what money can't buy (or "Little Mermaids")

well my dear ones,

I hope you got you something nice for Christmas;

as for me, what I wanted

all the money in the world could not buy.

Some months ago,

my wife was diagnosed with MS;

and when someone you love has health issues,

it makes you totally re-evaluate

what's important in life.

I did a lot of praying

(which is really all one can do

 when things are beyond our control

 ...as most things actually are =>).

Her doctor wanted my wife to choose

from a variety of drugs

(to control the symptoms

 of tremors and loss of balance),

all of which have nasty side effects.

One day, my wife told me she wanted

to try and take Tai Chi,

a soft martial art which is

actually recommended as a possible

physical therapy by the MS foundation;

however, she couldn't find a school

anywhere near where we live.

Fortunately, I had gone to Man Camp

(a place where guys go to, hopefully,

 learn to become better husbands)

where I had heard about Tai Chi

from my friend, Jason,

but only because I had "defected"

from the Tinkerbells

to the Little Mermaids. *lol*

Yes, the woman who sets up Man Camp

(Thanks Miss Jessi!)

picks the names for our small groups;

last year, she named them after flowers;

this year, it was female Disney characters.

So, it was only because I switched

and became a "Little Mermaid"

that I happened to be sitting near Jason

when he mentioned that he did Tai Chi

each morning.

Hence, when my wife couldn't find a school,

I recalled what Jason had said,

jumped in my truck, drove to his school

(only 2 miles away; how cool is that?)

and verified that he did indeed

run a Tai Chi class each morning,

a special class (i.e. not listed on his sign)

he had started for people struggling

with various medical conditions.

I told him about my wife's MS

and he said he was sure he could help

and to bring her on down.

My wife (Marcia) signed up that week.

The type of Tai Chi she does there is

a special healing form known as "Qi Gong"

(also called "Chi Gong"; various spellings),

a type that helps your body to use

its own internal energy to heal itself.

My wife's now been going to this school

just about every day for the past 4 months

and it has been a major blessing for her!

Her symptoms are now under control,

thank God...

...and I do!

Who led me to go to Man Camp?

Who led me to switch & become a Little Mermaid?

(and proud of it *lol* since it helped my wife)

Our bodies and minds

are marvelous works and wonders.

And God can bring healing and hope

even at the darkest of times.

No matter what the past,

I am praying that you have

a blessed and awesome New Year

filled with light and hope.

Have a great week!

grace, peace, and love to you,

dave

"I have come that they may have life,

and that they may have it more abundantly."

                              --- Jesus