Our Little Lamb

Grammy and Grampy came last night and brought encouragement from an old friend.  I can't help the tears as I picture our Savior...our Shepherd leading us along.  Thank you for sharing these verses with us!
 
Isaiah 40:11 "He shall feed His flock like a shepherd:  He shall gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young."

We had another rough night...we considered a trip to the ER and called doctors.  Our pediatrician  weighed in and gave us some things to consider.  We were able to tough it out.  Calls were made this morning and we head to Madison to see a pediatric neurosurgeon at 12:30 p.m.  This is a change from our previous plan.  Our other doctor is in agreement that this is the best.  We are grateful for God's peace and leading in every event leading up to this point...
Daddy is here.
Grampy brought Grammy to stay and help.
Grandma is right across the street.
Papa is around the corner.
Uncles, aunts, and friends are near and dear...over the phones/computer and across town.

Finally at 1:40 a.m. we tried ibuprofen again to fight the spasms caused by the pain, sleep came...from sheer exhaustion or medicine...we aren't sure.  The doctor is calling in a perscription today to help us tonight. 
We know we have a valley to walk through tomorrow.  The MRI is indicating a 4 1/2 cm tumor that is causing this great difficulty for Alisa.  But God already knows that!  He made her.  He loves her...she knows this truth.  I hear the words from the poem she learned and recited each day as we began our school year...

The Lamb

William Blake

Little lamb, who made thee?

Dost thou know who made thee?

Gave thee life, and bade thee feed

By the stream and o'er the mead?

Gave thee clothing of delight--

Softest clothing, woolly bright?
Gave thee such a piping voice,

Making all the fields rejoice?

Little lamb, who made thee?

Dost thou know who made thee?

Little lamb, I'll tell thee--

Little lamb, I'll tell thee,

He is called by thy name,

For He calls Himself a Lamb;

He is meek, and He is mild.

He became a little child.

I a child, and thou a lamb,

We are called by His name.

Little lamb, God bless thee!

Little lamb, God bless thee!

Pray for us as we prepare her for tomorrow...we know our Shepherd is gently leading us...and we will continue to follow His voice!

Spring has come to our neighborhood!

The robins have come back!

This is the biggest prayer chain I have...

and I need to ask you all to pray for our family.
"God wants to hear you sing...when the waves are crashing round you, when the firey darts surround you, when despair is all you see...God wants to hear your voice when the wisest man has spoken and says your circumstance is as hopeless as can be...that's when God wants to hear you sing!"
I sang those words from my heart on Sunday morning.  It is our testimony. 
Yesterday, we saw Dr. Scott and he led us down a path toward answers.  He ordered a CT and MRI scan...and walked through the whole afternoon with us.  The scans show a mass in Alisa's lower back.  We go to a neurosurgeon on Thursday afternoon...but we have asked the Lord to speed it up if He wills.  We are praying and waiting as the waves of realization come.  We know God looks down and sees it all.  We know He is in control.  No matter what exactly the mass is, we know it has to come out...as that is causing the pain at night...when there is no movement.  During the day, Alisa is able to function as normal...sometimes with a little discomfort...and then she rests as needed.
We will know more on Thursday and will let you know. 
Would you pray and wait with us...and for us?  We will pray and wait...and sing!

A springy touch...

to brighten this cloudy, rainy Monday. 

Signs of spring are all around us...more visible than any signs of relief and sleep for our Miss Alisa.  Another rough night...another doctor's opinion this morning...another glimmer of hope...

We're crossing our fingers...hoping for a good night of rest...

because we all could use it!  And I'm crossing my fingers that tonight will be a good night...because it is going to affect any possible travel plans!  We have another visit to another doctor...another chiropractor...the same man who helped me three years ago. 

Not what you would expect!

Lessons learned through times of trouble aren't always the same for everyone. 
And the lessons that you learn in certain instances...aren't always the ones that you expected to learn!  This week has continued to be a time of learning for our family...and it has been good for us.
 
God's ways are not our ways.  His thoughts are above our thoughts.  He has specific plans in every situation in our lives!  We have learned many lessons...and still continue to learn.
For ten plus years, there have been many lessons learned in the business world.  We know for sure that there is a greater good that God has in mind for all these lessons...and we are at peace.  There have been many opportunities to experience many things, and we are grateful.  We were not the ones who decided all these experiences, and for that we are grateful too.  We know that God has meant everything for our good!
  
One would expect us to have learned about God's provision.
Oh, He has taken great care of us to be sure...He just does it in many different ways...not always how we hoped He would. 
One would expect us to have learned to trust Him. 
We have and He has been leading all the time...even when we don't see the way clearly. 
One would expect us to have learned to be content.
We are grateful for every breath we take wherever we are...and know that He is our Sustainer.
One would expect us to have learned to give back to God.
Everything we have belongs to God, we are only stewards.

The lessons we have needed to learn...surrender, waiting patiently, love for each other and our children, duty, release of control, patience, consistency, priorities, respect for authority, obedience to God's Word, submission, willingness, faithfulness, prayer...

