New Year’s Eve

Don stopped by to visit with Richard and Norma.  They wanted to show him the Christmas tree their daughter made for them about twenty years ago.   The frame is antique.

This beautiful tree is made of antique costume jewelry that the daughter and Richard took apart.  This was made before glue guns, so each piece was dipped in glue and carefully placed.   The small lights can also been seen, but the picture I took with the lights on wasn’t very good.  It’s an amazing work of art and creativity.

This afternoon, friends Linda and Joel brought Sparky over to meet us.  Sparky is a three month old rat terrier.

Sparky is so well behaved and loves his pet carrier.

Linda was asking what kind of bush this is.

We had a wonderful time visiting and playing Zilch.  We’re so happy they came down to the RGV to spend the winter in the warmth near us.

Well, it’s the last day of 2010 and the natives here are really enjoying their fireworks.  It’s noisy tonight; almost sounds like a war zone; a little un-nerving this close to the border.

December 31, 2010 has been one of the best days of our ministry.  To God be the glory!!!

Angels in glory are rejoicing

And so are we.

Because of the power of the Holy Spirit and the love of Jesus, a gentleman in the last stages of cancer that Don visited with this morning, will be home with Jesus soon.

Last night, his wife knocked on our door and said that her husband told her he wanted to see the preacher.  Don offered to go over to their home last night, but she insisted that today would be fine.  Dennis and Sally were here visiting (they brought dinner over!), so we prayed immediately that the gentleman would be okay until today and that he would be open to the Good News.  He was.

We are thrilled to share this good news with our ministry partners.  If you have ever prayed for us encouraged us or gave, you are a part of this joyous day.  Thank you.

And thank you for praying for Keith and Carol.

Also, thank you for continuing to pray for us.  Don would have went to see Keith last night, even though he was having chest pains.  I’m thankful that Carol would not allow Don to go, even though she had no clue that Don wasn’t feeling good.  Neither did I until after everyone had left.  This morning, he got up rested and feeling good again. 

God’s timing is perfect.

We’re so happy!

Joel and Linda finally made it to the RGV!

Linda brought us some Amish peanut butter!

  That’s olive oil in the green bottle.  Dinner at Carino’s with Joel and Linda.

This morning, Roy was taken by ambulance to the ER with chest pains.  Louise called Don to let us know.  He’s back home now after tests.  Here’s Arthur and Louise.  We enjoyed our visit on the front porch with them.

Our friends, the Kline’s

Today is the day that Carol and George left San Antonio, and Kris, to go back to Florida to take care of some personal things.  We knew it was going to be very difficult for them.  Don called them just as they were watching San Antonio disappear in their rear view mirror. Carol was still crying. 

“I can’t seem to stop crying,” she said. 

I can’t even imagine how hard that must be for them.  Don prayed with them on the phone and they really appreciated it.  Carol said she had received a poem from a friend in PA, so I found it online.  Carol said it really spoke to her and encouraged her, also.

The Oak Tree

by Johnny Ray Ryder Jr

A mighty wind blew night and day
It stole the oak tree's leaves away
Then snapped its boughs and pulled its bark
Until the oak was tired and stark

But still the oak tree held its ground
While other trees fell all around
The weary wind gave up and spoke.
How can you still be standing Oak?

The oak tree said, I know that you
Can break each branch of mine in two
Carry every leaf away
Shake my limbs, and make me sway

But I have roots stretched in the earth
Growing stronger since my birth
You'll never touch them, for you see
They are the deepest part of me

Until today, I wasn't sure
Of just how much I could endure
But now I've found, with thanks to you
I'm stronger than I ever knew

    

Busy Sunday

Worship was so good this morning starting with the music, the sermon about Love, the Lord’s Supper. First John speaks of God being :ove and if we have Christ in us and belong to Him, then we have love in us and we love others.  I realized that if I find myself lacking love for anyone, I need to check my level of “Christ in me.”  It’s all related.  Without Christ, we cannot love.  We call it love, but it’s not if God isn’t in it, for God Is Love.  I said to Don, “So the plaque in the Q that reads ‘All because two people fell in love’ would be more accurate if it read ‘All because God brought two people together.’  For it’s His love that brought us together and it’s His love that holds us together.  If our relationship seems less than lovable, then our relationship with God probably needs some immediate attention.

