ALMOST THERE

I am almost there! Tomorrow I go to the orthopedic doctor. I am hoping I can get this heavy boot off my foot! I am praying he gives me the okay to walk with out it and a walker. Well, I have been walking around the house without the walker! For a week. I feel more independent. I can carry a cup of coffee from the kitchen to my office walking and holding the cup in my hand. I can also carry two cups of coffee in both hands. Isn't that a grand thing? To me it is! I will never take things for granted again.

I want to write about my daughter Julie. I think this has made me appreciate more what she goes through on a daily basis. And has gone through for almost 30 years. But it has been slow, and she has had a mother pushing her all the way. Ha. All her life she has wanted to give up when it was too hard. Like when she took sewing in Homemaking in Jr. Hi. I would hear her in the bedroom trying to sew a skirt on my sewing machine. I say "hear her" because she would be yelling and crying and saying "I can't do this!" I came in the room and consoled her and tried to help her guide the needle through the cloth, as the tears flowed. She kept saying she wanted to give up. She passed Homemaking that year, but just barely. She never went near a sewing machine again.

And that is just one of the stories I have to tell about how I have been a pushy mother. I admit it. Let's say I am encourager. I don't want my children to ever give up on the dream they have.

In 1994, when Julie and Mike divorced, Julie and her caregiver Mickey moved into a little 2-bedroom apartment. Julie was still in a wheelchair, and Mickey was doing mostly everything for Julie, because that is what had always been done. I got Julie back into therapy, and told the therapists I knew Julie could walk. That was our goal, for Julie to walk. And Julie did walk. It was hard for Mickey to break old habits..she told me so. But she did. She wanted Julie to become independent too. 

Finally Julie bought a nice 3-bedroom, 2-bath home. Mickey moved to Georgia near our good friend Mildred, and started nursing school. Julie lived alone with a caregiver coming 4 hours a day.
The last 8 years Julie has lived with us....or I have lived with Julie for the last 5 years. She has a caregiver 5 days a week. But she has come so far.

Since I have been hurt and had be "disabled" with first a wheelchair and then a walker, Julie has been wanting to take care of me. She is always asking me if I want her to bring me something. Several times when I am sitting in my lounge chair watching TV, she comes in with some goody on her rolling tray for me to eat! If I say I need something from the kitchen and start to get up, she will say, "Don't get up, Mom. I will get it!" and before I can even move she has raised her electric lounge chair and stood up, and walked in the kitchen with her cane, slowly, I might say and got what I was going to get, bringing it back to me on her rolling tray

Last night she got up to go in the kitchen. I heard her and asked what she was doing. She said she wanted some Honey Nut Cheerios. She asked if I wanted some too. I said I did. She said she was just going to eat hers plain with no milk. But I wanted milk. She said okay. Later she came in rolling the tray, limping, and with the cereal box, a bottle of milk, two spoons and two bowls on the tray. She helped me pour the cereal in the bowl, I poured the milk, then she went back to her chair and poured the cereal into her bowl, then went back in the kitchen to put the milk back in the fridge, and cereal on the counter and pushed the rolling cart back in place. By the time she came back to the living room, (remember she is slow), I had already eaten most of my cereal.I had a warm feeling come over me, as I saw the look on her face, that she had accomplished something by herself.

I could see she was feeling so good about herself. You know when you help someone else, it makes you feel good. I think Julie is "paying it forward". And she always did have a compassionate heart.

Tim Tebow vs. Roger Staubach

Tim Tebow vs. Roger Staubach

I have always been a sports fan since I was a young girl on the farm. I was athletic (voted most athletic girl my senior year in high school), a tomboy (I could throw a hay bale on the wagon right along with my brothers and daddy).

And played on our country softball team at Kasper School (one of just two girls on the team of boys). If you want to read the whole story, read the chapter called “Sports and Softball Dreams in my book “Rainy Days and Starry Nights.”

I have followed football - high schools, college and Pro football all my life. I still do.

So last Sunday I was watching TV, the Denver Broncos playing the Pittsburg Steelers. What a game! When Pittsburg tied the game and they had to go into overtime I was heartbroken. See, I am a Denver football fan. When the cowboys are not playing, I like Denver. Mainly I like watching Tim Tebow. What a quarterback! And what an example of a man! Reminds me of Roger Staubach. Even though Staubach doesn't talk often about his faith, he is a Christian and a good moral man, worthy of having your sons look up to him.

