Friday, August 29, 2014

I saw the neurosurgeon. The news was better than expected. I only have two small brain tumors instead of three. They were concerned that the one in the front of my head in a place called the olfactory groove might reach the optic nerve or the optic chiasm of my left eye which is the only eye that I have vision in. But the optic nerve and the chiasm look clear of the tumor. The doc recommended that I get that tumor taken care of through a procedure called gamma knife which is a type of radiation. He said that it was not an emergency and that we could watch the tumor for a year.

I took a couple of days to pray about it. One morning sitting out in the back of my brother-in-law's yard with my dog Starbuck and a venti cup of Starbuck coffee looking at the mountain called Pike's Peak, I just felt this strong inner urge that I should get it out. It was the cool of the day. It was just God, me, my dog and a cup of morning coffee. I felt a peace that this is the direction I should take. So on the 9th of September, I will have the gamma knife procedure in Denver. Prayers are appreciated. I rely upon the prayers of God's people.

Sunday, August 17, 2014

Sunday in our historical Marble Church......today was a very sweet service for me as a pastor's wife here in our mountain village of Marble. As a chaplain's wife in the Air Force I have had the privilege to love many Air Force parishioners and to have them love me enough to pray for me, with me, and over me through some very serious health issues. By God's grace and the prayers of His people I was brought through those times.
Here in our small historical church in Marble I have the privilege of loving our parishioners and today felt their love in a powerful way..........
As many of you know, I have had 5 benign brain tumors in which one of them took the vision in my right eye. They were all successfully removed and I survived it all by the grace of our almighty God! Recently I found out that I have developed a brain tumor that is in a spot that could endanger the vision in my left eye. I go to the neurosurgeon this week to determine what is the best course of action to treat this tumor and save my vision.
Today, the parishioners led by one of the men of the church, laid hands on me and prayed for healing, guidance, and direction. It was a surprise to me and touched me deeply. It was as if Jesus, through His people, reminded me that I am not alone. I go with the confidence that once again I am held before the throne of grace by the prayers of the "saints!"
The service ended at the altar with communion following the sermon on "crumbs from the Master's table". O how sweet are even the crumbs from our Lord's table.

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

Today I chose miserable.......Wandering around Marble today with Starbuck (my lab) I chose miserable. We were on a walk with rainy skies, muddy roads and spectacular "moody mountains" with clouds above them and below them. In the middle of the walk I chose a different option than the one I had originally planned. I decided that we would go down a trail from the road and circle back to the Bob Marly (my jeep). The operative word here would be trail not road.

So we started down the trail and we were immediately in sometimes knee high vegetation and sometimes shoulder high vegetation. Did I mention rainy skies? Less than a minute into the trail, my hiking pants were soaked due to wet vegetation. My pants were a little too big and with the extra water weight, in constant threat of slipping down, not something I particularly wanted to happen. My feet got soaked, my dog got soaked.... I think you get the picture. Once at the bottom of the trail we had to walk a muddy road to get back to the Bob Marly. Almost to the said jeep, we ran into horses being loaded to go into the back country. Starbuck barks furiously at horses. Horses do not in general like dogs to bark at them. I had to drag her on a tight leash by the horses to load up and head home.

Yes, indeed I chose miserable. I could have finished my original course and avoided miserable. Then as God often does when I am on a hike, He led my heart in a spiritual application. How many times does He give me options and I choose miserable? The good news is that He often gives us options and gives us choices. Sometimes we get it right and sometimes we miss the mark just a bit. The even better news is that even when we choose miserable, He does not forsake us but woos us back to the better trail or sees us through to the place where we can load up in our jeep and go to a dry home!

"...And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Matthew 28:end of vs 20