At 1:30 PM we gathered again to ‘rehearse’ the music for Janet Graham’s Memorial/Celebration of Life service. These wonderful, caring ladies volunteered to play the piano and sing for the service.  Jean is playing the piano and Nancy, Carol and Lyla did a beautiful job singing “In the Garden” and “His Eye is On the Sparrow.”

Don’s memorial message was so good, comforting to the family yet challenging to all in attendance.  Bill and the family were pleased. 

I want to brag on my husband so much, but I’m not sure how appropriate that would be.

At the close of the service, everyone stood and sang “How Great Thou Art.”  How appropriate that there is a wall hanging in the main hall with those words.

Janet Graham, is survived by husband, Bill, 90, one son and two daughters, and several children and great-grandchildren.  Daughter JoAnn lives here at the park, also.  Janet was a beautiful lady in the flesh and we learned from friends and family that she was a beautiful lady in spirit and a wonderful reflection of the love of Christ.

Afterward, Don and I went to Chili’s for our meal for the day.  Don never eats before he preaches.  By 4:30 pm we were back at the Q and resting.

It was a good day.

A post-Christmas story

This is what Christmas is all about...
Better bundle up - the goose bumps will freeze you!!

Christmas Eve 1881

"Pa never had much compassion for the lazy or those who squandered their means and then never had enough for the necessities. But for those who were genuinely in need, his heart was as big as all outdoors. It was from him that I learned the greatest joy in life comes from giving, not from receiving.

It was Christmas Eve 1881.  I was fifteen years old and feeling like the world had caved in on me because there just hadn't been enough money to buy me the rifle that I'd wanted for Christmas.   We did the chores early that night for some reason.  I just figured Pa wanted a little extra time so we could read in the Bible.

After supper was over I took my boots off and stretched out in front of the fireplace and waited for Pa to get down the old Bible.  I was still feeling sorry for myself and, to be honest, I wasn't in much of a mood to read Scriptures. But Pa didn't get the Bible; instead he bundled up again and went outside. I couldn't figure it out because we had already done all the chores. I didn't worry about it long though; I was too busy wallowing in self-pity.  Soon Pa came back in.  It was a cold clear night out and there was ice in his beard.  “Come on, Matt," he said. "Bundle up good, it's cold out tonight." I was really upset then. Not only wasn't I getting the rifle for Christmas, now Pa was dragging me out in the cold, and for no earthly reason that I could see.  We'd already done all the chores, and I couldn't think of anything else that needed doing, especially not on a night like this. But I knew Pa was not very patient at one dragging one's feet when he'd told them to do something, so I got up and put my boots  back on and got my cap, coat, and mittens.  Ma gave me a mysterious smile as I opened the door to leave the house.  Something was up, but I didn't know what.

Outside, I became even more dismayed. There in front of the house was the work team, already hitched to the big sled.  Whatever it was we were going to do wasn't going to be a short, quick, little job.  I could tell. We never hitched up this sled unless we were going to haul a big load.  Pa was already up on the seat, reins in hand.  I reluctantly climbed up beside him. The cold was already biting at me.  I wasn't happy.  When I was on, Pa pulled the sled around the house and stopped in front of the woodshed.  He got off and I followed. "I think we'll put on the high sideboards," he said. "Here, help me."  The high sideboards!  It had been a bigger job than I wanted to do with just the low sideboards on, but whatever it was we were going to do would be a lot bigger with the high side boards on.

After we had exchanged the sideboards, Pa went into the woodshed and came out with an armload of wood - the wood I'd spent all summer hauling down from the mountain, and then all fall sawing into blocks and splitting. What was he doing?  Finally I said something.  "Pa," I asked, "what are you doing?"  "You been by the Widow Jensen's lately?" he asked. The Widow Jensen lived about two miles down the road.  Her husband had died a year or so before and left her with three children, the oldest being eight.  Sure, I'd been by, but so what?

Yeah," I said, "Why?"

