Anne is having a very difficult day. She woke up with an infection and a fever of 101.6. She is back at Dartmouth waiting to be admitted for blood work and a CT scan to determine whether or not she may have an abscess. If so, this may require a third emergency surgery if it is determined it can't be treated with antibiotics.
Thus far today she has been mute, motionless, and unresponsive other than to squeeze fingers when asked (but even then she doesn't open her eyes.)
Will you please cry out with me on her behalf and also ask for the floodgates of mercy and comfort and all-surpassing peace to swing wide and engulf her family in supernatural strength and grace?
***I will update throughout the day as more information becomes available.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Update 4pm: Anne was sent into emergency surgery shortly after 2 pm. This is her third surgery.
----------------------------------------------------------
Update 10:45pm: Surgery is complete. Anne is stable, and the infection has been "washed out." They are keeping her for the next 4 days to keep her on a steady flow of antibiotics. Please continue to pray for a strong recovery.
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
Monday, October 28, 2013
Tucked In
I probably shouldn't continue to give further and further evidence of my oddities, of which there are plenty for sure. But I suppose I would have very little to say if I only mentioned my more "normal" moments, so there's that. ;-) So anyway, here's today's weirdness: I realized recently that I have a little bit of a strange obsession with tucking my kids in at night. ("Well, that's not *that* weird," you may think.) No, for real. It's weird. Because for some reason, I can't just do it once and be done with it. I go and tuck them in as soon as they're ready for bed. You know the drill. Make sure the doors and windows are locked. Make sure they have enough blankets. Turn the big lights off and the little lights on. Pray. Hugs. Smooches on all 4 cheeks and 2 foreheads. That sort of thing. And then as I'm walking out the bedroom door to close it behind me, we try to see who can be the last one to say "I Love You." (Macy always yells it one last time after the door is closed, which I treasure more than she knows. :-D) At this point, the girls are all set. They're happy and cozy and likely to drift off to peaceful sleep in just a few minutes. I literally do this every single night we're in the same house together. I can't sleep if I don't.
After this, Jared and I usually stay up for at least a couple more hours. (Ok, who am I kidding? More like 4 or 5. Who needs sleep anyway?) But no matter how long the girls have already been peacefully sleeping, I can't sleep myself until I have gone one more time into their room for that last little "tuck in" and prayer before I lay down my own head.
I wonder how much longer they'll let me do this. They're 10 and 12! It's not like they can't put themselves to bed. But I'm finding these days that tucking them in has much more to do with securing the edges of life than the edges of blankets. It's about hemming in those flailing moments of uncertainty with solid places to land and rest from time to time.
This is easier said than done, to be sure. But maybe that's why I'm so adamant about taking every chance I possibly can to get it right. One more prayer that I'll say the right things when the hard stuff comes. One more hug and kiss and smile to help them understand how much I love them. One more moment of giggling together. One more opportunity to build trust just by "being there" with them. One more chance to do something right in raising them. One more chance. I always need one more chance. Thank God it comes every day.
I wrestle with the tangle of paths they face (WE face) each day. I can't hem them in completely. I know this. But surely I am responsible for building hedges of safety. I can help re-route around dangerous areas. I can illuminate the dark corners and shed light on areas where they insist on further investigation, all the while allowing them to form their own identities and learn to embrace truth for themselves.
Shudder. Can I really do this? Let them make their own decisions? Let them investigate the scary stuff? Let them learn a few things the hard way?
This is terrifying! I can't do it. I can't. At least not without the promises of a sovereign God, who loves them more than I ever could.
