:

  1. Debi, I had no idea you were going through this with your hubby! Oh goodness, I just can't think of anything except....This just sucks...It does. Your husband is to young to have a stroke and it is so not fair that you only get one life to live and his is so restricted, as is yours! How wonderful that he has a good disposition, a crabby butt would not help anyone. Insurance...OK here is my prayer... as much as I do not support the current administration I am hoping that come Jan.everyone will get affordable health care with no restriction for pre existing conditions. I know so many people that would like to retire or are in similar situations to your husbands, it would lift such a burden off you and many other people. OK, I am singing that Annie song to hubby...The Sun will come out tomorrow, so you got to hang on till tomorrow....

    XXOO Carol

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    1. Hi Carol....sorry so long to reply....Yes it does SUCK!!! Life has really changed and we both hate how we can't do so much of what we loved doing before his stroke, but he is a fighter and maybe one day life will be as it was. He is looking into doing the stem cell injection...pretty high results with that. We are so hopeful it will help him. I'm with you on that prayer and the comment! I told Jack when I first saw your post about you singing to him....he got a kick out of that and says thank you....and he says to tell you..."He's hanging on with all he has!" Thank you for the visit and comment...it's always always so nice to see you here!

      Love and hugs!
      Debi

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  2. What a sweet story. Thank you for sharing! Your prayer pocket is so pretty. Your husband sounds like a wonderful man. So sorry about his stroke. I will pray for you..and I hope insurance decides to do more to help him. It sounds like he is a fighter! Good for him :)

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    1. Thank you Sandy....he is a fighter and 99% of the time very positive and smiling, but there are those one days that just take him down like the 5th anniversary did. It breaks my heart because he works and tries so hard to get his body working normal. We pray constantly that one day God will give him the gift of total healing....but in the meantime he is just happy to be alive and I'm happy I still have him no matter what! Thanks for the visit and comment....it's lovely to see you again. Most of my connection to people and the world is here on this computer so I always appreciated people popping by for a visit.

      Have a wonderful weekend!

      Hugs
      Debi

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  3. Debi, Your prayer pocket is beautiful. I hope your hubby continues to improve. Take care...Connie

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    1. Thank you Connie....it made my honey smile so I'm glad I made it. Thank you for the visit and comment...always lovely to see you! :)

      Hugs!
      Debi

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  4. I love the fact that you found me and in turn I found a great blog and other sites. Then I see this prayer pocket and I have just been working on a prayer table runner. Momma and I just came up with the idea from a gift she received last time she was in the hospital. She received a prayer blanket. It was made by the little country catholic church ladies. It is a handmade quilt. While they sit and piece it together with each hand tied knot they say a prayer. Then when you are sick it is given to you so that you may cover yourself in prayer. I just loved the idea and had never heard of it before Momma was gifted hers.

    Well to circle back to the beginning I was taking an antique crocheted piece and thinking how could I upcycle it? I had seen some things that Anita Spero had done and was talking about her table runners and that is how Momma and I came up with out idea.

    Now I see yours, with a different way about it, with the same concept and got all excited. Great minds think alike!! I look forward to following everything you do.

    Cynthia
    Devine Salvage

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    Replies
    1. Hello and welcome Cynthia! Thank you for the follow and your comment. That prayer quilt story was beautiful....I would love to see it! Such a beautiful way to show lover and prayer for those who are sick. That is just very sweet. The prayer pocket idea came from when I was making some Mother's Day flower pockets....it was also the day of my hubbys fifth anniversary from his stroke. He was having such a bad day and was hurting so much, I decided to maker him a prayer pocket. I had seen this beautiful poem that was perfect for this day and I sat down creating it hoping to lift his spirit. I told him it held all the prayers I and others have for him and that he was certainly not alone in this....made him smile and feel better, so it was good. So happy to meet you and happy creating!

      Hugs!
      Debi

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  5. What a beautiful prayer bag. I love everything about it. I was also touched by your story as I am in similar circumstance. I try to bear in mind that God doesn't give us more than we can handle. Be blessed.

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    1. Hi Lisa! So nice to have your visit! Thank you for the compliment...I'm so sorry to hear you have this situation also....it can be so rough sometimes. I try to keep that in mind too, but there are days that I wonder what He thinks I am! I just want a break from stuff and live normal and just be happy. I'm sure you feel like that too some days....this isn't easy for hubby or me. Saying prayers for your situation and I hope total healing comes to your situation too!

      Gods Blessings to you also!

      Debi

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Thank you so much for the visit and your kind and lovely comments! Please come back and visit again! Have a blessed day!