March 7 – “well, my boss …”

Yesterday was another ministry day for Seasiders.  We were asked once again to provide food for the community craft fair held in the park.  As is our custom, all the food we served was provided for a donation of the eater’s choosing.  Proceeds for this one went primarily to disaster relief (for the recent freeze debacle we lived through).  Some will also go to support missions.  For this fair we have become famous for our luxurious bacon cheeseburgers and hot dogs.  For our own craft fair in December, we are famous for our variety of incredible tasting soups.  Occasionally we get a bit of a crossover with people asking for one at the other.  But this was truly burger/dog day.

 

Lauren, of course, gets top billing as she pulled the event together.  Numerous folks brought or sent baked goods.  Darrell and Ray held down the fort at the grill, cranking out the hot ones as needed.  Bob was there to help set up and take down, certainly one of the hardest jobs, and I saw him praying with folks he had helped.  That’s Bob.  But the stars of the show, as usual, were our team of ladies who faithfully manned the kitchen and served the goods as folks arrived.  Cathy, Sam, Jean, Patti, Dianne, Chris, and Lauren stuck it out with smiles on their faces.  You’ll have to trust me on that … some of them were wearing masks.  Nice job to all you Seasiders who were involved.  I’m proud of you.

 

Now, I had a chance to say something yesterday that I have always wanted to say in the appropriate context.  I was helping to nail up a sign.  Hammer in hand I was actually successful in getting the four nails in place so that the banner held.  As I was finishing up the third nail, I heard a voice behind me chuckle and say, “Well, well, well.  Would you look at that.  He’s not just a pastor; he’s a carpenter as well.”  There it was.  The perfect opportunity.  I turned to face the voice and hastily replied, “Well, my boss is a carpenter.”  Yep.  That’s all.  I have just always wanted to say that.  Kind of taken aback at first, he finally retorted, “Well, I guess the man upstairs wears a lot of hats.”  Yes, he does. 

 

1 Peter 4:8 says, “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.”

 

Father, thank you for the really good response we had from the community yesterday.  And thanks for the amazing weather you blessed us with for the event.  Amen.

March 6 – “What? No power? Again?”

Chris felt up to keeping her cardiac rehab appointment, so I decided to stretch my walk a little bit.  How about a three mile attempt?  That in itself was not much of a problem, but I did get a little distracted right at the beginning of the first mile.  My phone went off in a text.  Now I naturally assumed it was Chris telling me that she had made it to rehab, and that text did come.  But this was not it. 

 

Instead this one was from Janell across the street.  She wanted to know if our power had just gone out.  I let her know that I would check when I got home.  She told me some of the other neighbors were already posting about it.  About that time I rounded a corner and saw one of the nice old guys who lives near us.  He was walking back to his house from his neighbor’s.  I asked if he had power, and he excitedly exclaimed that he did not.  He was just checking with his neighbor to see what to do.  I think he was in a bit of a panic that we would be without for days again.  I later found out that all the traffic lights were out for a time on Broadway, the main Thorofare through town.  I imagine that wasn’t fun for the folks coming into town for work. 

 

I continued my walk, and before I finished I began to see porch lights on again.  Janell let me know that the power was indeed back on.  The city later posted that a blown transformer was the culprit this time.  All good.  I guess I missed all the action.  Well, except for having to reset all the electronic clocks in the house.  Oh, and the cable connection.  Fun. 

 

2 Corinthians 7:10 says, “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.”

 

Father, thank you that your power never has blown transformers or rolling blackouts.  Amen.

March 5 – “Long day. Really long day”

Well, Chris has had every sort of test known to man over the last 48 hours.  And for those who have been asking, no, she’s not pregnant.  Yes, I really did get a message asking about that particular test.  I’m sure they must have done one.  They included everything else.  But let me start from the beginning.  Or the middle, I guess, since this episode actually started yesterday.

 

I was up and at ‘em at my usual time yesterday.  Pretty funny, actually.  I woke up at 6 a.m. exactly.  Freddy strolled into the bedroom at 6:01 … exactly.  She didn’t seem to want anything.  Just checking to see if I was getting up, I guess.  I didn’t close the door to the room she generally sleeps in the night before.  Just trying an experiment.  Chris told me I should let her sleep with me so neither of us would be alone.  Thoughtful lad, that Chris, isn’t she?  Freddy did just fine.  I didn’t sleep so well, though.  Visions of nurses and surgeons and needles and incessant beeping machines danced in my head.  I did finally manage to crash sometime after eleven, I think. 

 

After a quick breakfast of fruit and a leftover biscuit, I dove into the computer work I still had to do.  I have also been working to organize our income tax stuff, but that is a story for another day.  Let’s get back to the hospital.  We texted a time or two before-hand, but I finally headed up to the hospital a little before their magic witching hour of 10 a.m.  No visitors before that time, you know.  Otherwise people will discover all the deep, dark, magical secrets that unfold after dark.  Or maybe it’s the other way around.  They place a protective spell over the whole joint at 8 p.m. and remove it at 10 a.m.  I know.  I know.  Too much Harry Potter. 