And so, what I think I'm learning through all of this is that the reason I crave that last little moment in my day so much--one last prayer over my sweet girls and maybe one more little "tuck"--is that it's in this moment that God tucks in the edges of my heart. Do y'all know these edges? The ones that are flayed open to be destroyed by the tiniest thought of any harm that might come to your children? I don't even mean the really bad stuff. It could be as simple as worrying that someone might hurt their feelings tomorrow. Does that thought have the power to destroy the edges of your heart? It does mine. I need those edges tucked in. Every single night. By my Comforter and my Keeper and certainly the Keeper of my children as well. Thank you, Lord, for loving them better than I ever will! And thank you for securing my heart every night as I secure blankets. Maybe my girls won't outgrow their need to be tucked in. It doesn't seem their mother has. ;-)
After this, Jared and I usually stay up for at least a couple more hours. (Ok, who am I kidding? More like 4 or 5. Who needs sleep anyway?) But no matter how long the girls have already been peacefully sleeping, I can't sleep myself until I have gone one more time into their room for that last little "tuck in" and prayer before I lay down my own head.
I wonder how much longer they'll let me do this. They're 10 and 12! It's not like they can't put themselves to bed. But I'm finding these days that tucking them in has much more to do with securing the edges of life than the edges of blankets. It's about hemming in those flailing moments of uncertainty with solid places to land and rest from time to time.
This is easier said than done, to be sure. But maybe that's why I'm so adamant about taking every chance I possibly can to get it right. One more prayer that I'll say the right things when the hard stuff comes. One more hug and kiss and smile to help them understand how much I love them. One more moment of giggling together. One more opportunity to build trust just by "being there" with them. One more chance to do something right in raising them. One more chance. I always need one more chance. Thank God it comes every day.
I wrestle with the tangle of paths they face (WE face) each day. I can't hem them in completely. I know this. But surely I am responsible for building hedges of safety. I can help re-route around dangerous areas. I can illuminate the dark corners and shed light on areas where they insist on further investigation, all the while allowing them to form their own identities and learn to embrace truth for themselves.
Shudder. Can I really do this? Let them make their own decisions? Let them investigate the scary stuff? Let them learn a few things the hard way?
This is terrifying! I can't do it. I can't. At least not without the promises of a sovereign God, who loves them more than I ever could.
And so, what I think I'm learning through all of this is that the reason I crave that last little moment in my day so much--one last prayer over my sweet girls and maybe one more little "tuck"--is that it's in this moment that God tucks in the edges of my heart. Do y'all know these edges? The ones that are flayed open to be destroyed by the tiniest thought of any harm that might come to your children? I don't even mean the really bad stuff. It could be as simple as worrying that someone might hurt their feelings tomorrow. Does that thought have the power to destroy the edges of your heart? It does mine. I need those edges tucked in. Every single night. By my Comforter and my Keeper and certainly the Keeper of my children as well. Thank you, Lord, for loving them better than I ever will! And thank you for securing my heart every night as I secure blankets. Maybe my girls won't outgrow their need to be tucked in. It doesn't seem their mother has. ;-)
Friday, October 25, 2013
Fall Favorites
Well, the trees are mostly nekkid now. So I'm pretty much in limbo. No more crazy gorgeous fall foliage, and I'll probably have to wait a bit for the beautiful, peaceful snow-covered landscapes. Each year when fall begins to wind down, I always wish I could have gotten a few more pictures, but I think I would feel that way even if the colors lasted a full 3 months and I got to take pictures every single day of it. For now, here are some of my favorite fall (and almost fall) shots. Hope you enjoy!
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
The Good List 10-23-13
10. The sound of studded snow tires on pavement. Weird. I know. I admit it, but I still like it.
9. A good, sharp chef's knife. Changes my entire cooking experience.
8. What a perfectly snuggly weekend we have to look forward to!
7. Gracie wrote me an acknowledgement on her science fair project board. Not sure I've ever seen anyone do that before, but how sweet is that? ;-)
6. We had such excellent visits with most of Macy's teachers at the parent-teacher conference last week (I think we met all but 2). Very impressed with each of them. Looking forward to a great year!
5. A "just to encourage you" gift from my treasured friend Barbara in which she somehow read my mind and put together a bag of all my favorite things. Feeling unworthy but extra blessed. So grateful for the way God loves me through his people.
