Rehab

So you might wonder when you cannot put weight on either leg what kind of rehab can you do? Transfers. Once I could push myself up in the bed, then I could move over to the side of the bed. They have a transfer board and then a piece of slick material you put over it to make you slide across it easier. You then put the board between the bed and the wheel chair and

pull yourself over. I don't remember how long it took before I could do this on my own, but it was awhile. Nevertheless the techs would pull the material and that would slide me over. My first exercises were arm exercises that you do with a theraband. Different colors are different

resistances. The first day I could barely do it and had to leave the room with nausea. But everyday got a little easier, and by the end I could lead the class if they had asked me. These were hour classes. So my day began at 8:00 a.m. with breakfast. 8:30 I would get dressed. 9:00 they would take me downstairs and I would practice transfers. 10:00 I had recreational therapy where I chose to paint ceramics. 11:00 was the arm exercises. 12:00 was lunch, 1:00 was talking to the social worker, 2:00 was more transfer practice or leg exercises. 3:00 -5:00 I was allowed to rest in my room 5:00 was dinner. 6:00 was a shower and then the rest of the evening I was free.

Successes were being able to sit in my wheelchair for longer periods of time. Being able to master the theraband. Being able to transfer to a chair because then I could also transfer to a shower chair and be able to take showers. Had to gain strength in my arms so that I could begin mastering rolling the wheels of the wheelchair on my own. One day they took me to a hallway with a fairly significant incline and made me roll down it and up it. Down was fairly easy, up not so much. When I asked why I was having to do this they said because I might be somewhere like a restaurant where I needed to go up a ramp. To which I replied "why would I try to do that when I would just have someone push me?" Anyway...I just did as I was told. Also I was given written exercises to help my thought processes come back. At first I could not add or subtract or remember words in sequence, but that all returned rather quickly.

I hate to admit it but I watched a lot of television. I became addicted to Everybody Loves Raymond because it was good for a laugh (I had never seen any of the original episodes). And I became a Suduko addict. I had not played it before either, but enjoyed working those puzzles for a past time. It would be a while before I could read as my vision was fairly blurred. I am thankful that the days were full of activity as it helped the time go by quicker. I was very thankful on May 8th when I finally passed the swallow test! I have never been a very good water drinker, but I remember that water tasted so good! It gave me a much better picture of what it means for us to thirst after the Word, and let Jesus be our Living Water. There is a great song by Dennis Jernigan that I played quite a bit about the lessons I was learning about water, called "Like A River". I will print the lyrics later.

Blessings on everyone's weekend.

Break From The Narrative

Thought I would take a break from the journey narrative today to just share a couple of neat things. Maybe this happens to others of you in the blog world as well, but this week I got an email and a blog entry from two strangers. The first is Christy from Tennessee she had spent her honeymoon in Kauai in July and wanted a couple of my pictures I posted that she did not have, she then sent me 4 that I did not have. So I wanted to share them with you because I had mentioned them in the earlier posts.

Bali Hai from South Pacific.



This is Kong Mountain. Can you see the profile of King Kong's face? They filmed Raiders of the Lost Ark and 6 Days 7 Nights here.

This is sleeping giant mountain? Can you see him?
Every time we drove out or into the southern part of the island we were staying on we went through this tunnel of trees. Was glad to get the picture, because I never took one.

Second was a blog post from Stacey. She is getting a fixator on her leg in a couple of weeks. She had an accident a few years ago and her leg was not set correctly and now my doctor is going to re-break it and correct it with a fixator. She found my blog by Googling Dr. Freudigman's name and found my blog from when I posted about him back in April. So we have made contact and I was able to reassure her that Dr. Freudigman is an amazing doctor and answer some of her questions about the fixator. She emailed me today the story of her journey and it is just awesome to have another believer share their story of how God has sustained them on this journey. It was also an amazing way for God to confirm in me one of the things He has done for me on this journey.



Mary Anne Barnes said it so much better than I could, so I will quote her here and hopefully she will not mind. Yesterday in Ladies Bible Class Karla asked if anyone had a time when God took pain and turned it into joy they could share with the class. Mary Anne said when her 13 year old son died that "God gave her the credentials to be a comforter". 2 Corinthians 1:3-4
"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God." I am thankful that God is using my experiences to help others who will have to wear the fixator. I was part of an online support group, but logged off of that in July after spending 2 years with people from all over the world.

So for those prayer warriors out there Stacey will have the fixator put on in two weeks and will have it on for 6 months. She has two young girls. I cannot even imagine how I would have made it if I had children to care for while wearing the frame! She can use our prayers.

Beginnings of Rehab

Being moved out of ICU to rehab was such a big deal. It was a sign that life was going to continue. I remember having the why thoughts here as well. Why was I alive? I knew it was either because God answered all the many prayers that were being prayed for me OR it just was not my time yet. Didn't really need an answer, as either way God still had a purpose for me. In the months to come I would have moments that I wished it had been my time or God hadn't answered all those prayers because I really knew what Paul meant when he wrote in Philippians 2:22-24 about feeling torn between being with God and being here. He says it is far better to be with Christ, but there is work for him to do here. Rehab was going to be such hard work and heaven would have been so much better, but obviously I wasn't going to heaven and rehab was not an option, so to work we went.

I moved into rehab one afternoon and was told we would start the next morning. I said "right". Sure enough bright and early 8:00 a.m. to be exact they came in and put my clothes on me. Real clothes not hospital gowns! This was done by the occupational therapist Leah. Next came the physical therapist Libby. She wanted me to push up from a laying position to a sitting position. I tried, but there was no way. She kept working with me and 3 days later I pushed myself up. Later that day I would meet Lauren, she would be the therapist that would help me deal with my emotions. (I didn't realize till posting here they were all L's) except for Susan, she was the speech therapist. She gave me another swallow test. I had prayed all night long that I would pass it and be able to have something to drink. Well for whatever reasons that was not God's will. I still could not swallow, but guess I was a little better because we went from swabs to this stuff called Thicken Up. I remember being so thankful. It came in flavors and at least it was something, but that gratefulness was short lived as it was really yucky stuff!!

Kind of got ahead of myself. The first time they tried to shower me was a real adventure. Since I was totally non weight bearing I had to learn to transfer out of bed into a wheel chair. Since I could not even sit up to transfer they had to be creative. I guess they knew that a "real" shower would do wonders for my morale. So they called in several nurses who all took corners of the bed sheet and they moved me over to a rubber cart. That cart would not fit in the bathroom in my room so at night when the pool was closed they rolled me down to the showers there. Then they proceeded to wash me and my hair with this amazingly warm water.
While I was so embarrassed to have someone seeing me naked and washing my most intimate places, it was just wonderful to have that warm water covering me. The one aide I remember doing this was Terry and I remember her because over the months to come she would take such very good care of me. I will share another story about her later.

