October 31 - “Fire”

After joining Chris on the first part of her morning walk (In the bitter cold, I might add!), I spent much of the morning working. Not the manual labor kind, though. I put together the Bible Study for home group. I also did some birthday cards. Then we had to check over some emails from our lawyer about the wills and powers we entrusted to him. That led us right into lunch. Good morning’s work. It’s been a while. 

Walmart again yesterday. We grabbed the ingredients needed to make some cauliflower soup that Sam really likes. I’ve it, too. Believe it or not … pretty good stuff. 

After Walmart we zipped over to Randall’s. Nope. Not a prescription this time. They made an offer we couldn’t refuse. Blue Bell ice cream at $5.49 a gallon. That’s almost half off their regular price. Pretty good deal, especially with kids coming over all the time. 

While we were in the parking lot I talked for a while with our friend from Arlington, Mike. He was just checking in with us to see how we were doing. Always great to hear from old friends. 

On the way home we heard that there was a fire at the Denny’s on the Seawall. Sure enough, it was a fully engulfed fire. I45 Now news crews reported that low water pressure really caused some problems for the fire fighters. I’m sure the high winds didn’t help either. As usual, though our GFD crews did everything they could under some tough conditions. I’m proud of those guys. 

Isaiah‬ ‭40‬:‭28‬ ‭says, Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.

Father, please give the firefighters who worked that fire some good rest. They deserve it. Amen. 

October 30 - “Ramping it up”

We got to try out the ramp Ed made for us yesterday. We also tried the wheelchair with the big wheels that Helen borrowed for us, and the indoor ramp that she ordered. Between all of them, it was a breeze getting Sam to the car. The big-wheels chair was heavier than the current one, though. Chris can’t lift it. But she can handle the travel chair with no problem. I think we may stick to the smaller chair for the time being. I do particularly like the indoor and outdoor ramps, though. They fit and work perfectly. Thank you so much, Ed and Helen. 

Kel and his family came over for the afternoon. Christina made some taco soup, and Chris made some cheese dip. Good stuff. After lunch the kids all had sno cones. Kel and I watched football. But don’t ask me who was playing. I don’t tend to dream in football. 

Last night we went back up to the church for the memorial service for Dale Kaye. He had been a melody our praise team and was obviously much loved. Seasiders provided them a meal before the service. 

The memorial service was quite a time for worship. His kids led out. They sang several songs together and led some congregational singing as well. Kel read some scripture and preached a brief sermon. Then we all went over to the beach and everyone tossed a rose into the water as a tribute to Dale. There was some concern at first for that part of the memorial, since it has started raining back as people were arriving. But it turned into a beautiful evening. We even saw a rainbow as well as a beautiful sunset. 

Psalms‬ ‭24‬:‭10‬ says, Who is he, this King of glory? The Lord Almighty— he is the King of glory.

Father, please touch the Kaye family with your love. Amen. 

October 29 - “Neighborhood Night Fun”

We made one quick trip over to Walmart yesterday. We just needed to grab a bunch of vegetables. No, I’m not planning to re-produce an episode of Veggie-tales or anything. That’s just what we are bringing to the church tonight for the memorial service for Dale. 

Last night we went to the Jamaica Beach City Park. It was their community Halloween / neighborhood night out event. Every police officer on the Jamaica Beach payroll was there. They brought their racing car and started it up a time or two to sound off. The volunteer fire department was also there with the big ladder truck. Games were set up to go along with a row of golf carts giving away candy. Hot dogs and chips were available free as well. Seaside had a fun craft table as our part in the shindig. It was fun for the kids, of course, but I think the adults had a pretty good time as well. 

I had one end-of-the-day surprise when I went to bed last night. Chris had checked it in earlier, but I stayed up to watch the end of the World Series game. After I turned out all the lights and walked into our bedroom, what should greet my weary eyes? A little four-legged canine-type critter named Freddy … lying comfortably on MY PILLOW. Nope. I carried her back to her bed, and she grudgingly dragged herself into it. No pups on pillows. 

2 Thessalonians‬ ‭3‬:‭3‬ ‭says, But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one.

Father, thank you for the chance to see and chat with so many community folks. Draw them to yourself. Amen. 

October 28 - “On the surprise appointment”

Chris had a kind of surprise, last minute doc appointment yesterday. It was related to the rash and soreness and puffiness around her surgery site that she had a week or so ago. The rash has subsided, but the soreness and puffiness has not. The PCP ordered an ultrasound, but said Chris should contact the surgeon to make sure it meshed with the overall recovery plan. 

The surgeon’s office called on Thursday and said the doc wanted to see her right away. That’s fine, but then the caller said the next available appointment was in three weeks. Nope. She finally finagled one for yesterday - a work-in. 

