Please pray..

Sorry it's been so long folks. There is some news I want to share with you tonight. There certainly are a great many things to be thankful for, especially after just finishing 4 days of work week at Windy Gap. We saw over 275 people come to camp Thurs. through this morning to help us get ready for the summer God has already planned at the place I call work. Incredible.

Tonight though, there are even more praises and prayer requests that I would love to tell you about. First off, my mom had to have emergency surgery on Thurs. for an intestine that was being pinched. She had trouble breathing and her blood pressure was very low after the surgery. She was in ICU for a few days. She is now however, in an intermediate care room and, with progress, will move into a regular recovery room. I haven't been able to talk to her yet, although my brother just called to say that he had spoken with her for 30-40 minutes this afternoon and she sounded better than he expected. Great news.

I feel like I've been somewhat removed from the situation though. True I was busy with one of the busier weeks we have all year, but at times I wondered if I let myself be more focused on work than on my family and my mom's situation. It's tough feeling and being so far away and not knowing how serious the situation really is. (My parents like to protect us from worry, so sometimes I think they downplay things that really are quite significant. Parents, if you are reading this, we're onto you (Luci, Sam, and I)). Anyway, please pray for a quick recovery. While there is no cure for the leukemia, there are good seasons and there are downright hard ones. It seems like a cloud overhead that may blow away for a while, but it's out there and it could come back any minute. It's scary...so sometimes I pretend it's not back and it is really just sprinkling while the sun is still shining. (Truth be told, I actually hate this kind of weather because I don't know how to feel about it and then before I can decide, it's over and ridiculously humid.) I honestly think that the Lord may have devised this plan where my parents alternate health problems just to keep our family close even though we have each coast covered. And for this, I am grateful.

Another huge praise, Christie Smith that I wrote about a few weeks back has come out of her coma. Slowly she has regained some functioning in her arms and legs. She is talking and her eyes are open for several hours at a time. Please pray specifically for her parents now. They have taken her back to Charlotte and are overwhelmed trying to figure out life after such a dramatic life-changing event. During work week, we were led by the property manager in corporate prayer for our sister Christie. I know that God does not always (or even close) answer our prayers with the outcome that we ask for, but either way we have a choice to believe in Him or not. No matter what happens. Period.

Thanks for reading and for being our friends and family and the body of Christ. There is so much power in that! I guess when I don't post or talk to a lot of people in a few weeks it comes out on here.

Mother, I love you.