It didn't take long to lose all sense of modesty in the hospital. When you are totally incapable of caring for yourself, someone has to do it and gender does not seem to be one of your choices. So you just learn to be grateful.

The first few nights in rehab were difficult because I had a roommate who had also been in a car accident but had significant head injury. They had her in a bed that was like a cage so that she wouldn't try getting out, but because she could not really communicate or know how to ring the buzzer, she would just rattle the cage until someone came. Once again my headphones came in handy, but lights kept coming on and off all night. So the next thing that my mom or Steve (can't remember which) found for me was a mask I could wear over my eyes and that helped me sleep better. I don't remember her name, my roommate. But I remember feeling sorrier for her than myself. Her grandmother came in from out of state to help take care of her because while her mother lived her for some reason she could not help. But to be honest because her needs were so great we began praying for a private room, and in 4 days God answered that prayer and it was such a blessing. Over the next few weeks I would see my old roommate in the hallways with her grandmother and we would say hello and she actually was able to leave much sooner than I and was transferred to wherever her grandmother lived so it would be easier to take care of her. Guess that is where I will stop for today.

I will add this. Today was Ladies Bible Class and as always Karla Hale was an amazing spokesperson for God. We are studying Philippians and today's lesson was entitled "The Prerequisite for Joy is Usually Pain". She began by asking me how thankful I was to be vertical, and I said "very thankful". Then she asked the entire class how many had awoken this morning and thanked God for being vertical, or being able to see etc. I have to confess that some days I am much better than others that I am vertical, however there are still many days that I forget that and wish I had my life back as I knew it pre-accident. I am looking forward to the day I can embrace the joy of this journey. I know it will come. I am just not there yet.

Waking Up

Thanks so much to those of you that have affirmed my efforts to journal via blog the journey I have been on. I appreciate so much your sweet words.
So when you wake up from being in a coma for 3 weeks you don't realize how long you have been gone. Who knew that in three short weeks of not moving that you would not be able to move at all? The first thing is seeing the faces of those you love looking at you with more love in their eyes than you have ever seen. Of course I couldn't say anything (though I tried) because of the tracheotomy. But those eyes! Most filled with joy, some filled with tears. Just realizing that you are alive and you are still here. I was so thankful for those sweet faces.
Like I said, I couldn't move. Couldn't lift my hands. Since I couldn't talk, I tried to write. It was impossible. What did I want to say? I wanted my cd player and cd's. Music has always been the way that God and I have connected. I love listening to Contemporary Christian Music and at that time there was some songs by Selah that were really ministering to my heart. Especially I remember "You Raise Me Up". It is hard to explain the comfort I had when I placed the headphones on my ears. I just remember giving Steve a big thumbs up. And being the sweet husband he is within a day or two he had bought me these new noise canceling headphones, instead of those little stub things you stick in your ears.
Once I awoke it seemed things moved rather quickly as I recall I awoke on Wednesday and by Monday morning I was in rehab. In the meantime they sent different therapist into my room. The physical therapist would have me move my arms and my legs somewhat. Trying to comb my hair was a major feat. The occupational therapist came in with this bonnet that you put on your head and it shampooed your hair. That felt so good, as it was warm. Somehow it worked even though you did not rinse it out. The speech therapist of all things did a swallow test? I did not pass, so I was not allowed to eat or drink anything. They gave me the swabs that were lemon flavored that I could suck on. I knew I was getting better when I started complaining that I was thirsty and just wanted some ice to suck on.
I am not sure why Baylor's ICU is set up the way it is, but you were not in a private room. There were 5-6 other people in the room with me all in critical condition so it was always busy with activity, another reason the headphones were helpful. I had the first of many nurses that would bless me over the next few months. His name was Chip. He was so very attentive and just so very kind. He even rolled me himself from ICU to my new room at BIR better known as Baylor Institute for Rehabilitation. That is where we will begin next time.
Let me close my saying one the blessings of the 3 weeks I was asleep is that Kerry and Pam Miller had bought a book for people to leave me messages and it has been so sweet to read those comments and prayers over and over again. What do people do that go through this kind of tragedy without a Christian family? So many of you did so many different things for me, Steve and my family. Each and everyone will have an eternal impact. The most amazing thing to me is to how news spread to so many different places and how many people took the time to try and contact us. People I never met were praying for us. It is indeed humbling and again such a testimony to being part of God's church. It is not just local it is EVERYWHERE!

Contemplating The Past 31 Months

Sometimes I am not sure whether blogging is for me or for my readers? I do know that it is usually something I want to say and just hope you want to hear, so I guess it is more for me although it was important to me to know how many people were actually interested in what I had to say so I put a counter on my blog to show me. I am humbled that about 25 of you a day come by and read this blog. All that being said I am starting something new today. I am not sure how long it will last, but have felt the prompting to begin and we will just see how it goes.
For a couple of weeks I feel I have been prompted to write about some lessons I have learned on this journey I have been on for the past 31 months.

I wish that I would have known about blogging from the beginning of my accident. It would have been easier to write about it then trying to recreate those memories now. I did journal some, but it was very inconsistent. So these posts will probably be pretty scattered and not in any certain order.

I don't know if I will ever come to terms with the "what if's" of this situation. I know it doesn't do any good to dwell on them and I can't change anything. Nevertheless, my "what if's" are: what if I had taken the Tollway that night instead of Central Expressway, the thought did cross my mind. What if I had not been talking on the cell phone, would my reflexes have been faster, would I have been driving in another lane? What if no one would have stopped to help that night? Praise God for the good samaritans that did stop and stayed with me until the paramedics came and called Steve and my parents for me. What if the guy that had hit me had stayed and faced the consequences? Or better yet showed some compassion and remorse? I have to admit I have let him have more of my life than I should have by being angry. Not so much that he was drunk and should not have been driving, but more so because of how he has significantly altered my life and has no idea what he has done. I know because of how he ran he is the type of person who probably would not care anyway, but sometimes I still dwell on the what if's.

How I admire paramedics! They answer call after call never knowing what lies ahead. I really don't remember much about how they rescued me as I think God has protected me from those memories because there must have been so much pain involved. I remember them getting me out of the car, but then nothing after that until I woke up 3 weeks later. I know that there are some studies that indicate that people can hear when they are in a coma, I don't remember much. I do remember some very strange dreams. The one I can share with you is that someone dropped me in the "return box" at Blockbuster and when the clerk saw me she said "I know this lady, she isn't suppose to be here she is suppose to be at Baylor". Now remember I have no recollection as to how I knew what hospital I was in. The rest of the dreams are much more bizarre and I don't like to talk about them. I have asked God why that time could not have just been lying in the valley of the shadow of His wings and feeling the peace of the running water and blue sky?

