On the Mend

Thanks, Gail, for that gentle reminder to give an update on Biscuit...

Thursday when I awoke Biscuit was breathing shallowly and shaking with every breath. She couldn't move without crying in pain.  We took her into the Vet again (by stretcher this time) and she came out with steroids for inflammation, morphine-type pain meds and a camel (a bag's worth of saline given under the skin on her back for hydration.)  She was in bad shape.

She slept peacefully the rest of the day, but did not move from our towel covered couch.  Rhett and I carried her out at bedtime and she went to the bathroom, but we carried her back to the couch to rest for the night.

On Friday morning my puppy-girl turned the corner. She was lifting her head and initiated going out to the bathroom, eating and drinking. She still stumbled and shook when walking, but the pain meds and steroids helped her manage until the antibiotics could start attacking the infection.

Today she sat in her fave spot looking out the window and even went outside on the deck to watch Dad mow. A little bit of her personality is back! She's on the mend, thank goodness.

Thanks so much for your prayers, and Gail, especially, thanks for your concern and follow-up!

Blessings,

Waiting to see...

Biscuit woke this morning not being able to walk very well. I took her to the Vet ER today and found out she has full-blown lymes disease. Her platelet levels are incompatible with life and he said if I had waited a day she would have been dead. She's on meds and we're hoping they work quickly. We've had a lot of drama this month (3 Urgent Care visits for our family) and I'm not sure if I can lose my 2 year old dog, as well. If you would say a prayer I'd appreciate it.

I Know Who Goes Before Me

1:45pm and I'm still in my jammies. It's one of those days.

Truth be told, I rarely need an excuse to stay in my pj's, but today I received news that left me stunned and teary. Change is a comin' and I'm trying to adjust to the thought.

No sicknesses, no babies-on-the-way, just change. It could be good for I see the good that might result, but I feel safe where I am and really don't want to face the possibilities.

The Lord has prepped me. I look back over the past couple of months and see the whispers He's left in my ear.

Two weeks ago a friend faced similar changes.  I sympathized and then said I'd pray, never imagining that I would be in the same place two weeks later.

I know the Lord has a plan; I trust Him. The path has gotten a little foggy today and I don't see the next step very clearly, but I know who is still in the lead.

On the new Chris Tomlin CD, Burning Lights, there is a song entitled Whom Shall I Fear. The chorus says,

"I know who goes before me, I know who stands behind.
The God of angel armies is always by my side."

With gusto I've sang that song driving the freeways with my girls in tow. I've sang it confidently. Today I sing it 'cause I need it.  Just a little afraid. Could be good. Could be bad. Could be a mixture, but it doesn't matter, does it? If we remember who goes before us, we should not be afraid.

So I did the best thing I could think of doing...I crawled back under the covers and read a mystery novel.

Let someone else have the drama for a few hours.  Prayer would be good too. ;)

If you would pray for me, I would appreciate it. I will fill you in on the details over the next few months, but I just can't share today.

Thanks so much!

Quick Prayer Please!

Update:
The day went well and there were no injuries! Praise the Lord!
I'm looking forward to showing you the day in pictures. Until then... Have a great Sunday!

Tomorrow, Sat the 11th, is my son's Eagle Project Work day. We will have over 30 scouts helping Rhett build portable roll-up boardwalks for local park events. There will be power tools, including two saws (table & hack?) and a drill press. All will be well-supervised, but it will be dangerous. Would you say a quick prayer for safety and success? It would be greatly appreciated. I'll be sure to take pictures and fill you all in when completed.

Prayer for Safety

My husband and son left at dawn this morning. They are driving to FL to catch a plane to the Bahamas where they will be sailing on a 42' boat - off to have a great adventure participating in a Boy Scout Seabase Excursion.

I am a puddle. I hate when our family is separated. I'm a homebody and I like all the bodies at home with me!

In church yesterday we sang a song about surrender and I just sobbed thinking that my boys may not ever come home. I've teased that I don't want them to end up a Reader's Digest story - "Boy Scouts barely survive storm at sea." Couldn't even think about the story of them not surviving.

