Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Happy Birthday Ike!

Today is Isaac's birthday. He is turning 5 today. Can you believe it? I can't! :) Well, here's a little post for him-

*Of course, the Happy Birthday song has to be sung*
Happy Birthday to You!
Happy Birthday to You!
Happy Birthday, Dear Isaac!
Happy Birthday to You!

You are such a fun boy. Although sometimes you can be little loud, but that is one of the joys of having you. I am so glad you God gave you to me as a brother. I am sure you will grow up to be one of the world's smartest people, and one of the people who love God as much as he loves his life. I am sure of it. I love you tttthhhhiiiiissssssssssssssssssss much. :)
 Love You, Lil Bro,
  Big Sis Rachel

 I hope you have enjoyed reading the thoughts and happenings of a fourteen-year-old girl from the country. "You can do all things through CHRIST who strengthens you!" Philippians 4:13

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Thursday, July 17, 2008

Happy 18th Birthday, Sarah Dear :)

Happy 18th Birthday, Sarah Dear :)

Today is my dear friend, Sarah’s birthday. So in honour of her birthday, I am going to post a little something for her. :)

First things first, of course the birthday song -
Happy birthday to you!
Happy birthday to you!
Happy 18th Birthday Dear Sarah!
Happy birthday to you!

I wrote you a poem, Sarah. It’s not all that good, but it’s the I could do. :)

You are such a pretty girl,
With your hair all a-curl,
Your eyes are so bright,
They could bring the nightsky alight,
Your smile is so sweet,
None could could it beat.

Your gracious manner so genteel,
Like the Lillies of the Field,
You would bend over backawards to please,
You would go with sleep to ease,
You could move a mountain by your love,
That comes from Heaven above.

This is just a poem to say,
Have a happy birthday,
And know there are people out there
Who really care.

You are as colourful as these beautiful flowers you love. May you have the best of birthdays today. If I could be down there celebrating it with you, I would! But, here’s a hug from me, and I want to know that I am there with you in spirit.

I’m so glad we are friends, Sarah.

With much love,
Rachel

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Sunday, July 13, 2008

Saturday Psalm & Praise - Psalm 65

I was random numbering again for a Psalm, and this is what I found - Psalm 65. We really need to remember to praise Him for everything He does. All praise is due Him, to none other is it due. Thank you Lord!

Psalm 65

1Praise waiteth for thee, O God, in Sion: and unto thee shall the vow be performed.

2O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come.

3Iniquities prevail against me: as for our transgressions, thou shalt purge them away.

4Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple.

5By terrible things in righteousness wilt thou answer us, O God of our salvation; who art the confidence of all the ends of the earth, and of them that are afar off upon the sea:

6Which by his strength setteth fast the mountains; being girded with power:

7Which stilleth the noise of the seas, the noise of their waves, and the tumult of the people.

8They also that dwell in the uttermost parts are afraid at thy tokens: thou makest the outgoings of the morning and evening to rejoice.

9Thou visitest the earth, and waterest it: thou greatly enrichest it with the river of God, which is full of water: thou preparest them corn, when thou hast so provided for it.

10Thou waterest the ridges thereof abundantly: thou settlest the furrows thereof: thou makest it soft with showers: thou blessest the springing thereof.

11Thou crownest the year with thy goodness; and thy paths drop fatness.

12They drop upon the pastures of the wilderness: and the little hills rejoice on every side.

13The pastures are clothed with flocks; the valleys also are covered over with corn; they shout for joy, they also sing.

Please join us as we praise His name today. Join the Saturday Psalm & Praise Meme!

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Friday, July 4, 2008

Lift Up Your Prayers for the Kligmann Family

With a sad and sorrowful heart do I write this post. Rachael Emily Kligmann went to be with the Lord on the 2nd of July. Her family is broken. Here is what was posted on her Journal on CaringBridge.org -

THURSDAY, JULY 03, 2008 02:19 AM, CDT
Our sweet little girl Rachael Emily Kligmann died at 11:50 pm on July 2, 2008.

She is at home with the Lord and we are not. We don’t know how to go on. But we will find a way. We will somehow find a new way to do everything with a hole in our family, right in the middle.

Rachael died very peacefully and 2 someones tonight are in the middle or receiving lifesaving kidneys. I hope someday to know who they are.