I don't want this to be too long everyday, so I will do my best to just do what is coming to me in small pieces. I will end to day with a really cool quote I saw on a plaque in a cool little gift shop called the Basket Case (on Coit and Campbell). Evidently it is attributed to Abraham Lincoln. "In the end it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years."

A Little Gilligan Trivia

So we learned a little Gilligan's Island trivia on our Kauai Movie Tour.


The pilot had three different actors for the Professor, Mary Ann and Ginger. I guess the public didn't like them so they changed the three from when it first aired November 1963 until the show aired again in September of 1964. Did you also know that Jerry Van Dyke audtioned for the part of Gilligan? I just can't imagine anyone being Gilligan but Bob Denver.

They replaced the three of them after the pilot. And changed their occupations. Mary Anne and Ginger were secretaries and became an actress and farm girl. The professor was a high school teacher and changed to a college professor.

It also had a different theme. Why would they have chosen Calypso music for a South Pacific location? I think it is good they changed it. If you are interested you can listen to it here: http://www.sitcomsonline.com/sounds/GilligansIslandpilot.wav

In tropical sea is the tropic port,

Vacation fun is the favorite sport,

This is the place where the tourists flock,

Renting the boats at the busy dock.
Two secretaries from U.S.A.

Sail on the Minnow this lovely day.

A high school teacher is next aboard;

All taking trip that they cannot afford.
The next two people are millionaires;

They got no worries, they got no cares.

They climb aboard, and they step inside,

With just enough bags for a 6-hour ride.
Tourists come, tourists go;

Tourists touring to and fro.

These five nice tourists, they take this trip,

Relaxing on deck on this little ship.
The weather is clear, and the sun is hot...

[ sound of thunder: kaboom! ]

The weather is clear? I think it is NOT!

Tourists come, tourists go;

Tourists tossing to and fro.
The captain is brave

( Aye! Carumba! What a storm! ).

The captain is brave, he's a fearless man,

And Gilligan help him all that he can.

The wheel, she break, and lose all control;

S.S. Minnow do the rock-and-roll!
The sea is now calm, and the weather grand;

There is the Minnow upon the sand.

What happen now, will give you a smile:

The adventures of Gilligan...and the Skipper...And the Millionaire... And Mrs. Millionaire... And the other tourists...on Gilligan's Isle! [ end credits ]
We leave all our friends on this tropic shore,
Perhaps they will be here, forevermore.
Maybe a rescue will set them free?

Tune in next week, and then you will see!

Oh To Be Young!

We just received this picture of my niece Alyson (Aly). She is a junior in high school and this was her prom picture (guess they have them in the fall in Washington instead of the Spring?)



No that is not her date, it is my brother Brad :)


Isn't she a pretty girl? I hate that I have never lived close to her or her sister Alyssa and they have grown up without me knowing them very well, but imagine why this picture was a surprise to me when I had taken this picture just six months ago!

Her sister Alyssa is a beautician and I guess without even telling my brother they changed Aly's looks for the prom. Imagine his surprise when she came in the door! I don't think I would be brave enough to do this drastic of a change to myself when I was her age, or for that matter even now. I remember the one time in high school I tried to die my hair blonde and it turned out orange!! It will be interesting to see how they get it back to her natural color of blonde.

Last Post On Kauai

You all have been so kind with your comments the past few days about the Kauai postings. I am glad you have enjoyed the pictures. I have to admit I am a really bad picture taker. I just point and click. Don't know much about focusing (I think my camera does it automatically). I do know how to zoom in. So, I am thankful some of the pictures turned out okay. I didn't take near as many as I wanted to because I was too cheap to pay $45.00 for another memory card (that was the price at K-mart).

Anyway...my last day in Kauai was spent again sunning at the pool and reading a good book "Sure As The Dawn" (the last in the Mark of the Lion series). Then Friday night we went to a luau at the Sheraton. On Kauai anyway this is the only luau that is actually outdoors (the rest are indoors). I found that really interesting. I guess I thought they were like the movies where you sit in the sand on the beach. Nope, we sat at table and chairs. It was still a lot of fun, and very interesting watching all the different kinds of Hawaiian dancing. I was glad so many of the costumes were really modest and the dancing very elegant. But it was still fun to watch the traditional hula dance as well. Boy can they move those hips! Anyway, here are the pictures.
The girls must have changed into at least six different outfits from head to toe.

This was the group that sang. I thought it was neat that before we ate the announcer said we where going to say a prayer of blessing and this group sang "Praise God To Whom All Blessings Flow" in Hawaiian.

My sister Caren reminded me that when we were younger that she, I, my sister Cathy and cousin Janet all bought matching outfits and wore them to Six Flags one year on vacation, so she wanted she and I to buy matching shirts in Hawaii. So here we are.

So this is the final post on Kauai. What a blessing it was. For those of you who are Richardson East members and had a part of giving the finances that made this trip possible, I am so very thankful! God used your generous hearts to bless me in another Ephesian 3:20 way--beyond all that I could ask or imagine.

Movie Tour Pictures

This is the backdrop of where Elvis sang The Hawaiian Wedding Song in Blue Hawaii it is at the old Coco Palms Motel which was pretty much destroyed in a hurricane in 1992 and no one has redeveloped it.


Can you see the coconuts in the tree? My first.


My sister Caren and I standing on the bridge where Elvis sang the song.


Another picture of Gilligan's Island

This is Hanalei Valley. That name ring a bell?

Puff the magic dragon lived by the sea...
In a land called Hanalei.

Did you know that song was about smoking pot? I had no idea!!

This was also the set for the movie Uncommon Valor.



I am trying to figure out why I didn't get a picture of Bali Hai and South Pacific??? Not sure, but anyway...


There is also a mountain called Kong Mountain that looks like the profile of King Kong but none of those pictures turned out either.


This picture had nothing to do with the movies but I took it to show how they build houses near the water. I am thinking if you are handicapped I guess you have to put in an elevator.





So tomorrow I will be actually posting the pictures of what we did a week ago on Friday.

Kauai Continued

Okay, pictures are finally loading. These are the ones I mentioned in yesterday's blog.

They say roosters and chickens are so rampant because there are no predator birds on the island

This is Spouting Horn (the lava tube)

Found out these trees are called Banyan trees.

This is Wimea Canyon, "the Grand Canyon of the South Pacific" The colors of red were magnificant.

Blue Hawaiian Helicopter Tour.

