Come here my little pretties...

hee hee hee Why should the kids have all the fun?
There's a little kid inside of me who grew up in the days before Halloween was frowned on. And, that kid (though now in an adult-size body) still likes to have fun with all the other kids who enjoy the fun tradition of Halloween.

For us, Halloween is just a fun night that focuses on the giving and getting of treats, while all dressed up in costumes. That's all there is to it for us, and we want the neighborhood kids to know that we enjoy them!

Happy Halloween, kiddos!

A Very Good Day!

Today was a day of celebration for us -- a day to celebrate Larry's recovery--at its half-way point.

Larry fixed our breakfast and our dinner. Actually, I think he got tired of waiting for me to fix breakfast, so he did it--a nice change of pace for me. Dinner....well, he was being a very nice husband to his tired wife who had spent a few hours working in the yard, raking leaves and mowing the lawn. Okay, so I'll be honest and proudly admit he also worked in the yard this afternoon, blowing and raking leaves. It was a beautiful day to spend our time outside during the afternoon!

Then, as we sat down to eat dinner, we were treated to a beautiful display in the sky--a mesmerizing sunset that could not be ignored! I had to go out onto the deck twice during dinner to get a full-size view of the magnificent artwork. It seemed as if God Himself had just decided to paint an incredible picture for us to enjoy while we dined.This is only a birds-eye view of what we saw! The beauty spread across the sky as far as we could see in any direction. God's handiwork is truly amazing! The skies declare the glory of God..."

One More Milestone

Today Larry drove a car for the first time since September 27th. (After his open-heart surgery he was restricted from driving for four weeks.) Today he feels like he has been set free! So, I guess yesterday was the last time I will need to drive him whereever he goes. He is beginning to act so "normal", it's hard to believe that he really did have quintuple by-pass surgery just a month ago. We are so thankful for the good recovery he has experienced. Just one more month to go, and he will no longer have a "broken heart".

Now he is hard at work once again--looking for a new job, plus still working on the insurance predicament. We've had some hopeful news in that situation, and are waiting on the outcome of submitting an application for health insurance through the state of Oregon. If we read the small print correctly, we may have coverage that covers all of his medical bills. Pray, pray, pray (please).

We are still going for a walk everyday, and eating really good, nutritious meals. We are both enjoying that. I have to keep reminding myself: This is not a temporary diet--it's a new lifestyle, and we need to stick with it. I'm beginning to learn to make up good-tasting food from scratch--just using my imagination and tastebuds. It's only a simple beginning, but

Each Day is a Gift From God!

Larry received a birthday card today from his sister. The message was great! So, once again, I just have to share it:

Each Day is a Gift from God

He has given us morning,
brightness, and sun,
Laughter to share,
and work to be done.

He has given us rainbows,
flowers, and song,
And the hands
of our dear ones
to help us along.

He has given us prayer,
with its wonderful power
To lighten our hearts
in a troublesome hour.

He has given us blessings
to brighten our way,
And always--the gift
of another new day.

This is the day which the Lord has made;
let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Psalm 118:24

A special birthday prayer that God will fill all your days with love, blessings, and the happiness you so deeply deserve. Have a wonderful birthday!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I love you, Honey!
Happy Birthday...and many more!

God Has Uniquely Called Each One of Us

The following message came to me as an emailed advertisement for DaySpring Cards. I can't believe this was written for an advertisement! I am not trying to put in a sales plug for DaySpring cards, but this was so good, I just had to keep it, as a reminder to me that God has uniquely called me to serve Him right where He has placed me.

God has called each of us to serve Him in the place He has us. In His eyes we all have a ministry. Many serve Him in a local church through a variety of ministries, such as music, teaching, youth work, or by being a part of the church staff. Others serve on the mission field, on the job, at school, or at home.

God knows you and He knows your heart desires to serve Him. You are someone that He will use to make a difference, to share His love and to touch the hearts of others. What has qualified you for this high privilege of being used by Him? Is it your talents, your personality, your education, your influence, or your resume? It is none of these; rather, it is the response of your heart toward Him. God is always searching for those whose hearts are yielded to Him so that He can work mightily through them.

Sometimes we can be led to think that God’s work is dependent upon us, upon what we do, and upon what we know. The truth is that God wants us to be totally dependent upon Him, He is the Treasure, we are the vessels; He is the Vine, we are the branches; He is the Living Water, we are the channels through which He flows.