"I rode by just today," Pa said. "Little Jakey was out digging around in the woodpile trying to find a few chips. They're out of wood, Matt."  That was all he said and then he turned and went back into the woodshed for another armload of wood. I followed him.  We loaded the sled so high that I began to wonder if the horses would be able to pull it.  Finally, Pa called a halt to our loading, then we went to the smoke house and Pa took down a big ham and a side of bacon. He handed them to me and told me to put them in the sled and wait. When he returned he was carrying a sack of flour over his right shoulder and a smaller sack of something in his left hand. "What's in the little sack?" I asked.  Shoes, they're out of shoes. Little Jakey just had gunny sacks wrapped around his feet when he was out in the woodpile this morning.  I got the children a little candy too.  It just wouldn't be Christmas without a little candy."

We rode the two miles to Widow Jensen's pretty much in silence.  I tried to think through what Pa was doing.  We didn't have much by worldly standards. Of course, we did have a big woodpile, though most of what was left now was still in the form of logs that I would have to saw into blocks and split before we could use it.  We also had meat and flour, so we could spare that, but I knew we didn't have any money, so why was Pa buying them shoes and candy? Really, why was he doing any of this?  Widow Jensen had closer neighbors than us; it shouldn't have been our concern.
We came in from the blind side of the Jensen house and unloaded the wood as quietly as possible, then we took the meat and flour and shoes to the door. We knocked.  The door opened a crack and a timid voice said, "Who is it?" "Lucas Miles, Ma'am, and my son, Matt, could we come in for a bit?" Widow Jensen opened the door and let us in. She had a blanket wrapped around her shoulders.  The children were wrapped in another and were sitting in front of the fireplace by a very small fire that hardly gave off any heat at all.  Widow Jensen fumbled with a match and finally lit the lamp.

"We brought you a few things, Ma'am," Pa said and set down the sack of flour.  I put the meat on the table.  Then Pa handed her the sack that had the shoes in it.  She opened it hesitantly and took the shoes out one pair at a time.  There was a pair for her and one for each of the children - sturdy shoes, the best, shoes that would last.  I watched her carefully. She bit her lower lip to keep it from trembling and then tears filled her eyes and started running down her cheeks.  She looked up at Pa like she wanted to say something, but it wouldn't come out.

"We brought a load of wood too, Ma'am," Pa said.  He turned to me and said, "Matt, go bring in enough to last awhile.  Let's get that fire up to size and heat this place up."  I wasn't the same person when I went back out to bring in the wood.  I had a big lump in my throat and as much as I hate to admit it, there were tears in my eyes too.  In my mind I kept seeing those three kids huddled around the fireplace and their mother standing there with tears running down her cheeks with so much gratitude in her heart that she couldn't speak. My heart swelled within me and a joy that I'd never known before filled my soul. I had given at Christmas many times before, but never when it had made so much difference.  I could see we were literally saving the lives of these people.

I soon had the fire blazing and everyone's spirits soared. The kids started giggling when Pa handed them each a piece of candy and Widow Jensen looked on with a smile that probably hadn't crossed her face for a long time.   She finally turned to us. "God bless you," she said. "I know the Lord has sent you.  The children and I have been praying that he would send one of his angels to spare us."

In spite of myself, the lump returned to my throat and the tears welled up in my eyes again.  I'd never thought of Pa in those exact terms before, but after Widow Jensen mentioned it I could see that it was probably true.  I was sure that a better man than Pa had never walked the earth.  I started remembering all the times he had gone out of his way for Ma and me, and many others.  The list seemed endless as I thought on it.

Pa insisted that everyone try on the shoes before we left.  I was amazed when they all fit and I wondered how he had known what sizes to get.  Then I guessed that if he was on an errand for the Lord that the Lord would make sure he got the right sizes. Tears were running down Widow Jensen's face again when we stood up to leave. Pa took each of the kids in his big arms and gave them a hug.  They clung to him and didn't want us to go.  I could see that they missed their Pa, and I was glad that I still had mine.