Saw at least a dozen waterfalls, this was the biggest of them. The helicopter pilot said there were not as many falls because they had not had much rain.

On Day four we took the day to sun at the pool and then in the evening we went to a Dinner Theater presentation of "South Pacific". It was fun and they did a really good job. The guy that played Stewpot was particularly funny.

Day Five we took a Movie Tour and saw where they made several movies, television shows and a Paula Abdul video (woo-hoo). I'll have to post those pictures later, as Internet Explorer is not downloading them again (Ugh!)

Kauai Day Two and Three

Well...lot's of good guesses as to what the beach picture is but noone was right. Here is a hint:
Just sit right back and you'll hear a tale,
A tale of a fateful trip
That started from this tropic port,
Aboard this tiny ship.

Yep, it is Gilligan's Island. I will tell you more another day about what we were told about the original pilot of that show.

OKAY AFTER TRYING TO POST PICTURS SINCE 3:00 THIS AFTERNOON (it is now 11:30 p.m.) I AM GIVING UP. I WILL POST THIS ANYWAY BUT WILL HAVE TO TRY THE PICTURES AGAIN LATER.

We spent the second day at a coffee plantation, but I did not take any pictures. Don't know why other than I am not a fan of coffee. We then went to Spouting Horn. It is a lava tube and when the waves come in they shoot up it and make a loud "whooshing noise" and the water comes up like "Old Faithful" unfortunately I could never get the camera fixed exactly right to get the best affect. Also to the right I could see a sea turtle, but my zoom would not get it either. There were several vendors there selling jewelry and I got a jade, coral and opal stone ring and a pretty black and white faux pearl necklace. I also bought a turquoise stone bracelet that has already broken and will have to be restrung.

We then ate at a place that advertised having the best coconut shrimp in the world. To be honest, I like Red Lobster's a lot better. But it was fun eating outside with the roosters and chickens hanging around looking for a scrap. We then drove up the canyon with our hood down on the convertible (again no picture) to see Wimea Canyon (the grand canyon of the South Pacific) It was really pretty with all the red dirt and amazingly cooler. I was thankful that I could walk the long journey up to it.

Then on day three came the highlight of the trip. A helicopter tour of the island. It was so amazing! My pictures did not turn out real well, but I got a DVD of the ride along with all the dialogue of the pilot who was describing everything to us. He said we were not seeing near as many waterfalls because they had not had much rain, but the ones we did see were amazing. So this was a great time other than the few minutes I got air sick. Praise God for the "comfort bags" or that is what the pilot called them anyway.

Kauai Day One

I think I will wait to reveal the identity of the picture I posted last night until some more guesses come in. In the meantime I will give you snippets of my time in Kauai so that you don't have an excess to read at one time.

First of all, if you are doing a long flight and have the chance to upgrade your seats for more leg room, it is definitely worth it! Going we were able to gain 5 inches and it made all the difference in being comfortable. Coming back no seats were available and even though I was dead tired when the person in front of me put their seat back, I found it very uncomfortable trying to find a position for my legs for 8 hours.

We arrived in Kauai at 7:30 on Saturday and I was so surprised to find it already dark. We got our convertible and went straight to the Lawaii Beach Resort. I was amazed at how pitch black the roads were (one lane both directions at that). There were not many street lights. First thing I had to do when we arrived was use the "little girls room" and imagine my surprise to find an orchid in the toilet! I had never had this surprise before.

Sunday we went to an orientation meeting where they described to us the island and all the activities that we could do (way too many for a week). The concierge would then make all the reservations so that was nice. On the way to the meeting the first thing I noticed was this cool tree outside our door. I have no idea what it is called, but I thought the bottom of it was so cool (and like the one in Jurrasic Park, only smaller). I would find that I wished I knew a lot more about plants and trees as there were so many very pretty ones on the island and I had no clue what they were (but was too cheap to pay $10.00 for a book that described them)

We headed to Walmart to get some food and needed items (I forgot sunglasses). And stopped and ate lunch at Pizza Hut (I know, it was just quick and easy). I did notice that at the Burger King they had a sign for SPAM for breakfast. One tour guide said that Hawaiians eat 17 times the national average of SPAM. But I didn't get a picture of the signage. Anyway, we headed home and then spent the rest of the afternoon at the pool.

Wait till you hear and see what we did on Monday, it was by far the most fun of the trip!!

Home Again

I am home again and back to blogging. I didn't take my computer to Kauai because the website said the resort had web T.V., but our unit did not. Tonight I am still suffering from jet lag so won't be writing much. Who would have thought that not sleeping much on the 10 p.m. till 9 a.m. flight and losing 5 hours because of the time change could be so debilitating? (not to mention my plane was 4 hours late leaving Denver!) I slept till 2:00 today, but have just been running on empty. Was it worth it? You betcha!! I look forward to telling you about it in the days to come.

I did spend significant time tonight reading everyone's blog and catching up. Sorry so many of you have been sick or had sick kids. I missed communicating with all my blog friends.

So I will start my return with a guessing game. This is a significant beach on Kauai, any guesses as to why?

I will tell you tomorrow and start posting some other pictures.

Arrived In Denver

So I got to Denver okay and am enjoying the cooler weather. Last night slept with the windows open at my sister Caren's house and just loved hearing the wind blow through the trees in her back yard. I woke up during the night and the moon was a crescent moon but it had an amazing display of light in the shape of a cross that was just beautiful.

My flight was okay although wouldn't you know I had to sit behind the 6 foot guy who just had to have his seat back so whatever little leg room I did have was gone. I honestly felt like his seat was just inches from my chin, although I know it was not really that close. But arrived safely and had a good evening.

My brother, his wife, and their girls and my sisters kids and their spouses are all coming for dinner tonight. I finally get to meet baby Talon this afternoon, so I am looking forward to that.

Then tomorrow we will take off at 12:05! So if I post again it will be from Kauai. Woo-hoo!

Kauai Here I Come

I leave tomorrow afternoon for Kauai. I wish I could say I was excited. I know I will be once I land there, but in the meantime I am just somewhat nervous about surviving the flight to get there. Spending eight hours on the plane without being able to elevate my leg and if I am to be totally honest: I have never used the restroom on a plane before. There I said it. But I am sure whatever the inconveniences are it will be all worthwhile once I get there. Here are some pictures from the Lawai Beach Resort where we will be staying.




This will be our view from the room.


The beach with snorkeling is just right across the street.


And this will be the sunset.

