Ignored

In the midst of my recovery, I have been everything but ignored by people. Upon my arrival home, my parents moved me into our sunroom that had been transformed into a wheel chair friendly bedroom for me by some sweet women from church. Also since my wreck I have received more emails, cards, text messages, and phone calls than I can even count. Now when you think of these instances, the word ignored probably doesn't come to your mind. Since my wreck I would say I have been everything but ignored by the people in my life. People have been so great to let me know they are praying for me, thinking of me, and that they love me. The word ignored just doesn't quite come to mind during this season of my life. Well, you just haven't met my dog yet...

For those of you that know my dog, Cinnamon, you might know where I'm going with this. First let me introduce Cinnamon to you. She's my 11 year old weenie dog that thinks she's something special. In her old age she's starting to smell like an old dog (I'll let you imagine what all that entails). She also has her own schedule, and if someone messes it up, she'll let you know she's irritated. I begged for her when I was in 7th grade. Considering that in the Blocker household pets do not belong inside, she is quite the anomaly as our inside dog of 11 blissful years.

Ever since I arrived home that early Saturday (the 12th) morning after our 18 hour drive, my dog has completely ignored me. Considering that the dog's only interests are sleeping, fuzzy blankets, and food I'm not that surprised, but come on! She didn't really know what to think about the wheel chair or about me taking over the sunroom. The sunroom is, as part of her schedule, her door to the outside where she lays on the deck. In the midst of this confusion she did, however, know what plan of action she was going to take towards me. Her plan of action was plain and simple; it was to ignore me. It's amazing how she'll see me coming in my wheel chair, and she refuses to move out of my way. It's like I'm playing the game chicken with my dog! You know, the game where two people moving towards each other keep going until one person "chickens out" and moves, so they don't collide. Well if we were playing this game we would collide with one another. This scenario, I must share, is exactly what happened yesterday. My mom was pushing me in the wheel chair, the dog was sitting in the middle of the rug in our living room, and her little foot got ran over. All I can say is that now she can't afford to ignore the wheel chair; she moves when she sees it coming.

Now, I've had this dog now for 11 years. We've been through ups and downs, and we've been through my awkward junior high years and even my recent days of gaining employment. We've been through those horrible times of the doggy potty training years, and of course the times when the dog just gets sick and throws up somewhere. Through these instances I'm the one that would get in trouble, not the dog! You would think our history would be enough for her to pity me, but it's not. She just ignores me in every way she can (except when the wheel chair is moving). It's unbelievable that I've been prayed for by strangers, but my own dog could care less about my health status!

Despite the lack of care by my dog, I continue to be overwhelmed by the prayers and encouragement of everyone. One thing that I have forgotten to share is about my employment. I am blessed beyond anything that I am still employed by the IMB, and I'll still get to go to Spain. Please pray for healing by March 8-11. These are the dates that I need to go back and finish some training before I can go to Spain. Yesterday was my original date of departure. It's hard when I think about how drastically my plans have changed. All I can do is continue to lean on God, and thank Him for the way He protected my body from anything permanent and how He continues to heal me. I am blessed.

Also, yesterday was a very hard day for me in that my energy had left me completely. There must have been a lot of you guys praying for me yesterday and last night (my dear friends around the globe) because today my energy is back up. Please continue to pray for my appetite and energy. I have to eat good to have energy, and I need my energy so I can STAND AND WALK! I'm so ready to get out of the wheel chair. I am humbled by it daily, but I'm ready to get going again.

I love you all, and thank you for interceding for me especially when I my energy is so low that all I can seem to pray is, "help!" God hears you, and our Father continues to heal me.

In Him who is always good,
Taryn

Oh, and if you think of my dog, I guess you can pray for her. I'm not too big of a fan of praying for animals, but the dog needs a heart change!