4. This picture of Anne and her son Mark dancing down the aisle at her daughter Ally's wedding roughly one week after her first brain surgery. It's a bit of a long story, but just trust me when I say there are SO MANY LAYERS of special captured here.
3. Rachel and Chris are married! So grateful for them and can't wait to see the many ways God uses them in our church and far, FAR beyond.
2. My people!!! How blessed am I? (Thank you for the picture, Andrea!)
1. My friend Anne had her second brain surgery on Monday. Today I got to spend some time with her. We held hands, strolled around the hospital hallway (even climbed a few stairs during PT), had prolonged sweet conversation, and shared several hearty laughs. This felt like a miracle to me, and it was all kinds of awesome. Maybe even *every* kind.
9. A good, sharp chef's knife. Changes my entire cooking experience.
8. What a perfectly snuggly weekend we have to look forward to!
7. Gracie wrote me an acknowledgement on her science fair project board. Not sure I've ever seen anyone do that before, but how sweet is that? ;-)
6. We had such excellent visits with most of Macy's teachers at the parent-teacher conference last week (I think we met all but 2). Very impressed with each of them. Looking forward to a great year!
5. A "just to encourage you" gift from my treasured friend Barbara in which she somehow read my mind and put together a bag of all my favorite things. Feeling unworthy but extra blessed. So grateful for the way God loves me through his people.
4. This picture of Anne and her son Mark dancing down the aisle at her daughter Ally's wedding roughly one week after her first brain surgery. It's a bit of a long story, but just trust me when I say there are SO MANY LAYERS of special captured here.
3. Rachel and Chris are married! So grateful for them and can't wait to see the many ways God uses them in our church and far, FAR beyond.
2. My people!!! How blessed am I? (Thank you for the picture, Andrea!)
1. My friend Anne had her second brain surgery on Monday. Today I got to spend some time with her. We held hands, strolled around the hospital hallway (even climbed a few stairs during PT), had prolonged sweet conversation, and shared several hearty laughs. This felt like a miracle to me, and it was all kinds of awesome. Maybe even *every* kind.
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
Prayer Time 10-22-13
Below is one of many prayers I've uttered for my friend Anne and her family in recent weeks. I'm so grateful that God welcomes and longs for relationship with us through prayer. What an overwhelming comfort to know that He doesn't just listen; he cares. What are the requests of your heart that I can bring to the Father on your behalf today? Feel free to leave them in the comments section here. (Comments on this post will not be published publicly for the sake of those concerned with privacy.)
Psalm 121:4-5~
He is always watching, never sleeping. Jehovah himself is caring for you!
{Jehovah HIMSELF! Thank you for doctors, Father, and may you guide the work of their hands, but PRAISE YOU, O LORD for caring for Anne as only you can!}
Deuteronomy 31:8~
The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”
{Lord, may Anne and Jeff and Mark and Ally and Nick sense your presence in every millisecond of this journey. And not in some vague, warm fuzzy way. But in the MIGHTY POWER that only your Spirit can bring!)
1 Peter 1:3~
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
{Thank you, Jesus, for eternal life with you! Thank you for the promise of glorified bodies that will never suffer pain or disease of any kind. Thank you for making this possible for us through your death, burial and resurrection.}
Isaiah 41:10~
fear not, for I am with you;
be not dismayed, for I am your God;
I will strengthen you, I will help you,
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
{Lord, may your peace that passes all understanding rest firmly upon this entire family tonight and in the days ahead. Help them to find their strength in you and to cling to you for their help.}
Revelation 21:4~
He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
{Father, this is so hard and painful especially for this family, but also for the ones who love them. May we run straight to you in our troubles and look always to the cross and the hope it gives us in you. Help us to fix our eyes on this promise and embrace it with our whole hearts as rock solid truth.}
2 Corinthians 4:7-9~
But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;
{This is possible only by your grace, Jesus. Lavish it upon this family until they are filled to overflowing with gleaming hope.}
Isaiah 55:8-9~
For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
{Lord, help our unbelief when we don't understand. Thank you for your sovereignty. May we rest in the knowledge that you have not been taken by surprise by any of this. You are fully in control. That is difficult for us to understand, but we know that you love Anne far more than any of us could ever hope to and that you will never let her go.}
Psalm 121:4-5~
He is always watching, never sleeping. Jehovah himself is caring for you!