The lessons we have learned...are the ones that God has wanted us to learn. 
He has shown us our weaknesses and He has brought us to this place. 
Without Him...we are nothing!
 
There are certain things that God expects from His children...
trouble in our life doesn't give us a free pass to think, act, and talk however we feel! 
We have been bought with a price...and we are to glorify Him!
 
Even in our troubles...let me rephrase that...especially in our troubles...
People are watching us...what are we telling them about our Heavenly Father? 
If He truly is our Heavenly Father...it doesn't matter if we are out shopping, at work, at home with children, with friends, or just driving down the road...we have a responsibility to our Lord to think, act, and talk as the Bible commands.  He is faithful.  He never changes.  He loves us.  He expects us to obey His laws/statutes/commandments.  
A wise man reminded me a few weeks ago of Daniel and his friends.  God didn't deliver them out of their trouble...He allowed them to be thrown into that firey furnace!  He was with them the entire time! 
God expected them to handle those times of testing (trouble) in a certain way and according to certain commands.  Their obedience brought blessing! 
God never forsakes us!

We have learned a great deal over the last ten plus years...and if you happen to ask us about it...
the lessons we have learned won't be what you expect to hear! 

"Hey...Daddy..."

"you could get a job at McDonalds!  Then you could make us food and bring it home!" suggested Ashlynn.
"No...he could make fire at Dairy Queen and make cheeseburgers...that's how they make them...they fire them!  They have good ones there!" said Teddy.

Of all the things

The kids wanted dessert for lunch today...all I had to offer them were the fortune cookies in the drawer from previous take-out dinners.  Makes the fortunes null and void???? Right?! 
They were satisfied. 
Ashlynn read her fortune, "You will hear some good news." 
Now in the whole scheme of things...that made me smile...
till she said, "Mom, what if the good news was that you were going to have another baby?!" 
ah, uh, ummmm...that would definitely be news...but we aren't going to experience that...
I guarded my facial expression and words carefully...she was watching me like a hawk. 
Children's good news is very different from an adult's good news.
Of all the things she could pick as good news....I had to laugh...
and hope that maybe it is because we are going to babysit this afternoon? 

Gentle reminders from the unsuspecting

 

I had a lady talk to me on Sunday at our potluck.  She requested that when I sing the next time, "Would you please sing the song 'God Wants to Hear You Sing'?  I heard that this week on the radio, but I like to hear you sing it." 

Do you realize what you are asking of me?  No...she doesn't...and it doesn't matter...God knows...and He expects to hear from me in prayer and praise!  A simple request from a loving church member...who has no idea that God used her to encourage my heart.  Now to follow through with the request...this Sunday morning...   

It's a sunny day!

II Corinthians 12:9 "My grace is sufficient for thee:  for my strength is made perfect in weakness..."
It is amazing to see the various affects light has in a person's day...and life.  Winter's darkness is being pushed aside by spring's promise of the sun's brightness and warmth.  Bright sun that causes us to squint...so much brighter and clearer than the light supported by electricity.
Equally amazing...the different sources of light that shine on the dark areas of our life.  Some of those areas don't look so bad in the dull light...other areas plead for the comfort of the darkness. 
There is strength in light.  Weaknesses hide in the dark...and can be easily seen with the brilliance offered by the light.  When the light shines on those dark places, they can no longer be ignored or pushed aside.
Lord, be gracious and help me to handle what the light is showing me!

Different vessels have different capacities

I know I am a vessel...molded by the Master Potter. 
There are some days when it is hard to tell if I am a cracked pot or just that weaker vessel?  Can't decide which one best describes me...but I know one of the descriptions will work today. 
I think I will opt for the weaker vessel label and just know that I will always handle things differently than a stronger vessel.  And in my weaknesses...then I can see God's strength.  Doesn't mean there won't be any leaks or spills.  Sometimes vessels can be stretched to hold a little more...sometimes they can be filled to overflowing...and sometimes the vessel gets bumped and a spill occurs.
I think there is more hope in being the weaker vessel. 
A cracked pot often gets tossed aside or thrown away...because it is no longer useful!

A new month, a new week, a new day...

for the thundering hooves to run right over me!  Affecting all of us! 

 

It seems our "thundering hooves of the obvious" belong to a horse that changes colors.  Imagine that!?The things that helped yesterday...don't help today...  Which is fine...if you are operating under the premise of a good night's sleep...which we are not.  It's official...it's been two months of this on and off.

This lack of sleep will cause you at times to do strange things...that are not helpful...

like massage the wrong side of the painful back/side, cry for no reason washing the dishes, sit for an insane amount of time trying to rip little, bitty stitches out of a shirt, stare blankly at your spouse trying to compute what was just said... 

I am trying to find the humor in all of this.  Ted keeps telling me it is going to be okay too.  I am thankful for his help and encouragement...and the strong cup of coffee he made.

They're off to see the wizard again...tomorrow.