They have many hours of driving, a puddle-jumper plane ride twice, and a week of sailing. Ugh. I'm happy they will have this trip as a memory, but I'd really rather not collect any life insurance money if at all possible.

Does anyone else have thoughts like this?

I then thought, "What if they're lost at sea? The insurance company might not even give me the money." Weirdo!

Anyway...

Our pastor has been speaking on idols - anything that takes the place of God. It's amazing how much I depend on my men, but I have to remember that they belong to the Lord. I don't have enough grace to think about losing them. The Lord doesn't give us grace for our imagined fears. He gives us grace the moment we need it.

On the way to church today I was singing along with a Chris Tomlin CD. We were singing, "Your grace is enough, your grace is enough..." It's so true. It's always been and always will be. I just have to trust and leave my loved ones in His hands where they are already safe and sound.

Psalm 28:7

The LORD is my strength and my shield;
my heart trusts in him, and I am helped.
My heart leaps for joy
and I will give thanks to him in song.

Father,

Please, keep my boys safe while they travel and sail. Give them something great to share and remember. Bond their hearts together even more. Let them enjoy your beautiful creation to its fullest!

Calm my heart and help me to trust in you. I thank you for the song that reminded me that your grace is enough. It always is. You are amazing, Lord.

Please, protect us (girls) at home. Give us a great week together. May we rejoice in your abundant goodness!

Thank you for my family!

Amen.

Hi, Ho, Hi, Ho...It's off to IL we go!

We're heading out tomorrow morning to Grandma's house where we will spend the next few weeks getting her belongings sold and getting her house ready to sell. Although it won't be a typical vacation, we'll make the best of it and make good memories with extended family.

If you'd like to pray, please ask for our safety: Ashley and Rhett will be driving Grandma's car back on their own next week; my mom, the little girls and I will return later in July, our health: my knee has been giving me a lot of trouble, our peace: the emotions of going through and discarding a loved one's personal items are tough, and our testimony: we have a lot of unsaved family who will be with us.

While I'm away I will be computer-free. I don't have a laptop. Bloggers who write posts while watching tv make me jealous. :) I've decided not to borrow someone's ITouch to try to get by, but to instead take an almost technology-free vacation. Gotta have my GPS, phone & IPod. C'mon now.

So...I will not be posting again until a little ways into July. Please, come back and visit. I LOVE writing on paper and have all kinds of ideas for posts so I can share them with you when I return. I will also be taking lots of pictures and will catch you up on our travels with Project 365.

I have pre-scheduled posts on my cooking blog so you can enjoy a new recipe every other day, but I just ran out of time to pre-schedule posts here. Sad.

Can you tell I'm going to miss you? I like that.

Ok, I've got to pay some bills and finish packing a few bags...and maybe catch a little sleep.

See you soon! Until then, "Happy Summer!"

Prayer Please

Update: The concert went well. I played Nathan's bells and our music pastor directed/kept time for our handbell choir. It went without a hitch! PTL!! Nathan's surgery went well and he's recovering.


Please pray for Nathan, a high school student in my handbell choir. He went into emergency surgery tonight to have his appendix removed. He was to play a vital role in our Christmas concert tomorrow morning and I have been "playing the air" trying to learn his part. Please, say a prayer for me as I try to fill in for him.

Thanks, Everyone!

California Fires

Yesterday I received this picture from my mother-in-law.

She wrote:

Hi everyone, We are in Lancaster this week for the Orientation week at the college. The sky is darkened with the smoke from the fires burning in the Los Angeles mtns. Please pray for the safety of those threatened by the fires & the fire fighters. Please pray for students traveling this weekend & the next day or two to begin college here also. Please pray for all of the the staff & those of us who are part-timers who are here this week to help with the whole orientation process. A good number of students have arrived already, and there is a spirit of anticipation as they look forward to beginning their college studies. The services were great all day today.

Can you imagine sending your child off to school or starting classes with the sky looking so ominous? When I saw this picture I thought the Lord could really use these events ( the fires) for spiritual change in someone's life. Will you join me in praying for that? Of course, I ask that you pray for the safety of those affected by the fires too. As soon as I hear an update, I'll let you know. Thanks, everyone!