Friday 28 May 2010

Snuggle Up!



I love this picture! I see several things. I see a mother snuggled up closely with her daughter. Her youngest of 5 children. She loves them all but this is a special time with "Katie". You see, each of her children have different names. When she has to call for her, to get her attention, she calls. "Katie!" Now if it is serious, requiring immediate attention, she uses, "Katelyn!" That is serious - I heard her use that once - it got my attention as well! You see we were out on a narrow pier, with deep water all around us, dangers that Katie did not recognize. But mom was there. One time Katie jerked her hand loose from mom's tight grip and started to move closer to danger. Mom screamed, "Katelyn!!!" - she froze she recognized that voice tone and froze and mom took her hand again.

Kind of like our relationship with our Savior! Do you know His voice? He does snuggle close - DO NOT jerk away!! He DOES know your name.

Monday 24 May 2010

Just a routine day

Today, May 24, 2010 is set to be mostly a routine day. Nothing really planned. Deb will be visiting and we will have a great visit - but nothing really super planned. I think today we will just all relax and chill out. Ahhhh, what a nice plan.

July 10, 1965 was NOT a relaxed quiet day! It was our wedding day! Mama was busy all morning long The ceremony was not until 2PM! I Went crazy, I was by myself until church time. I was probably 15 miles away from the church, by myself in the home that mama and I had already purchased.

Now it is 45 years later - as you have read our "life story" off and on through these several years of blogging, this year will go down as not so "routine". Even the question "is this the beginning of the end?" rolled through our minds - we are human. But today, things look good and we will be busy with planned activities - but probably relaxed.

Having a relaxed day sounds good - but be careful. Always stay alert to the Holy Spirit as He guides your life. Look for those "Divine Appointments" that may just be lurking. It may be a phone call, it may be someone stopping by, a stranger on the street or in a checkout lane. Will you be looking or just relaxing thinking "this is my day."? It is HIS day.

Friday 21 May 2010

Bad News! I have to do the house work!

Yesterday, Thursday we met with the surgeon that will do mama's cancer surgery. The surgery will be considered out-patient and we should be out of there by 1PM. My question to the lady surgeon was, "When mama gets home she will still be able to do her housework - right?" She looked at me and said, "NO! SHe can't do anything including dishes, laundry - nothing for 90 days! We ladies have to stick together!" I think I have been setup!! Bad news!!

Mama will have surgery on June 1st. The surgeon says the tumor is very small. A minimal stage 1 tumor caught very early. They do not think the tumor has spread they will do tests and check at the time of the surgery to be sure. We were very pleased with the report and give God the glory and praise. Plans are just to remove the tumor, no major radical surgery. We feel God has blessed us.

Friday 14 May 2010

My Bride!

This is my bride. We renewed our vows last year. It was a very precious time. I almost passed out and had to sit down while up on the platform. It was too emotional of a time for me.

This July we will have been married 45 years. We have had a great marriage (I think we both agree on that!) but not without its moments of crisis' like most marriages. But we have grown through those tough times and have both been willing to learn and adjust as the years have gone by.

Do you know what is special about this picture - to me? It may surprise you, but it is her veil. You see that is the veil she wore on our wedding day on July 10th, 1965, 45 years ago. The veil is a little darker, yellow tint, age has taken away some of its original color. What is amazing is that mama has not changed at all, well a little prettier now.

Today life is getting tougher. This past week we discovered that mama has cancer. Treatable, but serious. It can not be blown off. It is not something I can fix. I can't walk away and not deal with it. We must. There have been times that mama has asked for my help, maybe simply ask me to listen better and I walked away. Through the years I have been learning and listening to mama and my Savior better. This is not my marriage, it is OUR marriage now. It is not mama who is just in trouble now. It is just as much me, she is my life. If I could I would grab each of you by the shoulder, husband or wife, and look you into the face and simply say, "How are you doing with your best friend?" I know some of you are single, maybe a single parent, but I would still grab you by the shoulder and ask the same question. You see mama is my best friend - almost. Jesus is my very bestest friend. So, how are you doing with your best friend?

Monday 10 May 2010

My best friend!

This is my best friend. I have lived with her for 45 years. Right now she is in "trouble". I don't cope with that very well. Today she had some not so routine medical tests. I do not like that. We believe that all is okay, or at least "fixable".

We now have to wait for test results, a couple of days, and then take whatever steps the results dictate.

The good news is that we have a God who is already at work on this issue and has it under control. We are trusting Him. Well, mostly, I have my own thoughts on what He needs to do, but I guess He decides that - right?

We would still covet your prayers and will keep you updated as we hear anything.

Mama is a very special lady - one of a kind and I am the only one who gets to be her very best friend!!

UPDATE - Tuesday 7:30PM May 11, 2010 : Mama's test came back positive tonight. Now we get together with Specialist to determine a plan of action. We would appreciate your prayers. We are fine!!

Wednesday 5 May 2010

Praying For Healing for Mama

James 5:13-15
Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.

Tonight, Wednesday May 5th, at church, Mama and I went to the altar at church where the pastor and several others knelt with us and prayed. The pastor led in prayer and anointed mama with oil.

Mama was advised today at the doctors office that they want to do more testing Monday and that after that within a couple of days we will have test results. We are not worried, rather we are trusting God, His healing power and His directions for our lives. We do not like the "unknown"anymore than the next person but God already knows so that is good enough for us.

In the picture is also Peter. He is doing great! Kind of! He has good days and some not so good days. He has Leukemia but is in remission right now. Over a year ago he had a bone marrow transplant. We will join Peter in August as part of his team in a Cancer Awareness Relay Walk.
I have said this before, but just in case you haven't heard, Cancer Sucks!

Tuesday 4 May 2010

Being your best is optional - Really?!

Scripture: “So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold or hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.” Revelation 3:16

My goal is to make Amos a great trail horse. However, if he just does a fair job at it and gets everything I taught him about half right that will be okay. If when I go out to catch him he comes to me most of the time that’s okay. If I have to spend hours catching him some days, I understand, Amos is probably just having a bad day. I will just let him slide. Of course when we go to load him in the trailer and he kicks at me or fights to stay out of the trailer, I will allow that occasionally. He may just not feel like going for a ride in the trailer, after all most of the time he does okay. Then once we get where we are going with the trailer and he gives me fits sometimes trying to put the saddle on him and kicks me, I just brush myself off and get up off the ground and say; “that’s okay Amos, your still a great horse!” All I have to say is, will somebody please buy this horse! I would not even claim ownership to a horse that would not be consistent in his behavior.

God does not want us marginal either. The verse above is just plain scary and blunt. If I don’t get it, I had better wise up soon. God does not want me to be a marginal Christian. He expects me to be an “on fire” Christian. I certainly do not want to be a bad taste in His mouth. When I start making excuses about things He wants me to do or just seem to busy, I had better realize that God wants me 100% committed to His service.

Prayer Thought: Lord, is that you I hear gagging in the background? Sorry, I didn’t think what you asked was such a big deal. Forgive me please!