Tuesday, January 31, 2017

An Apt Reply

Sam is having a very challenging school year this year.  Last night after school he had to call no less than ten parents and he got home after 7:30 p.m. to this word of encouragement -


Everyone enjoys a fitting reply; 
it is wonderful to say the right thing at the right time!
Proverbs 15:23, New Living Translation
 

Sunday, January 29, 2017

Be a Thermostat!


There’s a difference between a thermometer and a thermostat.  
 A thermometer gives you the temperature of the room, 
but a thermostat controls the temperature of the room.  
Let social media and news be a thermometer, 
telling you the temperature of things out there, 
but not a thermostat.  
They don’t determine your emotional state – 
that is giving them far too much power.  
Be a thermostat, change the atmosphere in the room. 

Nick Cash, Senior Chaplain, Africa Mercy

Saturday, January 28, 2017

TROUBLE

The 2017 Zupke Family Plan is to have a monthly game night.  Since January was almost through and time was running out, I went to the game closet and grabbed, "Trouble".  

Wouldn't you know - I was in the process of winning when Sam hit a streak of sixes and managed to be the first family victor?

The "trouble" is - Matt said my choice of games was lame and he gets to choose February's as it is his birthday month!  The thing is - it's mine, too! 

Friday, January 27, 2017

"It was soup . . . "

Matt has a crazy schedule on Fridays.  He works 10:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. and then 5:00 - 10:05 p.m.  Being the awesome mom I am, I decided that I would make sure that he actually had a decent supper during his break.  I started it in the crock pot before I left for work this morning and just before he got home, the soup was ready!  Even better - he liked it!  Since he's now on bowl number three, I'm wondering how I'm going to tell Sam that I really did make us soup for supper and you know who ate it all!

My stitches are . . .

GONE!!!
And I am so very happy!

Thursday, January 26, 2017

Thankful Thursday!

I am every thankful for the young man who lives here who helped me drop my car off for repairs after he finished work on Tuesday, then let his sister borrow his truck for youth group last night and me borrow his truck for work this morning.  He also dropped me off before he had to go to work today to pick my car up.  Thank you, Matt! You're appreciated!   

And before you get too sentimental, I put a tank of gas in it for him!

Tuesday, January 24, 2017

Just God . . .

Yesterday at Bible study, Sue asked us to pray for her friend, Pam.  Last night while working at ISD 196, I was told our former secretary, Pam, was very ill and I needed to go to her Caring Bridge site and pray.

Friends, it is the same Pam and I am praying.

Monday, January 23, 2017

The Ponseti Clinic

Today's post was reblogged from "Nick and Suzanne".  Nick runs the Ponseti Clinic literally changing the lives of children so they can run!  It's a lot of pictures.  Enjoy!

Some beautiful things are happening here in Cotonou! First, a look back on the last few months in the clubfoot clinic, then photos of an special event on January 11, 2017. 
August 2016 - December 2016 : Strengthening the Foundation and Working Together

Since the ship’s arrival in August 2016, the Mercy Ships Ponseti team and the team at Cabinet de Kinésithérapeutes et Associés have been working hard. The goal is to build upon the earlier training from CURE International (who will continue to partner with the clinic long-term) to establish accessible and excellent quality clubfoot treatment for the people of Benin. 

They treat patients together on 4 clinic days per week.  Over the last few months they have taken a group of children through each phase of the Ponseti method:  initial assessments, weekly casting, achilles tenotomy, and now the kids are in the bracing phase of treatment. 
Regarding these first months together, Nick says "The early phase of the program involves a lot of teaching and mentoring and relationship building.  I do really push the clinicians to continue pursuing excellence and perfecting their practice.  This clinic already had some experience with clubfeet, which is great. I've been very impressed with the clinic as a whole, this team is dedicated to the kids they treat."  
Photo below: Nick teaches an intensive training in September 2016 for the providers at Cabinet de Kinésithérapeutes.  These two weeks included theory, lectures, and practice casting on clubfoot models.