And the final word from the doc? The rash was apparently bruising. Keep on stretching. No pain, no gain (yep. She actually said that). Don’t bother with another ultrasound. Get the mammogram as scheduled. See ya in three months. 

Sounds like good news to me. No recurrence. No complications. We’ll take it. 

Last night we had dinner with a couple of Texas Rangers fans. Our good friends from Arlington, the Spray’s,  are in town with family. We had the great opportunity to have a burger with them at The Spot. Pretty good food. Great company. 

‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭1‬:‭3‬ says, Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead

Father, thank you for the good news from Chris’ surgeon. We are breathing a little easier. Amen. 

October 27 - “Built-in trust”

Sam had the early appointment yesterday. Chris took her up to have some labs drawn and get the mapping done for the next round of radiation, this time on her leg. 

Since I’m on “no heavy lifting” status for a week, we called on a neighbor to help us out. He came over and did the hard lifting part of getting Sam and her wheelchair out of the house and into the car. Thanks for the assistance, Terry. 

In the afternoon Chris and I went to see the lawyer to get our wills and other legal documents all set. He said the medical power of attorney document we downloaded from the internet and filled out is fine. He did say, though, that we needed a financial power of attorney for each of us as well. He’s taking care of that, too. It’s nice to have an old friend from high school as a lawyer. Not to mention Amber, the legal assistant in the office, being someone I baptized. Built-in trust. 

Chris finished the jigsaw puzzle just in time for home group to view it. And speaking of home group. We were treated to a bit of a surprise birthday party. Our member Helen was celebrating her birthday, and we all joined in. Great group. Great fun. 

John‬ ‭14‬:‭26‬ says, But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.

Father, thanks for Helen and her contribution to our group. Bless her. Amen. 

October 26 - “keep ‘em warm”

Chris went for her walk in the morning. She advised me to stay inactive for a few more days. I took that advice to heart. I read a few chapters in the book I started (All of the Chronicles of Narnia). Then I switched to working on the new puzzle. Then, after Chris left for a doctor appointment, I pulled up a movie on TV and crashed my brain for a while. 

In the afternoon we made an errands run. First stop was the Post office. We were mailing some fabric to AnnaGrace. She’s having a birthday party next month where the kids can adopt a stuffed animal. The fabric is so the animals can be wrapped up. Gotta keep ‘em warm. 

Next we made a swing into Walmart (where else?).  We had to pick up a prescription for Sam. And as is so often the case, we managed to fill up a basket with groceries we needed as well. Chris suggested we just stop eating. I think I’ll pass on that option. Gotta say … I was pretty tired after all that walking. Hopefully it won’t take too long to build some stamina back up. 

Joel‬ ‭2‬:‭1‬ says, Blow the trumpet in Zion; sound the alarm on my holy hill. Let all who live in the land tremble, for the day of the Lord is coming. It is close at hand

Father, thank you for the hours of sleep I managed last night. I’ll take what I can get. Amen. 

October 25 - “Ah … the aftermath”

Ah … the aftermath. Post-back shot. What to expect? When to expect it?

Well, here goes. We went into Texas to get the infamous steroid shot in the back. I had one about three months ago, and it actually helped quite a bit. But … it only lasted about three months. Apparently that’s par for the course. The doc also told us that the next step is to install a battery pack that will live under my skin, attached to some electrodes that are in turn attached to my spinal nerves. The battery fires regular pulses of electricity into the nerves to keep them from getting too aggravated. Oh, and I’d have to switch it off when I drive. Not sure I want to know why. Can’t wait. 

So … how did it go? Well, as I said yesterday, I’ll probably have to wait a week or so before making any final determinations. As far as sleeping goes, the issue was more discomfort rather than out and out pain. And the pain that does show up seems to be intermittent instead of constant, so I guess that’s good. Now? Waiting for the “week or so” to pass … again. 

Meanwhile, I cracked open a new puzzle. It’s yet another one in the National Parks theme that we have going on. I don’t think it will be too difficult. Words and pictures abound.

Joel‬ ‭2‬:‭12‬ says, “Even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.”

Father, please give me a dose of your patience as I wait out this steroid injection to take full effect. Amen. 

October 24 - “The Back Steroid Experience”

Chris got back into her full workout day yesterday. She walked, then did the stairs, and then added some weights. That girl is amazing. I had a phone call to make to the guy who striped the church parking lot this past weekend. I officiated at Joe and Vicki’s wedding years ago, so it’s always a treat to get to chat with them. He directed me to their website so I could leave a review of the great striping job they did. Five stars. Give ‘em a call if you can use their services:  http://www.joelindseyservices.com

My appointment for my big steroid shot in the back was set for around one. Not sure when they anticipated it to actually happen, but that’s when they wanted me to show up. I dug out my awesome black t-shirt that had two skeletons on it. One is handing the other a backbone and is saying, “I’ve got your back.”  It was a big hit with the nurses after my surgery. One of the nurses this time noticed it and chuckled. Hope I helped make her day. 

