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Saturday, August 23
Give me your eyes so I can see....
{Photo taken at LEGENDS - calming and peaceful}
{Tim and Raeliegh - spending time together at the hopsital}
that is the "theme" that has been on my heart for the past couple of days.
Sorry I didn't blog yesterday and it is so late or early - depends on how you look at it....anyway....
We, Tim and I, have been wondering "what are we going to do during the days while we wait for visitation hours"...We prayed for God to provide in all ways and in ALL matters....and He gave us some answers...we'll talk more about that in a few....
To update you on a few prayer requests and questions, first of all, we've had many ask us about insurance for Raeliegh. To let you know, she is FULLY covered and so are all of the services she is and will be receiving. She is under a special program, thanks to her wonderful team of doctors back at home, that covers all costs. So thanks be to God for her getting on that program and having this insurance. Praise God for that answered prayer.
Second of all, not many know of this, but for weeks now I have been battling with what was initially thought to be poison ivy; on my arms, my legs and then my face. Well it turns out that it was hives. I meant to get a shot Wednesday day to clear them up, but was in doc appointments with Raeliegh that day and then ended up here. So needless to say they got worse. They were until today. I said to Tim, someone is praying for my skin, for these hives. They are CLEARING and I have not been to get a shot of any sort. Stress makes them spread and so THANK you for praying over my mind to be at peace and for those who were particulary praying about my skin ....bless you bless you bless you!
God the Almighty healer.....don't be afraid to ask for healing of something as simple as hives, or something as big as a terminal illness....He hears you and will draw close to you....talk to him...let Him hear His child's voice....and if you have never prayed before...email or call me I promise to and would be honored to pray with you...
(http://70030.netministry.com/articles_view.asp?articleid=32712&columnid=3844)
{photo taken downtown KC - the smallest of things are the Greatest of His works}
Here is a verse that I found, and great news it is the verse of the day for http://www.biblegateway.com/
where I go often for online "support". :-)
“When I said, "My foot is slipping," your love, O LORD, supported me. When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul.”- Psalm 94:18-19
My anxiety - hence the hive and they were getting worse- about this place and the thought of leaving Raeliegh has decreased. I would be lying if I told you it is gone, but I am TRUSTING God in all ways and in ALL things. Here is how He's shown His love and supported Tim and I and the rest of the family these past couple of days....
"Give me your eyes" is a great song by Brandon Heath go check out his site.
http://www.brandonheath.net/
Anyway this song was in my heart and later confirmed when I recieved an email today with an inspiration word forwarded to me by Suzie dear, but originally from Peggy from the Mustard Seed.
The words are powerful; In simple, the artist is asking God to let him see what He sees. Because too often we are caught in our own lives we fail to see others around us. A true reminder that this life is not about us. It is about those around us and how we can show them God's love, so they to can be with us when we reach our Father's throne. Amen? Amen!
So I prayed give me your eyes, and let me tell you I was serious....when I said show me some things Lord that I have been missing and do you know what in the past 24 hours He has give me some fascinating glimpses. Tell ya more in a minute...
God is good....God is Awesome.... I will sing of your love forever....I will sing of your love forever....
My dear friend Suzie dear back home sent out an wonderful email asking many of you to lift us up in your prayer. Thank you soooo much for your continued prayers, emails, comments, voice mails, phone calls and even text messages {by the way Suzie dear try it out....real easy to do...like email....don't stress I am still trying to teach Tim how to text me back.... ;-) }
Anyway, many who have called have told us about their prayers for us. One call in particular said they were praying for God to provide provisions in all ways and in all things.
Well since we have been here, Tim and I have wondered what shall we do today.....
first of all we have met and chatted with many beautiful people. We have had the opportunity to pray in front of others, speak of His Love, His Grace and even His Mercy. We have hoped that we have shown His light to those that are around us.