Tebow comes from a strong Christian family, having been raised in a missionary family. He believes in God and only wants to give glory to God. He doesn’t believe in giving glory to Him if they win, just for guiding him and helping him do what he does and doing it well.

Well I was sorta nervous, in one way I was thinking, after they won the toss and was to receive, they can do this! But then I was chicken and was afraid to watch it. I am not a good loser. I want to win. So when Pittsburg lined up to kick off, I didn’t want to watch. I was a coward. So I turned to another channel!

And everyone knows what happened! I missed it! On the first play, Tebow threw a long pass to Demaryius Thomas and Thomas caught the ball, for an 80-yard touchdown to win the game! I was so mad at myself! Why didn’t I trust Tebow enough to believe he could do it? I would have never turned the TV off if that had been Roger Staubach! I never ever doubted he could save the Cowboys. He always did too!

Maybe because Roger was older than Tebow is now? I don’t know. He seems so young. If he does as well this Sunday, maybe I won’t turn the game off in the future when it is a close game. Right now, my heart just can’t take it. But maybe God won’t mind if I pray that Tim Tebow throws another “hail-Mary” pass like he did Sunday to win the game”.

Going to church

I was thinking about going to church this morning (being absent since before Thanksgiving), but since I just graduated from a wheelchair to a walker 4 days ago, and am still kinda shaky on that thing, I think I should stay home. It's a long way to walk. Hopefully next week I can walk that far! With this big boot (brace) on my foot that weighs a ton, I feel safer at home for now.
So I will have my own time with God this morning, as I play some praise and worship music and read my Bible, and get in the Spirit and see what God has for me this Sunday. He will tell me something I am sure! Wish someone was here to join me. But if not, I don't mind being alone, because Jesus is my comforter and Father and husband, and all things I want Him to be.
I can find God in everything.
Like that full moon last night reminded me of the nights that fall and winter of 1950 when Eddie and I were going together. We had become engaged 4 weeks after we started dating. We were so in love and planning our marriage. He didn't have a car, so our dates were on the bus, or walking down cold streets at night talking about our future, with our arms around each other, bundled up against the cold.
So later on when I finally am healed, I hope God shows me the good things that have come out of this time in my life. I know He will. He already has shown me some treasures!
I hope God talks to you all this Sunday .... I trust that He will and me too.

TWO WHITE DOVES A SIGN FROM GOD

When our pastor in charge of community groups in our church, in 1989, asked Eddie and me to become“lay pastors” and start holding weekly meetings in our home This was First United Church of Bedford, which was on Airport Freeway between Ft. Worth and Dallas. It was a big church of over 2000 and had over 50 community groups all over the Metroplex, which met in homes once a week.

We were praying about whether to do this but we had not come an agreement between us. Eddie was hesitant to be lay pastors, and I was saying “Yes, let’s do it.”

So we decided to take a weekend road trip to get away by ourselves and seek God for an answer.

We had driven up into Oklahoma, taking leisurely side trips down back roads to check out interesting towns and buildings.

That night we checked into a motel in a small town in Oklahoma. Before going to bed that night we decided to pray together. First Eddie prayed then I prayed. We both were asking the Lord to tell us what we should do about taking on this important job in our church. I ended my prayer by asking the Lord to send us a sign if He wanted us to be Lay Pastors. If He was saying “yes” I asked Him to send us a white dove for a confirmation. If we saw a white dove we would know He was confirming it to us. If not, we would know it was not time.

Next morning we headed back to Texas but then suddenly one of us said, “Why don’t we go to East Texas?” and turned east to head that way. About an hour later, we were driving through a small town, and spied a “garage sale” sign across the railroad tracks. Well we drove around that town and never saw a garage sale.

But as we driving down the last street, we spied an old brick bank building that was restored into an antique place. We got out and went in. It was packed full of antiques and collectibles. The ceiling was high and the place was beautiful.

Suddenly we heard a sound like “who-who-who” or maybe “coo-coo-coo” We looked to the ceiling looking for maybe an owl. Then we heard the sound right near the door as we stood there. We turned to the sound and our mouths dropped open!

There stood a 4 ft. cage with two of the most beautiful white doves I had ever seen!

We looked at each other laughing and I said, “Well I guess there is our answer!”

