This time of year, I am constantly scrolling through “Events” on Facebook to see if there’s something our six-year-old granddaughter, Sarah, would enjoy. When I saw that Frozen Jr. was going to be at the Academy Theatre in Meadville, I knew Sarah, would LOVE that! But while the tickets weren’t exorbitant, it was more than I felt comfortable adding to our December budget which already had a lot of extras.
Then I remembered the money I’d been squirreling away in an envelope in our safe for months. Some folks insist on paying me more than I charge for my books, usually making some comment about using it for some special occasion or a trip to DQ, etc. Since every cent of income from my Homespun Faith ministry goes back into my book ministry, I decided to start saving these “extra” amounts for something special I might want to do.
Frozen Jr. didn’t quite fit that description, but I decided to use some of that money for our tickets to surprise Sarah. I was looking forward to the event just knowing how much it would mean to her.
It wasn’t a total surprise to Sarah because before we left the house, she saw me scrolling through the information on the Academy Theatre home page to find out what time the doors would open for Frozen Jr., but she was excited none the less. After we got settled in our seats, I began flipping through the pages of the booklet we’d been given that had pictures of the cast. I wasn’t paying much attention because I didn’t expect to see anyone I knew.
Nearing the end of that section, a name stood out to me of a lovely young lady in our church, Sarah Shearer! I was astonished and held the booklet up to the light, peering at the picture to make sure this was the Sarah Shearer I knew! There was no doubt. I was SO excited that we’d “happened” to come to a play in which someone we knew was performing. I told Donn and Sarah about my discovery, and we sat back to enjoy the show. I found it hard to discern which character was Sarah in costume.
Our Sarah soon began to complain that she was hungry, so at Intermission, she and I went down to get a snack in the special room where one could buy and eat snacks. After Sarah made her selection, we sat down at a small table so she could eat. Sensing that someone had approached our table, I glanced up to see the beaming faces of two young people from our church, Xander and Erica. I was so excited to see them, I jumped up and gave them a big hug. They said their whole family was there and explained to me which characters Sarah was playing.
It was interesting because Donn was convinced Sarah was playing the queen mother of Elsa and Ana, and I was convinced she was a member of the Oaken family ensemble wearing a brown sweater. We were both right! She was playing both roles. We returned to our seats and settled in to enjoy the rest of the show, then got up to try to exit through the crowded walkways and stairs.
Xander and Erica’s Mom is the Children’s Director at our church, and Sarah was longing to see her. Xander had told us they were sitting on the main floor while we were in the first balcony so I thought it was unlikely, but in the midst of the crowd, Xander looked toward the stairs and saw us. He quickly told his mom, who looked our way and waved. Even though it was impossible to get to where they were, Sarah was delighted to make eye contact!
The whole cast was lined up in the entryway of the theatre, and I took our Sarah’s picture with Elsa and Ana, and then gave a surprised Sarah Shearer a big hug and took a picture of the two Sarahs! My heart was so full with the unexpected blessings of the evening.
Donn went to get our car and I had our Sarah pose in front of the theatre for pictures. As I finished, I noticed two young ladies coming toward us who looked very familiar. They smiled and one of them said, “I don’t know if you remember us…”
Immediately I knew who they were. Two young ladies whom I’d met, along with their mother, at Maker’s Market at Fresh Grounds two years ago and seen again this year. Their family had been praying for me ever since we met and had come to the house to buy books and bring me soup!
Of course, I remember,” I exclaimed. “You’re the Kavulla sisters!”
“Yes, we’re here to support Sarah Shearer!”
I discovered that the Kavullas attend the Thiel Bible Study our church sponsors at Fresh Grounds Coffee Shoppe in our town which Sarah Shearer also attends. “Please tell your mother I said hello!”
“She’ll be so excited that we saw you!” The glowing faces of those two sweet young ladies warmed my heart.
That night as I lay in bed in the warm afterglow of the evening, I realized that although going to Frozen Jr. is probably not what I’d have chosen to do with my “special money,” when I made the sacrifice to spend it on something Sarah would enjoy, God had turned it into a truly heartwarming time for me as well. And as my friend, Frannie Pratt, would say, “Isn’t that just like God!”
Thank you, Father, for the marvelous ways you bless us when we make sacrifices to bring joy to others!” Amen.
Health Update
The last four weeks of taking the new medicine I’m on has been something of a roller coaster. I’ve had a variety of symptoms but just as I decided that there was no way I would put up with this symptom for five years, that one left and soon another one came. Around the 6th of December, I started waking up very early and couldn’t go back to sleep. I got so tired during the day I could barely stay awake but was afraid to nap, knowing if I did, I probably wouldn’t be able to go to sleep that night.
I’d made up my mind I was going to tell my oncologist on Tuesday (December 12) that I intended to stop taking the medicine at least during the holidays so I could function, but then we had Sarah the Friday Saturday before my appointment. I slept until 8:00 a.m. on Saturday and have been sleeping pretty well ever since. When I talked to the doctor about my plan to go to Cleveland Clinic’s nutritional wing if I couldn’t tolerate this medicine, she begged me to tell her first because there are other medicines I can try if I can’t tolerate this one. That was very encouraging, and I promised her if I decided to stop taking this medicine, she would be the first to know.
When I told Dr. L that at present, I had no troublesome symptoms from the medicine she said, “Well, fingers crossed it stays that way.”
I smiled and said, “I’ll tell you what I tell anyone who says that to me. ‘I don’t have much faith in the fingers-crossed method, but we will pray that it remains this way.”
She said, “I believe that too!”
Then I added, “I have so many people praying for me, I can’t give credit to the fingers-crossed method.”
Dr. L will release me for reconstructive surgery and I will see my PCP on December 26 to get her release as well for both my cataract surgery and the reconstructive surgery. My labwork and echocardiogram results remain good.
My Targeted Treatment went well on Tuesday, and with my three-week-schedule, I won’t go again until January 2, 2024. When I asked Dr. L if she could give me a date for when I’d be finished with these treatments, she said it will be May 28, 2024. My heartfelt thanks to all of you for your faithful prayers. I appreciate so very much that you are staying with me during this extended treatment time!