Real Stories. Real Advice. Real Moms.
Which Side of the Coin? by Guest Blogger Ray Simmons
This is the fifth Tuesday of the month--Guest Blogger Day. Please join me in welcoming Ray Simmons. Ray resides in the Atlanta area with his wife, author Cynthia L. Simmons. He holds a BBA in business with an emphasis in accounting from University of GA and works as Chief Financial Officer for SEI/Aarons. At Grace Community Church he serves as both elder and Bible teacher. He writes poetry and studies Hebrew, Greek, and philosophy. He and Cynthia have five children. Together, Ray and Cynthia offer a weekly tea party for friends or acquaintances who have questions in apologetics, philosophy, Scripture, or politics. In February of 2008 Ray was diagnosed with encephalitis. As a result of the infection he has experienced significant brain damage. While he still recovers from the impact of his illness, doctors are amazed at his recovery.
Ray admits his life has changed. But in this letter to the Elders of his church, Ray shares the joy of knowing God has blessed him, even through this trial. We could all learn a lesson from Ray.
~~~~~
Greetings in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
My life has changed.
A small example: I could not go to a newly married friend's party today. He, and later, his fiancé attended our tea party several Tuesday nights. They made themselves well known and cared for by our family and friends. But instead of going to his party, I must rest on Saturdays so I can teach at church on Sundays; rest Sunday afternoon and evening, so I can work the following week.
The blame for this is the 1 in 500,000 chance that a common virus, infecting millions of people in our country, would attack my brain. The attack triggered a fever, which would take a doctor 6 days to diagnose (only after a Grande mal seixure) and treat with the anti-viral drug, acyclovir. If a herpes simplex virus-1 brain-attack victim is not treated with acyclovir within four days of viral fever, their death or severe physical or mental disability is likely.
Though my brain damage, over 4cm by over 3cm in size in the left temporal lobe, with thousands of neurons destroyed, was consistent with the 6 days, the effective damage to my abilities was a miracle. The virus apparently picked the neurons that would have the least possible effect on me; a circumstance that can be called nothing but a miracle.
So, how should a person feel who was the one attacked in a life time when 499,999 people are not, and yet survived better than 99% of those who were also attacked? I can tell you that I felt singled out for attack...and miraculously prevented from nearly all possible injury.
When I look at the first side of the coin, I see an effect that was not caused by any choice that I made, nor any choice of any other human being on the face of the earth. It was a result of Adam's sin and the corruption of the world sin caused in general. I can not blame myself nor anyone I know. The only one left to blame is God who chose to allow it to happen to his servant, Ray. Why would He choose me? I see in myself disappointment and doubt.
I have to turn the coin over to look at the "other" side. When I look at it, I am full of thankfulness and faith. Who could have prevented my death or disability but God in his mercy? Who could have found reason to limit the damage but a God of grace? Who could have placed the damage of the brain at the exact point that would cause the least impact? If the damage had been 1cm to the right, left, up, or down, the impact would have been exponentially worse, from death to total disability. Who could have guided the virus to that exact spot? God Alone, Praise Be His Name!
With which side of that coin within my gaze should I now choose to live my life? By the Love of God, by the Father's Grace, by Christ's Redemption and Forgiveness, by the Holy Spirit's Power and Groaning, I choose the "other" side. If I had been disabled or killed, there still would be an "other" side. But my "other" side is wonderful right now.
So what results are coming out of this pain to me, my family, my friends, and my work?
People at Church say that I am much more passionate and persuasive in my teaching of God's word than I was.
People at Work say that I am more emotional in my interactions with bankers and auditors resulting in more respect and much better negotiating results than before.
At Home my wife sees a Husband who comes home from work exhausted with little left for her. Yet she gives me patience and support that is inexplicable apartraysimmonsphoto1 from God's grace and love in her. She has been the most wonderful wife I could imagine in such a circumstance. My children have seen both sides of the coin and have considered. They too continue to love me with miraculous love.
People at Tea Party see arguments for God's existence and way unchanged, unconditional love for them, and a miraculous ability to stay alert until past 11:00 in the evening.
So is it "good - on balance"? God never promised that it would be "good - on balance" over a year-and-a-half time period. Romans 8:28-30 says, "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified." I know that I, my soul, will be in a glorified, eternal body after the resurrection; that I will be with my family, my church, and my friends that are fellow believers in Christ, also clothed in their resurrection bodies; that I will experience no pain, disappointment, or death; that, above all, I will stand in the holy, glorious presence of the Most High God clothed in the righteousness of Christ, and filled with the Holy Spirit and fully experience the pleasure of Abba! Father!
For Him,
Ray
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The winner of Kathi Macias' book is...
Cherise Bopape! Congratulations, Cherise! Just send me your mailing address and Kathi's book, My Son, John, will be in the mail to you!