Above:  (Left) Nick gives a lecture during the intensive training course in September 2016.  (Right) A patient plays in the bathtub while soaking off a plaster cast.
Below: (Left) The team performed the first tenotomies on board the ship with Dr. Lindsay Sherriff.  Later, they began doing the tenotomy procedure at a local site. (Right) Nick, Serge, Marie-Josiane, Ulysse, Marina and Melchior pose for a photo after the intensive training.


Photo below:  Sibling support during casting appointments is good for little patients!



Below left:  Melchior assesses a patient.  The plastic tool on the table is a goniometer, used to measure the degrees of flexibility of the foot in a variety of directions.  The patient's feet are carefully measured each week to track their progress.


Below: Clubfoot baby doll always manages to get in a few pictures.  He's been a patient in clubfoot clinics in several countries now.  :)



Below Right:  Ulysse finishes off a plaster cast on a sweet patient.

January 11, 2017 - Celebrating the Efforts and the Changes


On January 11, the Ponseti team hosted a Clubfoot Celebration event for the first group of children who "graduated" from casting, and have straight feet!

Families of the patients, the clinic staff, Mercy Ships crew and leadership, and even a representative of the Ministry of Health attended the celebration. The Mercy Ships hospital chaplaincy team led songs, and there was MUCH dancing and jubilation. (See for yourself in the photos below)
Nick explains "The reason why we wanted to have this celebration day was to mark this as a special moment.  We want to celebrate the kids' new straight feet and the accomplishments of the local team.  This is also a great opportunity to raise community awareness of the clinic.  But above all, it is to thank God for what He has done and what He is doing." 

 The day was full of joy, smiles and color.
 Ulysse, Melchior and Marina count how many guests have come.

The team spent several days preparing for this event, and that included making the building as shiny and clean as possible, and decorating (good work on the balloons, Marina!)

Several parents shared their testimonies, and after that it was singing and dancing.  During her testimony, one mother said "I am just so happy, I want to sing a song for you!"  She led the very first song along with the chaplaincy team.

Pure celebration, joy, and thankfulness to the Lord!!!
Clementine (on the far right) shared a brief message, she has been a hospital chaplain on the ship for more than 20 years. 
Melchior and other staff and parents were interviewed by the media.  
Group photo of all who attended.
Head tilt photo - this is a Ponseti tradition at clubfoot events around the world. :)
These are some strong Mamas who are committed to their future of their children.
Team and patients group photo - very, very good work to everyone involved!

The clinic's future...sharing the news!

Melchior arranged for the media to attend the celebration- and by the end of the week the good news of clubfoot treatment in Cotonou was shared on a national television station and three different newspapers.  

The title here reads "Treatment of clubfoot in Benin: Children re-find their smiles", and the first sentence says "It is no longer a dream but a reality, children suffering from clubfeet are treated and healed on our own land."


Below are a few screenshots from the news report.  It aired on the evening news, and then four more times in the following days.  The reporters did a great job of explaining that clubfoot is treatable, that the ponseti method works, and that treatment is accessible in Cotonou through our partner clinic.


Just look at this little guy- surrounded by people celebrating his healing!  He won't remember his clubfeet, but his parents will be able to tell him about this journey.  He, and each child who comes to the clinic, is full of promise and possibility.  We pray that he will accomplish all that God has for him to do with his life (on two straight feet!).  

Please pray for us and for the clinic here in Cotonou. Our heart's desire is to see this clinic continue to grow deep, strong roots.  We want good things for each of our Beninese colleagues, we pray that God continues to open doors in their lives both personally and professionally, and that they are able to help many many more children in the future.  

We give the glory to the Lord for the good things that have happened here!

If you would like to see updates from the Cotonou clinic, they have started a Facebook page (click here)

Also, thanks goes to Justine Forrest, a Mercy Ships photographer, and to Marina Schmid, Ponseti Clinic Assistant for the fantastic photos! :)

Saturday, January 21, 2017

A Friend Like YOU!