Here are a few things I am looking forward to:
1. Time with my sister
2. Listening to the waves (she says we can hear them in our room!)
3. Seeing the beauty God created
4. Eating fresh pineapple and coconut
5. Riding in a convertible
6. Tranquility
7. Going to a Luau
8. Seeing waterfalls (doubt my leg will let me get in one (: )
9. Being on the beach
10. Having cooler weather (High's low 80's, low's low 70's)

Haven't decided whether I want to hassle with taking the computer or not, so you will have to stay tuned to see if I post from Kauai, or wait till I get home.
Akua Ho'omaika'i oukou (God Bless You)

Another Mystery Solved

Thanks to my sister Cathy I also found out the origin of a Pet Blessing. I guess the official day is actually Thursday, October 4th. So now I know the purpose and guess it does not sound as unreasonable as I first thought.

Blessing of Animals by Kevin E. Mackin, O.F.M.
As autumn arrives, people in various places may notice something odd.
A procession of animals, everything from dogs and cats to hamsters and even horses, is led to churches for a special ceremony called the Blessing of Pets.
This custom is conducted in remembrance of St. Francis of Assisi’s love for all creatures.
Francis, whose feast day is October 4th, loved the larks flying about his hilltop town. He and his early brothers, staying in a small hovel, allowed themselves to be displaced by a donkey.
Francis wrote a Canticle of the Creatures, an ode to God’s living things. “All praise to you, Oh Lord, for all these brother and sister creatures.” And there was testimony in the cause for St. Clare of Assisi’s canonization that referred to her little cat!
That there are today over 62 million cats in the U.S. attests to the continuing affection we have for our furry, feathered or finned friends. We've even had a cat called Socks in the White House. Other popular presidential pets range from Abraham Lincoln’s Fido to Lyndon Johnson’s beagles, named Him and Her.
For single householders, a pet can be a true companion. Many people arrive home from work to find a furry friend overjoyed at their return. Many a senior has a lap filled with a purring fellow creature.
The bond between person and pet is like no other relationship, because the communication between fellow creatures is at its most basic. Eye-to-eye, a man and his dog, or a woman and her cat, are two creatures of love.
No wonder people enjoy the opportunity to take their animal companions to church for a special blessing. Church is the place where the bond of creation is celebrated.
At Franciscan churches, a friar with brown robe and white cord often welcomes each animal with a special prayer. The Blessing of Pets usually goes like this:
“Blessed are you, Lord God, maker of all living creatures. You called forth fish in the sea, birds in the air and animals on the land. You inspired St. Francis to call all of them his brothers and sisters. We ask you to bless this pet. By the power of your love, enable it to live according to your plan. May we always praise you for all your beauty in creation. Blessed are you, Lord our God, in all your creatures! Amen.”

Mystery Solved

Well, the mystery has been solved as to who was the 1,000th visitor to my blog.
Drum roll please.......................................
It was my husband Steve! Tonight he sent me a resend of a message he sent me 2 nights ago. When he sent it that night I just thought he was telling me that someone hit the 1,000 mark because he just cut and pasted the page with the counter. Then tonight he sent it again and I am still not getting it and he said "It was me, I was number 1,000". My first response was "Oh Bummer" thinking how am I going to explain this to everyone and who is going to believe me? Not giving any thought to him thinking I did not want it to be him. So then I had to apologize. Anyway...I told him I was going to give a gift certificate to Amazon.com and he said I did not have to give it to him, but fair is fair right? (Sorry to disappoint Becky and Amberly it was not $1,000. Remember after all I am leaving for Hawaii in 2 days :) )

Today I received an email (indirectly) from a old college acquaintance who is the associate minister at the Garden Ridge church of Christ in Lewisville. They are looking for a children's minister. I emailed him to just say hi and see how things are going and I told him I noticed on their website that he was teaching Dynamic Marriage classes (also called His Needs, Her Needs). He and I had attended the same class years ago to be certified to lead this class. Anyway, he said in the past 10 years he has taught 15 classes and in that time 5 couples had already filed for or been divorced and they were all reunited. I just think that is a powerful testimony of what only God can do if we are willing to commit to Him and His ways with all of our hearts.

Who Were You?

So did anyone pay attention to the counter and notice that you were the 1000th person?
If so let me know who you were. I have a surprise for you. Thanks to all of you who read, I would love it if more of you would comment :)

God's Answers

Anita Barton sent this via email today and I thought it was so good that I would share it. I always need help in replacing Satan's lies with truth.

GOD HAS A POSITIVE ANSWER

You Say: "It's impossible"

God Says: All things are possible (Luke 18:27)

You Say: "I'm too tired"

God Says: I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28-30)

You Say: "Nobody really loves me"

God Says: I love you (John 3:1 6 & John 3:34 )

You Say: "I can't go on"

God Says: My grace is sufficient (II Corinthians 12:9 & Psalm 91:15)

You Say: "I can't figure things out"

God Says: I will direct your steps (Proverbs 3:5- 6)

You Say: "I can't do it"

God Says: You can do all things (Philippians 4:13)

You Say: "I'm not able"

God Says: I am able (II Corinthians 9:8)

You Say: "It's not worth it"

God Says: It will be worth it (Roman 8:28 )

You Say: "I can't forgive myself"

God Says: I forgive you (I John 1:9 & Romans 8:1)

You Say: "I can't manage"

God Says: I will supply all your needs (Philippians 4:19)

You Say: "I'm afraid"

God Says: I have not given you a spirit of fear (II Timothy 1:7)

You Say: "I'm always worried and frustrated"

God Says: Cast all your cares on ME (I Peter 5:7)

You Say: "I'm not smart enough"

God Says: I give you wisdom (I Corinthians 1:30)

You Say: "I feel all alone"

God Says: I will never leave you or forsake you (Hebrews 13:5)

May we all remember that Jesus came not to just give us life, but ABUNDANT life.

(John 10:10)

Last Day of September

Can you believe it? It is the last day of September, tomorrow is October! And yet today I was in the pool. It was a beautiful afternoon. While I was swimming I had the radio on and was listening to contemporary Christian music. It was amazing how many songs I had not heard of before and how they spoke to my heart. I need to listen to music more and watch T.V. less. I can't remember the other songs, but here is one that spoke to me:

GOD IS GOOD
God is good all the time
He put a song of praise in this heart of mine
Through the darkest night, His love will shine
God is good, God is good all the time.

If you're walking through the valley
And there are shadows all around
Do not fear, He will guide you
He will keep you safe and sound.
Cause He's promised to never leave you
Nor forsake you and His word is true.

We were sinners, so unworthy
Still for us He chose to die,
Filled us with the Holy Spirit
Now we can stand and testify
That His love is everlasting
And His mercies will never end.

I allow Satan to blindside me and forget that God is indeed good ALL the time. He cannot be anything but. I don't have to agree with Him in order for Him to be good. I just have to trust.
Hope you all have a week filled with the knowledge that His love is everlasting and His mercies will never end.