At the door Pa turned to Widow Jensen and said, "The Mrs. wanted me to invite you and the children over for Christmas dinner tomorrow.  The turkey will be more than the three of us can eat, and a man can get cantankerous if he has to eat turkey for too many meals.  We'll be by to get you about eleven. It'll be nice to have some little ones around again.  Matt, here, hasn't been little for quite a spell."  I was the youngest.  My two brothers and two sisters had all married and had moved away.

Widow Jensen nodded and said, "Thank you, Brother Miles.  I don't have to say, May the Lord bless you, I know for certain that He will."

Out on the sled I felt a warmth that came from deep within and I didn't even notice the cold.  When we had gone a ways, Pa turned to me and said, "Matt, I want you to know something.  Your ma and me have been tucking a little money away here and there all year so we could buy that rifle for you, but we didn't have quite enough. Then yesterday a man who owed me a little money from years back came by to make things square.  Your ma and me were real excited,  thinking that now we could get you that rifle, and I started into town this morning to do just that, but on the way I saw little Jakey out scratching in the woodpile with his feet wrapped in those gunny sacks and I knew what I had to do.  Son, I spent the money for shoes and a little candy for those children. I hope you understand."

I understood, and my eyes became wet with tears again.  I understood very well, and I was so glad Pa had done it.  Now the rifle seemed very low on my list of priorities.  Pa had given me a lot more.  He had given me the look on Widow Jensen's face and the radiant smiles of her three children.

For the rest of my life, whenever I saw any of the Jensen's, or split a block of wood, I remembered, and remembering brought back that same joy I felt riding home beside Pa that night. Pa had given me much more than a rifle that night, he had given me the best Christmas of my life."

Pictures for Christmas …

 

It was a feast.

Well over three hundred residents and guests enjoy a Christmas feast today in the main hall.

Don got it started off with the blessing.  Here he is relinquishing the microphone.

 

Our table.

Our feast table.

  Jeanelle, Myrna, and Ralph.

Our driver last night when we went to dinner, Myrna and Glen.  I missed getting their picture, so “captured” them today.  Delightful Canadian couple.

Floy and Gary.

Our table hostess, Lucille and Arthur.

Ruth. Classy lady in red.

A table decoration.

I have entertained myself this afternoon with a little cropping and special effects.  The results.

 

I had a very special treat this afternoon… I saw and talked to my Mama on Skype!  We had talked early this morning on the phone when she was so excited about the snow she was watching fall on Christmas morning, but it was wonderful to see her.  Using my brother’s computer, she got to talk to several of her relatives on Skype.

Our new friend, Nancy, came over this afternoon and we had just the best visit.  She had missed seeing us at the feast, so she came over to wish us “Merry Christmas” and visit for a while.  We just love her.

Bill Graham and his daughter, JoAnn Booth, came over earlier in the afternoon to get the details of their wife/mother’s memorial/Celebration of Life service all in order.  That service will be tomorrow at 2:00 PM in the main hall.

We truly hope you had as blessed a Christmas as we had.  Wouldn’t it be wonderful if Jesus was gifted with the heart of every person in the world?  I did my part.

That’s our boy..

Daughter, Leslie, posted on FaceBook tonight:

“While drawing a picture of a Christmas tree for Santa tonight, my darling son asked me to help him draw a star. Upon completion of that he looks and me and asks, "okay, now how do you draw a tree skirt?" Needless to say Khalil and I were doubled over laughing. Oh my sweet boy! I love you so.”

And Dad’s take on it:

ok, one of the funniest things I have heard in a while...Camden was drawing a picture of a Christmas tree for Santa. After he drew the tree and the ornaments, he looked at Leslie and asked her, "OK, now how do you draw a tree skirt?" Really? A tree skirt? What four year old cares about tree skirts?

That Diesel just cracks us up!!

Kris update…

“Our Christmas gift is Kris.”

Christmas Eve Greetings to you all!

Our day yesterday (Thursday, December 23rd) started as any other:  I was at the rehab hospital by 8:30 a.m. ready to wash and dress Kris, and get her ready for another day of therapy.  A dear friend and co-worker of Kris’s (Col. Gemma Smith) and her husband came by to see Kris just as she was going to physical therapy.  This would be her last session (she had four) for the morning, and Kris couldn’t wait to show them what she could do.  She walked with her therapist, Jamie, just slightly holding her arm, then she worked on the parallel bars and walked some more.  He loves to give Kris her head and she loves to tell him (by pointing) where she wants to go!  She is amazing!!