I'm dedicating this song to those wild and crazy people I spent last night with - six of you facebook, four of us don't; two of you read my blog, I'm guessing seven of you don't - so you may never know how much I appreciate your friendships and the love and laughter we share!  But if you should find this post, take a step back to the eighties with me and know that I'm so glad I have a friend like YOU!

Friday, January 20, 2017

Thankful Thursday!

Today I want to share that I am thankful for neighbors in just three little bits:

Bit one goes to Neighbor Nancy.  It was ten years ago this month that my mom died.  One of the things I got after she died was a lovely wool sweater in her very favorite color green - a sweater that Sam managed to wash and DRY for me.  No matter how much I tried to stretch it, it remained a lovely LITTLE wool sweater.  Neighbor Nancy came to my rescue!  I am so thankful for her creativeness and kindness . . .  I can still wear mom's sweater, just a bit further from my heart!

Bit two goes to Neighbors Kent and Cindy.  Cindy is fighting colon cancer while Kent just had knee surgery and will be off his knee for the next four to six MONTHS.  I am thankful they let me cook supper for them last night and I am even more thankful that they said "No thanks!" to the squash.  I want them to enjoy their meal!  (Side Note:  I'm also thankful for the two crazy kids who drove the meal up so I could deal with that squash!).

Bit three goes to my seventy-something Neighbors Don and Bernice.  I am grateful they let me come over with my farm scoop and help clear the ice on their driveway.  I just didn't tell them about the stitches until we were done!

Thank you, Father, for my wonderful neighbors!  

 

 

Tuesday, January 17, 2017

"Are You Back on the Ship?"

We got the absolute sweetest message on our answering machine yesterday from a dear lady that's always sat behind us at Trinity.  "I haven't seen you at Trinity for a while.  Are you sitting somewhere else?  Did you go back to the ship?"  

I called her back today, answered her questions and had the most delightful chat!  That conversation confirmed what I already know - heaven is going to be a wonderful place!  

Sunday, January 15, 2017

Matt's Tatt

Matt created a combination of four heiroglyphs that mean
  • Challenge
  • Explore
  • Combine
  • Understand 
Three out of the four made sense to me, but I didn't quite get combine until Matt said, "Mom, I need to combine what I learned in Africa with life in America."  
 
To God be the glory!  

The Insurance Company

Remember the perfect storm last week?  When it was far below zero and our snowbanks were ice covered and I pulled into the parking lot at the Y and bumped a snowbank, shattering my front bumper?  Try explaining that to an insurance company called "California Casualty" based in Phoenix, Arizona!

"So, m'am, you had an accident."
"No, I was parking the car."
"So you slid into a snowbank."
"No, I was barely moving, parking the car."
"Did you hit another driver?"
"No, I was parking the car.  I bumped the snowbank.  It's rock solid."
"So what did you hit?"
"Darla, how cold is it outside where you are right now?"
"Sixty-five degrees."

And that it explains it all, right, fellow Minnesotans!?!  No clue, no concept, but covered!


 

To Shower or Not Shower!?!

It wasn't even a question yesterday!  With blood rolling down my leg, of course I was going to shower and fix my bedhead before we went to urgent care!  I drew the line at make-up, though - not necessary!

Saturday, January 14, 2017

The Horizontal Mattress

The horizontal mattress, in case you're wondering, is the name of a knot that doctor's use to suture wounds on your body that will strain.  They are far more secure than a regular suture.  How do I know?  I got two this morning, along with two regular sutures!

Today, being three weeks after Christmas, I thought it about time to pack away the Christmas dishes.  Everything was clean, no one else was in the kitchen - duty called!  

Unfortunately, when I went to grab the falling mug, I must have hit a plate that hit the floor and came back up and sliced my calf.  One look was all it took and I knew where I was spending my morning - the emergency room!  

Fortunately, I was wrong.  The urgent care around the corner was open and they did sutures.  Micah drove me over and in we went.

Unfortunately, the physician's assistant who first looked at me wasn't quite sure her sutures would hold.