We don’t know when a funeral will be yet.

We just want to finally sleep now that she is finally okay. We will face tomorrow when it comes.

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Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Prayers for Rachael Kligmann

Prayers for Rachael Kligmann

Some of you may not have heard of the family whose 12-year-old daughter was hit by a car one night when she ran a stop sign.. I am speaking of the Kligmann family. Rachael Kligmann was riding her bike with her sister, and was hit and thrown from her bike. I’m not sure if she was wearing a helmet or not, but she suffered serious injuries to her brain. She is in critical condition right now. She is on Life Support, but they don’t expect her to live very long.

Her family has been keeping a journal for her on CaringBridge.org. These entries are from her journal -

WEDNESDAY, JULY 02, 2008 07:58 PM, CDT

Rachael can’t survive her accident. She is dying. We will update here as we know more.

I know a lot of people have had their faith shaken to the core. We have trust that the Lord knows best and we are trusting that He loves us and Rachael is okay and we will be someday.

TUESDAY, JULY 01, 2008 08:19 PM, CDT

The MRI results were very hard.

TUESDAY, JULY 01, 2008 12:04 PM, CDT

Still waiting for MRI results.

Rachael moved her thumb in response to my asking her to squeeze my hand and then lifted a finger when I asked her to. Then I touched her left leg and asked her to move it and she did. The nruse witnessed the leg part. I let her rest for a few minutes and then asked her to lift her hand off of mine, which she did.

And YET…the nurse would not tell us anything about the MRI, the drs want to meet with us and anre conferring so I think they are going to tell us bad news about it.

And YET…if you don’t look inside a closed box does it change what is inside it?

This is by far the worst rollercoaster ride we have ever been on. I think next time we should just go back to Disneyland.

Pete and I are wearing down fast. Jodi (our pastor’s wife) promised us that this is the hardest thing we will ever have to do.

As soon as they tell us that she is likely to live through the night we can at least go home and sleep for a few hours and begin trying to figure out what our lives will look like from here, but she is still in critical condition.

It just keeps getting harder in lots of ways. But she is still alive.

TUESDAY, JULY 01, 2008 12:44 AM, CDT

I am so tired tonight. Early today was tiring by being good and later today was just tiring.

Rachael is *overbreathing* her ventilator by quite a bit now. But she is working SO hard to breathe that it exhausts me to watch her. Also she is running a really high fever; 104 + .

She had to have an MRI this evening. Poor little thing was having a hard time with it.

She cries. When something has been hard for her today several times I have seen tears from both eyes that seemed appropriate to what was happening. It seems like a cognitive sign to me.

Waiting for the results of the MRI is hard. They are trying to tell us what the range of expectations would be for her. This is hard on several levels. First of course is that it might be bad news… but even if it is…then it makes it hard for me to just believe that God might be doing something… and then on the third hand I am trying to guard my heart… and then on the fourth hand I am trying to be realistic… and then on the fifth hand…you get the idea.

I also really only got a couple of hours of sleep last night. I have been very emotional toight.

I want to go home. I want to spend time with my kids. I want to cook dinner. I want to just be normal.

Lord I do believe. Help me in my unbelief. She is not dead she is asleep.

Please pray for our finances as well. No one will tell me what exactly, since my son and daughter in law took over our bills (and they are very sweet to do so), but apparently there is a specifc need that they are praying for.

MONDAY, JUNE 30, 2008 09:27 AM, CDT

I barely slept last night. I was so afraid that I would miss the neurosurgeons rounds. But we didn’t.

When we went into her room this morning and started talking to her she started moving immediately. I watched her for a few seconds first and she was resting until we started talking.

Her arm started moving on my side where I was standing on her left. I asked her to squeeze my hand and her fingers started moving and her arm started twitching and moving. She started to “blink” her eyes even though her eyes are shut. fter a little while I lifted her eyelid for her on her right since I am not sure if she is blind in her left eye (they don’t know yet) and her right eye moved ever so slightly toward me.

She is initiating about 2/3’s of her breaths, not enough but certainly not nothing either. The ventilator senses when she initiates the breath, continues is and records it. Very cool. She is on only 35% oxygen now. Her pneumonia is doing much better.

