Woeful Wednesday . . .

It was an unexpectedly hard day yesterday.  

Micah and I went up to see my friend with early-onset Alzheimers.  We were excited because the last time we had been up there, my friend and I had decided that we were going to try to jump on to the big pink flamingo floating in the pool from the pool deck - without falling in!  I brought my swimsuit, Micah was ready with the camera and my friend said, "Why would you want to do that?"  Maybe because less than a month ago you were as eager to try it as I was . . . sigh.  And now you don't remember.  I did it any way.  It was still so good to spend time together, but it was even more evident that Alzheimers is winning . . .

After we got home, Sam and I went for a walk.  As we walked by our dear friend's house who has a brain tumor, she came out to talk with us.  Her angioplasty that day had not gone as expected and they want to do another one.  It turns out her tumor is totally blocking her artery.  God in His mercy allowed blood vessels to grow in her skull providing blood where her blocked artery could not.  However, that was the way they were going to do surgery - through the skull.  But if that's her blood source to the brain . . . so she needs another, more difficult angioplasty to see if there's a better way to do surgery, that won't do so much damage . . . sigh.

More to pray for.  More to trust God with.  My two dear friends . . .      

Soon to be an Olympic Sport!

It may not be the best quality, but I definitely stuck the landing when I went "Flamingo Flipping"!

 

Isatu

When she was 10 years old, Isatu’s jaw began swelling, causing her to lose several teeth. Despite efforts to reduce the swelling, a large tumor continued to grow for nearly 17 years, dominating her face and her life.  “I cover my face because when people see me they talk. They make fun of me," Isatu said. "I’m ashamed. They make me cry.” While the mockery Isatu faced was greatly disheartening, the tumor was slowly becoming more than just a social stigma. It was life-threatening.

“[Tumors like Isatu’s] are usually benign,” Dr. Gary Parker, the head maxillofacial surgeon onboard the Africa Mercy said. “They’re not cancerous, but you can die [from suffocation].”  Faced with the fear that the tumor could eventually take her life, Isatu searched for a solution. One day, Isatu heard about a hospital ship offering surgeries in Conakry, Guinea and made the journey from Sierra Leone with her sister-in-law and infant son in search of healing.

Isatu was assessed and approved for surgery onboard the Africa Mercy. Due to the size and placement of the tumor, Isatu would undergo a series of surgeries that would remove the tumor, rebuild her jaw and smooth out her skin.  Several days after her first surgery, Isatu’s nurse began to change the bandage. It was a slow, gentle process until the nurse handed Isatu a mirror.  As Isatu looked at her new reflection, her expression was one of awe — it was as if she could see into a whole new future!

And despite the swelling from the surgery, her smile shone through. “To see someone who walked in timid and afraid, and now is fully herself, is like seeing a new person be born,” the volunteer nurse who worked with Isatu, said.  Today, Isatu is able to confidently walk the streets of her neighborhood knowing that her beauty shows both inside and out — and her smile continues to shine for all to see.

 

Pastor Potluck!

Pastor Tony shared this morning that we're starting a new series for the rest of the summer, beginning today - "A Few of My Favorite Things".  We're excited about it because all of the different pastors at Berean are going to have the opportunity  to share a sermon with their "favorite thing".

Sam and I laughed on the way home.  "It sounds more like pastor potluck.  Let's just hope nobody takes a bite out of them!" 

Another Fourth of July story . . .

 

Our dear friend and neighbor, Jana, is having her fourth brain surgery next month. Thanks to all the medications she's on, she's no longer able to take care of what used to be a very large flower garden by her mailbox.  

We've taken care of it the past few years and normally we get to it quite a bit sooner than we did this year.  I guess now that I'm working more hours, I just have less time.

Anyway, we knew Jana wasn't home today so we drove up - remember it was hot out! - to clean out her flower bed.

I had really wanted to get a flag for the bed as it is the Fourth of July today, but I just didn't have time.  God knew what was on my heart, and as we drove from our house to hers - literally just around the corner! - Sam stopped the truck and told me to get out.  There was no one on our street, but there was a flag lying in the middle of it.  We were so excited!  I hopped out, grabbed the flag and our smiles got even wider!  

We had not one, not two, but three flags to put around their mailbox!  Thank you, Jesus!

And . . . Happy Fourth of July!

Happy Fourth of July!

 

Ours was most happy as we enjoyed this delicious cake by Micah!

Keeping Up With the Joneses!

While we never strive to keep up with the Joneses when it comes to our port-a-potty at Sand Creek, God obviously had other plans! Or is that "plants"?

When I used our lovely facilities today, I noticed we had fresh flowers in our biffy, put there by the hand of the Almighty!

Thank you, Jesus, for the little things - like flowers in a port-a-potty on a very hot day . . .