{Jehovah HIMSELF! Thank you for doctors, Father, and may you guide the work of their hands, but PRAISE YOU, O LORD for caring for Anne as only you can!}
Deuteronomy 31:8~
The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”
{Lord, may Anne and Jeff and Mark and Ally and Nick sense your presence in every millisecond of this journey. And not in some vague, warm fuzzy way. But in the MIGHTY POWER that only your Spirit can bring!)
1 Peter 1:3~
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
{Thank you, Jesus, for eternal life with you! Thank you for the promise of glorified bodies that will never suffer pain or disease of any kind. Thank you for making this possible for us through your death, burial and resurrection.}
Isaiah 41:10~
fear not, for I am with you;
be not dismayed, for I am your God;
I will strengthen you, I will help you,
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
{Lord, may your peace that passes all understanding rest firmly upon this entire family tonight and in the days ahead. Help them to find their strength in you and to cling to you for their help.}
Revelation 21:4~
He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
{Father, this is so hard and painful especially for this family, but also for the ones who love them. May we run straight to you in our troubles and look always to the cross and the hope it gives us in you. Help us to fix our eyes on this promise and embrace it with our whole hearts as rock solid truth.}
2 Corinthians 4:7-9~
But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;
{This is possible only by your grace, Jesus. Lavish it upon this family until they are filled to overflowing with gleaming hope.}
Isaiah 55:8-9~
For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
{Lord, help our unbelief when we don't understand. Thank you for your sovereignty. May we rest in the knowledge that you have not been taken by surprise by any of this. You are fully in control. That is difficult for us to understand, but we know that you love Anne far more than any of us could ever hope to and that you will never let her go.}
Sunday, October 20, 2013
Prayer Vigil for Anne--Can you spare an hour?
Anne will have her second surgery tomorrow morning at 7:40. I have set up a 24-hour prayer vigil so that we might keep her and her family covered in prayer in the hours immediately leading up to the surgery and then of course during surgery and recovery. Time slots are an hour each. If you would like to sign up, you can do so using the link below, or feel free to message me any way you'd like, and I'll fill in your name for you. OR certainly you can pray without signing up. Just trying to get round the clock prayer support, and it is helpful to my heart when I can see something tangible. Hoping it will have the same impact on Anne and her family.
Thank you to all who have already shown so much love and support for this family, even many who don't know them personally. I am so grateful, and I know I speak for her family as well when I say thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Please don't stop praying for miracle upon miracle!
Thursday, October 17, 2013
Anne Needs Your Prayers!!!
Due to continued swelling and severe pain, Anne is on her way to have emergency surgery tonight. (This is the surgery which was originally scheduled for Monday.) The goal will be to remove as much of the new growth as possible as well as all dead tissue (portions of the tumor which chemo and radiation have already killed) without damaging surrounding healthy brain matter. This will eliminate a great deal of pressure on her brain, which should give her back some of the basic functions she has lost recently and also provide a cleaner, more direct path for the meds to do their work post-surgery.
Her husband Jeff is with her. Her son Mark is flying in tomorrow, and her daughter Ally and son-in-law Nick are flying in on Wednesday.
We beg for your prayers for this entire family.
Her husband Jeff is with her. Her son Mark is flying in tomorrow, and her daughter Ally and son-in-law Nick are flying in on Wednesday.
We beg for your prayers for this entire family.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)