Still jobless, now toothless, gonna be shoulderless. I am getting discouraged because God has still not yet brought a job my way. I am somewhat reluctant to do a full-on national search, as we would still like to stay here if God wills.
Went to the dentist a few weeks ago for a regular cleaning. I had a cracked/shipped molar and had to get it drilled out and had a crown put on. Been in pain ever since. Cant’s use the right side of my mouth to chew. Have swelling and pain under my chin. Suspecting it might be from an infection in my tooth, I went back to the dentist today. Have to get a root canal tomorrow am. Dentist isn’t sure if my lymph swelling is from tooth problem or not. But, I started antibiotics anyway.
Been seeing an ortho doc as well for a painful shoulder. Getting an MRI Wednesday, and the suspected prognosis might lead to shoulder surgery (on my good shoulder). If so, I will have two bad shoulders (the other one occurring when I was run over by a taxi in 2001).
So glad that the consoler (the Holy Spirit) gives me consolation (Christ). I need three doses of consolation right now.
{ 15 comments… read them below or add one }
Oh Uncle David! A triple-whammy! I will be praying for you.
I will continue to pray for you.
🙁 🙁 🙁
so sorry to hear all the struggles – but boy, can I empathize. We pray for you as a family regularly – and will continue to do so
I just did and I will be praying for you, Uncle David!
Still praying
I will pray for you!
Reminds me of II Cor. 4:8-10:
“We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the bod the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies.”
A few verses later it says,
“So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison…”
Thankfully, as Christians we never have to be hopeless, no matter what else we lose; but I will definitely be praying for your job and physical problems.
Uncle David, I’ll be praying for you guys as you face these trials. Reminds me a bit of the book of Job.
Praying for the A-Waldeckers, too!
We’ll be praying for you as a family too, David.
How discouraging. We will pray that you will get a job in Nashville, that the pain and infection will be treated properly and quickly and that your shoulder can be treated without surgery.
Acts 17:26 is a source of comfort to me. In this verse Paul has a nice way of stating we are exactly in the place and circumstance God’s providence and sovereignty wants us, for the purpose we may seek Him. God was behind your move back to Nashville. He was behind the job offer that moved you from NC to TN. He will continue to be with you as you wait on Him. In Psalm 18:6 the psalmist testified that ‘when he called out to God for help, God heard his call.’ We can be confident God knows and cares for us. Things have been a bit trying around here too. Last Thursday our washer died, probably ending its service. Saturday to Sunday I worked 24 hours straight through our snow storm and extended power outage. When I got home I found out our base station computer didn’t survive the power outage. And this morning in order to avoid a head on collision I was forced off the road narrowly missing a tree and running over a traffic sign. Our faithful Taurus lives on but needs a new headlight and bumper. My experience has made me think, despite my trials, God is not calling me home yet. He wants me to continue to trust in His Grace. He will see us through. He has promised never to leave us. His is our God and we are his people. Sharon and I will keep you in our prayers. I want to confess that in most of my Christian life there have only been a few times I engaged in ‘earnest or fervent prayer’. I’m beginning to see a need for this in my life. James tells us (James 5:17) Elijah was a man just like us, but he prayed fervently and it did not rain for three years and six months. Since we have the righteousness of Christ, our prayers have great power (Jas 5:16).
Woody
Thanks everyone. I really appreciate your prayers. Root canal went well, I guess. Have some pain related to all the drilling. Antibiotics seem to be helping the swelling. I have my shoulder MRI tomorrow. Most importantly, I have an interview here in Nashville on Thursday at 11:30 am. I would really appreciate your prayers for the interview; that it might go well and that God might give me this job so that we wouldn’t have to move again.
I appreciate the scripture you all are sharing with me. It is a great source of comfort and hope. I have been reading a devotional that has spoken to my situation in many ways, which has also been a source of comfort of joy.
Woody, I am sorry about your series of unfortunate events. Alan, I continue to lift you guys up as you seek better employment.
Praying! 🙂 🙂 🙂
Thanks for alerting me to look on the meeting place. Usually a note appears in GMail to let me know something new has been placed there. We will certainly be praying for you “less condition.” The job in Nashville sounds god. Dad