Unfortunately, it's true...

What's the stupidest thing you've ever done?? I have too many to count, but thankfully, most of my days of doing the not-so-bright thing are over, I hope! A few years ago, my supervisor and I were talking at work about the dumbest things we've ever done. She thought she could top mine by saying that she took a can of therapeutic icy cold spray (we're both therapists) and sprayed it non stop on her hand until it hurt, not knowing she had given herself a severe frost bite burn, and burned a hole right into her hand! Now, my story is, one day when I was 15 years old, I was basking in the sun on a beautiful lakeside beach one summer, and as I was enjoying the bronze tan the sun was giving me, it must have also fried my brain. Somehow, I decided that I would play a little game with myself. I called it "How long can I stare at the sun???" So, I tried it. I counted up until about 9, I believe, and finally had to look away. Later, I met my parents back at our campsite. I had no idea anything was wrong until I looked at my mom. I could not see her face. I could only see a faint outline of her head and body. I couldn't see anything I tried to look at. All I saw was one big black BLIND spot! To say that I panicked was an understatement. I freaked! My mom did too. And then I had to tell them about my little game with the sun. It was night time by then, and I prayed I would wake up with my vision restored. Morning came, and when I opened my eyes, the big black hole was all I could see.

When monday morning arrived, my parents rushed me to a Seattle hospital to see a vision specialist. A very kind and compassionate older doctor examined my eyes. He told me that my retinas were burned from the sun. He said that when people look at an eclipse, this is exactly what he sees with their eyes. Except mine was worse, as I had stared at the sun for a longer period of time. He was so warm and kind, and he gave me some hope. He said to go home, and come back the next week, and he would know the extent of my damage. I went home, and I prayed. My grandmother prayed for me and told me that God could heal my eyes. I believed her. That week of blindness was a very humbling experience, and it was a turning point in my faith in God. I went back to the doctor, and I felt that I was seeing a bit better! He examined my eyes, and noted that my right eye had completely healed! Praise God. I wasn't really a christian then, but I think this was the beginning of my walk with God. The next time my eyes were examined, my right eye(retina) was still healed, and my left eye only had minimal scarring. The amazing thing was that my vision was completely restored! When both of my eyes are open, my right eye compensates for the blind spot that remains in my left eye, so that I don't see the blind spot at all! I was healed, and I thank God for that healing to this day!

So, as you can see, this was not a lie from my post below, it is a truth, and a wonderful testimony of God's mercy, grace, and healing!
My little fib was the one about adding Llamas and Alpacas to my farm...I am a little overwhelmed with all my little girls and goats, and can't imagine adding more critters to the farm.

Blessings!