She started coughing and it is just miserable for her to have her lungs suctioned. Afterwards I looked and she had tears in the corners of her eyes. Was it from the coughing itself or from emotion? I don’t know, but I do know that it broke my heart.

Just after that the neurosurgeons made their rounds. He talked to us afterwards and said that she had made purposeful movements but that she still has quite a bit of the pentobarbitol in her system and he is cautiously optimistic (too strong a word, but I can’t remember his actual word there…less than optimistic but in that neighborhood.) He also said he does not know yet where she will land on the brain-damaged-spectrum. Which is again my phrase not his.

What he did not do, which he had told us on Friday could easily come today, was talk to us about allowing her to die.

He also said that she is still at great risk for all of the other “ICU complications”; pneumonia again, blood clots, kidney issues, bowel issues etc. All of those things are dangerous for her too.

He wants to remove her ICP monitor and just leave in the catheter that is still draining a little tiny bit of fluid. After that is gone they can do an MRI and have it be more accurate which should tell them more about her initial injury.

Can you believe this is the first time they have even started to try to evaluate that?

I am starting to allow myself to barely become more hopeful that she will live.

My goals for today: Earphones and music for Rachael; seeing my kids; maybe leaving the hospital for a few minutes or even something like lunch. I *may* even try to run home and just look at my own house for a minute. Maybe, maybe not.

Pete is badly in need of a change of clothes though. :)

Today feels better.

After last Thursday almost anything would though.

This is the work of the devil. He doesn’t want her to praise God with her life. He wants to kill, steal and detroy her life. Please pray with me for Rachael’s recovery. The gates of hell shake every time we lift up a prayer for someone. Let’s shake them good now, let’s shatter them, brake them and detroy them. Pray for her and her family as they go through this time of trial. They need our prayers, they need them with a great need. Please, I ask you again, pray with me. Pray for her healing, pray for her protection, pray that she will live and glorify God with every day of her life. Pray also that her family will be comforted. PLEASE PRAY.

I know that if one of my sisters was hit by a car, and could possibly die, I would not be able to bear it. The thought of losing one of my sisters or my brothers makes me sick to my stomach. But this family may lose their daughter, sister, and granddaughter. Please, please, please pray for her.

I am praying. Praying hard. I trust that the Lord can heal this little girl’s body. He can!

Still praying,

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Tuesday, July 1, 2008

Mark 3

 1And he entered again into the synagogue; and there was a man there which had a withered hand.

 2And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the sabbath day; that they might accuse him.

 3And he saith unto the man which had the withered hand, Stand forth.

 4And he saith unto them, Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill? But they held their peace.

 5And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other.

 6And the Pharisees went forth, and straightway took counsel with the Herodians against him, how they might destroy him.

 7But Jesus withdrew himself with his disciples to the sea: and a great multitude from Galilee followed him, and from Judaea,

 8And from Jerusalem, and from Idumaea, and from beyond Jordan; and they about Tyre and Sidon, a great multitude, when they had heard what great things he did, came unto him.

 9And he spake to his disciples, that a small ship should wait on him because of the multitude, lest they should throng him.

 10For he had healed many; insomuch that they pressed upon him for to touch him, as many as had plagues.

 11And unclean spirits, when they saw him, fell down before him, and cried, saying, Thou art the Son of God.

 12And he straitly charged them that they should not make him known.

 13And he goeth up into a mountain, and calleth unto him whom he would: and they came unto him.

 14And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach,

 15And to have power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out devils:

 16And Simon he surnamed Peter;

 17And James the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James; and he surnamed them Boanerges, which is, The sons of thunder:

 18And Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Canaanite,

 19And Judas Iscariot, which also betrayed him: and they went into an house.

 20And the multitude cometh together again, so that they could not so much as eat bread.

 21And when his friends heard of it, they went out to lay hold on him: for they said, He is beside himself.

 22And the scribes which came down from Jerusalem said, He hath Beelzebub, and by the prince of the devils casteth he out devils.

 23And he called them unto him, and said unto them in parables, How can Satan cast out Satan?

 24And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.

 25And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand.

 26And if Satan rise up against himself, and be divided, he cannot stand, but hath an end.

 27No man can enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his house.

 28Verily I say unto you, All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme:

 29But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal ****ation.

