Memorial Day...Memories...Mercy

Let me begin with a huge "THANK YOU" for all who have served or are currently serving our country.  I especially lift up those who have given the ultimate sacrifice...their life.  I pray for the families who mourn the loss of a loved one, while the rest of the world carries on with parades, picnics and family gatherings.  I too can relate to the void of missing a loved one...not one who fought for our country in the military, but one who fought for freedom by teaching, loving and modeling a life of freedom in Jesus Christ.  He did battle...19 months, before God chose to call Tom to his eternal home of real FREEDOM.  I miss him more with each day that passes.

Mrs. Goodman's Cupcakes

Last week I received these yummy cupcakes along with a special invitation to the Worthington Christian High School Spring Choir Concert honoring Tom!  What a special and emotional night Tuesday was!  Karen Rugg-Klapheke does an amazing job directing the choir and bringing out the best in each student.  It was her idea and I'm ever grateful for her honoring our family in such a special way.  During the concert I was presented a beautiful bouquet of tulips and a picture slide show, put together by Colleen Homoelle, was shown during "Upon Your Heart" the song the choir sang at Tom's 'celebration of life' service.

The Program & Tulips

Zac, Sarah, Me & Matt

Ginny, Terri, Me, Carylee, Kelly & Beth

 

I forgot in the last post to tell you that a dear friend, Beth Duewel, came from Ashland, Ohio to plant all my planters with flowers!  I can't tell you what a blessing this was for me and will continue to bring me joy through the summer as the flowers bloom and mature.

This is just a sampling of her amazing "green thumb"...

I believe she planted over 12 planters/pots!!

Thank You, Beth!

 

Joyce, Leah & Terry

Congratulations to niece, Leah, on her graduation from Providence Bible College!

 

Scrapbook presented to me from Mr. Stoll, Media Director at WCHS

This scrapbook was compiled by the journalism students.

A record of statements from the chapel following Tom's "graduation".

Thank you ALL for such a special treasure and reminder of why we all loved Mr. Anglea!

 

Thank You Stoll Family!

 

Beautiful flowers from

Jun, Tong & Austin

What a special treat to receive an e-mail from our Chinese friends who were going to be in Columbus for Memorial Day weekend.  We met Jun & Tong when Jun was a graduate student at The Ohio State University in 1997.  We invited them for a traditional American Thanksgiving in our home.  When Jun finished his graduate work he and Tong moved to Michigan.  We had never met their son, Austin who is in 7th grade.  We were excited to get an e-mail saying they would be in Columbus for Memorial Day weekend and could we go to dinner!!

Matt, Lisa, Tong, Austin & Jun

Max & Erma's

What an enjoyable evening we had!

 

Another Anonymous Blessing

Thank You!!

 

Matt & his large mouth bass from the Englehart's pond!

What a blessing to enjoy our Memorial Day with dear friends, the Englehart's!  They know what it means to sacrifice as a military family.  Thank you Tom for your service for our country!  I am so sad I didn't get a group picture.

 

As far as my health is concerned...I had my right lung "tapped" (drained) on Friday.  There is good news and bad news.  Good news is that there was less fluid than when the CT scan was last taken.  Bad news is there was fluid on my right lung and there is fluid on my left lung that will need tapped this week sometime.  I'm very discouraged that the fluid remains/continues, but I'm confident that the Lord knows the details of my lungs and will bring this to an end...hopefully SOON!  Thank you for your continued prayers.  I'm not feeling as good as I would like, but with each day God gives me the strength I need.

 

Prayer requests:  My parents are en route from Hawaii to Florida and then will drive to Ohio for my nieces wedding on Saturday!  Please pray for their safety, strength and stamina after a long trip.

Please pray for Matt (& me) as he is leaving tomorrow (5/28) for his summer camp job at Beulah Beach (Vermilion, Ohio) on Lake Erie.  I am so excited to see how the Lord will work through him and in the lives of the young people God places in his care.  Please pray for me as I have quickly adjusted to his time with me these past couple of weeks.  It will be another piece of my heart torn as he leaves tomorrow.

