Henry

The first time I saw Henry was when I was walking my dog in our mobile home park.  Henry was talking to someone who was leaving and I heard him smile and say "every day is a wonderful day as long as Jesus is in your life."  I was hoping that I would get to meet him some day.  He just seemed to shine and I thought there must be a good story behind his 'shine'.

I eventually got to meet Henry.  Through a series of different conversations I found out some of the story.  Henry is about 5'7", thin build, white hair and beautiful light blue eyes that just shine.  When you watch Henry you can tell he walks with a little limp and the left side of his mouth is down turned, he looks like someone who has had a stroke, but has recovered very well.  Henry has had more than 1 stroke, he has had 11 strokes. 

The first stroke Henry had he was around 50 years old.  It was so massive that the Dr.'s said if he survived he would be a vegetable.  Henry had a good job, lovely wife of over 30 years and had built his own house before his first stroke.  He was estranged from his mother when he was younger and never really had a good relationship with her, before his first stroke.

After his first stroke he ended up being in the hospital for over 100 days.  His wife divorced him, but his mother took care of him.  Henry has told me more than once that he never thanked Jesus when he had built his house with his own hands; but after his stroke he was sitting at a table trying to eat, and he saw a 30 year old man who could not even lift his head off his pillow.  From that point on Henry started thanking Jesus for everything.  He says he was full of pride before his stroke, but now he is thankful for everything.

Henry also shared with me that he had suffered from 'grandma seizures' after his stroke.  He explained a 'grandma seizure' affects the whole body and it only stops after you pass out from the pain.  He said he had 2-3 seizures a week.  One night he just felt different.  He did not have a seizure for over 6 months.  He decided to go off his medications (19 pills a day), and his Dr. quit treating him because he went off his meds.

He said he would go through it all again because Jesus means so much to him now.  He said his wife left him, his friends left him, only his mother and Jesus stayed by his side.  He gives all of the glory to Jesus.

Now Henry takes care of his mom.  He feels like it is the right thing to do.  He goes to the gym 3 times a week, works on his truck and drives to a house he has in Arkansas for the summer.  He keeps busy, but he is never too busy to give thanks and glory to Jesus.

Job 23:10 "But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold."