Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope that everyone had a fabulous Thanksgiving. My week turned out to be very hectic. Dad decided to check himself out of the nursing home on Monday. This was nearly two weeks early. I think it turned out for the best. He has done excellent this week and I think home was the best medicine. I was very busy making sure he had what he needed but he really didn't want my help. I think we have it worked out now. I'll check in on him but he wants to be independent. I understand that. It is hard for me since I'm concerned about him but I need to respect his wishes and not be overbearing.

We should count our blessings every day but it is easy to forget. Thanksgiving is a great time to reflect and give thanks for what God has done for us. I have so many things to be thankful for. I thought I would list a few of them.

• I am thankful for the trials that God has put me through this year. Through the trials my faith and trust in Christ have deepened. I know He is preparing me for some mighty things to come in 2008.

• I am thankful for Sean. This year we have grown closer together and celebrated our 11th wedding anniversary. I'm looking forward to 2008 and what God has prepared for us.

• I am thankful for Dad. We were told twice that he was not going to make it. God has spared him and has given us a second chance to get it right. I pray I never take him for granted again. I am thankful my sister had a second chance so that when Dad does leave this world she is at peace.

• I am thankful for my friends and family. They have been faithful to me and have supported me this year like none other. I pray that I can be a blessing in their lives and give of myself for them.

• I'm thankful that everyday is a new opportunity to try again. Everyday God's mercies are new and there is nothing I can do to make Him love me less or love me more.

Remember that no matter how difficult it is, God is greater. No matter how bad it seems, someone else has it worse.

You've Been Gnomed!

On June 26th, Amy (a friend at work) and I bought a wobble-head gnome and put it on the lawn of our good friend and co-worker Thomas. We had a fun idea to randomly find silly lawn ornaments and periodically place them in his flower garden near his front door. That didn't really work out as planned and time continued to pass us by. We were dying to know whether or not Thomas even noticed this silly little gnome.



Last Thursday, Amy and her hubby had dinner at Thomas' house and assisted him in some home repairs. All evening Amy kept thinking about this gnome outside in the yard and what we had done. She had the giggles all evening and was doing her best to stay mum about it. At the end of the evening as her and Jesse headed out to leave she "noticed" it while they were exiting the house. She commented on his gnome and he began to tell her the story of how the gnome just appeared one day. It was all she could do to not just bust out laughing and make him suspicious.

Amy and I decided we should dress the gnome up for Halloween. So over our lunch break on Halloween we went to his house and dressed it up. I think we laughed the entire time we were there. We had a few photo ops with Mr Gnome and headed back to work.



This morning Thomas and I started talking about Halloween night and our activities. He told me the story about the gnome and that someone had dressed it up for Halloween. I kept it together long enough to finish the conversation then grabbed Amy and headed to the hall. We just couldn't keep it in any longer. We decided to let him in on our secret and I sent him an email that read "You've been Gnomed" and attached our pictures.

Thomas - Thank you for being such a good sport and we hope Mr Gnome brings you years of enjoyment. We had heaps of fun playing this prank on you. =)

Happy Halloween!

I'm not really a big fan of Halloween. I am however, a holiday fanatic! I love love love the holidays. From about October 20th to January 1st I am in the holiday mode. I want to pull out the big warm sweaters, hot chocoloate and turn on the oven to bake cookies, cakes, cinnamon rolls, bread and anything else that sounds fun!



As a child we would dress up each year and trick-or-treat throughout the neighborhood. I remember going to my grandparent's house and comparing quantity of candy with my cousins to see who had the most. Halloween is when I learned to barter. We would try to get rid of the candy we didn't like in exchange for what we did. I didn't really like candy all that much but that didn't stop me from trying to get as much as possible without "spending" much candy. I always ended up with way more then I could ever eat and it would sit for ages until I had to throw it away. I mostly liked the bubble gum.



As a teenager I was active in my church and we had an annual Hallelujah Party! The church members would dress up and spend a few hours at the church bobbing for apples, face painting, eating and many other fun activities. This was a wonderful alternative for me from trick-or-treating. I don't much like knocking on a strangers door or walking around outside at night in the cold. Fellowshipping in a warm church with my friends remains a wonderful memory to me.



As an adult I haven't really participated in anything annually. I have been trick-or-treating with my nieces and nephews a couple times but it is difficult since they live an hour south. I don't really like handing out candy at my house. This year I decided to make some yummy treats for some workmates and some friends. It is always fun for me to bake and give treats to others.



Please be safe and enjoy your day!

Vacation, Illness and Settling In

The past 15 days have been busy. Dad was transferred to Indian Meadows Nursing Center on October 2nd. It is a real blessing to have him in the Overland Park area. He is less then two miles from work and about 15 - 20 minutes from my home. The first couple of days were a little rough. I have learned that every time there is a change the next few days are a challenge. We are trying to figure out a new routine and how things operate. During this time, I have learned my Dad and I have several similarities I was unaware of before. One of the things we have in common is our need to understand our way around things and how everything works. Once we figure it out and know what we are dealing with, we seem to be put at ease. Dad has learned his way around the nursing home and how things operate. Today I finally felt comfortable with where he is. We met with the social worker and were able to have several questions answered and problems addressed. I have a few prayer requests to help Dad during this time.

Please pray that Dad gains weight and regains some of his strength. He has only gained 3 pounds in the past couple of weeks. The food hasn't been very palatable and on Saturday it seemed to have upset his stomach. The social worker said he should be able to request something else from the kitchen if he doesn't like his dinner. Please pray that the food would improve and dad will be able to enjoy it.

Please pray that the Social Security will approve his disability income. He will not be going back to work and we are waiting on the request to be processed. It is a shame that individuals who have worked all their lives feel that there is even a possibility that they'll be rejected. I have reassured him that it will all work out and that God is in control. That has put him at peace but he will feel much better when it is all complete.

I really never thought this would be a possibility but here it is. Dad may be going home in then next six weeks. He really is doing that well. On one hand, I'm so thrilled! I'm really excited that he can look forward to being in his own home. On the other hand, my heart is burdened because I'm concerned he will drink again. He says he won't but after drinking for more then 40 years I can't imagine it would be easy. Please pray for his temptation and that he'll be strong enough to overcome this.
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I had the opportunity for a short trip to Colorado from October 5 - 8. My step-brother Jake is in his second year at the Air Force Academy and we spent a couple days with him. We went up to Pikes Peak on Saturday and then Cripple Creek on Sunday. This is my favorite time of the year to visit Colorado.

I had a chance to meet up with my best friend Amy. It is always a blessing to see her. She is one of the most amazing people I know. Amy is in her last year of law school and God is using her in mighty ways. I'm so blessed to be able to call her my best friend. I love you Amy!!!

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The illness was mine. Dad had some stomach issues Saturday but that was because of the food and not a bug. Thank God!! I was unable to see dad for a few days after I returned from my trip because I had a bad cold. I had bronchitis and a sinus infection. Thankfully I really didn't feel awful. I had visited my doctor only because I couldn't sleep from all the coughing but she gave me an antibiotic and recommended I give it a few days before I spend time with dad.

I made him some cookies last night and spent some time with him this evening. It is such a blessing to see him getting stronger and looking forward to going home. He seems to have settled into his temporary surroundings even though they aren't up to my standards he is content.

He can have visitors and he can take trips out of the home for lunch or just time with family and friends. I haven't had a chance yet to take him any where but I'm encouraging his friends and family to spend time with him. He doesn't like to be smothered but I'm sure he wouldn't mind a change of scenery.

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Thank you for all your prayers. I would like to encourage you to read The Heavenly Man. I read the entire book on the way home from Colorado. My friend Kris recommended it to me and I am so thankful I had a very long drive home (which I didn't drive) so that I could read the entire thing! I just couldn't put it down. It is like a modern day Acts. It was a great reminder to me that God is an active part of the world today and my life. He doesn't just sit back and observe but He works and in might ways! Praise God.

Changes are Coming!

Dad is doing wonderful and will be transferred to a rehab/nursing facility possibly as early as tomorrow! He looks absolutely amazing considering all he has been through. He needs to gain some weight and we would love to find out what is going on with all this fluid in his belly. They decided not to do any surgery at this time. His spirits are high, he is happy and looking forward to rehab. There are three facilities (Olathe, Overland Park, KCK) that the VA social worker is trying to get a bed in. I’m praying he gets moved to Olathe which would cut my travel down heaps! Please pray that God makes the way and guides us to the location for him. I would also like to ask that you pray for long-term care and finances. There a lot of details to work out with disability income and nursing home fees. I have no previous knowledge or experience in either of those areas so I’m trying not to be overwhelmed.

Psalm 28:7

The LORD is my strength and my shield;
My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped;
Therefore my heart greatly rejoices,
And with my song I will praise Him.

God has blessed in so many ways and ways that I’ll probably never even know about. He has brought dad through situations that doctors never thought he’d come out of and dad is at peace with God and looking forward to the future. The Lord has kept me safe with all my travels, provided the resources and flexibilities I have needed to be with dad and assist him. I have also been healthy through this entire ordeal. My allergies haven’t bothered me and I’ve been around illness in the hospital, work, church and family and haven’t felt under the weather in any way. Praise God!

Exodus 15:2

The LORD is my strength and song,
And He has become my salvation;
He is my God, and I will praise Him;
My father’s God, and I will exalt Him.

I am struggling to find the words to say because I have so many thoughts running through my head. I can’t seem to find the words that adequately define the gratitude I have in my heart for what the Lord has done and continues to do. The gratitude I have to all of you for your faithful prayers and overwhelming love towards me and my dad. This is one of those times that thank you seems insignificant to what I really want to say. Therefore, my prayer is that I will always remember the loving-kindness and faithfulness that has been extended to me through this time in order to reach out to others during their trials and tribulations with the same love you have shown me.

Thank you for your prayers, support and faithfulness to the Lord.

Stacey

52 Days Later

I know this is a few days overdue but thank you for your patience. Dad is out of ICU! We are starting over. Thanks to the Lord we get to start again. Each day he is taking small steps to getting stronger. He is slowly getting back to a full diet and has started physical therapy. This Friday they are thinking about moving him to the VA hospital in Kansas City. The surgeons at Leavenworth have said they will not do any surgery to determine what this is going on in his abdomen. From this point on anything we do will need to be weighed with whether it will do more harm then good.

Dad and I had a good conversation today. We talked about his desires if he needs to be resuscitated, intubated and surgery. He knows he could have a couple good years or he could pass tomorrow. He is at peace with death and he feels he has had a good life. If he gets several good years he is looking forward to it but if God takes him home tomorrow he is happy with that too.

He asked me today if the doctors have confided in me what they think might finally do him in. Keeping in mind they really don’t know because look how far God has brought him. He has made it out of ICU twice in the past seven weeks when they didn’t think he would. The doctors have said that infection might be what takes his life. They don’t really know but because his immune system is extremely compromised, infection is a constant threat.

Keep praying but most of all let’s just praise God. He has answered so many prayers and has given us many wonderful days, precious conversations and a deeper faith in our Lord. I had the opportunity the other day to witness to my dad’s best friend Jerry. Jerry was concerned with my dad’s soul and told me that years ago he and dad talked about baptism. Jerry said my dad has never been baptized and asked if there was a chaplain at the hospital. I explained what baptism was and that we are not saved by our works but only by trusting Christ as our Lord and Savior! He thanked me for explaining it to him and said no one has ever explained baptism to him like that. Please pray for his salvation.

I do have one more extra special prayer request. Please pray that God will make a way for my 92 year old grandmother to see my dad. My dad hasn’t seen her in years and I know it would be so precious to him to have an opportunity to visit with her. Without getting into too much family nonsense, my uncle has claimed guardianship over my grandmother. There is a custody battle over my grandmother and I’m praying that she will be freed from my uncle and will get to live the rest of her life in peace. I’m trying to stay out of this situation because I have good reason to believe my safety would be an issue if I come in contact with my uncle. Please pray for a miracle that my grandmother will be reunited with my dad and the rest of the family.

Thank you for your faithfulness and thank you for your support. Thanks be to God for His goodness and love!!

Stacey

Little Change but God is Good

I can't express how much I appreciate all of your prayers. Thank you.

There is very little change at this time. They have reduced his oxygen from 100% to 80% which means his body needs a little less and is utilizing it better. At this time they are treating him for pneumonia. They are doing their best to keep him comfortable and the only thing that seems to do that is morphine.

Since he has no spleen and has cirrhosis of the liver his immune system is highly compromised. The slightest infection or bug will cause him to be extremely ill. He has been a heavy smoker for the past 43 years and I can only imagine what this has done to his lungs. He has pneumonia in both lungs and the delicate process of breathing is challenged. The process that takes in oxygen and releases carbon dioxide is not working very effectively. He needs high oxygen levels to over saturate his lungs in order to maintain enough oxygen. When you don't get enough oxygen your entire body craves it. Every cell relies on oxygen in order to survive.

There is still the concern with this fluid in his abdomen. It is infected, accumulating rapidly and is in random spots throughout his abdomen. They are able to tap his belly for samples of the liquid but not for volume. Since they don't know exactly what it is or where it is coming from they don't know how dangerous or serious it is. What we do know is that it isn't suppose to be there. They have taken a culture on it and tested it in the labs and it grows. I'm not exactly sure that this means other then it isn't good. I'm hoping to learn more in the morning when I meet with the doctors.

He is very lethargic and can no longer speak. He is so terribly weak. As of Saturday he'd get frustrated because I couldn't understand what he needed or wanted. Today he was just so weak he didn't even try. He is tired of having the oxygen mask on. Every time he wakes up slightly he pulls it off. It hurts so much to see his suffering and I would rather bear it myself.

Saturday I was having a lovely pity party for myself. There is another gentleman in the ICU. He has been intubated and unresponsive for days. The waiting room was full of people visiting this man all day. His name is Bernadette Bonds and his wife's name is Gail. They were all taking turns that day sitting with Mr. Bonds. Two at a time for about 20 - 30 minutes each. All I could think about was how nice it would have been to have someone else sitting with me or relieving me of my post for just a short time. The Holy Spirit decided to crash my party for one. What if Mr. Bonds doesn't have Christ? We could have an entire army of people there with us but if we don't have Christ we have nothing. A peace fell over me and I realized that He was all I needed, and He was all I wanted. I began to pray for the Bonds family and I hope I get the opportunity to witness to them. Please pray for that opportunity and that I'll have the courage.

Today's service was about the body of Christ and supporting one another. I whole-heartedly agree that we need to depend and support each other. But when the time comes and you feel alone remember that you aren't alone. Jesus is always there and He has given us a Helper and Comforter.

Thank you for praying for Dad. I hate to see him suffering and I hate even more not being able to do anything more about it. Prayer is probably the most powerful tool we have, so why do I sometimes feel it isn’t enough? Maybe it isn't that I feel it isn't enough but just that I want to feel as if I've done more.

Many of you have expressed concern for me in regards of overdoing it or the stress of it all. I appreciate the concern and keep praying! All I can say is God is good and He equips us for what He has called us to do. He gives me strength and sustains me. I have good days, bad days, good moments, bad moments but overall, in some ways, I am better then ever if you can believe that.

Stacey

23 Days and Counting

In less then four weeks my life has done a 180 and now I’m thankful for it! I’ll explain.

Four weeks ago I was so happy and content. My life was going smoothly and I was feeling better then I had in a long time. I had been working hard to loose some weight so I had been eating well and exercising everyday! I was happy in the Lord and reading my Bible, as well as getting excited about volunteering for children’s ministry and AWANA. Then on August 4^th after checking up on my Dad I found him in critical condition.

The morning of August 4^th was all about me and by bedtime it was all about Dad. During the next several weeks there would be little to no Stacey time and lots of Dad and Heavenly Dad time. God has changed the direction of my life and I’m so thankful that He has helped me see past myself and is teaching me more about seeing the need in others.

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Here is the latest on Dad.

Swallowing –
He saw a speech pathologist last week and he has some impairment on his swallowing. They have taken him off of the TPN. They began tube feeding him as well as giving him thick liquids three times a day. He has begun slowly eating things like jello and other liquid substances thickened with nectar juice. He doesn’t eat much but each meal he has a few bites and that will help in a big way. They will continue to monitor his swallowing and we are praying he will eventually regain his ability to eat proper foods. In the meantime, it is just day by day.

Mental State –
They did another CT scan today and the results show he has cortical atrophy. This is shrinkage of the cerebral cortex. It is actually common in the elderly and can cause confusion, disorientation, memory loss and vision problems. I haven’t looked into this much so I don’t know much about it yet. He didn’t say the shrinkage was great but just that there was some. This could be one factor in his mental state. As I have stated before, the infection in his body, his liver condition and the fact he is in the hospital can all contribute to it. This is also a day by day thing.

With his mental state he also pulls on things and tries to get out of bed. They have had to loosely restrain his arms so he can’t touch each arm with the other or his face. I hate having to see him not having free reign of his arms but the other day he fell on the floor, pulled out his pick tube (IV) and his feeding tube. We had to go with the lesser of two evils – the restraints.

Pneumonia –
Praise God! His pneumonia is significantly better at this time. The bad news is that this doesn’t mean it will completely clear up or not get worse again. Since he has swallowing difficulties he could aspirate on his own saliva which in turn can just create a cycle that keeps inducing his pneumonia. He is on an antibiotic and it seems to be dealing with it very well.

Ascites –
Do you remember me discussing this in my previous letter? They drained one liter of fluid from his abdomen last Friday. This fluid did have infection in it but there was no sign of cancer! They have left a tube in his abdomen to keep draining the ascites. They have also started him on an intravenous antibiotic and will treat it for the next 7 – 10 days. Then he will be given an oral antibiotic that he will most likely need to take daily for the rest of his life because of his liver. The infection is due to the fluids weeping from his liver. The doctor told me that our digestive tract is full of bacteria and when it gets into our abdomen cavity it thrives in that environment. Please pray that Dad will not pull his tubes out.

Lesion on Heart –
They found a lesion on his heart during a scan. They haven’t been able to run any tests at this time. They don’t know what it is but seem to not be concern with it at this time. All in due time. They won’t speculate but some possibilities are cancer, signs of congestive heart failure or infection. Let’s not speculate but keep this in our prayers!

Liver –
Still no new news. They have yet to meet with the liver specialist and won’t make any assumptions. However, the doctor did talk about the possibility of moving him to KU Medical Center if and when they exhaust all their resources to help him. I’ll let you know more when I know more.

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Thank you, thank you, thank you for your prayers! God has been so faithful and I’m so blessed to have, once again, felt His sustaining power and grace!

Love Stac

Long Overdue Update

I didn't really want to blog everything going on at first. I didn't want all the sadness archived. Now I wish I had because I would have been able to look back and see how God has provided. Here is the most recent update.

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I know you have all been wondering what is going on and I apologize for the delay in an update. I have wanted to send an update for a week but I've just been so exhausted any free time I'm sleeping. =)

We've had a lot of ups and downs over the past week. The VA (Veteran's Affair) Hospital in Leavenworth, Kansas learned dad was now stable and demanded him to be moved from Providence Hospital. This is now an hour and a half roundtrip instead of an hour.

I am really pleased with the doctors dad has at the VA. I met with them Monday and they are very aggressive about getting to the bottom to all his conditions and figuring out what is going on. On the other hand, I'm really discouraged regarding the nurses. I feel they lack compassion and a desire to see to the patient’s smaller needs.

For example, my dad cannot eat or drink yet and he has been allowed two small ice cubes every hour to keep his mouth moist. It was about 5:30 yesterday and I had already been with dad for about 30 minutes and dad asked if he could get some ice. I asked the nurse if he had ice within the hour and she said she wasn't sure because she just started her shift. I asked what time her shift started and she said 4pm. I asked if she had given him any ice since she started an hour and a half ago and she said no. So I said then he hasn't had any in the last hour. She said I guess not. Ugh! I asked the nurse to get him some and she said she couldn't get it right then. We wait about 10 minutes and she never brought it. So I went to get some. I told dad he could have some every hour but he is so confused he doesn't really now when an hour would have passed. I just hate feeling that when I can't be there with him that he may not be getting much attention. Please pray regarding this.

I did get an opportunity to speak to one of dad's doctors last night. That was a blessing for me. He has a few things going on and I'll try to explain them.

Fluid in the abdomen (ascites)-
He has a build up of fluid in the abdomen which is common with patients with cirrhosis. Typically this fluid is found free flowing throughout the abdomen and the internal organs sort of just "float" around in this fluid. They wanted to do a tap of the fluid earlier in the week to determine if the fluid was clear or had infection or blood in it. To do this they have to take a scan and mark where the organs to make sure they don't hit anything. However, what they found was odd. The fluid was not free flowing but encased. At this time they didn't know if it were a cyst, tumor or what. They drained it yesterday and determined it was fluid with infection. It was explained to me that it appeared that the ascites was encased because of the infection. Similar to how our body encases an abscess. He has been on antibiotics since he was in the ICU so this has probably helped some. I didn’t get a chance to ask what exactly this meant long term but I had several questions to ask so I was going to wait until we discussed the liver later.

Pneumonia –
His pneumonia has not cleared up but it has gotten a little better. His oxygen levels are good, his breathing is stable and they feel they have him on an antibiotic that is most responsive to his pneumonia. This is probably something we will deal with for a long time. They may not be able to completely clear it at least not anytime soon.

Liver (cirrhosis) –
They still aren’t really answering any of my questions regarding the liver. They wanted to deal with the ascites and pneumonia first. I was told that today they’d be meeting with a liver specialist and having a group discuss on dad’s liver. I told Dr. Hayes that Providence gave us a very grim prognosis and what his opinion was of their diagnosis. He said they didn’t want to speculate until they had an opportunity to discuss it but from his reaction I felt he wasn’t optimistic. However, I am not going to worry over it I am going to wait until I hear from them.

Swallowing –
They still haven’t determined if he can eat or drink. They tried a feeding tube through the nose but he plays with it so much they couldn’t leave it in. They will be doing tests today and tomorrow to determine if he can swallow. He hasn’t been able to and we really need to get him swallowing. We are between a rock and a hard spot with his nutrition right now. Because of his inability to swallow all of his conditions are compounded by the lack of nutrition. He has been receiving a TPN (total parenteral nutrition) bag intravenously that provides him with nutrition such as protein, sugar, vitamins, minerals and sometimes fat (lipids). This is not meant as a long term solution especially for patients with liver problems because it is difficult on the liver. The other option is a gastric feeding tube. This is sort of a last resort. It may not even be an option with all the fluids in his abdomen.

Mental State –
This is so frustrating to me. They really don’t know what is causing dad’s confused state. It is really hard to judge his mental capabilities. He has his long-term memory and sometimes his short-term. However, he talks about the strangest things. For instance, yesterday I told him I needed him to say a letter to the Post Office so I could get his mail. He seemed to comprehend what I was asking and I placed the paper in front of him with a pen and he started to sign his name. He wanted to put it up in the typed body of the letter and I directed him down towards the bottom. He told me to quit going so fast. I wasn’t doing anything but holding the paper on a hard surface. He was able to sign his name and it wasn’t too messy. He was also calling my Aunt Debra my sister Becky. He would keep telling me that he needed me to get two out of the refrigerator. I’m not sure what he was referring to. Sometimes he seemed coherent and I asked him when his rent was due and if some of his bills were paid automatically. He answered those but went back to talking strange. I know he wants out of there and I want him out of there. He says he is hungry and I am sure he is. I am praying for his comfort and clarity.

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The strange thing for me is that this was easier when he was unresponsive in ICU. He wasn’t hungry, uncomfortable or lonely and his nurses were fabulous. I am so thankful that dad is alert even though he is confused. I am not sure what God has in store for dad but I am trying to be patient and faithful. I asked dad yesterday if he remembered giving me my first Bible in 1988. He said he remembered that every letter and card I sent I always put a verse on it. I asked him if he ever read them in his Bible. He said he didn’t want to discuss it.

Yesterday dad had his nurse call me and tell me to come to the hospital as quickly as possible. I had already planned on leaving in 10 minutes but I left early. I was a little scared and nervous about what was going on and how dad was. I was praying and talking to God about my fear. At first I was wondering if my fear was lack of faith and trust in God. It wasn’t. I think fear is a human emotion and what is important is how we respond to the fear. I can imagine Abraham having fear when he was traveling up the mountain to sacrifice Isaac but he knew God would provide. My friend Jill told me that I need to trust what I know and not what I feel. I felt scared but I knew God would provide. So I went and I stayed calm. The fear didn’t leave until I arrived and God provided. So I would like to pass on the wise words of a friend to trust what you know and not what you feel.

To be able to trust what we know we must know God’s Word.

Romans 10:17
“So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.”

Hebrews 13:5
“Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Isaiah 55:8-9
For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.

Romans 8:38-39
For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

This is a solid insurance contract. No created thing can separate us from the love of God. We could never name every created thing so I will start with the non-created thing(s). God and, well, God. =) Only God was not created. Therefore, nothing can separate us from God’s love and that is all we need. Trust in Him today and he will bless you!

Thank you for your prayers!

Love Stac

Fun in the Sun!

I can't believe July is already here! I took some much needed time off from work between June 29 - July 8 for a canoe trip, World's of Fun, Independence Day and time with the nieces and nephew.

My first adventure was a weekend canoe trip down the Elk River in Noel, Missouri. This has been an annual family canoe trip for almost 6 years. It seems every year we have more and more people which just adds to the fun. The highlight of my trip this year was my brothers, Jake and Kyle, stealing my oar and taking off down the river. Then when they had tried to hide in the bushes to ambush others I took the opportunity to steal their canoe and push it downstream. I was dunked in the water for my actions but it was well worth it.

On Saturday night we had received word from home that Eastern Kansas had received up to 20 inches of rain in parts and many of the roads were closed due to flooding. Thankfully none of my family lives on a flood plain but all the roads headed home were closed.

On Sunday morning some of us decided to take a short day trip to Eureka Springs, Arkansas before heading home. This was about an hour drive southeast of Noel. Eureka Springs is a beautiful town in the Ozark Mountains. I haven't visited there in many years. When I was a child my aunt and uncle took me to The Great Passion Play and I absolutely loved it. I can't believe I haven't been back. I hope to plan a trip soon!

Monday was just a day of unpacking, cleaning, laundry and preparing for the rest of the week. Tuesday my brothers, my cousin Jake and I went to World's of Fun. It is an amusement park in Kansas City. The day was very hot and there was a time I wasn't feeling very well due to the heat but all in all we had a great time!

Wednesday was Independence Day and we went to my sister Becky's to hang out, have dinner and watch the fireworks. My mom bought a slip-n-slide for the kiddies to stay cool and play. They were a lot of fun to watch. (Levi, Madison, Lacey and Megan)


















Here is Levi showing off his soccer/football skills. Just depends on where you are in world. =) And Megan is showing off her frog. She loves insects, reptiles and animals.










Levi, Madison and Megan came home with me Wednesday night. I had two fun filled days planned for us and I was looking forward to time with them. Thursday morning my Aunt Robin and Cousin Lacey came over and we head out to the Deanna Rose Children's Farmstead. It is a wonderful park that teaches children about animals, live in the past and many other things. Levi is a country boy at heart. He loves farm animals. He has two cows and a horse.

While there we...





Hugged the goats (they tried to eat my shorts)...







Played in the sinks (they were just Megan's height!)...






Watched the rabbits...









Sat in the miniture log cabin...








Had a tractor race...








Milked a fake cow...





Went to school...









Last but not least, hugged a buffalo!

The fun did not stop there. We enjoyed an ice cream cone at home after dinner and then some arts and craft time.










Friday we spent the day at the pool and everyone was exhausted. I know I had a great time and I love spending time with them. They say and do some of the cutest things. Well I hope you enjoyed the pictures and a quick run through of my vacation. Now I am back to work trying to rest up. =)

Miss you all,

Stac

Heaven

In tonight's bible study Corey asked "Do you ever meditate on Heaven?" I think about it from time to time and I think of all those I love that have passed on to be with Jesus but I don't meditate on it. Never really ever thought about doing that.

We are nearly done with our I Corinthians study and tonight in chapter 15 we discussed the resurrection and what heaven will be like - more specifically heavenly bodies. When I arrived home I sat down at the piano to practice a little then I pulled out my easy hymns for piano book. I can't play them very well without hours and hours of practice but I read well enough to play the melody and sing along. However, I will only do that for an audience of one - God. Thankfully He has low expectations in this department. "Make a joyful noise unto the Lord." Psalm 100:1 As long as I can make it joyful He'll be pleased. =)

Anyway, I came across the hymn Must Jesus Bear The Cross Alone.

Must Jesus bear the cross alone,
And all the world go free?
No, there’s a cross for everyone,
And there’s a cross for me.

How happy are the saints above,
Who once went sorrowing here!
But now they taste unmingled love,
And joy without a tear.

The consecrated cross I’ll bear
Till death shall set me free;
And then go home my crown to wear,
For there’s a crown for me.

Upon the crystal pavement down
At Jesus’ piercèd feet,
Joyful I’ll cast my golden crown
And His dear Name repeat.

O precious cross! O glorious crown!
O resurrection day!
When Christ the Lord from Heav’n comes down
And bears my soul away.

If you have trusted Christ as your Savior and you know you will spend eternity with Him in Heaven, I would like to know what are your thoughts about Heaven and if you meditate on it. If you haven't trusted Christ as your Savior and you would like to know how you can spend eternity with Him (and me) =) then send me an email and I'd love to share the good news!

Alliterations

Who hasn't heard the alliteration of Peter Piper?

Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.
Did Peter Piper pick a peck of pickled peppers?
If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers,
Where's the peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked?

Well I am not so clever to actually make up anything that sounds nearly as cool is that. However, I did have a little fun with my own today.

It all started a couple of weeks ago when Sean invited some of his work mates over for a BBQ. Well for those of you who have never been to a BBQ at my house, let me tell you, that is no small feat. Especially when Sean does the inviting! That is one of the things I love about Sean. He says the more the merrier and just keeps inviting. The problem arises when he forgets who he invited and who is actually coming. hahahahaha

To make a long story short I was getting little bits and pieces of details here and there. At first it seemed like a nice intimate get-together with just a few couples. I thought us and two other couples would be perfect. Then we can all sit on the patio around the table and have a pleasant conversation after dinner while the sun was setting.

As the days went by I begun to realize he invited several more people. I continued to get bits and pieces here and there but nothing to indicate many more guests. Today at work (Friday), I decided to send a quick email to the people I knew Sean had invited to remind them of the time of arrival and directions to our house. That is another thing I love about Sean. He tends to forget what time things start and just makes up a new time.

In my email I told them that my information from Sean has been sketchy so I wanted to confirm who was coming and the time. Sean replied with

"I don't know what she's talking about"

and then everyone started replying with laughs and giggles because we all know how Sean is with information. Then one person replied asking if sketchy Sean was grilling because that is why they want to come to the BBQ. They want to see him grill! I replied with a "yes" and addressed it....