The doc was pleased with the injection. It didn’t feel the same to me as it did last time, though. This time I could feel it all the way to my tailbone and even partway around the opposite side. Last time I just felt it traveling the exact track of the nerve that was aggravated. He said it was very common for the shots to feel differently from one to the next. I just hope it does the same job it did last time. I should be able to tell in a week or so. In the meantime, I’m in for a couple of days of my back’s creative approaches to pain. 

Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭10‬ says, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

Father, please expedite this whole back steroid experience. Amen. 

October 23 - “Ex-Marine under”

I had the great opportunity to drive into Santa Fe yesterday to pick up Cailyn for church. Always a great day when we can spend time with the oldest granddaughter.

It was a great day of worship. We had the privilege of witnessing the baptism of an ex-Marine. At the beach, of course. We were definitely not worried about him staying under too long. 

We ended up coming home with an extra kid. Noa snuck her way into the back seat so she could hang out for a while with Cailyn before we took them both home. 

But first we made a stop at Pit Stop Barbecue for some lunch. We did take-out so Sam wouldn’t have to get out of the car. That some good stuff. 

About three we headed back into Texas to return the two young ladies to their respective abodes. We chatted some with the parents, then headed home to watch the Astros. 

Things didn’t bode well for the good guys, since we were playing at home. They just don’t play well at home. Sure enough. 9-2. Final game tonight. Winner take all. Home game. Uh oh. But still … GO ASTROS!

Psalms‬ ‭39‬:‭7‬ says, But now, Lord, what do I look for? My hope is in you.

Father, be with the guy who was baptized yesterday. Help him in his walk with you. Amen. 

October 22 - “We’ll miss you, Dale”

We heard some tough news this weekend. A member of the Seaside praise team and a friend, Dale ..  well, here’s the wording of the text I received from his family: “At approximately 3:00 pm, yesterday, Dale leaped into the arms of Jesus.”  I like that. A lot. That’s what I want to do. Leap into the arms of Jesus. Dale was the guy who could play any musical instrument he picked up, and play it like he’d been doing it his whole life. I’m sure in heaven he’ll get a chance to be more musical than even he ever dreamed. The last words he spoke to me when I saw him in the hospital were, “I love you, my brother, and I love my church.” We’ll miss you, Dale. 

Luke’s basketball game was the center of attention yesterday morning. He’s in a league with other third and fourth graders. And he’s way better than all of them. Nope. Not just grandpa talking here. The final score was 22-18. Luke scored 20. The other two were scored because Luke’s ball-handling skills caused the kid to be wide open. He made numerous passes throughout the game as well, but the other kiddos just couldn’t reach the basket with their shots. On defense I lost count of the number of blocked shots and rebounds he had. Stats speak for themselves. Proud of you, Luke. 

After the game we met up with Christi and AnnaGrace (they had been at a birthday party).  We all went to AnnaGrace’s favorite fast food place, Freddy’s. And while there we presented Luke with his birthday present from us. Chris made him a pillow from one of his favorite but outgrown t-shirts. We also found a book in our trip on how to make primitive weapons. That has become a favorite pastime of his, using bamboo from the outrageous crop behind their house. I think he liked it OK. 

We got on the road a little before two. Of course we had to stop for gas. Can’t let it get too far below half a tank or I start hearing my dad’s voice in my head. Glad we did. Took us forever to get through downtown Houston. One of the main exit ramps was blocked off by Houston Police. No idea what was happening, but it sure affected traffic. We made it safely, though. Around 7-ish. 

Proverbs‬ ‭17‬:‭17‬ says, A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.

Father, welcome Dale into your presence with open arms. They guy really does love you. Amen. 

October 21 - “Of course”

We got all packed up for a quick overnighter to Waco. Caleb was in desperate need of some Astros gear to represent a really good team in front of his Rangers-fan friends. I took him a jersey and a cap. He should be all set for Halloween. Or maybe for church. He does sing in the choir. I can just see that orange shirt gleaming from behind Josh as he preaches. Sigh. Maybe while we’re here I should get a Rangers jersey to wear for Halloween. Of course!  That would surely scare some folks down in Astros Country. 

On the way to Waco we stopped in LaMarque. Jachin was home for the weekend so we joined them for an early lunch. Bowl of chili was good. Seeing Jachin was even better, of course. Good stop. 

