lifes lessons

Okay, here it is. The lessons I have learned in the most painful way these past two years. But before I can get to that, I must first let you all know how I was able to learn those lessons.
It all started in the summer of 2008...........
One day I was getting all the arrangements ready for our trip to Europe for a family wedding. I will preface this by saying that I was not at all excited about this 4 day wedding, but I was excited to travel to another country and see all the different ways people live.
Just one day before leaving, I began to have some fatigue and a bad cough. I finally reluctantly went to see the Dr. the day we were to leave. I was told it was nothing more than a cold, all my chest x-rays looked good they said, with the follow up of ; "except for the little spot on your lungs". "but everyone has those, I am sure you have nothing to worrie about, go and have fun".
If I only knew then what I know now!!!!!!!!!
With that little bit of info, i boarded the plane to England. I was feeling real crummy at this point, but armed with a load of medication, and the determination that I was going to have a fun time no matter what, I was off! The kids and Marc slept great on the plane, but I did not. No sooner did we arrive in paris, that I realized something was seriously wrong.
Why didn't I listen to that little voice in my head that was
screaming to me to not go on this trip?!
No matter the reason, and we will get into that on another day, I didn't listen, and now was paying the price! Long story short, not only did I miss the wedding and spend a night in a terrible hospital with horrible socialized medicine, we had to cut our trip short, and I ended up having oxygen on our flight home, and spent the night in ICU In phoenix. This was just the beginning, however, and over the course of the next 60 days of life threatening Valley Fever, and almost leaving this earth a couple of times, I eventually was able to begin my uphill recovery. So now, two years later, I am still doing every form of therapy I can to keep my body on the up hill swing toward full recovery.

In the Process of almost dying, I was given a new life

Let me say that one more time.......In the process of almost loosing my life, my family; God allowed me to return and be the wife and mother I needed to be. But returning was only a small piece of the pie. God also showed me what I was supposed to do to be the very best version of myself, my true self. And what a blessing this has been.

I hope that you will all allow me to share this with you, I hope you will all take a great learning moment from my pain, and therefore spare yourself the possibility of learning it the hard way......

Lesson 1 : Listen to the Spirit of God!
That small voice in my head and heart, the voice that begged me not to go, was the voice of God. One thing I learned and continue to learn, is that God loves us each individually, he knows us individually and knows what we need. And if we want him to speak to us, he will; but then we must listen. I have been so careful to listen to every little tiny prompting of the spirit since that dreadful day 2 years ago.
so, as you go about your day today, listen to that small quiet voice prompting you to "drive a different direction" or "go check on the kids" or "send a note to grandma". I promise you this, by listening, you will never have to ask yourself the question "what if......."