PAIN MANAGEMENT

Hi there.
We met with Dr. Arata yesterday and we are moving forward with the management of Gary's nerve pain. Friday Gary will get several shots in his spine so that Dr. Arata can begin to locate which nerves are causing Gary so much pain. Once we figure this out we can manage his pain more permanently. I hope and pray that this will radically change Gary's life!

Yesterday Steph and I took the kids to the beach and we all went body boarding together. We had so much fun! Zach has stepped on 2 sting rays over the past few weeks so yesterday I really messed with him. We were in the water standing up with our boards and I jumped and freaked out and screamed. You should have seen the look on poor Zach's face. I have never seen someone jump on their board so fast! Like a rocket! His face had a look of horror on it! It was awesome! Contrary to what some of you might say I am not a mean Mom! I am simply a fun Mom who likes to get a rise out of my kids! That is what memories are made of people!

I went to the Pageant of The Masters last night with friends. I LOVE going each year and Kathy and Kris treated us to an amazing dinner at Sorrentos. YUM YUM!!!! It was a perfect evening and it has refreshed me!

I am at work right now finishing up some stuff for the weekend and I just finished writing a segment that our church calls "On My Mind". Pastor Todd usually writes it every week and the staff is taking turns writing in his absence. It is obviously my turn this week and I was trying to think of what I wanted to share because there are so many things. I landed on the one thing that has made such an enormous difference in my life - PEACE.

If you wish to read it you may.
I will update again after our appointment with Dr. Kim tomorrow.

Love,
L


ON MY MIND - August 6th

Philippians 4:6-8

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

I began immersing myself in Bible studies when Gary and I were going to Coast Hills. I was part of an Essentials group that met every week. Part of my commitment to the group was not only to complete my study each week but I also needed to memorize scripture. Sometimes I felt like I was back in high school cramming for a test. I know you all remember memorizing things at the last second only to forget them the moment you pulled it out of your brain file and used it.

Well, this was no different for me during several of the weeks throughout the year when I memorized scripture to get my little sticker. It was all about the sticker for me.

During one of the weeks everything changed for me. I was given the scripture above and I did my usual MO - memorized it at the last minute, got my sticker and patted myself on the back. I fully expected to forget it like all the others. While I was busy cramming it into my brain with thoughts of reciting it then forgetting it and moving on to next weeks memorization God took this scripture and engrained it into my heart and it has stuck with me ever since. I never knew why. I always wondered. Why this scripture? Maybe it was because I was not a peaceful person – trust me I was not - just ask Gary. Maybe I didn’t understand that God could do things for me that I could not do for myself. I could handle anything on my own without God in the drivers seat. I knew God was always there but I rarely moved over and got out of his way to let Him do what he needed to do.

So, here we are years later in the middle of battling Gary’s cancer and I finally get it. God was giving me a gift that I was not ready to open and understand at the time. I didn’t want to. All those years ago when He opened my eyes to this scripture He knew I was going to NEED it and LIVE by it and He has been waiting for me to do just that.

I wasted so much time worrying and fretting. When I had a miscarriage I was overcome with fear and worry the entire time I was pregnant with Zach. Did that help me? No. When we have faced dire financial problems and I sat up at night wanting to throw up do you think that helped me? No. All that time God was patiently waiting for me for cast all of my burdens on Him so that He could bare my load and I could receive this peace. God gave us His Word and made it so easy and I spent so much time making it complicated.

People, religious or not, look at our struggle and our life and they tell me that they don’t know how we do it. How? They don’t understand. They would surely crumble facing what we face.

I want to tell you how we do it. We are able to bare these struggles because we finally gave up and gave our lives to Him and He in turn gave us the peace He promised to give us through Christ Jesus.

Your kindness, support, love and prayers have all been part of this peace that God gives us. We love all of you and could never thank you enough. You have given us so much and we want to give something back to you.

We want you to have the peace God has given us. If you already have obtained this peace then we ask you to share your story and help others to experience what God has given you. If you do not have peace we ask you to seek it out. Let go of whatever you are struggling with and give it to God. The kicker is that you really have to want to let it go and let Him do His thing. He is waiting for you to do just that. We deeply desire you to have peace in your life like nothing you have ever experienced. When you have this peace you can endure anything!

Peace and Love,

Lisa