Up until today we have been staying in motels. They had us on the list for the Ronald McDonald House, but no openings. We had many of you join us in prayer for a room to become available. All I could think of is that this would mean that someone else's family member would be dismissed from the hospital and they would get to go home. There I saw something....pray for those around you and not yourself and He will provide. And for hours, as we walked around the hospital, around the outside of our hotel, as we drove from place to place, we prayed for God to lay His healing hand upon children's lives and families to heal from whatever has placed them in the hospital. Now we don't know who had what and the details of such, but we know God was listening because when we got the call that there was a room availble for us in the Ronald McDonald house, they also let us know how unusual it was for them to have 5, count them, 5 - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5... families to be going home all at once.....see what I saw....God laid His healing hand upon families we knew nothing about and HE heard our prayers. Not for our own selfish ways, but because we asked Him to give us His eyes....even if we were not approved for a room, we had already said we would sleep in the truck....no problem... it is NOT about us... He needed these people to be covered in prayer, just as you are praying for us. But by the grace of God we were one of the 5 families that were next in line to get a room at the Ronald McDonald house.....PRAISE the LORD....provision and His eyes....are you with me still? hang on there's more...
{Raeliegh and me - missed her so much - couldn't contain myself- she loved it}
Yesterday after only being here for hours, Tim and I were walking and once again I said, like I have said so many times in the past, "guess we should have been more specific in our prayers, huh"....He looked at me in confusion....I then added, "Guess I should have been more specific in praying for how you and I needed some alone time, a break from the kids. " Tim laughed and said "yes, you should have because this is not my idea of a 'getaway'." Well neither was it mine, but here again, provisions were made....We were able to visit some really neat places in KC. One in particular is LEGENDS. It is a place where all throughout the shopping and walking area, they have featured Kansas legends, hence the name LEGENDS.
http://www.legendsshopping.com/
Later, we were driving around after visiting Raeliegh, and saw a few different signs for things that were or would be going on in KC. One was a free dog show....I am game, Tim not so much his idea of date night. :-) ...then we saw one for an Airshow....free... and all weekend long. Great it's a date! We're going to the Air show...yeah!
Then at around 7:30 tonight, we saw a ton of people gathering in what looks like a really cool part of town. "Let's stop and check it out...maybe's it's the dog show. :-) {I am really hooked on the dog show thing.... not sure why...} We'll try something new, what else is there for us to do." So we park and walk down and finally ask what is taking place. "Free concert," they tell us. "Oh really who is it?" "Right now it is the opening act but later it is.....
Tracy Byrd! Wheeew WHOOOOO!
We had a blast! And it was FREE!
(F- R- E-E that spells free...come sing with me...the silly commercial credit report .com baby... sorry...had to do it...)
Can't beat that. So there are some of our provisions that God gave us today and this weekend....We love Him! He provides for our every need, including our entertainment needs....I am not really sure there is such a "need" but I am claiming it right now...becuase Tim and I have gotten to spend a lot of one on one time that we so deperately needed. And though the overall situation is not as we would have planned (it never is - I wish I could learn that one Lord...I always think...here's the plan Lord, you just do what I have lined out for you and it will all go.....haywire that's what it would do....) anyway, it was not our plan. He had all of the detail already figured out. Even the entertainment ones.....
In telling you all about Tim and I's time together, I need to now tell you about another "give me your eyes" example. I wasn't sure what He would show me or lead me to. I wasn't expecting Him to show me Tim. But He did. You see all along these past few months, maybe longer if we really are honest, Tim and I haven't had any real conversations, mostly have been in passing, nothing to serious, no time for that....and honestly weren't thinking of each other and how God joined these two hearts together. So when I felt the Lord's presence and looked into Tim's eyes, I knew what He was showing me. What an awesome man of God Tim is. I love to hear him pray to the Lord. And every night we have been going to see Raeliegh and when he prays over her and with her I cry. So honest and so real and so inspiring. You see, we needed to be here. Not just for Raeliegh but for the family, for Tim and I. The healing has begun and we feel Him working in our lives. We know He has carried us this far and will see us thru the entire life we live. He brought us here to work on more than just Raeliegh. After spending most all day Thursday with the FABULOUS.... (hear me sing that word.. FAB U LOUSSSSS!!!) team of doctors....answering questions, talking with each doctor, we were truly exhausted. Mentally, physically and emotionally....spiritually we have been on fire especially since being here....but we were so tired. We rested. And rest we received.
