How Firm Is Your Foundation???

Yesterday I went to go visit Genell at the Plaza Health Care Center, where she has been for over two years. She has been sick, over four years. In these past years Genell has been in ICU or a step down ICU unit that would take ventilator patients and the Plaza! When she first got sick she was in ICU. in a coma for over a year! Her family were called to the hospital several times because they were told that she would not make it! AND... she is still here! I try to get over to see Genell once a week, not for her sake, but for mine! Genells spirit is unusually special! Genells illness came on acutely! The week before she got sick , this is what a week of Genells Bridges life would be like! She worked full time outside her home, she worked in the Temple, she was a counselor in the Stake Relief Society Presidency and took care of her home and family! I will tell you that Genells hands would start early in the morning serving and they never stopped until she went to bed! As we visited yesterday, as always she talks about why her life is the way it is. Genell ALWAYS reminds me of different priesthood blessings she has been given through these years of her health struggles and trails. Her faith is bigger than life! She often reminds me that in a blessing she was promised she would be able to walk again. She tells me constantly if she did not get sick she would not of gown in the ways the Lord would have her grow! She tells me she would of not met certain people and there for she would not of been able to share her testimony with those who needed to hear it! Genell still tries to feed the Elders when they come. It is so cute she saves her cereal in the morning and takes it back to her room and puts it in a big bag. So when the Elders come to visit, she always has a big bag of breakfast cereal for them and they do not have to buy it when they go get groceries. I feel sure since she has been sick she has given out more scriptures and pass along cards then the full time Missionaries! She has written several poems and has given them for gifts, and continues to wake up every morning and think about what she can do that day to serve and uplift someone! She ALWAYS has a plan! There are few nights that goes by that she does not call me and leave me a message on my phone. The message is always pretty much the same it goes like this in her raspy voice.... "Honey Bunny it is me just calling to check on you and to see how you feel"! "I feel great and I am doing just fine"! "I worked hard in physical therapy today" "It will not be long and I will be out of here"! "I love you and Teresa (her room mate) says hi"! "You are in my prayers and heart"! "BYE BYE Honey Bunny see you soon"! Even though I know what she will say, I love to hear her message!!! Genell can not walk. She can not get into bed without a hoist. She can not push her self in a wheel chair and she cannot use her left arm or left leg hardly at all. BUT.... when she lays in bed she tries to do crunches and works her left arm and tries to bend her legs! She has gotten to where if someone sits her up, she can sit up without someone holding her back up! Also if P.T. stands her up she can stand in a standing frame and against the wall for about four minutes, sometimes more. This is amazing.... if you would of seen her two years ago! When I first arrived at the Plaza yesterday she was in the gym, as she calls it, and she LOVES when I get to see her "working out"!!!! I have to say I was so very proud of her! She worked extra hard and still had a smile on her face! When she was done we went to a quite place to visit. After we talked about what she had been doing and working on, and she talked about her grand daughter, Brielle, her kids and AL..., she said now tell me about Tom and the kids and grand kids. I told her about the boys graduating and we talk about Eric going home (our exchange student) and a few other things. I thought our conversation was about over and I needed to get on the road before the traffic got worst, and she just looked at me and said, "that is not all we need to talk about". She was right! By the time our conversation was over I felt as if a mountain had been lifted off my shoulders. Genell reminded me about a blessing she had had, and in this blessing she was told that the hymns would be a source of healing and comfort. She calmly looked at me and said "Honey Bunny, we are both "Enlisted Until the Conflict is Over"! "Happy Are We"! That was not what I really wanted to hear but... what I needed to hear! "How Firm is Your Foundation" UHHHHHH........She also said to me "I am able to sit her with you and have our great heart to heart girl talks with each other because the Lord did not take me, even though the doctors said several times that she only had about a 5% chance of making it and there were days that there was no chance! She continued to say "the Lord had given her much ... so.... much is expected! Genell then said to me, "My life is so simply, I just have to worry about two things! "Learning to walk and learning to transfer myself from my wheel chair to my bed"! Did I say.... Genell is an amazing daughter of God!!!!! Genell, I am so proud of you! Keep up the HARD work! There is no question that.... "You are Enlisted"!!! Your foundation is FIRM!!!! Genell I love you always!!!!!

Nate, The miracle worker! Nate is the Physical Therapist