Fortunately, the doctor on duty had no qualms and she was ready to perform her "horizontal mattresses."  Two horizontal mattresses (which count for a total of four sutures) and two regular sutures later, I was on my way home.

Unfortunately, I get to wear the good doctor's handiwork for fourteen days instead of the normal ten . . .    

Today's Algebraic Equation:  
(2 horizontal mattresses)(2) + 2 regular sutures = 6 stitches

Thursday, January 12, 2017

Thankful Thursday!

I am thankful that . . .
  • I could help a dear friend get her vehicle from the repair shop yesterday;
  • This year I can tell my twins apart in Thursday morning swimming lessons;
  • That Sam brought Matt to get his new tatt last night and I could stay home;
  • That we could have an interesting discussion at dinner last night about the meaning of Matt's new tattoo before he got it;
  • That Micah came so excited from youth group last night because she had prayed out loud!
To God be the glory! 

Monday, January 9, 2017

Absolutely Amazing!

Christmas morning I dreamt I was back at the Presbyterian Camp on Lake Okoboji putting in a zip line!  Helping me with it was Brian Amundson.  We had been campers, counselors and friends at camp over the years.  But as I told Sam, I had not thought of or seen Brian in over 35 years!  Sam said, "Google."  

I found a Brian that looked like Camp Brian on LinkedIn and sent him a note.  Today I heard back from him.  Are you sitting down?

When his father died, his family donated money to the camp.  That money was used to put in a climbing wall with a zip line attached!

  

The Perfect Storm

Sadly, last Thursday can only be labeled as "The Perfect Storm".  The temps were the coldest they had been all winter that morning.  The snow was coated in ice and rock solid.  I pulled into the Y parking lot and my bumper hit the snow bank - normally never a problem.  Due to the "perfect" conditions, my front bumper "shattered" to the tune of a $1300.00 repair!

Sunday, January 8, 2017

Absolutely Appalling . . .

Matt worked at the front desk of the Y yesterday and while he was there, a man came in and said someone had fallen in the parking lot.  Note:  this man did not bother to stop and help the fallen man.  He went inside the Y to report it.  

Matt went running out and sure enough, there was an older man down.  Only the story gets better.  The only person trying to help him get up was James, also an older man who is in a wheelchair.  And James couldn't do it.  Matt did.  When he did, the ex-marine used extremely colorful language to tell Matt all about the number of people who had walked by.  But only James offered help, until Matt came. 

And that, my friends, is what I find utterly appalling . . . It reminds me of a story Jesus shared.  We know it as the good Samaritan.

Saturday, January 7, 2017

The Three Wise Men . . .

While taking down the Christmas tree today, I noticed that Matt had three super glittery nutcracker ornaments.  I had Micah take a picture of them - just to annoy Matt while he was at work!  

I'm not quite sure - do you see three wise men (as Micah called them) or three stooges? 

More Dog Tales!

It turns out that our nephew's nine month old yellow lab wasn't really excited about being outside in the cold either!  Unlike Annie, Bo's teeth didn't chatter!  No, he snuck back into the house while no one was home and left a message of mass destruction . . .

Thursday, January 5, 2017

Thankful Thursday!

This past fall I did the Bible study, "Armor of God", by Priscilla Shirer.  One of the verses from that study that really impacted me was 2 Corinthians 10:4-5:

The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

Imagine what would happen if we were to take EVERY thought captive to make it obedient to Christ!  That is my 2017 New Year's resolution.  As my one hour meeting at work stretched into two and a half hours this morning, I was able to take many thoughts captive!  For that I am thankful . . . 

 

Jocelin

Wednesday, January 4, 2017

Too Cold?

That is the question of the week - when is it too cold to take the dog running?  After all, Annie is a lab-wanna-be!   We cut back to only two miles this morning as the wind chill was -26*F with air temp hovering at -6*F.  She did great until we got to the front door.  Then I heard the cutest sound ever - her little teeth were chattering!