Thank you all for your kind comments and encouraging words for Kathi and me. They brightened our days this week! And if you'd like your own copy of Kathi's new book, My Son, John, or her book on writing, The Train-0f-Thought Writing Method, just click on the links!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And Here's Winner Number Two!!!
Ann Wayne is the winner of the FREE copy of Opportunities for Christian Writers, the first audio offering in my new Writer's Workshop. When I notified Ann that she'd won the prize, she said she was listening to the download at that very moment...while sewing curtains...as her grandson slept! Now, how's that for taking classes without leaving home??
It's easy to have your own writer's workshop. Simply download the teaching, along with the handout (which includes the resources) and listen at your convenience. Follow the suggestions and you could be on your way to seeing your name in print!
More classes coming soon!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Upcoming October events in your area...
* Southern Christian Women's Conference, October 10, Plymouth, NC. Want to spend the day with southern sisters, laughing and celebrating the Lord? Then you won't want to miss this fun event! I'll be joining Deborah Dunn, author of Stupid About Men, and Julie Morris, author of Guided by Him weight loss program. And don't worry if you weren't born in the south, after all, being a Southerner is really just a state of mind! ;-) But act fast--the deadline is October 5.
* LifeBridges Conference, October 23-24, Day 3 Church, Granite Falls, NC. I'll be joining Mrs. Rachel Lee Carter, Mrs. North Carolina for a life-changing weekend. Only $20 for the entire event! I'd love to see you there! (When you visit the site, I'm the one WITHOUT the crown...) ;-)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Music to work, rest, or worship by...
If you haven't already, I hope you'll check out Soaking.Net. It is some of the most beautiful, inspiring, peaceful music I've ever heard. I turn it on every time I work at my computer or in my office (For your convenience, I always have a direct link on the right side of my Home Page). Just hearing the first notes of the first song calms my spirit and gets me focused on the task at hand, whether it's work, rest, or worship. You can even open it and leave it running, regardless of what you're doing. I set mine to continually repeat the entire cycle, allowing it to run in the background of my mind and my hearing all day long. Thank you to Andre Lefebvre for allowing me to link my site to his beautiful music. What a blessing!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Do you get weary? Tired of the demands on your life? Tired of the hardships, the struggles of living and working in a fallen world? I know I sometimes do. But it's at those times that God often sends encouragement and help in the form of a friend. He did that for Paul, too.
When we came into Macedonia, this body of ours had no rest, but we were harassed at every turn--conflicts on the outside, fears within. But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus. 2 Corinthians 7:5-6
If you're weary this week, I ask the Father to send a Titus to comfort, encourage, and help you. And if you're not weary, I hope you'll look for an opportunity to be a Titus to someone else. We need each other.
I pray God's blessing on the work of your hands and your hearts,
Vonda
Ray admits his life has changed. But in this letter to the Elders of his church, Ray shares the joy of knowing God has blessed him, even through this trial. We could all learn a lesson from Ray.
~~~~~
Greetings in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
My life has changed.
A small example: I could not go to a newly married friend's party today. He, and later, his fiancé attended our tea party several Tuesday nights. They made themselves well known and cared for by our family and friends. But instead of going to his party, I must rest on Saturdays so I can teach at church on Sundays; rest Sunday afternoon and evening, so I can work the following week.
The blame for this is the 1 in 500,000 chance that a common virus, infecting millions of people in our country, would attack my brain. The attack triggered a fever, which would take a doctor 6 days to diagnose (only after a Grande mal seixure) and treat with the anti-viral drug, acyclovir. If a herpes simplex virus-1 brain-attack victim is not treated with acyclovir within four days of viral fever, their death or severe physical or mental disability is likely.
Though my brain damage, over 4cm by over 3cm in size in the left temporal lobe, with thousands of neurons destroyed, was consistent with the 6 days, the effective damage to my abilities was a miracle. The virus apparently picked the neurons that would have the least possible effect on me; a circumstance that can be called nothing but a miracle.
So, how should a person feel who was the one attacked in a life time when 499,999 people are not, and yet survived better than 99% of those who were also attacked? I can tell you that I felt singled out for attack...and miraculously prevented from nearly all possible injury.
When I look at the first side of the coin, I see an effect that was not caused by any choice that I made, nor any choice of any other human being on the face of the earth. It was a result of Adam's sin and the corruption of the world sin caused in general. I can not blame myself nor anyone I know. The only one left to blame is God who chose to allow it to happen to his servant, Ray. Why would He choose me? I see in myself disappointment and doubt.
