Surgery; a disruption

Staci's surgery was Monday morning.  Two people were allowed at the hospital and since Al speaks "medical-ese" (being a hospital pharmacist), Josh asked his dad to stay with him.  And because, well, it's his dad.  If the news was bad, he'd want him there.  BUT!!! the surgery was successful and we were thrilled to learn that she did NOT have cancer!!

Allen left after the surgery to go back to Kansas.  He hasn't retired just yet so work still calls.  One day, he will hopefully retire and stay with me when I travel!

I stayed in Arkansas to help out.  Ran errands for Staci.  Helped with other things around the house.  I took kids to school and picked them up afterwards.  

Emeri finished her school days at tennis practice.

Then we'd go to Eli's school to get him.

I'd take them out for a treat, then, instead of going home on the 6-lane highway with all those crazy Arkansas people driving 80mph, we took back roads; some roads the kids had not been on before!  We were adventuring Nana-style!  As long as I had their home address in my GPS, we weren't going to get lost!

We passed a place that had bird houses out on a table.  We turned around to get a look-see!

Emeri thought the place looked shady and she stayed in the car.  There were 2 guard dogs, but they were fenced in by the house.  I honked the horn and an elderly man came out to confirm that he did have these bird houses for sale.

He also had some more in his shed.  Eli picked out a bird feeder and a squirrel feeder to take home with us.

Here was Emeri's take on this adventure:  "Papa...nana almost got kidnapped.  Basically after school nana and me and eli went back roads and one of the roads was pretty out in the country and nana saw this house that had bird feeders out front that might have been for sale so we circled back around and honked until this old guy came out of the sketchy house with a beware of dogs sign with two massive dogs and a creepy old shed and some older vehicles and he said they were for sale and then he led nana and eli into a shed and nana left her wallet and phone in the car and they didn't come out for awhile so I took pictures of the place for the police and it was sketchy."  Eli was sure that this guy was an ax murderer with a chain saw in the shed.  Good grief.  I'm sure he was a very kind old man.  I shouldn't say "old".  He was probably around my age!!

I took Eli to the store to get bird and squirrel food.  We took another unknown road home.  There were cyclists on this dirt road.

I asked the kids if they were too old for an Easter egg hunt.  They said "No!"  Josh and I hid eggs around the main living area.  The kids found all but one.  

We also did the story of Easter by opening up plastic eggs with items inside to represent the story. 

During this time, I had been reading Divine Disruption by Dr. Tony Evans and his kids.  They went through lots of trauma, including the death of his wife and their mother.  

I want to share what Jonathan Evans said at his mother's funeral:

"We are suffering, but not crushed.  I am perplexed, but I will not be driven to despair.  I am strengthened by His loving hand.  All things work together for good, for those who love God and are called according to His purpose, because we have victory in Jesus Christ.  The only reason I can get up here and have the strength to speak God's Word is because God's Word is speaking to me.  Even in distress, we still have victory in Jesus.

That does not mean that I do not wrestle with God.  If we have victory in Your name, didn't You hear us when we were praying?  Didn't You see the people walking around my parents' house?  Did You hear the prayers of Bishop T.D. Jakes and Bryan Carter, Jim Cymbala, Antioch and Friendship-West, Gateway and The Village, churches around the world both big and small?   (we here in Kansas also prayed)

Where were You, Lord?  Didn't You hear us calling?  Why didn't You do what we asked?  Your Word says that if we abide in You and Your Word abides in us, then we can ask whatever we desire, and it will be given to us.  Your Word tells us that if we ask according to Your will, that You hear us.  Mark 11 says, if we pray believing, we will receive.  Philippians 4 says be anxious for nothing, but in all things, by prayer and supplication, to make our requests known.

So my question, God, is, Where are You?  This was an opportunity for us to see Your glory!

And as I was wrestling with the Lord, He answered me.

'You don't understand the nature of My victory,' God said.  'Just because I didn't answer your prayer in your way doesn't mean that I haven't already answered your prayer anyway.  Victory already belonged to your mother.  There were always only two answers to your prayers.  Either she was going to be healed or she was going to be HEALED.  Either she was going to live or she was going to LIVE.  She was either going to be with family or she was GOING TO BE WITH FAMILY.  Victory was assured regardless.  The two answers to your prayer were always yes and YES.  Because victory belongs to Christ Jesus.

I am the sovereign God, and My game plan is far bigger than any one player on the field.  So, trust in Me with all of your heart and lean not on your own understanding.  Lean on Me because only I have the ability to make a crooked situation straight.  As high as the heavens are above the earth, so are My ways higher than yours, and My thoughts above than your thoughts.  I appreciate your prayers and trust, but I am God.  Don't tell Me how to get My glory.  Don't come to Me with entitlement.  Without My victory, all of you would be on the doorsteps of hell.

I know it was hard for you to watch your mother die.  But I watched My Son die so that your mother could live.  My grace is sufficient for you.'

What could I say?  The Lord gives.  The Lord takes.  Thanks be to God."