Anointing

I want to try and make this post quick!  I've stayed out of the hospital for two weeks!  This is a huge praise...May is a new month, new health and new energy!  I have felt the best I've felt in 7 months and I'm so thankful.

Last night several elders and pastors gathered here in our home to anoint me with oil.  I had been approached several times about being anointed and really struggled with it.  Not because I don't agree with it, I've been anointed before, but because I wasn't sure I wanted my earthly life prolonged!  Honestly I had been feeling so bad that I was just ready to meet Jesus and be among the "land of the living" (& Tom!).  After praying, searching and hearing God clearly say "now is the time", we had it scheduled and what a sweet time it was.  Thank you to my church, pastors, elders, family and friends who were here...either in spirit of prayer or physically.
Kelly went with me today to another doctor appointment that I was really dreading.  We met with a thoracic oncology surgeon.  He actually told me he had me on his surgery schedule for tomorrow!  I am thankful to say that the prayers of many have kept the fluid from returning and because of my health progress he didn't feel surgery was necessary at this time.  He ordered another chest CT scan and will evaluate it next to the last one to see where the fluid is at and we'll go from there.  I can say my heart is relieved, my spirit rejoices and I'm just so thankful that the Lord has allowed me to continue to feel better!  I have no more appointments until next Wednesday (5/22) and I feel so free!

Me, Sarah, Zac & Matt

The other highlights of this past week is God allowed me to feel well enough to travel to Indiana to see Zac graduate from Grace Theological Seminary!  What a special accomplishment and I'm so proud of him and thankful I could be there to share in this momentous occasion.  Matt was my superhero companion and treated me like royalty!

Zac's parents: Rich & Elaine

Zac's brother, Matt, Amanda, Addison, Aubree & baby boy due soon!

 

Congratulations to my niece, Cassidy Joy Herbst on her college graduation from The Ohio State University with a degree in dietetics!



Cassidy & Brady

So thankful I could be at her celebration!

 

Congratulations to my other niece, Erin Elise Kline on her graduation from Kent State University with a degree in nursing! (Like mother, like daughter!)

Cheryl, Erin & Mike

 

Thank You...Ashley Severence, Mary Peterman & Susan Knapper!

Thank You...Marti Grant!

 

Continued THANKS to all who continue to bless us with meals:

Nancy Green

Ginny Englehart

Jill Coon

Jeannette Sweatnam

Janice Whitmire

Stephanie LaMonte

 

We are blessed!

 

"God has ascended with a shout,
The Lord, with the sound of a trumpet.
Sing praises to God, sing praises;
Sing praises to our King, sing praises.
For God is the King of all the earth;
Sing praises with a skillful psalm.
God reigns over the nations,
God sits on His holy throne."

Psalms 47:5-8

Life is a Gift

If you don’t take it all as gift, you end up taking it all for granted —

which amounts to not taking anything good from life at all.

A head can think otherwise but somehow a heart can feel wiser.

You can cut umbilical cords but you can’t cut heart strings.

The best way to prepare for what’s ahead is to be present to what is now.

Be present to the gift of now.

-Ann Voskamp, A Holy Experience

I'm not sure where to begin...I spent 22 out of 30 days of April in the hospital!  I'm still in shock at what all has happened and my mind spins at the thought of it all.  Believe me when I say I've had my share of "wrestling matches" with God.  I've gone from, "Lord, take me now" to "Lord, Your will be done" to "Lord, why me?" to "Lord, what have I to learn yet?".  I've come to the point where I'm flat on my back (hands tied behind my back!) and completely helpless.  I've come to realize in all I've been through I still have so much to be thankful for:  eyes that see, wobbly legs still get me where I need (sometimes not fast enough), hands to praise and use, ears to hear His still small voice and the wise counsel of others.  Not one night did I have to spend alone, between Cheryl, Kelly, Sarah, Carylee & Ginny they kept the couch warm and my heart at ease knowing they were there...I am blessed. 

Someone once defined worry as:

"a small trickle of fear that meanders through the mind, cutting a channel into which all other thoughts flow."

Knowing these women were a whisper away at night helped me keep that "cutting" to a minimum.