I have to turn the coin over to look at the "other" side. When I look at it, I am full of thankfulness and faith. Who could have prevented my death or disability but God in his mercy? Who could have found reason to limit the damage but a God of grace? Who could have placed the damage of the brain at the exact point that would cause the least impact? If the damage had been 1cm to the right, left, up, or down, the impact would have been exponentially worse, from death to total disability. Who could have guided the virus to that exact spot? God Alone, Praise Be His Name!
With which side of that coin within my gaze should I now choose to live my life? By the Love of God, by the Father's Grace, by Christ's Redemption and Forgiveness, by the Holy Spirit's Power and Groaning, I choose the "other" side. If I had been disabled or killed, there still would be an "other" side. But my "other" side is wonderful right now.
So what results are coming out of this pain to me, my family, my friends, and my work?
People at Church say that I am much more passionate and persuasive in my teaching of God's word than I was.
People at Work say that I am more emotional in my interactions with bankers and auditors resulting in more respect and much better negotiating results than before.
At Home my wife sees a Husband who comes home from work exhausted with little left for her. Yet she gives me patience and support that is inexplicable apartraysimmonsphoto1 from God's grace and love in her. She has been the most wonderful wife I could imagine in such a circumstance. My children have seen both sides of the coin and have considered. They too continue to love me with miraculous love.
People at Tea Party see arguments for God's existence and way unchanged, unconditional love for them, and a miraculous ability to stay alert until past 11:00 in the evening.
So is it "good - on balance"? God never promised that it would be "good - on balance" over a year-and-a-half time period. Romans 8:28-30 says, "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified." I know that I, my soul, will be in a glorified, eternal body after the resurrection; that I will be with my family, my church, and my friends that are fellow believers in Christ, also clothed in their resurrection bodies; that I will experience no pain, disappointment, or death; that, above all, I will stand in the holy, glorious presence of the Most High God clothed in the righteousness of Christ, and filled with the Holy Spirit and fully experience the pleasure of Abba! Father!
For Him,
Ray
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The winner of Kathi Macias' book is...
Cherise Bopape! Congratulations, Cherise! Just send me your mailing address and Kathi's book, My Son, John, will be in the mail to you!
Thank you all for your kind comments and encouraging words for Kathi and me. They brightened our days this week! And if you'd like your own copy of Kathi's new book, My Son, John, or her book on writing, The Train-0f-Thought Writing Method, just click on the links!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And Here's Winner Number Two!!!
Ann Wayne is the winner of the FREE copy of Opportunities for Christian Writers, the first audio offering in my new Writer's Workshop. When I notified Ann that she'd won the prize, she said she was listening to the download at that very moment...while sewing curtains...as her grandson slept! Now, how's that for taking classes without leaving home??
It's easy to have your own writer's workshop. Simply download the teaching, along with the handout (which includes the resources) and listen at your convenience. Follow the suggestions and you could be on your way to seeing your name in print!
More classes coming soon!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Upcoming October events in your area...
* Southern Christian Women's Conference, October 10, Plymouth, NC. Want to spend the day with southern sisters, laughing and celebrating the Lord? Then you won't want to miss this fun event! I'll be joining Deborah Dunn, author of Stupid About Men, and Julie Morris, author of Guided by Him weight loss program. And don't worry if you weren't born in the south, after all, being a Southerner is really just a state of mind! ;-) But act fast--the deadline is October 5.
* LifeBridges Conference, October 23-24, Day 3 Church, Granite Falls, NC. I'll be joining Mrs. Rachel Lee Carter, Mrs. North Carolina for a life-changing weekend. Only $20 for the entire event! I'd love to see you there! (When you visit the site, I'm the one WITHOUT the crown...) ;-)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Music to work, rest, or worship by...
If you haven't already, I hope you'll check out Soaking.Net. It is some of the most beautiful, inspiring, peaceful music I've ever heard. I turn it on every time I work at my computer or in my office (For your convenience, I always have a direct link on the right side of my Home Page). Just hearing the first notes of the first song calms my spirit and gets me focused on the task at hand, whether it's work, rest, or worship. You can even open it and leave it running, regardless of what you're doing. I set mine to continually repeat the entire cycle, allowing it to run in the background of my mind and my hearing all day long. Thank you to Andre Lefebvre for allowing me to link my site to his beautiful music. What a blessing!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Do you get weary? Tired of the demands on your life? Tired of the hardships, the struggles of living and working in a fallen world? I know I sometimes do. But it's at those times that God often sends encouragement and help in the form of a friend. He did that for Paul, too.
When we came into Macedonia, this body of ours had no rest, but we were harassed at every turn--conflicts on the outside, fears within. But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus. 2 Corinthians 7:5-6
If you're weary this week, I ask the Father to send a Titus to comfort, encourage, and help you. And if you're not weary, I hope you'll look for an opportunity to be a Titus to someone else. We need each other.
I pray God's blessing on the work of your hands and your hearts,
Vonda
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