Stress TEST

Heart trouble runs in my family. Dad had a heart attack a few years ago. My oldest sister, Kathy, passed away at 49 of a heart attack. Momma has congestive heart failure and a leaky heart valve. I have had an arrhythmia for years along with a leaky valve and high cholesterol.

That being said, you'd think I'd exercise all the time, watch what I eat and be the picture of health. But I'm not. It's REALLY hard to eat healthy all the time. 😏

So, I had a stress test a few years back and passed with flying colors. But the test itself was difficult. By the time I finished, I was sweating, exhausted and ready to go home. No fun at all.

The funny part of this story is not about my heart but about how I think. (Tee Hee) I saw this post on Facebook from one of my friends and instead of thinking of the traditional stress test like the one I had for my heart, I thought she was stressed out that afternoon and being tested.

I said a quick prayer for her once I realized what she meant but had to laugh at myself. I'm such a goofball. 😁

But her post did get me to thinking about how God gives us 'stress tests' to get our attention or show us an area in our life that needs work. It can come in the form of marital stress, work stress, financial stress, etc. Life can be very stressful.

When we are tested, it can seem that the test will never end. 

We become tired of the stress and completely exhausted but that's the exact place we need to be to see what the problem is. God is not in a hurry to make sure we get it right quickly but wants to make sure we understand what He wants us to learn.

Ironically, we get a stress test ordered by our heart doctor when we're having a heart issue so he can figure out what is going on with it.

When God orders the stress test He already knows what is wrong with our heart. The test isn't for Him to see what the problem is but it's for us to see. When we understand the issue, we can change it.

A man who endures trials is blessed, because when he passes the test he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him. James 1:12 (HCSB)

Doug and Frankie...

Doug Smith is one of Eddie's best friends. 

They met back in 1993 or so, not long after we moved to Tennessee.

Eddie worked at a brickyard and Doug went to work there, too. They became instant friends and both enjoyed music and fishing.  They soon discovered that the acoustics were great in a railroad boxcar which was one of the places they stowed away on breaks to sing a few songs.

Doug was single at this time and about ten years older than us. We were a young married couple with two small children. Doug moved from Louisiana while we moved from Missouri to Tennessee with music as the common denominator.

I wondered why Doug was single and would have fixed him up with someone if I'd known anyone available because he is a really nice, funny guy who can tell a story like NOBODY I've ever met in my life.  Not to mention, he is a talented singer/songwriter.

We got to know Doug better over the next few years but decided that we wanted to move back home to Missouri. I was homesick and music wasn't going much of anywhere so we sold our house and moved to our little hometown of Potosi, Missouri. We lived there for a couple of years and then packed back up and moved back to Tennessee. (Kinda crazy, I know.)

During the time we were away in Missouri, we discovered that Doug had gotten married. I was shocked by this news. I didn't realize he had a girlfriend! But he did and her name is Frankie.

Here is where I have to make a confession. I'd never met Frankie and I have a vivid imagination. (That's why I like to write fiction...) So I imagined her completely different from who she actually is. I guess there's a jaded part of me who thinks that a middle aged man (almost) would choose someone much younger than him. Would choose a completely different type of person than the person he actually chose to marry - Frankie.

So, when we finally got to meet her, I adored her. She is one of the sweetest, kindest, most gentle spirits I've met in this life so far.

They have become dear friends to us over these past twenty years or so. Always there when needed. When we went through the worst year of our marriage, they were there for us to lean on. Helping out in a way that was desperately needed at the time. 

From fishing trips gone awry to Thanksgiving dinners together, BBQ's, horseback riding, putting up hay, etc... We couldn't ask for better friends then these two have been to our family. We don't have family here but this is about as close as it gets. 

Thank you, Doug and Frankie, for your friendship. It is truly a blessing. 

A friend loves at all times...Proverbs 17:17