Compliments (For Men)

         Not sure if I have any men reading my blog, but for those of you married men who are reading this, consider this post the frying pan to the head! Maybe I have been living in denial or maybe I'm just ignorant and didn't see it, but I can't believe there are married women in this world who don't get compliments from their husband! What on earth is wrong with you men?!!! In your dating years, you pursued your wife, said all sorts of nice things to wow her, bought her special thought through gifts. What happened? Do you have any idea what a "honey, that dinner was delicious." or "I like the way those jeans fit you." would do to her self esteem, especially if you don't pay her compliments often or at all?!!!!! She will store that away in her heart for as long as she needs till you pay her another one. If your like Marv and have no problem sending emails that say "ur hot hot hot tanks for ur patance" (written in his own spelling), or if you send your wife texts during the day saying "hey sexy don't forget the milk" then consider the frying pan a hand to pat your back with! Men encourage/compliment your wives, even when she's part grizzly and it's that time of the month. It's at those times when we need a hug or a kind word the most (and chocolate never hurts). It will work wonders!!! Find something throughout the course of the day to compliment her on. My prayer is that all women would feel consumed by love from their men!

New song

I like music and while I can't sing a tune to save my life, I sing anyway. The Lord doesn't care what it sounds like, just that your praising him right? I am liking everything Matt Maher right now. Here's one that I particularly enjoy, it's called  As it is in Heaven. He's taken words from the Lord's Prayer and re-vamped them. It's one of those songs you can really jam to on a warm summers day with the windows down! Enjoy!

Change

           Usually I'm not opposed to change, I even enjoy it most of the time. I can, for the most part 'roll-with-the-punches'. Call me crazy. Change brings new goals, new people I haven't met, a new pep in my step. However yesterday I wanted to kick change to the curb with the trash! Everything hit me at once and my emotions went through the roof! Do you ever have days like that? Maybe I'm the only one. Coleson has yet another infection, in his cheek this time, another round of anti-biotics. Marv sold his business (one where he was his own boss for 11 years), started a new job working for someone, and took a pay cut. The pay cut doesn't bother me, it's that Marv works hard and I know that he doesn't particularly enjoy that type of work. But he's working towards a bigger goal. Then to top it all off, last night as I was leaving home to go to bible study, I backed into my garage door and bent the bottom 2 panels! I was so frazzled at that point I had to laugh, as if it can't get any worse and then it does! Bible study ended up being just what I needed last night. Jocelyn Hamsher asked us what home feels like. Thinking our earthly home. (safe, peaceful-well maybe not always when I have 4 men in the house, a place where I can be myself- these were a few of the answers) Now think of our eternal home and those same words apply. I will be striving daily to be at 'home' with Jesus. My prayer is that you will to.

Coleson Next step continued......

Thank you all for praying for us and Coleson when he had his expanders put in. The first encounter that morning was with our pre-op nurse. From the moment she introduced herself, I was hooked. She was so contagious!!! She had gone ahead and looked at her patients for the day and hand picked a Linus blanket just for Coleson. After introductions, she continued to say we need to get ready for fast talking and bad jokes. I laughed thinking maybe thats the way she gets people to lighten up. (I kept thinking in my head what is this chick on that shes so happy at 5am?!!!) Well, she told a bunch of bad jokes and Coleson gave her one too. As she was going through her spiel about yada, yada, yada, she glanced into my 31 bag and the first thing she noticed wasn't my muffins, or my journal, or the magazines from my kind mentor, or Coleson's homework. She REACHES in my bag and pulls out my Bible and says "Whats this?", I said, "It's my Bible". She said "I'm a Christian too, but I'm not supposed to tell you that." Wow SHOCKER, no wonder she's CONTAGIOUS!!!! I would love to get to know her better!! I know she would teach me a thing or two about not being so serious! Anyhow surgery went great and the doc was very impressed with the way everything looked just before we were discharged.
                                       I am hoping the next several months fly by. I'll leave you with a joke from my favorite-ist nurse ever.
                    Where do bumblebee's go to the bathroom?
                    At the B P station.

Coleson thought it funny!

Coleson's Next Step

                    Coleson is scheduled for surgery again. This is the second to last one for many years, hopefully! We will be heading to Akron Children's bright and early on Tuesday the 6th. Coleson will be having expanders put into his cheeks and neck. He will have 4 expanders all together. We will need to inflate these expanders once a week with saline solution from ports that are some where on his scalp. This will slowly expand the good skin that is around the grafted area of his cheeks. (just like a pregnant belly). We will need to do this once a week for 12-14 weeks, depending on the skin's elasticity. In March sometime we will have the expanders removed leaving floppy skin. The doc will remove the grafts and fit the new expanded skin so that Coleson will have a fine suture around his jaw line. Along with this surgery, the doc will be tacking Colesons left ear back up as it has pulled down from healing scar tissue.
                    I was excited to move forward with this surgery, but as the day draws closer, I find myself getting nervous. I keep reminding myself that the end result is what we look forward to. Yes, the next 3 months may be trying as Coleson's face will have obvious bumps. As little boys do, Kendall was razzing Coleson about getting a needle stuck in his arm. Coleson pipes up and said "Yes I know Kendall but then I will look like you again." Coleson is fully aware of everything thats going on and the pain he will have to endure. (He's a smart kid.) If you see Coleson out in public, talk to him, give him a hi-5! Pray for Coleson and us as a family as we won't be venturing out much this winter due to the expanders. Pray also that the end result would have Coleson looking like Kendall again. Thank you in advance! I know we serve an awesome God and that he heals, not just physically but emotionally as well!

Thankfulness

In this season of Thanksgiving, I am always reminded of those who are less fortunate than we are. Not only do the homeless come to mind often, but those who are struggling to put food on the table. My boys go to school with kids, where, the only well balanced meal they get is the lunch at school. Marv and I were discussing this last week after seeing a video clip at church called Depraved Indifference. Heartwrenching. Watch it here . It tugged on both our heartstrings, as I'm sure it did all who were watching. While we are still formulating a plan, we are constantly praying for those who don't have the basics to live. A few things I'm thankful for today: (not in any specific order)
- a loving God
- my family of 5
- a warm bed
- health
- food
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Slump

This morning in my quiet time I came across Psalms 40:1-3. 'I waited patiently for the Lord; He turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and the mire; He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God.' I have been in a slump the past 2 weeks and haven't had any motivation to do more than just the normal, have-to-get-by things. But, this morning I woke up with the song 'How Great Thou Art' rolling through my head. I have been praying that I would have a new fervor for the everyday things and I can't wait to see what's in store for today!!!