 

So back to the array of tests that were ordered.  Along with all the heart stuff (including the threat of one test where she would have to swallow a camera attached to a long cord, let it take some glamour shots of her heart, then they would rip it back out of her throat.  Fortunately that one never materialized), they were also concerned with her liver (a lot.  They asked about four times if she drank alcohol.  Not sure they believed that she never has), gall bladder (They discovered she had some gall stones.  They weren’t blocking anything, though, so not a problem … yet), and every other internal organ they could find in there.  I listened through the door when the docs made their rounds.  I heard them talking about LDM’s and NOP’s and QRSTUV.  I don’t know.  A lot of meaningless (to me) letters.  I’m pretty sure they also said something about her having TransAm-it is.  Not sure what that is, but at least she went right to the top.  No Chevy Nova for my bride. 

 

Finally, the faculty cardiologist made his final pronouncement … she can go home.  If chest pains persist, it is OK to take the Nitro pills, even though she is already on the extended release version.  They adjusted her meds as well.  The thinking is that the meds were causing her liver functions to get all out of whack.  Now she has to take a shot in the stomach every two weeks.  It is not supposed to affect the liver at all.  Problem is, it is a highly specialized medication only available at highly specialized pharmacies.  Fortunately, he was pretty sure Randall’s is one of those specialty pharmacies.  Supposedly the cost is something like $16,000 a year.  He assured us it would be covered by Medicare, though.  Better be.  She has to follow up with her PCP and Cardiologist withing a week or so to get them on the same page.  He also said she was good to go on back to cardiac rehab if she felt up to it.  In fact he was kind of surprised she was still in it.  Seems “most people” just go for a session or three, then quit.  She assured him that she was in it for the long haul. 

 

We got back home and crashed out on the couch to watch the Baylor basketball game.  The Texas vs. Oklahoma game followed, but Chris gave up around nine and said she was done.  Couldn’t keep her eyes open.  Something about a liver ultrasound at 2 a.m. that kept her from sleeping the night before?  I have to admit, I didn’t make it through the whole game either.  I was asleep by ten.  Long day.  Really long day.

 

John 5:24 says, “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.”

 

Father, thank you for the good report on Chris’ heart.  Now would you please start work on the rest of that body?  Amen.

 

March 4 – “Saga of the Heart III: I’m Baaack”

Yes … sadly.  The title means exactly what it says.  Once again Chris was back in the Emergency Room yesterday.  She was experiencing the exact same symptoms she was having before the heart attack back in November.  Shortness of breath, hot flashes, light-headedness, nausea, and the tell-tale stabbing pain in the middle of her back.  Only this time she was having lunch with Lauren from Church at Pit Stop Barbecue (No, she didn’t order a rack of ribs.  She had a chicken salad).  And this time the nausea won the day.  She threw up.  Last straw for Lauren.  She got Chris to the car and drove her home.  That effectively put the ball in my court.

 

Once I heard what was going on, my decision was already made.  See, I made it after the last spell like that she had.  I vowed to her that next time would be a trip to the ER, no if’s, and’s, or but’s.  She still wasn’t completely convinced, though, so I didn’t hesitate to call in the big guns.  I asked Nathan to come over and help me negotiate.  He said he would be right over.  Actually, he said “we” would be right over.  There it was.  He went right past the big guns and into the weapons of mass destruction category.  He was bringing April. 

 

Sure enough, it didn’t take long before Chris agreed to be taken to the ER.  April even came along to serve as interpreter, guide through her own personal stomping grounds (She is an ER nurse), and all-around familiar face.  Greatly appreciated.  They raced us through the check-in procedure and had us in a room in mere minutes after we arrived.  Monitors were all hooked up in a jiffy, with all the beeps and whistles we could hope for.  Blood drawn, urine sample taken.  The ER doc was amazing.  He ordered tests for everything he could think of, from head to toe.  Yep.  They even did a CT scan of her head to see if there was anything there.  That was an exciting moment.  No, I don’t mean the discovery of actual brain matter, although that was exhilarating.  After the head scan, they rolled her quickly into the hall to make way for some trauma case that had just come in.  About an hour later, they remembered she was still out there and finished her scans.  I was glad for me that April was around to talk to.  Chris had a coveted front row seat to all the action.  Not sure she wanted it, though. 

 

They ruled out things like gall bladder and stomach issues.  The head action was I think because of her Dad’s stroke issues.  I have no idea what all they did, but April was on top of everything.  The Cardiology Team finally descended as well, and they elected to officially admit her, watch her blood work through the night, and decide this morning whether to do an echocardiogram, an ultrasound, or skip straight to another heart cath.  Then it was time … to wait … of course.  April left to get some schoolwork done at home.  Chris and I chatted and watched what little action we could see between the curtains.  I even opened the door so we could be a little more engaged.  Also so they wouldn’t forget we were there.

