A Dedication to My Big Bird

For those of you who don't know, I have a dear friend that I call Big Bird. This morning I read a story that she wrote about her trip to get her cast re-done. (She fell on the stairs a while back and broke her wrist.) As a little background, she is battling an illness that is affecting her heart and lungs, caused by damage from a prescription drug she was given many years ago. This is a progressive and dangerous illness, and she is in the process of getting on the list for a heart and lung trasplant, which is the only cure for her problem. She has handled this whole situation with her standard grace and joy and desire to give and give and give some more to others. She continues to reach out in incredible ways to friends, family, and total strangers daily. I just wanted to say here on my blog, for the record, how HONORED I am to be her friend. Here is her cast story, it will give you a taste of what she is like. Then I will put my response below.

HELLO! It's me.....L! I am going to do my best to type this out one handed! I am so glad to be back among the living..at least that's what it feels like! I left the house today long enough to get my hair cut and colored, finally. Thanks Quinn, it was long overdue and looks great! I will try and take a photo this weekend as it is much shorter and darker.Now enough of that. My fever finally broke Friday AM. I was beginning to think it was never going to happen. I honestly can't remember a time I have been so ill and felt so bad. C and A were amazing and took great care of me, as always. I am continuing to take it easy this weekend as I need to get out of this house and back to work!!!! I am sure all the guys are missing me!I will also try and get a photo on here of the new cast. When I went in on Thursday to get it changed there was a little girl there, about 3 yrs, getting casts put on her very turned in feet. I felt so bad for her mom, this little thing was so scared and could not understand what was happening. So I started talking to her, asked her name...Emily. I showed her my cast and told her it didn't hurt at all. I let her feel it, tap on it, and finally got her to stop crying some. I told her she could watch them take mine off first so she would know what was going to happen. How it didn't hurt and sort of tickled. I even told her that if she didn't cry I would let HER pick the color and we would both get the same color casts! WHAT WAS I thinking? I was thinking...this is a little girl..no problem, pink or purple! No problem! So off mine came and for Emily there were no tears in sight! Her Mom was looking at me with these most greatful eyes! And kept thanking me. I am thinking...it's just a pink cast right? WRONG! Apparently there is another stick with cast choices for kids! I am now sporting a cast that has little green teddy bears holding blue and red balloons!!! I suppose it is better than the camo but I am not sure! I stayed until Emily got hers on and she did great. Not a tear in sight! The tech guy thanked me as well and said they probably would have had to hold her down to put it on. :(The things I get myself into! So I hope little Emily does fine as I only have to wear this for a week or so.I hope everyone is tucked warm in there homes as it is miserable outside here. Cold and wet with snow on it's way. Hugs and lots of love to all. And thank you for the continued prayers, thoughts, and wonderful heartfelt support on here.Please keep the Joel Wagner family in your prayers this weekend as this little guy lost his battle yesterday and is not in pain anymore. God Keep Blessing all of them.

My Dearest Big Bird,
I am trying to write this to you without tears (of joy) but I may just end up with a wet keyboard. It is amazing, even astounding to me how every once in a while God gives us little glimpses into his bigger plan. Just little crumbs of the banqet he is preparing for us. He shows us just enough to help us know him better and trust him more. Now we see why you slipped and fell that morning! And here all the people who loved you were so upset wondering why such terrible things happen to such a tremendously good person. Now we can see that something was happening to a sweet innocent little girl and her family too, and they were wondering why. They were asking why God would allow something to be wrong with thier precious baby's feet that she would have to endure a frightening procedure that she was too young to understand, and why would she have to endure casts on both her feet and all the hassles that go along with it. Now we have a glimpse at part of the bigger picture. He was preparing for this moment ALL ALONG! He allowed Emily's problems, and your fall to happen so that he could bring you into each other's lives at a very precise moment and in a very precise set of circumstances so that he could teach his precious little Emily (and her Mommy, and you too, Lora) something about the nature and character of God, and the value of his true followers.
I know that you have walked through a LOT of fires in your life, L. And I know the one you are in the midst of now is the longest and hottest one yet. But you are being refined and beautified like no one else I have ever known. God is burning off the dross, the extra junk that is mixed in, and turning you into one of the purest souls on the planet. You are a tremendous instrument at work in the hands of an awesome God. I know you like to shrug off this high praise because it all feels so natural to you that you think it's no big deal. But that it feels so normal and natural to you to give away so much of your heart to so many strangers, just proves my point! I watch you, L, and I just sit back in amazement and wonder what He is going to do with you next, and I know that you are so tired and so spent, so when I see you find something else to give to someone else, I know that the extra is coming straight from Him through you. You are my living example of what it means when He says that "in our weakness He is stronger." I am genuinely honored to be one of the many many people that he has placed in your path. It is a gift just to know you. I love you with all my heart.
Now please excuse me while I go finish off a box of Kleenex! :)