Russell and Joshua came at lunch time to spend some time with her while I went home to pick up George and do some grocery shopping.  It was when I was walking into the super market when my cell phone buzzed and I saw the name in the readout: Dr. Richard Teff.  You’ll remember he’s the neurosurgeon that saved Kris’s life when he operated on her the night of the accident back in April, and he’s also the one who operated again on her in November to “clean up” some problems resulting from the cranioplasty surgery back in September (which he wasn’t able to do).  Dr. Teff had emphasized strongly the need to constantly be mindful of any bleeding or “oozing” from incision areas after each surgery.  That’s why I called him on Wednesday this past week after a rather large dried “ooze” area suddenly fell away when I shampooed her hair Tuesday evening during her shower.  It was bleeding slightly after her shower and that concerned me.  Dr. Teff had cautioned: Where there is bleeding or seeping, there is an open wound.  Where there is an open wound, there could be infection, and where there is infection in the skin or scalp over the implant, that is tantamount to disaster because the infection could reach the brain.

I called Dr. Teff’s cell phone on Wednesday morning and left a message explaining what had happened.  It would have been useless to try to reach him at is office at Brooke Army Medical Center this close to Christmas.  When we were going into the supermarket yesterday, Dr. Teff returned my call.  He was very, very concerned, and he felt Kris should be taken into BAMC immediately to be examined.  He explained again that infection could mean real trouble if it reaches the brain, and he felt there was a strong possibility Kris may have to have the implant removed for a time of skin growth and then re-inserted.  I felt my heart crack and my nerves begin to fray.  We grocery shopped quickly then returned to the hospital at once.

So concerned about her was Dr. Teff that he called the neurosurgeon on duty over this Christmas weekend to explain the situation and ask him to look at Kris.  I called Russell but he had to leave to pick up Andrea.  We would talk later.  The thought of Kris going into surgery on Christmas Eve was just so much more than I felt she could handle or deserved.  When would it all stop?  My heart ached and we both cried.  Later when I actually explained to her what was happening, she took it better than I did.  Being a nurse, she is always aware, of course, of the damage any infection can do, and she is likely very aware of the impact on her brain should infection reach it.  She took it like a trooper; we fell apart.

Dr. Teff called back and said a Dr. Dean, another neurosurgeon, would be coming to see Kris himself on Friday morning at RIOSA.  I stayed with her through the night and prayed, cried, and prayed some more.  They started in IV of antibiotic at once and did a culture of the area that had been bleeding.  It bled some more.  I spoke to Russell later and he allowed he had been afraid things were going too well.  He prayed. 

Dr. Dean came in about 9:30 a.m. this morning.  A very deliberate and intense sort, he assessed Kris’s scalp all over, shaved a patch around the area in question, pressed and rubbed, and then he said quite calmly, “I am going to give you your Christmas present now!  I don’t believe this small sore requires surgery.  It is actually on the scalp where hair is growing, which means there is blood supply, which means it is healthy tissue even though it’s over the implant.  Wash the scalp every other day with strong soap, keep it dry and clean otherwise, and I’ll be back on Christmas day to check it again.”  He smiled just slightly then and said, “And you can say ‘Praise God’ for this one now.  I don’t think this is a serious problem and I will call Dr. Teff and let him know.” 

He was quite right.  Christmas Eve day became a glorious day even if the weather was rainy and gray outside.  Kris smiled up at Dr. Dean, and I’m just as certain that she was relieved as well.  The attached photo was taken in the cafeteria at RIOSA on this evening where we three spent some time sipping coffee and laughing at George’s jokes.  Kris was laughing and held her own coffee cup.  She took small sips (with some assistance to hold the cup at the right angle) and enjoyed about half a cup of coffee for the first time.  That was the best so far for sipping a liquid, and she was quite proud of that accomplishment.  The patch on the side of her head is where the doctor shaved it to examine the sore spot.  Her laughter, her smile, her personality is one of the greatest gifts this year; the other one is that she will not have to have surgery... hopefully not again ever!  Praise the Lord!

