Texas on my Mind

After being with my Dad for 

almost three weeks,

I'm back.

And it's bittersweet.

I missed my guys so much,

but when you've got a critically ill

family member, 

it's so hard to be away from

them and the rest of the family.

Adjusting has been tough, but this is 

where I need to be right now.

I mean, c'mon!

Look at this face!

So, what did we do 

for three weeks?

We spent a lot of time with Dad.
 We laid hands on him

and prayed for his healing.

 We went to the chapel a LOT 

and sought the Lord

in our suffering.

 We talked to Dad constantly,

and we read the Word to him.

We tried to keep loved ones

updated on his progress--

through the highs and lows.

 We had moments where we 

broke down

and cried.

 We had a few moments when

we thought that he wasn't going to make it.

So we would pack up and 

head down to the chapel again to

try to get some focus and direction.

And you know what?

HE always came through. 

We always walked away with renewed 

faith and peace.

 We did a lot of reading! Mostly from
the Bible so  we

could find comfort in His words.

 This picture was taken 

two days before Dad flat lined on the 

operating table! 

This doesn't look like a man who 

is barely alive, does it?
We had no idea how sick he was at this point!
He was walking up and down the halls
with the physical therapist, and working
on small tasks (like brushing his teeth)
with the occupational therapist.
He even told us time and time again,
"You don't know how sick I am!".
We responded, "Of course we do! But you have
to listen to the physical therapist
if you want to get better and go home!".
We had
NO IDEA
how close he was
to death!

The staph infection had infected his heart 

valve to the point that blood was leaking into his lungs.

Usually when the Dr. does a valve replacement

he has to chisel it out.

Dad's heart valve was so infected that he

literally just

lifted it out 

with his fingers.

But here he is in the picture brushing

his teeth!
The doctor did an aortic root valve replacement
surgery and Dad had a 20% chance
of surviving the surgery.
He flat lined on the table, but they
brought him back to us!

This is no ordinary man!

He's as strong as a horse

and as

stubborn as a mule!

I can't wait to hear his story about dying and

coming back to us. 

I can only imagine what he

was able to see!

But it wasn't his time to leave.

Not even sickness and disease

can determine the days of

our lives!

Only HE knows

the number of our days!

"For you created my inmost being;

   you knit me together in my mother’s womb.

¹⁴ I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

   your works are wonderful,

   I know that full well.

¹⁵ My frame was not hidden from you

   when I was made in the secret place,

   when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.

¹⁶ Your eyes saw my unformed body;

   all the days ordained for me 

were written in your book

   before one of them came to be.

¹⁷ How precious to me are your thoughts, God!

   How vast is the sum of them!

¹⁸ Were I to count them,

   they would outnumber the grains of sand—

   when I awake, I am still with you."

Psalm 139: 13-18

Our family has been 

completely overwhelmed

by the love and support 

our amazing friends have given us.

There are

many of you 

(you know who you are)

who either:
have prayed without ceasing,
paid for plane tickets,
drove or flew hundreds of miles to see Dad,
put us on your prayer chain at church,

came to the hospital to visit,

picked me up from the airport,

gave words of knowledge/peace/hope,

 and/or blessed my

MN family with meals

while
I was gone.

I can't say thank you enough.

You don't know what your

support, wonderful, thoughtful

gifts, prayers, visits and 

phone calls have meant. 

I will forever be grateful

to you, my 

amazing friends.

And I will be eternally grateful that 

the Lord has placed you all

in my life!

Thank you

hardly scratches the surface!

So, where does Daddy stand today?

He's still not fully conscious.

He occasionally will open his eyes, but it takes 

every bit of strength that he has to 

keep them open.

From time to time he will squeeze our hands,

especially when we start to tell him 

good night.

So, we know somebody's home!

We're just ready for him

to fully wake up! 

They're trying to wean him off of the 

ventilator,

so hopefully I'll have some

great news for you soon.

Until then, please continue 

to pray for him...

and of course for my amazing mother.

She's a rock

and a 

pillar of

strength and faith!

I have learned so much 

by watching her through this

experience!

"For we walk by faith, not by sight"

II Corinthians 5:7

No matter where you are in your 

walk with the Lord,

he is doing an undeniable work!

I challenge you to allow Him to

stretch you through

this experience.

He is so much more powerful

than we know! 

We've seen his mighty 

hand at work in Dad,

but there's still so much more he

wants to do...not only in him,

but in you, and in me!

I will never be the same!

Sorry for the novel,

but the Lord is in deed doing much 

in me.

It's difficult to articulate.

But know this:

I am so thankful you're in my life!