Okay...so here is your chance to chime in. I am about 25 hits away from hitting my first 1,000 hits to my blog (since I started the counter) anyway...I was going to give a prize to the 1,000th person. What do you think it should be? I am assuming someone will hit it tomorrow and you will have to let me know who you are.

Animal Lovers Please Explain

Today I drove over to Mesquite to get a haircut and on the way I passed a church with this sign:
Come Fluffy, Come Fido
Animal Blessing
This Sunday 10:00a.m.

Animal blessing? So what do you think that looks like? And if you are the animal lover, how does your animal being blessed bless you?

This inquiring mind really wants to know.

Also if you are interested I didn't get the name of the church but it is North of 635 on the left side of Oates.

Windchimes

I love wind chimes!! Doesn't seem like there has been much chiming the past few days, guess there just hasn't been any wind? When I was growing up we would enter my grandmother's house through the side and there was a room with her washer, dryer and freezer and wind chimes! They were the kind made out of glass. I just loved opening the door and hearing the chimes. Mine are along the eaves of roof in the backyard but I can hear them really well from my bedroom and den. Steve's father built me a beautiful set by hand many years ago out of wood from their property in Omaha and steel pipes that he cut himself (the one on the right side of the first picture) For years I kept them inside as I didn't want them to weather but the problem was I never heard them chime. Their intended purpose was muted because they were not where the wind could move them. After Steve's father died I decided I would rather have them outside doing what they were made to do. Now when they chime I not only think of Steve's dad but my grandmother. I am thankful for the wind and the joyful sounds it makes in my backyard.

As I type this I realize there is a spiritual application, that neither can we do what we were created to do unless we let the breeze of the Holy Spirit freely blow through us.

For All You've Done

I didn't know how easy it was to email Oprah your comments. I am sure she doesn't actually read many of them herself but at least someone heard my concerns about her show yesterday.

This morning in Ladies Bible Class Sara played this song by Point of Grace.

For All You've Done
Clint Lagerberg

Oh cleanser of the mess I've made
Upon the hill our places trade
Stretched on a cross Your body crushed
By human hands You formed from dust

Chorus
How wonderful Your mercy is
How awesome are Your ways
I come, I come
To worship You
For all You've done

Oh cleanser of the mess I've made
Your boundless love for me portrayed
With patience for my learning curve
By holding back what I deserve

Chorus

Oh cleanser of the mess I've made
With everything at Your feet laid
I watch as all my cares erode
And from my soul these words explode

Chorus

The words that caught my heart "your boundless love for me portrayed, with patience for my learning curve by holding back what I deserve". I am so very thankful that I have a God who is patient with me because I am so slow in learning my lessons. Too many times I spend my time doing anything I can to keep myself distracted from what God really wants me to do. I pray that more and more I will make the time to pay attention and be that clay that the potter is trying to mold into more of his image.

How Much Longer?

Sometimes I wonder how much longer the Lord is going to tolerate the sin that just keeps growing and growing in our country. Today I turned on the T.V. about 4:20 and it was on Oprah and they were talking about women and sex and I listened and then kept listening. They had 2 female doctors who both talked about their sexual relationships (neither were married), the Oprah turned the conversation to women who are involved in porn. She called it "erotica" and stated that one in ever four dollars that is being spent in pornography is being spent by women. She then had three women tell of their experiences. The doctors said that this was a healthy practice as long as it is done in moderation??? Finally, she talked to a couple who had an "open marriage". The wife was having sexual relations with another man named Eli and her husband did not have any problems with her doing so and had even allowed the two of them to engage in sex together in their home in the guest bedroom.

I thought I was going to be sick. I cannot even imagine what God is feeling? How His heart must just break and yet as bad as that all was in His eye's my sin is no different. But...what makes it different is that the blood of His son veils my sin from Him and I am so grateful.

Once again I am so very thankful for a husband that honors our marriage vows and a God who fills our hearts with all that it takes to be satisfied in one another.

I am going to write the Oprah show. I am sure it will not do much good, but I feel like I need to do something.

Amazing Love

Friday night I was waiting in the truck as Steve went in to Garden Ridge to pick up the new chairs I had put on hold. There was a speaker on one of the Christian Radio stations and he was talking about a young girl in China who had been incarcerated for her faith. When she was finally released she heard that people all over the world had been praying for her. She then said she really appreciated that people were praying but to tell people not to pray for the victims of persecution but for the persecutors. She was thankful that she could be persecuted for the cause of Christ. She went on to say that it is through persecution that the church advances and the more they are persecuted the more the church grows. To her it was an honor to be able to serve God in this way. I sat there and thought "Wow". I wonder if I could truly rejoice in the same situation? Do I have that kind of passion for advancing the cause of my Lord? It is indeed amazing love for the Lord and His church.

Good news at the doctor today. No obvious problems with my foot. It could be a stress fracture, but if so nothing can be done for it anyway, it just takes time to heal. We did discover I have a really well formed heel spur and she was flabbergasted I wasn't having problems with it. The main tib/fib bones looked absolutely awesome and are doing great and that was such joyful news. She did give me another brace like the one I wear on my right ankle. I think I can finally quit worrying that something might go wrong. Please truly praise God together with me for that!!!

Peaceful Warrior

Thanks to Becky I got my first Netflix movie in the mail yesterday. It took me forever to find any movies I had not seen and wanted to watch. I found one called Peaceful Warrior that I had never heard of but it sounded good. The only person in it I had ever heard of was Nick Nolte (and he is old in this movie). Anyway...at first I wasn't getting the movie and not really enjoying but by the time it ended it had touched me. This is a movie about a gymnast named Dan Millman. I had never heard of him but I guess he is now a motivational speaker. Anyway...I just wanted to post a couple of quotes from Socrates (the Nick Nolte character) who was a mentor to Dan. There were some great reflective thoughts in this movie.

1. A warrior does not give up what he loves but finds what he loves in what he does.
2. You can choose to be a victim, victor or anything else you choose to be.
3. The journey is what brings us happiness, not the destination.
4. Take out the trash. The trash would be anything that is keeping you from what matters in this moment.
5. What happens to you is what should of happened because it did. Wishing it to be different won't change it.
6. Life is God's novel....let Him write it.
7. We need to navigate through life without the what if's, shoulds, coulds and dwell on what is. There is no living in the past or the future only the present, if your next breath does not come you cease to be.

Hope you don't mind me asking you to pray another time. There is a new pain in my left foot so I am having it x-rayed in the morning and just hoping it is nothing serious. It is just hurting when I walk and I thought it best to have it checked out before I leave for Hawaii.

And The Winner Is...

