Friday, July 30, 2010

Friday...WHEW!

Well, it's Friday. And Payday Friday to boot. That calls for some celebration! :)

I'm so thankful the Lord got me through another hectic week at The Company. We are wrapping up our busy month of doing our quarter-end reports. It's always a crazy time and I end up working far more hours than my body can handle. So it's literally a God thing that I've made it through another report cycle, and I give all the praise to Him.

He truly is the strength of my life. Thank you, Lord for Your mercies new each morning and for the strength you provide for whatever the day will hold.

Have a good weekend, everyone! :)

Friday, July 23, 2010

Madison is home!

Yesterday was so crazy I didn't get the chance to tell you that Madison went home from the hospital! Praise the Lord! Thanks to anyone that prayed for her. Madison's parents and grandparents have such amazing faith and they are an inspiration to everyone that is blessed to know them. Madison already has an amazing testimony of God's faithfulness to her in her 6 short years and we are certain the Lord has mighty things in store for her!

Happy weekend, everyone! :)

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Madison Update

I have good news on Madison. She had a good weekend and yesterday they started her back on Coumadin. It's a very nerve-wracking time for her family because that's when she bleed the most last year. However, she's been on it now for 24 hours with no bleeds, so praise the Lord! :) Please continue to pray--the blood levels have to be exactly right (usually takes a few days) in order for her to go home. Thanks.

Friday, July 16, 2010

Update on Madison

Last night overnight, Madison had another major bleed and had to go back into surgery to get it stopped. She had to have a blood transfusion as well because her hemoglobin got too low.

As the scabs fall off of the wounds from the surgery, bleeds are a major risk since she has to be on the blood thinner.

Please continue to pray for this sweet girl and her family. They have been through so much and yet are clining to the Lord to sustain them.

Thursday, July 15, 2010

Madison update

Hi everyone.

I have good news to report on Madison, praise the Lord! They were able to stop Madison's bleeding Tuesday night. She has been back on the blood thinners (which prevent her mechanical heart valve from clotting and thus stopping her heart totally) for 24 hours...and no bleeds! So it's a waiting game now until they can put her back on the Coumadin, the long-lasting blood thinner. They will probably not do that for another few days. Then Madison's levels have to be within normal limits (and of course no bleeds) in order for her to go home.

Your continued prayers are appreciated!

Monday, July 12, 2010

Update on Madison

Please (continue to) pray for little Madison. She was doing great and everyone was very optimistic until tonight when she started bleeding. They are gravely concerned because she is not back on the Coumadin yet. Please feel free to forward this prayer request to anyone you think might join us in praying for this sweet girl, her doctors and her family. Thanks.

Thursday, July 8, 2010

Please Pray for Madison & Family

There is a little girl named Madison today that will be undergoing what her surgeon calls the hardest surgery he's ever done. She needs some repair work done to her palette in order to have any chance at speaking.

Madison is 6 years old and has many special needs, one of which is an artificial heart valve which requires her to be on blood thinners. This makes her risk of excess bleeding during and after surgery very high. Last year she had what most folks experience as a simple surgery, a tonsillectomy, and had several major bleeds that almost killed her. It was an extremely traumatic time for her and her family.

Please pray that the surgery today will go well, that the Lord will give peace to Madison's parents Tom and Jennifer, and that there will be no severe bleeding episodes after surgery.

Thank you!

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Counting My Blessings

Today is my birthday. I was born on the 7th day of the 7th month in the 7th decade of the 20th century. So in honor of that, I thought I would list the 7 most significant blessings in my life. To be honest, each year when my birthday comes around, I am tempted to feel sorry for myself about how my dreams of being a wife and a mother are (as yet) unfulfilled. But I know God has a plan, and He has lavished so many blessings on my life. Innumerable blessings, actually. But for now, I'll list the biggest 7. Thank you Father, for your immeasurable love for me, and for your faithfulness throughout these past 37 years!!!


1. Salvation. What a merciful, gracious Savior we have! And a Heavenly Father that loves me unconditionally, no matter what I look like or what I do. I was saved at a young age and God's faithfulness to me over all these years is very humbling and encouraging.


2. Family. Of course no family is perfect and we all have our scars, but I'm thankful that God gave me 2 godly parents that are still married to each other after 41 years, that I have 2 brothers, 2 sisters-in-law and 1 niece who is the love of my life. I also have aunts, uncles and cousins to enjoy.


3. Friends. God has been so gracious to give me true, loyal, sweet friends. Throughout all the stages of my life, no matter where I lived or what I was doing (even when I was straying away from the Lord), God has provided me with a support system of friends around me. Most of my friends live in other states and one in another country, but as a plaque I have says "the distance to a friend's home is never far."


4. Church. I was first in church at the age of 2 weeks old. Since my extended family was on opposite sides of the country than where I grew up, our church family was our family. In all the areas that I have lived, God has provided a great church family and opportunities to serve. My current church has been a huge blessing in my life and I am very excited about what the Lord is doing in the life of our church.


5. Job. No job is perfect of course, but I have been blessed to work for a great boss and with a good group of people. I know several people that have been out of work for an extended period of time and so I try not to take my job for granted.


6. Health. While I do have some health issues, none of them are life-threatening or cause me to be in severe pain, and I'm very thankful for that. I've also got very good health insurance and that's so helpful.


7. Apartment. God has always provided me a place to live, even when I had to move sight-unseen to a place in Dallas from MI nearly 9 years ago. My current place is relatively quiet, no issues with neighbors at the moment, and only 1.1 miles away from work!

"This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it"--Psalm 118:24 NIV

Saturday, July 3, 2010

Happy 4th of July

I'm so thankful that the Lord made me an American. While our country is far from perfect (Lord, help us!) it is still the best one on earth. As we celebrate Independence Day, let us not forget all those courageous men and women that have served in the past and who are serving now to keep our nation free! "God Bless America, my home sweet home!"