 30Because they said, He hath an unclean spirit.

 31There came then his brethren and his mother, and, standing without, sent unto him, calling him.

 32And the multitude sat about him, and they said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren without seek for thee.

 33And he answered them, saying, Who is my mother, or my brethren?

 34And he looked round about on them which sat about him, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!

 35For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother.

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Saturday, June 28, 2008

Saturday Psalm & Praise - A Closer Walk With Thee

Yes, we need a closer walk with Him. I hope you learn that with this song, and act on it. :)

A Closer Walk With Thee
by Haldor Lillenas, 1885-1959

Lord, I am pleading, hear Thou my prayer,
Let me Thy blessed fellowship share,
From day to day Thy servant I'd be,

Grant me a closer walk with Thee.
Oh, for a closer walk with Thee,
Near to Thy side I ever would be;
Shield me and hide me
Into a closer walk with Thee.

Voices of earth unnumbered I hear,
Cares and perplexing problems are near,
Trusting in Thee my soul shall be free,

Grant me a closer walk with Thee.
Oh, for a closer walk with Thee,
Near to Thy side I ever would be;
Shield me and hide me
Into a closer walk with Thee.

Strong are the foes that conquer I must,
Long is the way, but in Thee I trust;
In my own strength but weakness I see,

Grant me a closer walk with Thee.
Oh, for a closer walk with Thee,
Near to Thy side I ever would be;
Shield me and hide me
Into a closer walk with Thee.

Glorious Master, King of my soul,
On Thee my burdens gladly I roll:
Thou art my portion eternally,

Grant me a closer walk with Thee.
Oh, for a closer walk with Thee,
Near to Thy side I ever would be;
Shield me and hide me
Into a closer walk with Thee.

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Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Graham Cracker House

Sorry, I have not gotten the post about vacation done yet. :( But I was looking for some recipes on Kraft.com, and found this one. It's like a gingerbread house, but with graham crackers. I can't wait to try it!

Graham Cracker House

9 squares HONEY MAID Honey Grahams

1/2 cup  ready-to-spread white frosting

9 Mini OREO Bite Size Chocolate Sandwich Cookies

ASSEMBLE house, using 1 graham for floor and 4 for walls, sealing all seams with frosting. Cut 1 graham in half diagonally; with frosting, attach cut sides of graham halves to opposite ends of house top to form roof supports. With frosting, attach 2 grahams to form roof, sealing all edges. Allow house to dry completely.

CUT remaining grahams to use for doors and windows; attach with frosting. Separate cookies. Attach to roof, filling-side down, with frosting. Decorate as desired using remaining frosting, cookies, grahams and assorted candies.

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Friday, June 20, 2008

Happy Birthday Caleb and Daddy! :)

Today is Dad's birthday. The 18th was my Lil' Bro Caleb's birthday. I was not able to post about it then, so I am doing a combined  birthday post for them both.

First, I must sing the song -

This is not the most recent picture of him, but look at him, he's just as cute now as he was then!

Miss Jocelyn did a super-neat post ab out his birthday... she even put a slideshow on it. Very cute pictures of him in his Cowboy Outfit. She wrote a poem about him too. Go check it out!
Our Cowboy Caleb

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Wednesday, June 11, 2008

The 13th Psalm.................

Sorry I haven't been blogging that much lately... I've been busy. I do not have a post typed up and ready for posting, so I thought I would post a quick Psalm for you guys to read before I go eat lunch. :) Hope you all enjoy this one. Sorry I missed the Saturday Psalm & Praise last week. I will try to post for you all more often. :)

The 13th Psalm

 1How long wilt thou forget me, O LORD? for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me?

 2How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? how long shall mine enemy be exalted over me?

 3Consider and hear me, O LORD my God: lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death;

 4Lest mine enemy say, I have prevailed against him; and those that trouble me rejoice when I am moved.

 5But I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation.

 6I will sing unto the LORD, because he hath dealt bountifully with me.

 It's a short one, but it will do until I can get an actual post up about what I have been doing lately. :) Have a great and blessed day! Many blessings fall upon the paths you tread...

Sincerely,

 I hope you have enjoyed reading the thoughts and happenings of a fourteen-year-old girl from the country. "You can do all things through CHRIST who strengthens you!" Philippians 4:13

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