July 29 - Day 45

Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness. -Psalm 29:2

Dean had a restful day and medically he is the same as yesterday. We thank the Lord that Dean has been off the ventilator for 12 continuous days despite his setback of pneumonia. He seems to be more aware of his surroundings even as we wait for more responses from him. We are looking forwards to our journey tomorrow morning! Pray for safety, strength and good health for this next season. As long as he doesn't have a fever in the morning, the doctors will discharge him from York hospital. The ambulance should arrive around 9:30 in the morning for our 3 hour ride to Chester, NJ. There will be a team of doctors, therapists, nurses and staff ready to meet us upon our arrival. They have a double room with two beds where we will be staying for the next 8 weeks. I am extremely grateful that I can be by Dean's side and be a part of every step he takes! We are also thankful for all our family and friends for their continued support and generosity.

On April 18th, 2011 Dean invited me to the print shop where he taught me the techniques of lightpainting and this is how our friendship began. That night I saw his determination and willingness to teach me all he knew and his patience for me to learn. He let my dreams come true in so many ways and always believed I was a natural. I have countless memories of Dean giving me the opportunity to learn and live life to the fullest! One evening on our honeymoon, Dean and I walked along the shores of Alaska as we watched the fisherman and boats go by and dreamed of one day sailing together. We searched for rocks that had been washed into the shape of hearts and found two. The shore was covered with pebbles so Dean picked up a select few and skipped them across the waters. He made it look so easy and stirred the desire in me to try. I've never had success at skipping rocks before but he believed I could learn. He showed me the proper technique and with his encouragement and guiding hand showed me how. He even selected the rocks for me and did all he could to help me succeed. Soon it was time for us to go inside for dinner and although I needed more practice I knew with his love that one day I could master the art of skipping rocks across the waters. Dean has so many wonderful qualities; God has given him great determination and patience which gives me more hope as we face the days ahead. Even though Dean has had a traumatic brain injury, I will always remember the God we serve, love, and adore as the one who created Dean to be the wonderful man of excellence, courage, and passion I know him to be.

I want to clarify my statement on Saturday's blog and I didn't mean to mislead anyone about the seriousness of Dean's condition: "I shared with Dean our two options for this Monday: Kessler in Chester, NJ or Home in Mercersburg, PA. I desire to go home with him at the beginning of each new day but I know God has brought us closer to Him by the end of each long day." Dean's current condition requires acute rehab which may take months to a year and as a family we have chosen Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation because he will receive highly specialized care, advanced treatment and leading-edge technologies that will provide him with the opportunity for optimal recovery.  Nonetheless, I always ask the Lord for Dean to be miraculously healed so we can return home to Mercersburg. I know ALL things are possible with God! All we can do is keep on asking, believing, trusting and standing on all God's promises! We thank the Lord for all He has done, is doing, and will continue to do in Dean's life. It is important to fill our hearts with the hope of Christ and the truth of God's Word!  If this is the journey Dean and I must take, our desire is to honor the Lord in our marriage and be a blessing to all the people we meet along the way. I keep meditating on Proverbs 3:5-6, Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy path. God is my source of strength and very present help in this difficult season. His Word provides more nourishment to my soul than any piece of bread on earth. I know spring will come and one day Dean and I will be able to hear the birds sing and smell the fragrance of every flower!

A poem from Streams in the Desert by L.B. Cowman

If we could see beyond today
As God can see;
If all the clouds should roll away,
The shadows flee;
O'er present griefs we would not fret.
Each sorrow we would soon forget,
For many joys are waiting yet
For you and me.

If we could know beyond today
As God  does know,
Why dearest treasure pass away
And tears must flow;
And why the darkness leads to light,
Why dreary paths will soon grow bright;
Some day life's wrongs will be made right,
Faith tells us so.

"If we could see, if we could know,"
We often say,
But God in love a veil does throw
Across our way;
We cannot see what lies before,
And so we cling to Him the more,
He leads us till this life is o'er;
Trust and obey.

 

 
 
 



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