One of my favorite quotes from a movie and i really don't have but a few is this one:
We are both being molded and changed everyday we walk with Christ and that's one thing I love about Tim. He's is in God's hands and he is a work of God's art. Just like you and I are.
Here is a summary of another set of scriptures I was studying:
Ephesians 5:15-23 -
As the days are evil and the time is short, Christians must "walk as
wise" and make the best use of their time. This requires an
understanding of the Lord's will. Christians are also to be filled
with the Spirit, as evidenced by singing together, praying with
thanksgiving, and submitting to one another in the fear of God.
The chapter ends with what we might describe as a call to "walk in
matrimonial harmony". Wives are exhorted to respect their husbands,
submitting to them as to the Lord. Husbands are commanded to love
their wives as Christ loved the church, and even as they love their own
bodies. In the course of such instructions Paul takes the opportunity
to reveal the Lord's desire to present to Himself a glorious church,
holy and without blemish, which is why He gave Himself for it.
I truly love and appreciate Tim because he is committed to
me and to our family through Christ. He loves the Lord and
I love him!
That's why I didn't blog yesterday and it took so long today. I knew God had us covered and I knew He was telling us to rest. Which draws me back to the wonderful email my friend Suzie blasted to everyone....(you go gurl!hugz) We can feel your prayers. We know He is drawing His ear close to you, to hear each and everyone of them. We know He is holding Raeliegh right now and has been. That brings much comfort to me to know He is with her. He is holding her as she sleeps and is watching over her during to day.
{Raeliegh}
Thank you.
Thank you for your prayers, for your thoughts, for all of the wonderful people who are helping out with the kids back home, so Tim and I can be here together. Thank you to my sister, who is not a "farm girl...like me" but has gathered eggs, fed all of the animals and from what I hear tonight was pecked over by a few hungry chickens...You Rock Lisa....and the chickens and I thank you for taking care of them.
We are praying blessings over your families. We know He hears our prayers and we KNOW that He will answer them...and I am trying to learn that it is probably about 99.9% NOT going to be MY plan, or my way. And that's ok too....He's still working on me, thankfully hasn't and won't ever give up on me.
{Tim, Raeliegh and I spent the evening making people out of playdough - here's our crew}
So I challenge you....no matter what your situation....no matter what your state of being is....ask God to give you His eyes, look and see what He sees and then maybe you'll get a glimpse of the work that still needs to be done in all of the people who surround us everyday, maybe it is someone you know, maybe a stranger....just look using His eyes and He'll show you where He needs you to be. No job of God's is too big or too small, they are all equally important because they are His works. Amen? Amen!
Final thoughts -
Deuteronomy 11:22-32
Love and Obey the LORD
"...If you carefully observe all these commands I am giving you to follow—to love the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways and to hold fast to him- then the LORD will drive out all these nations before you, and you will dispossess nations larger and stronger than you. Every place where you set your foot will be yours: ... No man will be able to stand against you. The LORD your God, as he promised you, will put the terror and fear of you on the whole land, wherever you go.
Love to all -
I am writing another entry on Raeliegh's update....
thanks for visiting...God Bless you!
{Tim and Raeliegh - spending time together at the hopsital}
that is the "theme" that has been on my heart for the past couple of days.
Sorry I didn't blog yesterday and it is so late or early - depends on how you look at it....anyway....
We, Tim and I, have been wondering "what are we going to do during the days while we wait for visitation hours"...We prayed for God to provide in all ways and in ALL matters....and He gave us some answers...we'll talk more about that in a few....
