Our Girl Needs Prayer

For those who have missed my original status update earlier...

Here was our day yesterday:
Our daughter woke up this morning in more pain than when she went to bed last night. She's was in tears most of the day with her upper back getting worse as the day went on.

For several weeks she has had pain "off and on" in between her shoulder blades. This is the same pain she's had right after her surgery that would come and go. At all of her previous post op check ups, she had xrays and her surgeon believed it to be the crossbar equipment holding her two rods together in her thoracic area of the spine. She has two large rods, and two crossbar supports, (15 screws and 12 spinal fusions). Her spine is fused from T4 all the way down to S1. She was missing a few of her lower lumbar vertebra due to a congenital defect. This is why he had to fuse down to S1. She was told at post op that the equipment could begin to aggravate more and more after her a year or so post-op.

The shoulder blade pain has aggravated her off and on this past yr, and we have dealt with it as it has come. Recently, it has gotten increasingly worse, but she would still have times where it was feeling just fine. One of those times was Sun. She was feeling pretty good.

At her Feb appointment (1 yr post op appointment), she was cleared to do regular activities. I've been so way overprotective of her this past year, and honestly...if you had seen your daughter go through what I saw mine go through, you might be the same way! I had gotten to a point where I've just had to release this thing, and not hold so tightly to fear. It is her body, and she is responsible for her choices. We can't hover over her every minute, making sure she is doing what we think she should do, when the surgeon said she has no restrictions after a year. At some point, we have to let go.

Sunday she had a youth kick off event. I warned her about water-sports such as skiing, etc being unpredictable, but she decided to try the tubing. She mentioned how she had such fond memories of tubing on the lakes back home with our friends The Gillens. Well, she made a decision to go for it and do the tubing with youth. She "wiped out" off of the tube unexpectedly, and immediately afterwards she felt pain in her neck and midback. She knew something had happened to stir things up, but did not think it was anything worse than what she had been experiencing off and on. When I picked her up, she was really tired. She does get tired much easier since her surgery, and can usually gauge her physical limits pretty well. She was drained of energy when I picked her up at the church, but never let on how bad her back was feeling. So I thought she was just tired from the events of the day.

During choir practice Sun night (after the youth events), she laid on the cushioned love seats. When we got home, she went straight to rest. Then yesterday morning, she woke up and could not move her head side to side or up and down. All she could say is her neck and mid back were in a lot of pain...even into her ribs. She felt "not right", and had weird sensations going on in her limbs as well. She is tough, and doesn't complain. So for her to be literally in tears...we knew she was hurting and not feeling well.

We tried to get her an appointment early morning with her spinal surgeon. However, he was in surgery today, and the office was slammed with appointments. We could go to the emergency room, but she felt she could wait until tomorrow's appointment. (seriously we are better off waiting here at home than the Emergency Room!!!)

As the morning went on, she began to feel worse. So, we took her to her pediatrician. Her Dr there knew of her case, and they were the ones who originally discovered her scoliosis. Her Pediatrician examined her. Based on her evaluation she was concerned, told us she would definitely need xrays. The pediatrician then tried to get in touch with her surgeon, or a PA at the pediatric spine center. Again... giving the options of going to the ER, or waiting to have the xrays done at the pediatric spine center. IF they could get us worked in.

We waited at the G.P. office while they tried to work us in, but the pediatrician was not able get a hold of anyone. The office was so busy!! The PA finally called our pediatrician somewhere near 5pm, and decided to call her in some heavy duty pain meds to carry her until our 10 am appointment at the spine center (which is today).

We ultimately trust God. Right now, The Warrior is truly a Child. We will love her and support her through this. What we will NOT do is belabor this about her choice, put more guilt on her, or make her feel worse about it than she already does. It is what it is. She is a responsible young lady, and God will pull her through this.

We appreciate the love, support and prayers to those who have expressed caring thoughts on our Facebook or by phone. I'll update tomorrow afternoon. It may be later in the afternoon before I get a chance to. My apologies for not getting all of our family informed. I'll try to make calls tomorrow afternoon. Today has been a crazy day...and now I'm off to bed!

End Times?

This week a man, Walid Shoebat came to speak at our church. He is an ex PLO terrorist, and is now a christian serving the Lord. His calling is to bring forth truth of God's word, and parallel God's word with what Islam/muslim religion believes to be true. Since he was muslim himself, he has knowledge first hand about it.

Here is his website: www.shoebat.com and at the end of this blog post is a video about a book he has written that puts God's word side by side with what the muslim religion believes to be true.

He was so interesting to listen to, and wow did he EXHORT christians to KNOW and LIVE the word of God without compromise! So many christian churches are only telling parts of the story of the Bible, and never go deeper in the truth. It is so important that we have personal study of God's word.

Hosea 4:6-8(New International Version)

6 my people are destroyed from lack of knowledge.
"Because you have rejected knowledge,
I also reject you as my priests;
because you have ignored the law of your God,
I also will ignore your children.

7 The more the priests increased,
the more they sinned against me;
they exchanged their Glory for something disgraceful.

8 They feed on the sins of my people
and relish their wickedness.

Luke 21:7-29 (New International Version)

7"Teacher," they asked, "when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are about to take place?"

8He (Jesus) replied: "Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am he,' and, 'The time is near.' Do not follow them. 9When you hear of wars and revolutions, do not be frightened. These things must happen first, but the end will not come right away."

10Then he said to them: "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 11There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven.

12"But before all this, they will lay hands on you and persecute you. They will deliver you to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name. 13This will result in your being witnesses to them. 14But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. 15For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict. 16You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. 17All men will hate you because of me. 18But not a hair of your head will perish. 19By standing firm you will gain life.

20"When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, you will know that its desolation is near. 21Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city get out, and let those in the country not enter the city. 22For this is the time of punishment in fulfillment of all that has been written. 23How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! There will be great distress in the land and wrath against this people. 24They will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

25"There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. 26Men will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. 27At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near."

Coffee with Jesus

How true is this?

Lord Remind Us...

It will not be...

Unredeemed - Selah

The cruelest world
The coldest heart
The deepest wound
The endless dark
The lonely ache
The burning tears
The bitter nights
The wasted years

Life breaks and falls apart
But we know these are
Places where grace is soon to be so amazing
It may be unfulfilled
It may be unrestored
But when anything that's shattered is laid before the Lord
Just watch and see
It will not be unredeemed

For every choice that led to shame
And all the love that never came
For every vow that someone broke
And every lie that gave up hope
We live in the shadow of the fall
But the cross says these are all
Places where grace is soon to be so amazing
It may be unfulfilled
It may be unrestored
But when anything that's shattered is laid before the Lord
Just watch and see
It will not be unredeemed

Places where grace is soon to be so amazing
It may be unfulfilled
It may be unrestored
But you never know the miracle the Father has in store
Just watch and see
It will not be
Just watch and see
It will not be unredeemed