Not only did I have family and friends to push me through the difficult days but also my "J-team" who all three sister's-in-the-Lord, work at OSU Medical Center, continually brought encouragement and straight talk when I needed it most:  Janice Akers, Janice Whitmire & Julie Mitchell.

Janice A. makes things happen, batting for me at every turn and then encouraging me with:

 

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you.”— Isaiah 41:10

Whenever I think of God’s faithfulness in the midst of suffering, I am reminded of my dear late friend Corrie ten Boom, the remarkable Dutch woman who, with her family, hid Jews from the Nazis. After being imprisoned in the infamous concentration camp Ravensbruk, Corrie traveled the world telling her story of suffering, forgiveness, and joy.

For thirty-five years she never had a permanent home, but when she was eighty-five and in declining health, some friends provided her with a lovely house in California. It was a luxury she never dreamed she would have (and one she never would have pursued on her own).

One day her friend, the late movie director James Collier, was visiting. He said, “Corrie, hasn’t God been good to give you this beautiful house?”

She replied firmly, “Jimmy, God was good when I was in Ravensbruk too!”

Most of us will never experience the horrors Corrie knew. But no matter what we face, we can depend on God’s promise: “Fear not, for I am with you.”

Janice W. made it clear to me that "the wheel" I'm on consists of 5 spokes: Tom, Lisa, Matt, Sarah & Zac.  We roll smoothly because Jesus is the Center of our wheel.  I understood that while Tom was sick he deserved the kindnesses of others because his life was such a reflection of Christ...me, not so much (very poor self-esteem at this point in my hospital stay).  Only as sweet as Janice can say:  Lisa, it's not about YOU!  My lack of health had brought me to a focus all on me.
From "The Red Sea Rules" by Robert J. Morgan:

First, He brought me here , by His will that I am in this strait place: in that fact I will rest.

Next, He will keep me here in His love, and give me grace to behave as a child.

Then, He will make the trial a blessing, teaching me the lessons He intends me to learn, and working in me the grace He means to bestow.

Last, in His good time He can bring me out again - how and when He knows.

Julie (my therapist!) made it so simple for me, from one line in a Christmas Carol, "O Holy Night":

"Long lay the world in sin and error pining.
Till He appeared and the Spirit felt its worth."

Julie shot straight with me that this world in sin and error doesn't feel Christ's worth in their lives.  That was me.  I know who I am in Christ...I just needed that nudging reminder of allowing God's Spirit to infuse me with HIS worth!  This is all so much easier on the side of feeling better and being at home!  Without these precious women in my life I'm sure I'd still be wallowing in the stench of myself.

All the events of April are blurry to me...from complete heart block, a pacemaker, a lead revision, a cardio version, port removal and fluid on my lungs is quite a bit to go through for God to get my attention!  I'm praying that the fluid that remains with eventually reabsorb into my body, no more fluid will reappear and that through this busy month of May I will be able to share God's grace in all my doctor appointments and make the important events on my calendar a reality.

Thank you for your continued prayers on my behalf.  The doctors tell me that time and rest are my best friends.

Thank You Kent & Sally Johnson!

Thank You Di Coughlin!

Fresh Cut Spring Flowers from Julie Mitchell's backyard...Thank you, Julie!

Beachy, Peachy Roses...Thank You, Rick & Tammy Nuzum!

Thank You Sweet Friends!

So thankful for nice weather to get outside with Matt & Sarah...

tears came when they rolled me back in!

Cheryl & Lauren took me out on another beautiful day...

Congratulations to Tim & Lauren on their announcement

of their first child due around Tom's birthday!

I cried this day too as they wheeled me back to my "cell"!

Thank You Cindy Dunn for my special birdie!

Thank You Anonymous Friend!

Thank You Chris Grant for the seeds for my garden!

Thank You Linda Heimann!

 

My Goal:

Being more concerned for God's glory than my relief!

 

Last night I had the awesome privilege to go to my nephew, Zac's, tennis match.  What a gorgeous day for tennis.  As I sat there I thought...so this is what a normal life is like!

Aunt Lisa & Zac

After the match, Terry, Kelly, Zac & I enjoyed a wonderful meal together at Ruby Tuesdays!