To update you on a few prayer requests and questions, first of all, we've had many ask us about insurance for Raeliegh. To let you know, she is FULLY covered and so are all of the services she is and will be receiving. She is under a special program, thanks to her wonderful team of doctors back at home, that covers all costs. So thanks be to God for her getting on that program and having this insurance. Praise God for that answered prayer.
Second of all, not many know of this, but for weeks now I have been battling with what was initially thought to be poison ivy; on my arms, my legs and then my face. Well it turns out that it was hives. I meant to get a shot Wednesday day to clear them up, but was in doc appointments with Raeliegh that day and then ended up here. So needless to say they got worse. They were until today. I said to Tim, someone is praying for my skin, for these hives. They are CLEARING and I have not been to get a shot of any sort. Stress makes them spread and so THANK you for praying over my mind to be at peace and for those who were particulary praying about my skin ....bless you bless you bless you!
God the Almighty healer.....don't be afraid to ask for healing of something as simple as hives, or something as big as a terminal illness....He hears you and will draw close to you....talk to him...let Him hear His child's voice....and if you have never prayed before...email or call me I promise to and would be honored to pray with you...
(http://70030.netministry.com/articles_view.asp?articleid=32712&columnid=3844)
{photo taken downtown KC - the smallest of things are the Greatest of His works}
Here is a verse that I found, and great news it is the verse of the day for http://www.biblegateway.com/
where I go often for online "support". :-)
“When I said, "My foot is slipping," your love, O LORD, supported me. When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul.”- Psalm 94:18-19
My anxiety - hence the hive and they were getting worse- about this place and the thought of leaving Raeliegh has decreased. I would be lying if I told you it is gone, but I am TRUSTING God in all ways and in ALL things. Here is how He's shown His love and supported Tim and I and the rest of the family these past couple of days....
"Give me your eyes" is a great song by Brandon Heath go check out his site.
http://www.brandonheath.net/
Anyway this song was in my heart and later confirmed when I recieved an email today with an inspiration word forwarded to me by Suzie dear, but originally from Peggy from the Mustard Seed.
The words are powerful; In simple, the artist is asking God to let him see what He sees. Because too often we are caught in our own lives we fail to see others around us. A true reminder that this life is not about us. It is about those around us and how we can show them God's love, so they to can be with us when we reach our Father's throne. Amen? Amen!
So I prayed give me your eyes, and let me tell you I was serious....when I said show me some things Lord that I have been missing and do you know what in the past 24 hours He has give me some fascinating glimpses. Tell ya more in a minute...
God is good....God is Awesome.... I will sing of your love forever....I will sing of your love forever....
My dear friend Suzie dear back home sent out an wonderful email asking many of you to lift us up in your prayer. Thank you soooo much for your continued prayers, emails, comments, voice mails, phone calls and even text messages {by the way Suzie dear try it out....real easy to do...like email....don't stress I am still trying to teach Tim how to text me back.... ;-) }
Anyway, many who have called have told us about their prayers for us. One call in particular said they were praying for God to provide provisions in all ways and in all things.
Well since we have been here, Tim and I have wondered what shall we do today.....
first of all we have met and chatted with many beautiful people. We have had the opportunity to pray in front of others, speak of His Love, His Grace and even His Mercy. We have hoped that we have shown His light to those that are around us.