 

We finally got word that she had been assigned a room, with the ever-present caveat, “But it is dirty right now.”  It wasn’t until around 9 or so that a lady with a wheelchair rolled up to take her to a regular room.  I gathered up our “waiting around things” and moved to follow them.  But no.  “You can’t come upstairs with us.  Visiting hours are over.”  Booted to the curb.  But at least she got into a room.  I made my way home and hit the sack.  Early start today.  Gotta cancel home group for tonight and see what work I can get done between now and the all-powerful visiting hour at ten.

 

Hebrews 12:14 says, “Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.”

 

Father, would you please once again watch over Chris during her stay at the lovely five-star hospital-hotel?  Amen.

March 3 – “… full of Peter Pans”

Well, it looks like the Texas governor has rescinded all of his executive orders related to the Covid as of next Wednesday.  No more mask requirement.  Restaurants can serve at 100% capacity.  All businesses can reopen.  Of course, there is always the caveat that individual businesses can still require all those things.  He’s just taking off the pressure from the top.  The point is for individuals to take responsibility instead of having the government force them into behavior.  Wow.  Guess Texans are officially pushed out of the nest and forced to pull up our big boy britches and grow up.  Pretty tall order for a state historically full of Peter Pans …

 

We watched some baseball on TV yesterday.  I know it’s Spring Training and all, but this was not the Astros.  Not yet.  This time it was a live stream of Jachin’s game.  We could have gone, but last time we went I nearly froze to death, so we opted out of in person viewing this time.  Sadly, the technical aspects of the feed were, well, terrible.  The focus was way off, so we watched the entire game as if we were wearing glasses with the wrong prescription.  I had to text Kel to see what color we were wearing, since blue and red were just about the only distinctions we could make.  Jachin did well.  He pitched one full inning, and was in line to be the winning pitcher.  But the other pitchers couldn’t hold the lead.  He did do a remarkable job in the outfield, however.  One inning the opponents had runners on base.  A fly ball to Jachin was caught for the first out.  Then, with a runner on third and one out, a sinking line drive made its way to his position.  He had a running catch, and had the wherewithal to gather himself and fire a perfect strike to the catcher.  Nailed the runner who was trying to tag up and score by a good four steps.  That’s my grandson …

 

Luke 6:38 says, “Give, and it will be given to you.  A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap.  For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

 

Father, please be with Texas as we all try to get back to some semblance of whatever normal will look like now.  Amen.

March 2 – “my MUCH younger years”

Chris had a passenger with for her trip to cardiac rehab yesterday. Janell’s Mom, Janet, had a physical therapy appointment at the same time in the same place.  Pretty convenient.  She fell at work a while back and messed up her shoulder.  Her healing process has finally advanced enough to put her into PT.  I guess the two of them had veritable party time.  I’m pretty sure they put their work in, though …

 

Meanwhile, back at the ranch … I added an extra loop to my walk around the neighborhood.  That puts me up to around two and a half miles now.  Still working on speed, though.  That took me about 45 minutes.  Sigh.  I can remember back in my younger years … my MUCH younger years … when I could run three miles in around 30 minutes. 

 

We started a new jigsaw puzzle.  Finished up the 500 piece one that was kind of our quick-break relaxation event.  Next up is one that takes advantage of the Christmas-esque weather we have been having lately.  It is a creche – a manger scene.  It is oriented in a circle, so the edge pieces had somewhat of a slight curve to them.  The other pieces are the weird and crazy shapes that we enjoy so much.  This one should be interesting. 

 

Speaking of Christmas-esque weather … this morning it is 52 degrees with a wind chill of 45.  Lots of wind.  Lots of cold.  Please … turn it off.  We want our Tropical Island Paradise back, and that includes the hot weather.  I even heard someone say they would put up with mosquitoes in exchange for getting rid of the cold.  Hmm … If that really was an option … hard choice.  But we ARE used to mosquitoes.  And they do make mosquito spray.  In the meantime … pass me that long-sleeved shirt.   And that sweatshirt.  Oh, and how about my heavy jacket … again. 

 

Philippians 1:9-10 says, “And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ.”

 

Father, please be with Chris and Janet as they plod through their therapy sessions.  Give them energy and stamina to get through the exercises there and at home.  Amen.

March 1 – “An amazing conjunction”

Well, would you look at that.  We made it into March.  That’s cause for celebration in this crazy, wacky, Covid-infested world.  So … woohoo!  Praying anew, however, for a childhood friend of Chris’ who was just admitted to the hospital with it.  She has a great attitude, though.  And she knows Jesus.  Definitely a plus.

 

We had a great service at church yesterday.  Good crowd that interacted well with the teaching.  And some new faces as well.  And once again we had an amazing conjunction (way better than and, but, or or) of the songs that Jim picked out and the text of the sermon.  We never cease to be amazed when we recognize how the Holy Spirit works in that. 

 

Then after church a group of us ended up at Salsa’s for some Mexican food.  Even ran into two other couples who were already there.  It was a nice down time.  Good food.  Great company.  Good to see restaurants opening back up. 

 

Just a “Way to go, God” day all the way around.

 

Colossians 3:1 says, “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.”

 

Father, thank you for joining us yesterday, both at church and at Salsa’s.  And thanks to the Holy Spirit for connecting the dots between Jim and me … once again.  Amen.