Eddie said smiling, ‘Yes one for you and one for me!”

The rest of the trip we didn’t even think about what the future held, because God had shown us that He was going to be with us every step of the way. And for many years God sent a white dove when I was praying and wondering if God even heard me.

That day He provided us with two doves to make sure we saw them!

A week later my son Trent sent me a beautiful silk flower arrangement for my birthday. The florist had added two white doves to the flowers. Trent said he didn't tell him to do that! I guess the Lord had told the florist to do that for me!! That week I had two or three birthday cards with two white doves on them! Sometimes God needs to bombard us with something when He wants so get our attention! These last 25 years God has sent me white doves when He wants me to know He is in my presence!

We started our community group with 4 people. We were lay pastors of the group for 4 years and it grew to 40 people. So many people were saved, healed, delivered, and were ministered to and all became very close friends and members of our family. Our house became a house of prayer for many years.

Picture: Someone gave me this Christmas ornament that year. Two white doves in a white cage. Almost exactly like the ones we saw that day.

Eddie and me when we were lay pastors at First United Methodist Church in Bedford, Tx.

Life is worth living after all

For someone as housebound as me, I am so busy these days! Maybe that is a good thing? I am always saying we never have visitors or company. Living out in the "boonies" people don't drop by your house because they are in the neighborhood. And most of my friends in Floresville are so busy with their families, jobs, and churches (on days that I have a pity party and no one comes!!) I sometimes feel lonely, abandoned and forgotten.
But I can always look for a silver lining in the darkness, you know, and that is what I am doing these days.
We have my physical therapist, my occupational therapist, my home health aide (to help me with showers), and the nurse all coming during the week, so I have made lots of new friends! I have been able to share my testimony with them, and Julie's too. I tell them how God is so good because He has been with us all the way all these years. Julie and I have never turned away from the Lord. He has been our rock and our guiding light.
And I have the most wonderful hair stylist, Jettie. She came yesterday to do my hair after me having my shower and washing my hair. She brought her friend Jim who is visiting from Waco. We all sat in Julie's room and talked and laughed while Jettie did my hair. Isn't that a wonderful friend? And Julie's Jack Russell Terrier was in 7th heaven! Kept hopping up in Jim's lap to be loved!!! I think he smelled dogs on Jim because Jettie raises dogs and horses!!!
And last night our sweet neighbor, Lucy, sent her daughter Barb, down to check on us and see if we wanted anything. Lucy has had the flu. This is the first time we met Barb. She and her husband Juan, just moved here from Mexico, which they left because of all the violence there. Juan's best friend was kidnapped and murdered by the drug cartel. If you have money in Mexico, you have to keep it secret!
They are such a sweet couple. He is the one who baked the delicious bread for us that we took to Round Rock that Saturday before my world turned upside down that Sunday.
So these days I get very tired and have to take a nap in the afternoon. And see, I am not complaining. I am saying God always makes something good out of the bad thing. I have found out how blessed I really am. And it has a few times come from the least expected things.
I am so thankful for the ones who came to the hospital in Round Rock to see me: Beverly (several times), Kristi ( every day), Jessica (several times), Gerry ( who read the bible me that day). It made me feel so loved!! I would have felt so lost and scared if they hadn't been there to cheer me up. Oh and my pastors from Floresville Christian Fellowship, Bennie and Jeanette who drove all the way to Round Rock that Sunday night to pray for me!!
And then at St. Luke's Baptist in San Antonio where I had brain surgery, there were so many loved ones coming to see me, I felt so much love like: Margaret,(two times), Bob, Sam & Rose (several times), Donny, Lil Red, Kristi and Chuck from Belton (two times), Wayne and Nyeli and kiddos, Lee Schultz (our new friend that we met at the Floresville Opry).Also Pastors Bennie and Jeanette and Pastor Dorie. My I am so blessed!!!
And there were many phone calls from people too far away to visit; My grandchildren in Ft. Worth, Brad,Taylor and Stephanie, my son in Bolivia, Trent, my granddaughter in Florida, Sierra, my son Derek, my Aunt Clare in Georgia, my nephew Rusty and his wife Lali, my dear friend Beverly who I have known for over 50 years. I am very blessed!!!and probably I am forgetting someone. If I have I will feel badly!!!
Happy New Year to all my loved ones. And thank you everyone who has made me think that life is worth living after all!