The apostle Peter was someone who needed to learn this important truth. Jesus taught him the futility of trying to get results through his own efforts by allowing him, an expert fisherman, to labor all night and come up empty. Afterward, when He followed Jesus’ word to cast out into the deep, Peter pulled in a catch that was beyond his dreams.

As His servant, remember that your ministry is His idea and not yours. He is the One who knows you, who has called you, and who has equipped you to serve Him. Remain true, remain faithful, remain restful, and remain totally dependent upon Him.

God is not looking for those who are clever, but for those in whom He can be wise; He is not looking for those who are talented, but those to whom He can be all-sufficient. He is not looking for those who are powerful, but for those through whom He can be almighty.

It is my prayer that God will encourage you today as you faithfully serve Him, and that He will use you to bring encouragement to others in a special way.

Written by Roy Lessin, Co-Founder DaySpring Cards

Time to Think

Unable to fall asleep! Just too many thoughts swirling around in my head! So, here I am--sitting on the sofa in the family room, all by myself, in a very quiet house. First, I spent some time reading the Bible, concentrating on the good stuff found therein--a very worthwhile use of time like this! Now my thoughts are beginning to spread in various directions.

The World of the Hospital
It's a whole different world in the hospital! There are people there from all different walks of life, under all different circumstances. Some are troubled over what will happen next; some are grieving over what has just happened; some are rejoicing over the arrival of a new baby; some are there just to comfort someone else; some are totally bewildered about the whole scene! However, over the course of a week spent there, you become quite familiar with the scene, and you get used to the routine of your reason for being there. Plus, many faces become quite familiar -- you become a family. Sometimes you greet one another cheerfully. Sometimes you just can't manage another smile. Sometimes you are in tears and wish you could just hide away and cry for awhile in private. Sometimes you feel like helping everyone you see who needs a friend. Sometimes you wish someone would notice that you are the one who needs a friend. Sometimes you are so lost in deep thought that you hardly notice anyone else. Sometimes you just can't believe what is happening to you and someone you love. But, one thing undeniable I noticed: Everyone seems to understand that you're all in this different world together.

Caretaker or Caregiver?
Soon after Larry came home from the hospital, I announced (in this blog) that I would be busy with my new job as "full-time nurse and caretaker". Ever since then, I've been thinking about the difference between a "care-taker" and care-giver". Which is which? When I discussed this with Larry he said that in our situation I am the care-giver and he is the care-taker. In other words, I am giving care to him and he is taking care from me. Yet, I truly have been thriving on giving care to him, and that, in turn, has been giving care to me too! Well, I will admit--I do get just a little weary now and then (like this morning--I slept on the couch until 11:00 A.M.!), but mostly I enjoy taking care of him. So, I guess that makes me a care-taker -- or am I care-giver? Perhaps I am both. Perhaps both are the same!

The Lord gives and the Lord takes away -- Blessed be the name of the Lord!
On August 24th Larry lost his job. On (or about) September 27th Larry lost his health. On September 28th Larry lost his health insurance. (His former employer went bankrupt, and since the company was self-insured, the insurance coverage ended--period--no "ifs", "ands", or "buts" about it!) What's next to lose? Certainly not our faith in God! God has a purpose in all of this. He has never failed us, and He never will. He is forever faithful! Blessed be the name of the Lord!

Now I am going back to bed.

Breaking News

The Energizer Buuny has been arrested and charged with battery!

Worth a Thousand Words?

In LESS than a thousand words, what does this picture say to you?

See that one droopy blossom? That's how both of us felt when we found out that our insurance coverage ended the very day Larry's in-patient hospitalization began. Yet, just look at those adorable little pets resting peacefully, oblivious to fire burning nearby, or the withering flowers. That's how I want to be--fully assured of God's awareness of our difficult situation, and His ability to see us through anything.

Another Milepost

Today marks one week since Larry came home from the hospital. He's making great progress in his recovery!

On Sunday I took him to the mall to start walking. We have done that every day since then, and have increased the distance a little each day. Yesterday we walked the complete distance roundtrip, including all of the corridors--long and short, plus climbing the stairs to the upper floor (equivalent to two sets of stairs in a house). Yea! It takes half an hour to cover that much territory.