I Corinthians 9:24 says "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize." Well, our sweet sister Doris James has received her prize. For those that read this blog that do not know her, Doris was a sweet, sweet senior saint at our church. I don't know exactly how old she was (early 80's?) and don't know how long she had been at R.E. (but a long time). She has been a widow ever since I have known her. She had carotid artery and heart bypass surgery early this week and apparently was doing well and then got a blood clot that went to her lungs and she passed last night.

I loved Doris. I know this sounds frivolous but one thing that impressed me about her is she was always dressed to the nines. She was so very stylish for her age and I was always complimenting her on how pretty she looked or admiring a piece of her jewelry. But...what I admired about her most was her faithfulness to the Lord she loved. If the doors of the church were open, she was there. She was at Ladies Bible class every week. She encouraged us all to bring soup labels to class because she had a heart for the children at Sunny Glen Children's Home and by sending the Home labels, they could trade them in for school equipment. Doris was a volunteer in CAREcorp (our outreach to the poor). You did not have to guess what Doris thought, she let you know. She was always honest. She loved the Lord's church and she loved people. She will be missed. But I am so very thankful that the Lord allowed us to be family together for her life has shaped my faith and I will be looking so forward to our heavenly reunion.

My Aching Feet

Another blog confession. I am a shopaholic. The only shopping I don't enjoy is grocery shopping. So all Garden Ridge has to advertise is a Shop-a-thon and I am there. Now the only thing I hate about Garden Ridge is for a store it's size to not have electric carts is really absurd! They do have one, but for months every time I have inquired about it, it has been broken. But that was not going to stop me today. I walked with my walker and made it through the entire store!! (Barely) My mom went with me and this is what I got (of course all on sale) a plant, some new hot pads, a flower pot, a picture for my bathroom (the one that was remodeled), a new box to hold all my stationary, another chair cushion for the pool and a blow up manger scene (the kind you put in your yard at Christmas). This was the one item I really, really did not need, but it was just way too cute to pass up. It has Mary, Joseph, Jesus, a lamb and a donkey underneath the beams of a stable. I just hope no one tears it up. One year I bought a really cute penguin on top of an igloo and someone sliced it with a knife and let it melt on the lamp inside of it. It wasn't an accident because they broke several other things in the yard too. Anyway...can't wait till the day after Thanksgiving when I traditionally decorate my yard.

I also got 4 new kitchen chairs (Steve and I had to go back and get them with his truck). We had been looking for chairs for about 6 months so I was so proud to find some. I really like my kitchen table and didn't want to get another, but had trouble matching the wood and at the natural store they wanted $125.00 a chair and then we would have to stain them). So these were great (and not there the last time we checked Garden Ridge) and made very sturdy. And of course I thought I was doing good getting them 20% off. I don't know why it is when something is on sale you feel like you accomplished something good. The truth of the matter is I am suspect that they actually raise the prices say they are on sale and I am always the sucker.

Then I also went to Costco for the first time. Several people have told me they like it better than Sams and my sister thought we might want to shop there in Hawaii. After being there, I'm not sure why we would want to shop there for just the two of us. Everything is in way too big of portions. That is why I don't shop Sam's for just me and Steve. Usually I only go there when I am hosting a party. Anyway...we did have fun eating all the samples! They did have a Christmas tree that I thought was cool as the lighted bulbs danced to the beat of the Christmas music. However, it was $50.00 cheaper at Garden Ridge.

Everyone have a great weekend!

This Journey Is Not Just Mine

I have another confession to make. More times than I like to admit I am too self focused. It is so easy for me to get caught up in my own struggles of this journey that I have been on the last couple of years, that I forget that Steve has been on this journey with me (not to mention my mother, father. siblings, friends, church, etc.) Anyway... Steve and I were asked to respond to this question for a friend who will be teaching a marriage class at our church.

What is the most important lesson God has taught you regarding loving your spouse?

Steve's answer touched me and I wanted to share it with you.

Another thing I have learned through marriage is empathy. Last Saturday I was at a Christian gathering and saw a man in a wheelchair. His leg was elevated and his foot, although it was wrapped, could easily be seen as twisted inward. His wife was pushing him. In the past, it would not have merited a second glance. However, my heart tugged at me, and tears welled up. I knew something of the challenges they faced in something as "simple" as getting in and out of a car. I knew that she had truly become his legs as there were many things that she would have to do for him. She would, even though tired and with things she wanted to do, gladly do whatever needed to be done for him. In society, we look on handholding or kissing as signs of love, and they are. But to see one giving themselves to care for their mate is a far greater and deeper sign of love - it is commitment and devotion. Later at that same event, I saw a young mom with three children. Two of the three were walking but the third was in a stroller. Then I saw that the baby in the stroller was hooked to a medical device. The baby was so pale, she looked like a doll. One of the siblings grabbed its hands to clap for the speaker, and the baby's eyes hardly opened, and that was for just a moment. I have such appreciation for that mom to deal with three children, all the ramifications of a medical issue and yet spend a Saturday afternoon learning about evangelism. I wanted to walk up to her and tell her how much I admired her. There is so much pain and hurt in the world. It is so easy to have a callused heart and obscured vision. However, the Great Physician knows how to tenderize a heart and remove the blinders to notice those who are persevering through suffering.

I am so blessed to be on this journey with this sweet man. I am so very thankful for the heart and eyes of God that he has. I hope that I will never forget that he is on this journey with me and he has his own hurts and sacrifices that are associated with it. Seems like I remember Jesus saying "greater love have no one than this that they lay down their life for a friend" in this case for your wife (or spouse). We all said the words "I will love you in sickness and in health, for better or for worse" I am the blessed and thankful wife of a Promise Keeper to me and to His God.

Talon Update

My great nephew Talon is 6 months old and in my unbiased opinion he just gets cuter and cuter. I am so excited that in 3 weeks I will finally get to meet him and better yet hold him!

Have I told you I am going to Kauai in 3 weeks for a week? My sister has a time share and she and I are going together. I will fly to Denver a day early (that is where she lives) so that we can travel together and that is when I will get to meet Talon (his mom and dad live there too). Anyway... I am really looking forward to this time only 17 days and counting.

Shoe Fashion

This morning I wore a navy blue pair of loafers with my navy blue and red dress. You say why is that a big deal? Well for months all I have worn is athletic shoes, a black pair or a white pair. But this morning I wanted to look more stylish. This was really silly because I could barely walk in the shoes! They do not support my ankles or feet like I need right now. I used to have a closet full of shoes...a pair to match every outfit. But then I had to start wearing flats most of the time because of how much I was on my feet in my job. So I just had several colors of loafers and dress flats (navy, brown, black and red). Now I am reduced to 4 pair of shoes. I have two pair of Keds, that I wear on Sundays, and 2 pair of New Balance shoes. In actuality even the Keds do not support like I need them to either, I just think they look better.

