A good day...

Even though I have spent the evening rather concerned about my feet, it has been a good day.

For one, Becky helped me open a new checking account.  Well, she stayed in my ear whilst I did so because I was so nervous.  Seriously, who would want to open a fourth checking account in a little over three years??  I found a bank that offers a free eChecking account with no minimum balance.  Whilst I did not close my current checking account, I got the new one opened and started the process to linking it to my online financial accounts.  Once the check I deposited today clears, I will close my current checking account ... my goal to be accomplished by next Friday.

I also fetched my prescriptions and did not cry when I picked up the third to last bottle of erythromycin solution.  I was shaking rather violently when I peeked into the bag, because I was so worried that, even though I did not receive a call telling me otherwise, I would not be able to get the Larin.  That little plastic box with the tiny pills near impossible to punch out is safely in my house!  I was so utterly relieved ... and now all I can do is ask my friends to help me watch how this next cycle goes ... how I seem ... and wait to see if the emotional storm comes.

So happy was I to pick up my prescriptions, I treated myself to an avocado for salads before I left Target.

I thought I had gotten used to the Reynaud's, but a foot more black than blue—and the one usually only white turned blue—tonight scared me deeply. I put my feet in tepid water until the pain stopped, boiled my whole being in the shower, carefully applied the Nitro Bid paste to my feet, covered them with cotton socks, and then added wool socks. When my grandmother was dying, she threw a clot in her lower leg and her foot became gangrenous. Black is simply not a color you want your feet to be.

The problem with the Nitro Bid paste is that it lowers blood pressure.  When I am not stressed—which happens so darn easily—my blood pressure is already low.  So, I've been ensconced in the GREEN chair, sipping Gatorade and trying not to worry overly much.

[Yes, you may laugh at that.  I won't be offended.]

After initiating the new checking account linkage, I thought I would plow ahead in productivity.  I went ahead and filed my federal taxes, since I learned I can eFile, but set the payment for later (I plan on eking out every penny of interest before I send that overly large payment).  I also enrolled in an electronic payment system for the 2014 tax pre-payments I will have to do this year, since this will essentially give me access to payment receipts.  I want receipts because I haven't figured out how I prove that I made quarterly payments when it comes time to doing my 2014 taxes.  I cannot seem to figure out if I get a 1099 from the IRS or some other form.  The good news about enrolling tonight is I did not know I would have to receive something in the mail to finish enrolling.  So, now, I might have done this early enough to electronically file the first payment, also due April 15th.  Taxes ... smaxes.  SIGH.  I really did not want to be learning all this new stuff.  Anyway, I also printed my state taxes forms, wrote that check, and readied the envelope.

Next up was to update the medical expenses spreadsheet with the most recent prescriptions.  And I adjusted my calendar reminders for picking up the rest of the erythromycin solution since the day-count is off from the original reminders.  That done, I did the filing from all this work, including creating a folder for my new bank account.  Is there anything better than an empty filing tray??  When I was creating a new account in my computer checkbook register program, I was delighted to figure how how to rearrange the order of the accounts listing on the left side of the home screen.  Now, instead of being in alphabetical order, they are in an order that makes much more sense to me.  Finally, I called in the receipt of an updated credit card, so I could peel off that annoying reminder sticker.  That means all the niggling little things and all of the pending important paperwork is taken care of ... at least for now.

Another good bit to my day—apart from finding a new bank and getting the Larin—was learning that my sister sent me some Myrtle's-gargantuan-water-bill money.  I also received a repayment for money that has been long, long, long overdue.  Both surprised me.  The latter was a large amount, more so even than my unfortunate 2014 tax miscalculation.  So, in one opening of the mail box, I no longer have to worry about the water bill and the tax payment calculation error ... and ... might even have enough left over for the airing porch railing.  I am also feeling far more positive about finding a way to pay Firewood Man to mow this year since having him do it last year—a gift from my mother—proved to me that I should not be mowing/fainting/mowing my yard anymore, especially since Firewood Man agreed to let me pay him half each week and then continue paying him on into the winter until what I owe him is done, to spread out the cost a bit.

I am still sort of digesting all of this financial news, not really able to grasp that I will be able to do a bit less number crunching and a bit more simply clutching my beloved puppy dog.

Aside from the African praise songs I learned as a missionary, in my early evangelical-church-going days, I learned three other praise songs that are from the Psalter, though not quite as word-for-word.  One of them comes from Psalm 86:

Incline Thine ear, O Lord, and answer me;
For I am afflicted and needy.
Do preserve my soul, for I am a godly man;
O Thou my God, save Thy servant who trusts in Thee.
Be gracious to me, O Lord.
For to Thee I cry all day long.
Make glad the soul of Thy servant,
For to Thee, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
For Thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive,
And abundant in lovingkindness to all who call upon Thee.
Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer;
And give heed to the voice of my supplications!
In the day of my trouble I shall call upon Thee,
For Thou wilt answer me.
There is no one like Thee among the gods, O Lord;
Nor are there any works like Thine.
All nations whom Thou hast made shall come and worship before Thee, O Lord;
And they shall glorify Thy name.
For Thou are great and doest wondrous deeds;
Thou alone art God.

Teach me Thy way, O Lord;
I will walk in Thy truth;
Unite my heart to fear Thy name.
I will give thanks to Thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart,
And will glorify Thy name forever.
For Thy lovingkindness toward me is great,
And Thou hast delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.

O God, arrogant men have risen up against me,
And a band of violent men have sought my life,
And they have not set Thee before them.
But Thou, O Lord, art a God merciful and gracious,
Slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness and truth.
Turn to me, and be gracious to me;
Oh grant Thy strength to Thy servant,
And save the son of Thy handmaid.
Show me a sign for good,
That those who hate me may see it, and be ashamed,
Because Thou, O Lord, has helped me and comforted me.

~Psalm 86 (NASB 1977)

The weird thing is that I only learned one part, and we sang it sort of as a chorus with no verses, but with key changes.  Odd.


Hear, O LORD, and answer, I am poor and needy,
guard my life for I am devoted to You.
Hear my prayer, O LORD, and my cry for mercy,
In the day of my trouble I will call to You.



I like the NASB 1977 translation better: "afflicted and needy."  However, I do think that the confidence of the first part of the first line is a good thing:  "Hear, O LORD, and answer."  The expectation is that the God will answer the cries of His children.  Not might answer, but will answer.  In the midst of all the doubt and anguish and shame and even petulant complaining of the Psalter is this certitude in the relationship between God and His children, between Christ the Savior and His sheep.  On the man's side, there may be all sorts of discombobulation with regard to faith, but on God's side there is only delight, love, mercy, forgiveness, refuge, and eternal life for the righteous.  Righteous not by piety, but by the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Funny, I have sung that chorus repeatedly over the years, but I never really understood just what I was confessing and begging and expecting.

I think tomorrow might be a good day, too.  For whatever else may come, it is a day I plan to help out a friend.  She has this psalm project to do and asked me if I wanted to take it over.  Hah!  That's like asking me if I want to eat your chocolate!!  Of course the answer is a resounding, "Yes!!!!!"


Lord, I believe.   Help my unbelief!