Yesterday Hannah had her first pediatric neurology appointment here preceded by an EEG. The results were a bit disappointing. The surgery she had a few months ago did not completely relieve her epilepsy. In addition we learned on Monday that parts of her brain are "slowing" and hindering her ability to learn and retain information. There is no cure for this "slowing". The plan is to have her remain on her medicine and "wait and see" until at least a year has passed from her procedure. Next summer she will be reevaluated and we will go from there.
We continue to appreciate your prayers for Hannah and all of us as we walk this path!
I'll keep you posted.
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Thursday, September 22, 2011
The Lemonade Lesson
It's morning outside, one of those gray mornings with low clouds and the soothing drizzle of rain against the windows. I love these kind of days, mornings that yield a gentle light and hushed world. Autumn and Spring are often full of them. I find them profoundly relaxing.
I had an interesting experience last night. I was invited to an open house sponsored by a local medical school. Vickie and I went. We felt a little awkward as we hovered around the tea and lemonade, watching people who obviously knew each other chat happily about who-knows-what. The room was filled with medical students in various years of their studies and alumni from the sponsoring university. There were also medical school instructors and admissions staff wandering the room. Two things struck me as I sipped my lemonade: first, I was thrilled to death to be there. second, I was filled with a sense of purpose. "I can do this." I kept thinking to myself as Vickie (my wife) and I found some chairs along the wall. "With God's help, I can do this."
My whole life, doctors have had a kind of aura about them, some sort of "glow" that made them seem separate, somehow, from the rest of humanity. While I was in the military I was taught to step out of their way when they came down the hall, a sort of subservient gesture reminding me of their cultural stature. Last night, though, I began to realize that these normal-looking folks swarming around me were simply that: regular people who, for various reasons, have chosen to commit themselves to lives of service. Some in that place were well-dressed. Others wore shorts and sweat-shirts. Some chatted quickly to a small group, others laughed easily and seemed that they would be as comfortable in a park as in a room surrounded by eggheads.
Isn't it interesting the way we allow our perceptions to form judgements about other people before we have met them? I remember Y'shua (Jesus) warning us not to judge others. Yet, somehow, we manage to do just that. Last night I was reminded to again see people, regardless of their education or social standing, as simply people, all equal, all precious in God's sight and made in His image.
I'll keep you posted.
I had an interesting experience last night. I was invited to an open house sponsored by a local medical school. Vickie and I went. We felt a little awkward as we hovered around the tea and lemonade, watching people who obviously knew each other chat happily about who-knows-what. The room was filled with medical students in various years of their studies and alumni from the sponsoring university. There were also medical school instructors and admissions staff wandering the room. Two things struck me as I sipped my lemonade: first, I was thrilled to death to be there. second, I was filled with a sense of purpose. "I can do this." I kept thinking to myself as Vickie (my wife) and I found some chairs along the wall. "With God's help, I can do this."
My whole life, doctors have had a kind of aura about them, some sort of "glow" that made them seem separate, somehow, from the rest of humanity. While I was in the military I was taught to step out of their way when they came down the hall, a sort of subservient gesture reminding me of their cultural stature. Last night, though, I began to realize that these normal-looking folks swarming around me were simply that: regular people who, for various reasons, have chosen to commit themselves to lives of service. Some in that place were well-dressed. Others wore shorts and sweat-shirts. Some chatted quickly to a small group, others laughed easily and seemed that they would be as comfortable in a park as in a room surrounded by eggheads.
Isn't it interesting the way we allow our perceptions to form judgements about other people before we have met them? I remember Y'shua (Jesus) warning us not to judge others. Yet, somehow, we manage to do just that. Last night I was reminded to again see people, regardless of their education or social standing, as simply people, all equal, all precious in God's sight and made in His image.
I'll keep you posted.
Saturday, September 10, 2011
The Family of Believers . . .
It's Saturday evening. Shabbat comes to a close as the sun sets. We spent most of the day at the synagogue. While it's always a blessing to fellowship with other believers, my visit there was tinged with a hint of sadness. I do miss the times of fellowship in Philadelphia. We were only there for 3 1/2 years, a relatively short time. But, during that time, we met some good people and certainly were blessed by God's Presence.
Change is usually never easy. I am grateful for the godly brothers and sisters we met this morning. I am grateful, too, for those we left behind on the East Coast. May God bring us all back together in the world to come!
I'll keep you posted.
Change is usually never easy. I am grateful for the godly brothers and sisters we met this morning. I am grateful, too, for those we left behind on the East Coast. May God bring us all back together in the world to come!
I'll keep you posted.
Thursday, September 8, 2011
God is good
I went outside to pray this morning. Doing so is a new luxury to which I can become easily accustomed. Unlike Philadelphia where our "backyard" consisted of a large parking lot and thin strip of grass our backyard here is an actual yard: a gently sloping hill covered with grass, bushes, and tall evergreen trees. I stood out there and closed my eyes. It's a veritable paradise. The morning air had just a nip of chill in it, enough to remind me that summer was fading and is autumn on its way. The scent of morning dew and evergreen greeted me as I slowly walked among the trees, pine needles crunching softly beneath my feet. What a perfect place to talk to God and a perfect place in which to hear Him talk back. I returned to the house invigorated, challenged, and encouraged. I'm beginning to believe that nature can preach a more powerful and convincing sermon concerning God's goodness and love than can any golden-tongued preacher.
God has been good to us. My lovely wife celebrated another birthday yesterday. We have finally been approved for food stamps (no easy task in Oklahoma my experience has shown me), and the kids have resumed school in earnest. Of course there are still challenges to face, indeed seemingly more with each passing day: Vickie is still in need of a job, I learned yesterday that an old foot injury of mine will require corrective surgery, and finances as always are tight. But you know, in spite of all of this, God has continued to show His faithfulness. Sometimes He demonstrates this to us directly. Other times He does so through the kindness of family and friends. Either way, I am reminded of the Biblical verse in the first chapter of James that tells us that God is the source of all good things.
He truly is.
I'll keep you posted.
God has been good to us. My lovely wife celebrated another birthday yesterday. We have finally been approved for food stamps (no easy task in Oklahoma my experience has shown me), and the kids have resumed school in earnest. Of course there are still challenges to face, indeed seemingly more with each passing day: Vickie is still in need of a job, I learned yesterday that an old foot injury of mine will require corrective surgery, and finances as always are tight. But you know, in spite of all of this, God has continued to show His faithfulness. Sometimes He demonstrates this to us directly. Other times He does so through the kindness of family and friends. Either way, I am reminded of the Biblical verse in the first chapter of James that tells us that God is the source of all good things.
He truly is.
I'll keep you posted.
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