We finally got on the road close to 12:30. We hit some stop and go traffic in downtown Houston, of course. Imagine that. Other than that it was pretty smooth sailing. We arrived in Waco (after our obligatory stop at Buc-ees, of course) around 4:30. That gave us a chance to chat with the family (and follow the Astros game, of course).  

Last night we went to watch Caleb’ football game. Friday Night Lights in Texas. The good guys lost, but it was a lot of fun watching them play. 

And speaking of the good guys, right before the game began the announcer announced a score:  Houston Astros - 5 and “YOUR” Texas Rangers - 4. Of course. I may or may not have cheered loudly and mightily, of course. I also may or may not have stood and raised my fists in the air. Of course. The announcer then responded “For any Astros fans who may be out there, the gate swings both ways.” Ouch. And … of course. 

Matthew‬ ‭7‬:‭7 says, Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.

‭‭

Father, thank you for riding with us on the quick trip. Please join us going home this evening as well. Amen. 

October 20 - “The Sinister Installation”

They came into our neighborhood yesterday. No announcement. No flyer on the door saying they were coming. No warning of any kind. One moment we had water. They next it was just gone. What was happening? Was the drought worse than we expected? Did our new water line in the street somehow collapse? Or was it something more … sinister?

I cautiously opened the front door and glacéd around. Two vehicles were parked there that were not there earlier in the morning. Each had one of those magnetic signs on its side with large letters and no easily decipherable explanation. Several men were present, each wearing one of those highway warning vests. I asked one, “Did you shut off the water?”  And the answer came, not from that man, but from somewhere behind me. “Yes, we did.”  

Frantically, I whipped around. Well, as “whipped” as I could accomplish with a sore back. It took me a moment or two to achieve focus, but there he was, hidden amidst the branches of the oleander bush, sitting on the ground, wrench in hand, looming over the opening in the ground that was our water meter site. What could he be up to? And why the secrecy?

I turned and directed my complete attention in his direction. Pleasantly enough, he explained that they were replacing the meter and the water would be off for about five minutes. Hmm … new meter, huh? Sounded reasonable enough, though, so we started on our walk. Before we could get even around the corner, though, an alert sounded on my phone. That certainly caught our attention. Who - or what - could that be?  

I hurriedly pulled out my phone, then slowly flipped it over. Someone was ringing our doorbell. A test, perhaps? I was suspicious, especially since there was no video evidence that anyone was there. Immediately, we turned back to investigate this new phenomenon.  

All was seemingly as we had left it. The one fellow who had talked to me earlier began his walk past us. I stopped him and asked if he had been the one to ring our doorbell. At first he simply stared in our direction. Finally, as if a light bulb had been turned on, he nodded vigorously to indicate that it had indeed been his guilty finger attempting communication. “All was well,” he assured us. The new meter was installed, and water was back on. 

So now we wait … and watch. What behind-the-scenes purpose could have been involved here? 

What is down in that hole, anyway?  I mean way down there.  Or would we never find out?

And what sinister use could be made of the now-easily accessible water usage information?

Were we being tracked by … I shudder to think. 

Isaiah‬ ‭54‬:‭10 says, “Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed, “says the Lord, who has compassion on you.

‭‭

Father, thanks for the great attitude of the installers we met. Keep them safe in their ventures. Amen. 

October 19 - “Ears and trucks and ER stuff”

Our day started out relatively calm. I had an appointment with the audiologist. Well, it was not for me, exactly. It was for my hearing aids. The resident gave them a good cleaning and made sure the adjustments were all correct. Then she took my right one and will send it off to the manufacturer. She expects that they will just send back a brand new one. Then we’ll repeat the process with the left one before the warranty expires in April. In the meantime time, speak to my left ear. 

Our plan for the afternoon was for me to visit Dale and then some fire stations. Chris was taking Sam to the emergency room in Clear Lake to have them check out her ankle. Didn’t work out that way … exactly. 

For my part … the truck wouldn’t start … again. Dead as a doornail … again. I’m pretty sure it’s about time to let the old girl go. Anyone know if a trustworthy truck for a second vehicle … cheap? 

Chris’ plans did come to fruition. Well, except for the unexpected “extras.”  Looks like Sam is finally ready to move in with us. They loaded lots of extra clothes into the car to bring them over. Then they went on to the ER. 

The ER visit turned into an all-day affair. No ankle break showed up on the x-rays, though. They wanted to admit her to help get the pain under control, but she wanted to talk to her regular doctor first. She has an appointment with him today that Chris is going to with her. We’ll see what he says. 

They stopped at Olive Garden on their way home. That was a good move for me for sure. I really like their lasagna. Manicotti, too, but they didn’t have that one. It was good. 

‭‭1 Chronicles‬ ‭16‬:‭11‬ ‭says, Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always.

Father, please be with Sam as she figures out the craziness that is involved in living at our house. Amen.