At what cost?

O.K. so I did my taxes, like so many other Americans I rely on my income tax refund. I am lucky, I am poor and have 4 kids so I have a little nest egg that comes to me each year. Thank you Uncle Sam you always allow me to buy my kids new shoes and replace the clothes they have out grown since the beginning of the school year. I noticed this year that there is a section for deducting medical expenses so I began a file and started saving receipts, I fill a prescription and put the receipt in the file. So far this year alone I have spent $781 dollars out of my bank account for medical problems, prescriptions, and doctor visits. Oh yeah, I have insurance which is deducted from my husbands public school teacher salary every month. I do not know the exact amount but I am betting it is a lot for a family of 6! I have an outstanding bill from my Rheumatologist for close to $300 all I can figure is I paid my co-pay, the insurance paid their portion and what remains is what I need to pay in order to continue my care. Really the doctor has already received over $100 dollars for a 10 minute visit how much does she really need? Give me a break. All I want is to be healthy, normal, untouched by RA is that too much to ask. I am beginning to think that maybe being ill is too expensive for two teachers with a family. Uncle Sam saved me for the first few months of the year but after the tax money is gone I am out of luck and sick of being broke and sick of RA. It is funny that in the middle of all of this God is speaking to me, reminding me of what is most important and relevant to the whole picture. No matter how hard things may seem in the moment, I am praising God for all he is doing in my heart. I will fix my eyes thoughts on what is true.

Philippians 4:6

⁶ Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. ⁷ Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

⁸ And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. ⁹ Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.

Updating now mid April add another $800 in medical expenses!