Up until today we have been staying in motels. They had us on the list for the Ronald McDonald House, but no openings. We had many of you join us in prayer for a room to become available. All I could think of is that this would mean that someone else's family member would be dismissed from the hospital and they would get to go home. There I saw something....pray for those around you and not yourself and He will provide. And for hours, as we walked around the hospital, around the outside of our hotel, as we drove from place to place, we prayed for God to lay His healing hand upon children's lives and families to heal from whatever has placed them in the hospital. Now we don't know who had what and the details of such, but we know God was listening because when we got the call that there was a room availble for us in the Ronald McDonald house, they also let us know how unusual it was for them to have 5, count them, 5 - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5... families to be going home all at once.....see what I saw....God laid His healing hand upon families we knew nothing about and HE heard our prayers. Not for our own selfish ways, but because we asked Him to give us His eyes....even if we were not approved for a room, we had already said we would sleep in the truck....no problem... it is NOT about us... He needed these people to be covered in prayer, just as you are praying for us. But by the grace of God we were one of the 5 families that were next in line to get a room at the Ronald McDonald house.....PRAISE the LORD....provision and His eyes....are you with me still? hang on there's more...
{Raeliegh and me - missed her so much - couldn't contain myself- she loved it}
Yesterday after only being here for hours, Tim and I were walking and once again I said, like I have said so many times in the past, "guess we should have been more specific in our prayers, huh"....He looked at me in confusion....I then added, "Guess I should have been more specific in praying for how you and I needed some alone time, a break from the kids. " Tim laughed and said "yes, you should have because this is not my idea of a 'getaway'." Well neither was it mine, but here again, provisions were made....We were able to visit some really neat places in KC. One in particular is LEGENDS. It is a place where all throughout the shopping and walking area, they have featured Kansas legends, hence the name LEGENDS.
http://www.legendsshopping.com/
Later, we were driving around after visiting Raeliegh, and saw a few different signs for things that were or would be going on in KC. One was a free dog show....I am game, Tim not so much his idea of date night. :-) ...then we saw one for an Airshow....free... and all weekend long. Great it's a date! We're going to the Air show...yeah!
Then at around 7:30 tonight, we saw a ton of people gathering in what looks like a really cool part of town. "Let's stop and check it out...maybe's it's the dog show. :-) {I am really hooked on the dog show thing.... not sure why...} We'll try something new, what else is there for us to do." So we park and walk down and finally ask what is taking place. "Free concert," they tell us. "Oh really who is it?" "Right now it is the opening act but later it is.....
Tracy Byrd! Wheeew WHOOOOO!
We had a blast! And it was FREE!
(F- R- E-E that spells free...come sing with me...the silly commercial credit report .com baby... sorry...had to do it...)
Can't beat that. So there are some of our provisions that God gave us today and this weekend....We love Him! He provides for our every need, including our entertainment needs....I am not really sure there is such a "need" but I am claiming it right now...becuase Tim and I have gotten to spend a lot of one on one time that we so deperately needed. And though the overall situation is not as we would have planned (it never is - I wish I could learn that one Lord...I always think...here's the plan Lord, you just do what I have lined out for you and it will all go.....haywire that's what it would do....) anyway, it was not our plan. He had all of the detail already figured out. Even the entertainment ones.....
In telling you all about Tim and I's time together, I need to now tell you about another "give me your eyes" example. I wasn't sure what He would show me or lead me to. I wasn't expecting Him to show me Tim. But He did. You see all along these past few months, maybe longer if we really are honest, Tim and I haven't had any real conversations, mostly have been in passing, nothing to serious, no time for that....and honestly weren't thinking of each other and how God joined these two hearts together. So when I felt the Lord's presence and looked into Tim's eyes, I knew what He was showing me. What an awesome man of God Tim is. I love to hear him pray to the Lord. And every night we have been going to see Raeliegh and when he prays over her and with her I cry. So honest and so real and so inspiring. You see, we needed to be here. Not just for Raeliegh but for the family, for Tim and I. The healing has begun and we feel Him working in our lives. We know He has carried us this far and will see us thru the entire life we live. He brought us here to work on more than just Raeliegh. After spending most all day Thursday with the FABULOUS.... (hear me sing that word.. FAB U LOUSSSSS!!!) team of doctors....answering questions, talking with each doctor, we were truly exhausted. Mentally, physically and emotionally....spiritually we have been on fire especially since being here....but we were so tired. We rested. And rest we received.
