Mon 12/18/07
Beginning with a grocery store trip on Friday with p-t Tracy, some prep work early this afternoon with o-t Kim, and some more prep work with speech therapist (s-t) Connie, Susan prepared dinner for the first time since her brain tumor diagnosis. She cut and marinated some chicken and made rice; later we heated some refries, made a salad, and had delicious chicken tacos. It was a great boost for Susan and a fine example of her therapists' teamwork. We're thankful.
Susan has had periodic abdominal pain the past few days that's become more persistent and sharp, and had a low-grade fever this evening. I'm watching her closely and may need to have her shunt evaluated. We're praying she improves so we can avoid another ER visit or hospital stay.
We read again in our Streams in the Desert book about Rom 8:28 and God working all things together for good for those who love him. The devotional reading says the very things that would otherwise drag the Christian down to defeat or cause us to give up actually bring us closer to God, and can even make us better off than we were before. Susan and I agree. We're still walking our journey, but we treasure the way God is growing and changing us, preparing us for what He has in the future. In one respect, God's methods make no sense to us – but somehow, we need the trial of tough times to unleash our potential for good character and the transformation we so desperately need.
Sat 12/22/07
Our minor alarm this week with Susan's abdominal pain and mild fever subsided as her symptoms improved. I think she was feeling some effects of greater exertion with all of her new therapies. We are grateful that we avoided another hospital saga and are on track to enjoy the church and family events of Christmas. We're all looking forward with great anticipation to our 7-day family cruise in Hawaii, leaving Sat 12/29 for a tropical New Year.
Susan received prayer and encouragement on Thu from our friend Wendi Carpenter who is here with her family to visit from Michigan. We discovered the Holy Spirit had led Wendi and I separately to pray for Susan to receive the gift of healing that is healing not just for her but a wellspring of healing for others also. Susan now has a sense that she need not wait to minister healing to others until she is healed, but that she may respond to the Lord's leading even now. As the mystery of this season of life continues to unfold, we are open to God using Susan as a witness to His grace and an agent of His power. We don't know what that will look like exactly, but we're open. We want to listen, learn, and obey.
Last night we arrived home to find a large jar of coins and bills on the porch tied with ribbon to a book called "Christmas Jars." Given anonymously, evidently the book's theme is Christmas generosity along the lines of "It's a Wonderful Life" and "Pay it Forward," encouraging us to share with one another. When I returned from this morning's shopping trip to buy groceries for the week and for Christmas dinner, I had spent an unusually high amount at the store: $232.33. By then, Susan, Austin, and Adam had sorted and counted the cash, amounting to $224.76. That means we spent under eight dollars out of pocket for the family's Christmas rib-roast dinner, with my mom, grandmother and siblings included. It's all so unbelievable. Our God is great – we give thanks for a merry Christmas.
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