We are eating good, healthy meals (three per day) everyday. He seldom sleeps during the day anymore, and sits up mosts of the time. After meals he helps clear the table and rinse the dishes. He gets up frequently to do little laps throughout the house, plus goes to the mailbox a couple of times each day. (No, he isn't checking for mail twice a day. In the morning he goes out to deposit mail in the box, and in the afternoon he goes out to get the mail.) He spends time on the computer throughout the day. He gets on the eliptical trainer machine once or twice a day, for a minute or two each time.

About the only thing he needs assistance with now is straightening his shirt down the back side after putting it on. It's wonderful to see such a noticeable improvement in just one week at home!

A Note From Larry

Several of you who have been praying for Larry during the last nine or ten days were missed in Larry's attempt to send an email to thank you all.

On Fri, 5 Oct 2007 21:41:06 -0700 Larry Dorris wrote:

I set out tonight to send a quick email to thank those of you who I knew were praying for me. As I tried to organize my email contact list and try to remember who Jeannie had mentioned, I was overwhelmed. Thank you so much for your prayers for me and for my family. The prayers were certainly felt. It is great to know you have a God that cares, and so many friends with an open connection to the God of the universe that are willing and able talk to Him on my behalf. What a blessing.

God has indeed been gracious to me and has answered prayers. I am home, healing and praising God for His goodness.

Larry

Thank You

Larry and I both want to say "Thank you" for your many expressions of care for us during this difficult time of Larry's open-heart surgery.

It was exactly one week ago, at this very moment, that the surgeon came to tell us that Larry's surgery was over, and the other doctors and nurses were in the process of closing up his chest. We are so glad that is all behind us now! Everything is going very well now that he is at home, and his recovery process is just as we expected and hoped it would be.

According to the doctor it will take 2-3 months for full recovery, as the chest bone that was sawed through during surgery takes two full months to heal. (It is permanently wired back together after surgery.) He also has many incisions where veins and arteries were taken from other parts of his body to replace the damaged ones in his heart, plus the wounds from inserting various tubes in his body. He is able to get up and down from chairs and bed by himself now, but can't use his arms to help himself get up and down -- he has had to learn to use his legs to push himself up and forward. Ten pounds is the maximum he can lift, but nothing lifted above his head.

So far he has had no reaction to his medications. Before this surgery, he hated taking pills for any reason, and usually refused if at all possible. Now he takes seven different pills, totaling 12-13 pills during a 24-hour period! Some of them he will have to take for the rest of his life -- a small price to pay for his life given back to us.

All of your prayers, thoughts, well-wishes, cards, and emails were greatly appreciated!

T H A N K - Y O U !

A New Beginning

Larry is home -- praise the Lord!

That's it for now -- I'm busy with my new job (full-time nurse and caretaker).

Expectations and Hopes

Today was another one of those days of little surprises with Larry's recovery process. I wonder if I will ever learn not to have expectations. When I drove to the hospital this morning I was fully expecting to bring Larry home today, but arrived to learn that it wasn't a good night. To top that off, soon after his breakfast was finished and Sherry was given her break from watching over him, he suddenly got nauseated and upchucked his "cookies". Within five minutes of receiving an IV injection for the nausea, and konked out -- sound asleep for the rest of the morning.

About mid-afternoon he konked out again and slept until supper time.

Tomorrow is a new day.

New Mercies Every Morning

Larry is doing much better today than yesterday! Right now he is sleeping peacefully. "We" (he and I) just finished taking a shower together. His nurse came in and said it was time for his shower, and that I could help him if I wanted to, as long as she was in the room. So, while she was changing the sheets on his bed, we succesfully accomplished his first shower. Fun!

Yesterday was another tough day for him, still in quite a bit of pain whenever he went too long without the next pain pill. Last night he went into ä-fib (crazy heart rhythm) that was pretty scary for awhile, and required a bit of quick action. At long last (sometime after midnight) his heart began to settled down, so Jim and I went home. Sherry has been doing bedside vigil every night with her dad, sleeping in the reclining chair beside his bed, so we can get our rest for the daytime needs. He may be sent home tomorrow, depending on whether his heart rate stays stable for 24 hours after his episode last night.

He is beginning to look a little "normal", for which we are so very thankful! God impressed upon my heart this morning that His mercies are new every morning. From this point on, I think Larry and I both will look at each new day as a gift from God.

Oh, and I have to begin a new career as nurse and caretaker for the next couple of months or so. Plus I have to relearn cooking -- heart-healthy meals only, because I do want to keep this wonderful man and best friend around for many more years to come!