It was on a beautiful night in Jerusalem when we were out with friends that I noticed some pesky spiderwebs creeping into my vision, followed by flashes of white light on the sides of both eyes. I convinced myself that I was seeing angels, and the spiderwebs were nothing of importance. After all, I am a young sixty-five in good health; and since I am known as a woman of faith, I just put it down to spiritual warfare, determining I was going to ignore these annoying distractions except for the part about the lights being angels.
Living in Israel means I walk a lot (since we do not have a car - yet), which is a good thing for keeping me slim and muscles toned - but, boy, all those rocky and hilly paths can be treacherous, especially at night when you can not see clearly where you are walking!
It is funny how such things like not seeing well can make a husband and wife cozier after twenty-six years of marriage. Michael and I have never held hands so much as we have lately.
I was only going for a routine eye checkup while in Texas before returning to Israel. I was confident that I needed new glasses because my site was getting hazy and reading seemed to strain on my eyes. Plus, those annoying spider webs kept showing up out of nowhere. (I was still enjoying the white lights hoping they were my guardian angels, so no complaints there.)
As the doctor came in with a lovely smile on his face and a pleasant bedside manner, I thought that this would be a routine eye exam, and he will give me a new prescription for glasses. Instead, I heard the dreaded report - "You have cataracts in both eyes," and he advised to have them removed before going back to Israel.
What? I am only sixty-five, not eighty-five, no pun intended. He explained that they would only grow and that my vision would decrease. The pesky spider webs were normal for my age, and the white lights were not angels (much to my disappointment) but flashes of light that also come with aging - Ugh! It was at that moment that I had a revelation that I had some foreign thing growing on my lenses obscuring my vision, and I was filing for separation from them in the near future.
The day came to make a decision to keep my natural lenses or to have them removed and replaced by man-made lenses. The decision to remove my natural lenses became more and more challenging. I was given the option to go with a lens that would be totally paid by Medicare and my insurance, or to invest $4200.00 per eye and pay it off for 24 months, giving me a better lens to see far and near. Included in the more expensive package was laser surgery. I began to agonize over the cost of separating that which had been a part of me all my life if I chose the newer model of an artificial lens, replacing that which I have grown accustomed to. Was it worth it - or, better said, was I worth it?
I have been asking my Father for 20/20 vision through the years and expecting a miracle - not eye surgery with expensive artificial lenses! That was not on my prayer list. Who needs another monthly bill, especially when one lives in Jerusalem by FAITH?
"What is wrong with me?" I asked myself, why am I void of faith to believe for a miracle replacement for my eyes?
As I meditated on this possible lack of faith for a heavenly miracle, I heard a familiar whisper from Father saying, "This is a miracle, Daughter. This is My choice to answer your prayer for 20/20 vision. Have faith in Me to provide the finances for you are worth any and every expense to restore your vision and health. Do you not know how valuable you are to Me? Remember, I will never leave nor forsake you. I will see you through this surgery, and you will rejoice that you have 20/20 vision for a new decade starting in 2020."
I said goodbye to my natural lenses with surgery on January 14th and then on the other eye on January 17th (my sixty-sixth birthday). I took a giant step of Faith that SOMEONE other than the surgeon was operating on my eyes and that my Abba would pay the bill.
Well, friends, here I sit a few days later with 20/20 vision in 2020 and gaining strength every day. My encounter with cataracts increased my knowledge of the Lord’s love and goodness toward me as His daughter. I rejoice in receiving my miracle eyes today His way.
Be encouraged that 2020 is the beginning of a new decade, and old things are passed away. Miracles are near to you, but make sure you SEE and RECEIVE them His Way!
Though you might be going through a valley at this time in your life read and meditate on Psalm 23:
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil; My cup overflows. Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever (NASB).
Living in Israel means I walk a lot (since we do not have a car - yet), which is a good thing for keeping me slim and muscles toned - but, boy, all those rocky and hilly paths can be treacherous, especially at night when you can not see clearly where you are walking!
It is funny how such things like not seeing well can make a husband and wife cozier after twenty-six years of marriage. Michael and I have never held hands so much as we have lately.
I was only going for a routine eye checkup while in Texas before returning to Israel. I was confident that I needed new glasses because my site was getting hazy and reading seemed to strain on my eyes. Plus, those annoying spider webs kept showing up out of nowhere. (I was still enjoying the white lights hoping they were my guardian angels, so no complaints there.)
As the doctor came in with a lovely smile on his face and a pleasant bedside manner, I thought that this would be a routine eye exam, and he will give me a new prescription for glasses. Instead, I heard the dreaded report - "You have cataracts in both eyes," and he advised to have them removed before going back to Israel.
What? I am only sixty-five, not eighty-five, no pun intended. He explained that they would only grow and that my vision would decrease. The pesky spider webs were normal for my age, and the white lights were not angels (much to my disappointment) but flashes of light that also come with aging - Ugh! It was at that moment that I had a revelation that I had some foreign thing growing on my lenses obscuring my vision, and I was filing for separation from them in the near future.
The day came to make a decision to keep my natural lenses or to have them removed and replaced by man-made lenses. The decision to remove my natural lenses became more and more challenging. I was given the option to go with a lens that would be totally paid by Medicare and my insurance, or to invest $4200.00 per eye and pay it off for 24 months, giving me a better lens to see far and near. Included in the more expensive package was laser surgery. I began to agonize over the cost of separating that which had been a part of me all my life if I chose the newer model of an artificial lens, replacing that which I have grown accustomed to. Was it worth it - or, better said, was I worth it?
I have been asking my Father for 20/20 vision through the years and expecting a miracle - not eye surgery with expensive artificial lenses! That was not on my prayer list. Who needs another monthly bill, especially when one lives in Jerusalem by FAITH?
"What is wrong with me?" I asked myself, why am I void of faith to believe for a miracle replacement for my eyes?
As I meditated on this possible lack of faith for a heavenly miracle, I heard a familiar whisper from Father saying, "This is a miracle, Daughter. This is My choice to answer your prayer for 20/20 vision. Have faith in Me to provide the finances for you are worth any and every expense to restore your vision and health. Do you not know how valuable you are to Me? Remember, I will never leave nor forsake you. I will see you through this surgery, and you will rejoice that you have 20/20 vision for a new decade starting in 2020."
I said goodbye to my natural lenses with surgery on January 14th and then on the other eye on January 17th (my sixty-sixth birthday). I took a giant step of Faith that SOMEONE other than the surgeon was operating on my eyes and that my Abba would pay the bill.
Well, friends, here I sit a few days later with 20/20 vision in 2020 and gaining strength every day. My encounter with cataracts increased my knowledge of the Lord’s love and goodness toward me as His daughter. I rejoice in receiving my miracle eyes today His way.
Be encouraged that 2020 is the beginning of a new decade, and old things are passed away. Miracles are near to you, but make sure you SEE and RECEIVE them His Way!
Though you might be going through a valley at this time in your life read and meditate on Psalm 23:
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil; My cup overflows. Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever (NASB).
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