A few side notes as we close this day much happier than we closed yesterday.  Daughter, Stephanie, is due to have her baby January 30th.  Unfortunately, she is spending Christmas in the hospital back in Pennsylvania while waiting to see which will come first: the baby or a kidney stone.  Prayers for her would be greatly appreciated. 

A good report on son, John, who had cancer surgery for melanoma last winter.  A recent PET-scan showed no cancer cells; he is cancer free!!!!  Praise the Lord again!!!  He and his wife want to come to San Antonio to see Kris some time in the early spring, likely.  Son Gary, who visited Kris in November and certainly brought joy to her as she recuperated from that November surgery, wants to return next year along with his wife to RE-visit and take Kris to her favorite restaurant here in San Antonio.  Daughter Diana and her husband are thinking of coming to visit Kris as well.  With all of those visitors coming from back home in Pennsylvania, that should certainly bridge the gap until we return in early April.  Either that, or we’ll all show up at once!  What a reunion that will be!  

With a myriad of doctor appointments (George is about three months late for a six-month checkup after his cancer surgery last December), and lots of performance commitments (all necessary to be able to return to Texas in April), and a great many pressing matters, we will leave San Antonio on December 28th to return to Florida.  I have already shed enough tears to float a boat, and it seems that Kris is trying to tell me she’s going to be “okay.”  She is brighter, more alert, has even made some excellent attempts and printing and writing with her right hand and her left hand (the right hand is dominant but it is not as strong as the left), and is just awesome in therapy now.  Her level of understanding is also amazing, and her memory (both recent and past) seems to be unbelievably sound.  For all that she has been through and has yet to face, Kris is such a miracle.  The talking will come.  The eating will come.  We don’t know when, but it will all come back.  And my guess is that she will return to BAMC at some point to assume at least a position of lesser stress (a pediatric intensive care unit nurse must have stress!), so that she can finish her military career and retire with the dignity she has earned and deserves.  That would be Kris’s way: return to work.  We’ll leave that to God... He’s in control anyway!

As we end this Christmas Eve day 2010, tired but blessed and oh, so very happy, may you all enjoy the day tomorrow as we truly celebrate the birth of Jesus, the Christ, the King of Kings!  We will return to be with Kris and spend the day tomorrow.  Russell and Joshua and others will come to see her during the day.  Andrea will certainly know that Mommy loves her and is still “getting better” and she will see her mother soon.  A very quiet peace exists at RIOSA, I’ve discovered, as so many patients leave to spend Christmas at home.  There are just so many miracles there.  We are part of a grand family of healing and everyone wishes everyone else... Merry Christmas!  

Our hearts are so full.  Thank you for your many Christmas cards and for your prayers.  Oh, those prayers!!!  They are our strength, our support, our healing!  They are heard!  Have a joyous Christmas and an exciting and healthy Happy New Year!  God’s greatest blessings on you all!!!

In His great care,

Carol and George   

[Tears of joy flow as I read this update.  This wonderful family has been through so much and yet they choose to trust God completely and be so grateful for what they know God is doing and has done.   Wow.   Wow.]

Celebrating the birth of our Savior…

The Candlelight Christmas Eve service here at the park was wonderful and highly attended by residents of the park.

After the service, a group picture of the choir.  Come on, guys, face forward… let’s get it together.

Ready?  Say, “Merry Christmas!!”

Afterward, we were invited to the Olive Garden for dinner. Gene and Hattie.

Terri and Ed. (He’s really not that solemn, but he doesn’t think he takes good pictures, so he doesn’t smile.  I’ll get a good candid shot of him before April 24, 2011.)

Gene was cold, so we all gave him our napkins to cover up with.  Ed’s fingers… I told you Ed’s not a solemn person.

Arvid and Cindy.

Wayne and JoAnn.

And the icing on the cake:  Want to see a doll?  a cutie pie? a Christmas angel extraordinaire?  Our very on angel granddaughter, Emma aka Pook.  Just doesn’t get any better than this.  Well, if we had been there to see her perform… that would have been better, but will settle for the picture and be thrilled.

Happy Birthday, Jesus!