A family member texted me recently and asked me if we were safe. “We are,” I replied. “We are prayed up and hunkered down.”

By necessity one has to go out in the world occasionally. It is odd to be masked and gloved to enter into the grocery store, but there are many like me dressed in the same protective (hopefully) garb.

I felt a slight panic attack coming on as I was bouncing between my list and the shelves.

I did not think I was getting enough air through my nose and started to breath through my mouth. Each intake of breath would also draw the mask a bit closer to my mouth. I am sure if someone noticed they would have seen for a moment a panicked old lady in the canned food aisle. Someone spoke to me thankfully and drew me back to time and place.

Dear Don has so often complained of feeling smothered by the mask. I now know exactly how he feels.

We are well stocked here and the dryer warmer weather has us outside for the better part of every day.

We killed our first water moccasin this week. After the first kill you walk around with a heightened sense of caution.

Covid-19, snakes, rain and more rain, homemade apple pie delivered to the door and finally during the midst of this oppressing virus storm we are encountering a ray of light.

Dear Don was approved for disability. Three very long years and one week. The phone call came on a day that he was suffering. He could not get his body to cooperate with his desires. It was a tough day for him and he had resigned himself to the office bed for a short respite.

The phone rang and a very nice soft spoken woman asked for him. The first thing she said was, “Mr. Hopkins, you have been approved for disability.” The next 20 minutes were filled with mind numbing numbers and information about what he is entitled to at this moment.

As we listened to the kind lady we rejoiced in silence, looking at each other through tears and laughter. We sank to the floor in relief. We praised God openly and loudly. The neighbors later remarked that perhaps they had heard our shouts of joy.

We got on the email and FB and the phone and we texted. We wanted every single person that had supported us and encouraged us, each one who had prayed with us and for us, the ones who constantly checked on us with offers far exceeding our needs to know that the trial was over. The season had passed.

We had hundreds of well wishers through social media and phone calls. We wish that we could hug every single person. Know that in our hearts we are doing just that. It is bittersweet that we cannot walk into the church house Sunday and be met with tears of joy. And to offer up our own tears and praise to the God who provided and still provides.

And to you readers, although I do not know the vast majority of you that contact me, I so appreciate your calls and emails. Your encouragement means the world to us both. Your stories are priceless.

You have reached out to us in ways we neither expected nor understood. God put you into our lives for a specific reason. Our intent is to continue to lean into Him and we are excited to see where this new road takes us.

Of course Dear Don still has major health issues that no amount of financial relief or comfort can change. But knowing that the light bill and water bill gets paid are important to us too. Relieving this pressure will give us a different mind set that I hope will allow him some peace.

Take care, use caution when out, and get outside for some sun when you have the chance.

Stay tuned.

You may reach Sherry at swhcsc@wildblue.net or 662.563.2525.