We bow at Your feet, Lord.  You are in charge.  We were grateful that Staci did not have cancer, however, either way we knew God was "writing her story" and we weren't going to take the "pen" out of His hands.  

His will.  His way.  His glory.

Arkansas to help

On Friday, we drove in 2 vehicles to Arkansas as Al needed to back to work following Staci's surgery.  I would stay on for a few days to help out.

I followed the GPS and it took us on a little adventure!  

I got a text from Al "Where are you going??"

I LOVED it when it took us on a dirt road! 

Our son had won the Graber basketball Bracket Challenge for March Madness.  

Proudly showing off the trophy on the mantel!

Our granddaughter was in a musical called Freaky Friday.   It is the story of a mother and her teenage daughter who mysteriously switch bodies, and experience life from the other's perspective.

Emeri played the role of a food magazine journalist.  

"You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view - until you climb into his skin and walk around in it." - To Kill a Mockingbird

The director of the play, Kimberly DeJarnatt, wrote "The Bible gives us a similar message in numerous verses--reminding us all to be quick to live lives full of grace, mercy, and compassion.  One such verse is found in Ephesians 4:32 'Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.'"

On Saturday, we helped with several household chores, like cleaning windows, bathrooms....

In the evening, Staci went swimming in their endless exercize pool.  After surgery, she would not be able to swim for 6 weeks.

Josh needed a hair cut.

So did Reggie.

On Sunday we went to church.

Between the two services, elders, staff and friends joined together to pray over Staci.  Father, Your will for her; Your hand of healing if You would.  Even if the worse were to happen, Staci and Josh had a peace and quietness in their souls that it would be for God's glory.

It was a sweet time, and brings me to tears even recalling it.

After an afternoon rest, Josh and Staci went for a walk and then out on a date.

Emeri had her last musical performance followed by going out with the cast.  We took Eli out to eat.

"The plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of His heart through all generations."   Psalm 33:11

"My soul finds rest in God alone!"  Psalm 62:1

Lifegate church, going back to Kansas, the KU game, and visiting Jan

 Sunday morning it was time for us to go back to Kansas.  

We said our byes.  Mindy was still sleeping.  She is so tired with this pregnancy.

Al and I had decided that we would visit a church plant of our denomination, Lifegate Church.  Their pastor, Nirup Alphonse, had come and spoken at our church before it started and our church helped with some funds.

There were a lot of young people; a very vibrant group!  We were probably one of the oldest there; there were not many with grey hair!  But a few.  

You can find them at on YouTube Lifegate Denver and listen!

On the road!  I love this "nothingness"!  The plains of eastern Colorado and western Kansas.

Either llamas or alpacas.  Hard for me to distinguish at a distance.  Come to think of it, do I know the difference up close?  I'd have to look that one up on-line!

Close to home we ran into a little storm.

The next evening, we went to our friend Tarenda's house to watch KU win the men's basketball National Championship!  It was a historic comeback as they were trailing 25-40 at half time.  It was a nailbiter to the end!  We went to KU back in the '70s, so of course had to root for them, but I was impressed with North Carolina.  I was cheering them on before this final game.

It was a busy week.  Laundry.  Making several freezer meals to take to my son's family as my daughter-in-law was going to have surgery.  I had my dear young mom's Bible study.  One afternoon Allen asked if I could run to Hutch Hospital to pick up some meds for the hospital he works at.  Glad to do that and while I was at it, I would visit my dear friend Jan, who had just moved to Hutch!

A visit with a friend is always special!  Blessings on your new home, Jan!  I know you will enjoy being close to your daughter and her family and I know the Lord will bring you many new friends!  I KNOW you will be a light to those around you!

And then it was packing for another trip (we didn't even put our suitcases away) - this time to Arkansas for our daughter-in-law's upcoming surgery.  The ultrasound and tests looked suspiciously cancerous.  We will trust You, Lord.

Last day together in Denver

Four of our five granddaughters!  (Or perhaps six, if the baby Mindy is carrying is a girl!)

It was the last day for Jill's family in Denver.  They'd be heading to the airport later, but since there was a little bit of time yet, we planned to do a little outing. We drove to the Lowry Sports Complex Park.

Looking at the mountains.

Bear was looking for rabbits!

How tall is she going to get?  Almost as tall as Papa!

Jason and Bear went back home while we went out to eat.

We debated going through the Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum, but it was costly for all of us, plus there wasn't that much time before the family had to head to the airport.

As we were leaving through the museum lobby, someone said "Good accoustics in here!"  We waited for people to clear, and then they burst into song.

Back at Mindy's, Tenley was feeling better!!

Peek a boo!

We had a little Easter egg hunt for Tenley.

Time to say good-bye!

Our app showed Sophie and Adam on 2 different planes and Hannah on the tarmac.  Later, when I looked, Sophia had been left in Denver while the family was flying home.  So funny how those app work (or don't work quite so good).

We prepared for the game between KU and Villanova.

                          GO KU!!

After we had gotten home, Mindy sent this picture.  

Tenley loves her little book!