One of my favorite quotes from a movie and i really don't have but a few is this one:
"I love him! I love him for the man he wants to be. And I love him for the man he almost is."
We are both being molded and changed everyday we walk with Christ and that's one thing I love about Tim. He's is in God's hands and he is a work of God's art. Just like you and I are.
Here is a summary of another set of scriptures I was studying:
Ephesians 5:15-23 -
As the days are evil and the time is short, Christians must "walk as
wise" and make the best use of their time. This requires an
understanding of the Lord's will. Christians are also to be filled
with the Spirit, as evidenced by singing together, praying with
thanksgiving, and submitting to one another in the fear of God.
The chapter ends with what we might describe as a call to "walk in
matrimonial harmony". Wives are exhorted to respect their husbands,
submitting to them as to the Lord. Husbands are commanded to love
their wives as Christ loved the church, and even as they love their own
bodies. In the course of such instructions Paul takes the opportunity
to reveal the Lord's desire to present to Himself a glorious church,
holy and without blemish, which is why He gave Himself for it.
I truly love and appreciate Tim because he is committed to
me and to our family through Christ. He loves the Lord and
I love him!
That's why I didn't blog yesterday and it took so long today. I knew God had us covered and I knew He was telling us to rest. Which draws me back to the wonderful email my friend Suzie blasted to everyone....(you go gurl!hugz) We can feel your prayers. We know He is drawing His ear close to you, to hear each and everyone of them. We know He is holding Raeliegh right now and has been. That brings much comfort to me to know He is with her. He is holding her as she sleeps and is watching over her during to day.
{Raeliegh}
Thank you.
Thank you for your prayers, for your thoughts, for all of the wonderful people who are helping out with the kids back home, so Tim and I can be here together. Thank you to my sister, who is not a "farm girl...like me" but has gathered eggs, fed all of the animals and from what I hear tonight was pecked over by a few hungry chickens...You Rock Lisa....and the chickens and I thank you for taking care of them.
We are praying blessings over your families. We know He hears our prayers and we KNOW that He will answer them...and I am trying to learn that it is probably about 99.9% NOT going to be MY plan, or my way. And that's ok too....He's still working on me, thankfully hasn't and won't ever give up on me.
{Tim, Raeliegh and I spent the evening making people out of playdough - here's our crew}
So I challenge you....no matter what your situation....no matter what your state of being is....ask God to give you His eyes, look and see what He sees and then maybe you'll get a glimpse of the work that still needs to be done in all of the people who surround us everyday, maybe it is someone you know, maybe a stranger....just look using His eyes and He'll show you where He needs you to be. No job of God's is too big or too small, they are all equally important because they are His works. Amen? Amen!
Final thoughts -
Deuteronomy 11:22-32
Love and Obey the LORD
"...If you carefully observe all these commands I am giving you to follow—to love the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways and to hold fast to him- then the LORD will drive out all these nations before you, and you will dispossess nations larger and stronger than you. Every place where you set your foot will be yours: ... No man will be able to stand against you. The LORD your God, as he promised you, will put the terror and fear of you on the whole land, wherever you go.
See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse- the blessing if you obey the commands of the LORD your God that I am giving you today; the curse if you disobey the commands of the LORD your God and turn from the way that I command you today by following other gods, which you have not known... be sure that you obey all the decrees and laws I am setting before you today."
I read this today and realized that no matter the time frame that these scriptures were written, no matter the situation, we can all apply it to our lives. I can and will apply it to mine and let it be a reminder to my life onwhat I am to do....He will go before us (He has gone before us) and has provided us with blessings....Love to all -
I am writing another entry on Raeliegh's update....
thanks for visiting...God Bless you!
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1 comment:
Amy
My name is Megan, I am Stephanie Morris's sister-in-law. She told me about your blog and what you are going through with your little girl. We will be praying for you and your family. Your faith is amazing.
isabellagudde.blogspot.com
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