Sooooo....today I vowed to just get over the shoe fashion statement and go for what helps me walk the best. And I guess now that it is Fall I will only have one choice on Sundays and that will be the black New Balance shoes. I guess the good news is there will be more room in the floor of my closet.

P.S. Okay, I just went out on the internet and typed in Brown New Balance and found a pair on sale from $90.00 to $19.99 and I could not resist so I will now have two choices for the winter! Woohoo!

Human Trafficking

This afternoon Steve was gone to a seminar at Prestonwood Baptist with a friend and as I channel surfed I came across a movie called Human Trafficking. I had no idea it would be 4 hours long, but wound it to be interesting and terrifying all at the same time. I am so very naive!! I knew that this went on to some degree but had no idea the extent of it. I went out to several websites and found out the United States actually has a bill in place since 1994, so it has been going on a long time. And yet they say that 800,000 are still transported between borders and that does not take in account what is done within different countries. There is even a conference in Las Vegas in October of this year. While trafficking for labor is one issue and concerning, it hits my heart more about the trafficking for prostitution. Such young girls and boys. And while the people that do this to children are reprehensible, they could not do what they do if there were not a demand for it, and so the people that pay to abuse the children or women are even worse in my opinion.

I know this is not a pleasant topic to be blogging about, but perhaps you are like me and don't know much about this subject. Or again you are like me and cocoon yourself in our safe little world and just don't give much thought to this problem. I hope that you will join me in at least praying against the forces of evil and for the victims. So many of them fall into this trap because they think the offer of a better life is around the corner or their own parents sell them for money not knowing what will really happen to them. Not only can we pray for the victims and their families, but we can give thanks and praise that we are blessed to have lives that are not that desperate.If you want more information you can go to : http://www.humantrafficking.org

Free Refill

Yesterday was our 217th month anniversary. Steve gives me a card, book or something small on the 12th of every month. Yesterday it was a book by Mark Atteberry called "Free Refill". I found these quotes to be enlightening for me.

"I've come to understand that when God doesn't calm our storms as quickly as we would like, it's because He's trying to teach us something. Specifically, He is trying to teach us the very thing He's always trying to teach us: who He really is."

"The Bible tells us who He is...It's one thing to be told something is true. It is another to be shown. God has established His Word to tell us who He is, but He still uses circumstances to show us. That's why you shouldn't despair when you find yourself in a storm that doesn't seem to be letting up. It doesn't mean that you have been abandoned. It doesn't mean that God has suffered a power failure or that He enjoys watching you suffer. It simply means that there is some aspect of his character that He wants you to discover--or at least appreciate more than you have in the past."

"If Jesus had immediately calmed the storm that had the disciples pressed to the limit of their endurance, they would have been grateful, and they would know that Jesus could calm a storm. But by allowing the storm to rage a little longer and enabling Peter to take a stroll on the waves, Jesus was demonstrating more than what He could do to a storm. He was demonstrating what He could do in a storm."

I pray that my eyes will be opened and I will see more clearly what God wants me to see of Him.

UGH!

Sunday morning I sat next to someone who told me they had had a cold for the past two days, but they were feeling better. I thought to myself, oh, I bet I catch it. For some reason I am so very susceptible to colds. Sure enough tonight I go to Bunco and about 30 minutes into it my head starts feeling stuffy and my nose starts running. I hate colds! They just always zap my energy. I am hoping as I head off to bed that maybe I was just allergic to something in the house we were in and I will be okay in the morning. As I really look forward to fall, I know it is also the season where I am usually fighting colds. Yes, I do double up on Vitamin C and Echinacea but nothing seems to help. So....keeping my fingers crossed.

Spiritual Warfare

As I mentioned in my last post Rick Atchley had a great sermon on spiritual warfare this past weekend. You can actually listen to it on the Richland Hills website at: http://www.rhchurch.org/index.cfm?pg=doc&id=99

It is so easy to get caught up in the day to day doings of our days that we forget that we are actually in a battle. This is true for me anyway. Sometimes I am better at putting on my armor than others. There were two points that Rick made that particularly hit me.

First off while Satan has more power than I do, I have more authority than he has because I have the authority of Jesus and am able to speak in His name. So Satan can do nothing to me that I do not allow him to do.

Secondly, he mentioned Ephesians 1:3 (which was also mentioned this week in Ladies Bible class) "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ". As I was listening to Rick it hit me that I have allowed Satan to knock my breath out of me, kind of like a boxing match and he hit me in the stomach and left me breathless. But, I don't have to stay that way, I can take a deep breath and come back punching and reclaim the joy that I have knowing that I have been blessed with ALL spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. I have that assurance. The past year or so I have let Satan take my joy and fill my heart with questions and doubts. I still don't have the answers that I want, but I do know that Satan cannot take away my spiritual blessings that I have in Christ Jesus and those are so much more important than any physical ability I might wish that I had. So Saturday night, I picked up my armor and put it back on.

Rick gave a great illustration about walking through castles that have the suits of armor. No one is scared of a suit of armor that is just standing empty. We all realize that it isn't till someone puts it on that it can serve it's purpose. Each of us must equip ourselves for the daily battle that we are in because after all I Peter 5:8 says "Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour."

Thank you to all of you that are on this journey with me and I pray that not only can we laugh with each other, share life stories, recipes, opinions, etc. but that we will continue to encourage each other to press on as in Philippians 4:13 "I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."

A Funny For Today

Last night Steve and I drove over to Richland Hills to attend the 5:00 service of Richland Hills church of Christ and have dinner with my dear friend Patty and her husband Wade. The service was great. Rick Atchley is a wonderful communicator and had an awesome lesson on spiritual warfare that I will share about later. But as we were waiting for Patty to be able to leave, her husband Wade showed us the new children's ministry t-shirt. It said "We are wild about children at RHCC" and done in a safari motif. It had the scripture Matthew 18:5 on it.
Wade went on to tell us that after they passed the t-shirts out to all the teachers one of the teachers came and asked Patty what the verse had to do with children's ministry. Although Patty thought it was obvious, she said nicely to the lady "well, you know it's the verse where Jesus says to let the children come to me for such is the kingdom of heaven" The lady, said I don't think so I looked it up and it says "Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt." They had accidentally put Matthew 18:25 on the shirt, instead of Matthew 18:5!! Needless to say she had to recall all 500 shirts and pass out new ones. Of all the verses that could have been used! They had signed off on the proofreading, but had just missed the error. Steve and I laughed so hard.