Sketchy Sean's Wife Specific Stacey

For anyone who knows me I am about as organized and specific as they come. It is a blessing and a curse. I believe one of my spiritual gifts is administration. I believe this is one of the reason's God intended me to be Sean's helpmate. =)

Well it is very late because I have been prepping all the food for tomorrow. I like to relax prior to guests arriving so that I may enjoy their company. If I prep most of the food the night before I can be less anxious about getting it done timely.

Are you wondering how many people Sean invited and are coming? I think we are having 14 guests. That is correct. I said I think. When I got home from work tonight Sean said,

"Oh, by the way, I think BK is coming as well."

See, there could be more show up that he just forgot to tell me about. That is ok though. I love entertaining and I am so blessed when I watch Sean having a fun time!!

I wish that you could all come to my BBQ. Maybe one day. Miss you all!

Our Photos

Not to overdo the blog thing but I thought this would be an easy way to share some photos with all of you. I have uploaded some of my wedding photos that I had copied onto a CD a couple months ago. I hope this link works for you.

http://picasaweb.google.com/sstitt04

I would be happy to send anyone prints who would like some. I have discovered a photo shop around the corner from my office and they are awesome! I had all my wedding photos put on CD and my old camera videos (and my wedding video) put on a DVD. Just let me know which ones you would like and what size!

Good night! Stacey

He Speaks to Me

I am eager to share what God is teaching me in my Tuesday night Bible study. It is a study by Priscilla Shirer titled He Speaks to Me. Priscilla starts off by asking us,

“Could our inability to hear God have less to do with His desire to speak and more to do with our lack of preparedness to hear?”

What a great question! I know in my life I often wait around for God to reveal to me His Will or direction. What if God has already shown me His Will and I just didn't listen? I am asking God to help me listen for Him. This study will show us how to prepare ourselves to listen for God, how to listen and how to obey.

First we are reminded that God will speak to us and meet us where we are; just as He spoke to Samuel when he was just a boy. We see in 1 Samuel 3:4 after four hundred years of silence God chose to speak to Samuel instead of Eli. Samuel had little to no education and no fancy title. Why a child? Jesus tells us in Luke 18:16,

"Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these."

He wants us to come to Him in child-like faith. He wants us to need Him completely, trust Him completely and with expectation. (Matthew 18:3)

I need to begin with simple obedience and ask God to show me areas I am not being obedient. Obedience will take sacrifice but as Author Eugene Peterson states,

"You know well enough from your own experience that there are some acts of so-called freedom that destroy freedom. Offer yourselves to sin, for instance, and it's your last free act. But offer yourselves to the ways of God and the freedom never quits." (Romans 6:1, The Message)

I can't fathom what Abraham must have been thinking or feeling when God commanded him to offer up Isaac as a sacrifice. It is a good thing he didn't tell Sarah beforehand! Abraham obeyed and God blessed him abundantly! He spared Isaac's life as well as made Abraham a father of many nations. As for how we might be rewarded for our obedience read Deuteronomy 28:1-14.

I have heard it said many times over the years to "fear the Lord." I never really got what this meant or how to even go about it until now. It isn't to shake in my boots or try to hide but rather to show reverance and respect. If we are going to prepare to hear God and receive His wisdom we must fear Him.

"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge" Proverbs 1:7
"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom" Proverbs 9:10

Respecting God allows us to gain spiritual insight and the ability to skillfully apply that insight so it transforms our lives. Ecclesiastes 12:13 tells us that our duty is to fear God and keep His commandments. If we refuse to fear and honor Him then our thinking will become futile, our minds darkened and we will become fools. (Romans 1:21-22)

One of God's greatest blessings in my life is that He has always and will always equip me with everything I need. Please pray for me during this study that I will faithfully obey and show reverence to the Lord.

Stacey

My First Blog

Welcome! This is my first official blog. The purpose of this blog is to catch up and attempt to keep in contact with friends and family. Sean and I have a lot of family and a lot of friends around the world and we have failed miserably keeping in touch.

I can not believe Sean and I have been married over ten years. That means that we haven't seen many of you in a very long time. That saddens me to think how much time has gone by and how many missed opportunities to make memories.

I will do my best to bring you up-to-date in our world and keep you up-to-date with happenings. We love you all and miss you heaps! You are always in my prayers. If you ever have a specific prayer request you would like me to lift up to God just send me a message.

Have a joyous day and happy blogging!!

Love Stacey