Leave a comment

Gift For Bravery

Posted by eph21920 on May 28, 2016 in Children, Family, Healing, Struggles

A friend’s little boy has had medical issues from the time he was born. At barely 2 years old, the poor little guy has had surgery on both of his club feet and is going through casting and braces on his legs. Most recently, his family discovered that when he was sleeping, there would be long pauses in his breathing. They did a sleep study and found that he has severe apnea. He was checked into the hospital to see what needed to be done. They contemplated surgery, then found that the little boy had strep throat, so they put surgery on the back burner. The doctors fitted him with a little cpap mask and after almost a week in the hospital he was able to go home – with a new accessory. In the pictures, he is always smiling and doing his best to be a 2 year old. Today, the mom shared a story about a gift that the little boy received. She even shared the note that accompanied the gift. The boy’s grandfather wanted to send him something personal rather than a “generic trinket” because his grandson has been so “brave and strong” and “faces everything with a big smile on his face.” The gift was one of the medals that the grandfather received while he was active duty in the military. That really touched my heart. It was so loving and thoughtful. And so timely for this Memorial Weekend. It is easy to see that this little boy has a lot of love surrounding him and plenty of reason to keep smiling through his challenges.

I Found God today in an extraordinary gift from a grandfather to his brave grandson.

Permalink
Leave a comment

Grandfather’s Story

Posted by eph21920 on May 27, 2016 in Family, Knowledge, Life, Past, Sacrifice

It was a quiet day at home today. My dad wasn’t feeling very well, so he slept much of the time. My mom got bored pretty quickly and wanted to find a project. Years ago, she started a photo album/scrapbook that tells the story of her family. She has a page set aside for her father’s biography, but she hasn’t been able to decide exactly what or how much information should be included. She worked on it for a while, then I started putting into my computer. As she went over her father’s journey to America, I thought I better look some things up to make sure I was accurate. I came across a website from Ellis Island where you can find passenger lists from those who immigrated and came through the Island. I put in my grandfather’s name and sure enough, there he was. There was a lot of information that we were able to verify and some that raised questions. My mom couldn’t believe that it took only a few minutes to find out so much. She went back into the notes she had and elaborated on her father’s story. It warmed my heart to see and listen to my mom remember her dad and some of the meaningful events of her past. As we talked about those earlier times, I tried to put myself in the culture of the day. It was, of course, quite different than it is now. For instance, he came from Germany and did not know any English when he arrived. He had the equivalent of a 3rd grade education. He worked for a baker for a few years, then opened his own bakery which sustained he and his family throughout life. I enjoyed getting to know my grandfather a little bit more and have a new respect for who he was.

I Found God today learning more about the sacrifice my grandfather made and the perseverance and courage he showed.

Permalink
Leave a comment

Treated With Care

Posted by eph21920 on May 26, 2016 in Love, Stranger, Struggles

I took my mom to a doctor’s appointment bright and early this morning. In the waiting room, there was a woman speaking very loudly. It became apparent that she was mentally challenged. There was another woman with her who was completing her paperwork and would talk with her every now and again. She was very patient and caring with her, as were all the other medical people in the office. It lifted my heart to see her being treated this way.

I Found God today in the people who treated a mentally challenged woman with care and respect.

Permalink
Leave a comment

Time With My Son

Posted by eph21920 on May 25, 2016 in Family, Grateful, Life, Relationship, Travel

My son is taking a summer course at his college, so we had just a few days to visit this time around. We got up ridiculously early this morning to make sure he got to the airport in plenty of time for his flight. With all the hype about 3 hour wait lines and such you just never know what you might run into. As we got closer to the airport, we were joined by what seemed to be hundreds of others who had the same concerns. The parking lot was full as far as the eye could see. My son had already checked in for his flight and had only a carry on for luggage, so he could just go straight to the security line. I dropped him at the departure area and gave him a big hug. Then I hung out at the cell phone lot for a while to make sure he was all set. Turns out he was at his gate only 1/2 hour after I left him. There were no problems at all. He touched base as he made his connection and finally back to his school. I was glad his trip was safe and uneventful. But I am sad that he is so far away again. Our visit was short, but we had such a good time. I really enjoy his company. Each time we get together I can see him growing in responsibility, empathy, and maturity. He is so very considerate and respectful of his grandparents. So it was a bittersweet day. I am sad that my son is not closer, but grateful for his safe trip, for our relationship, and appreciative of the person he is becoming.

I Found God today as I enjoyed the time with my son.

Permalink
Leave a comment

Wild Wildlife

Posted by eph21920 on May 24, 2016 in Creation, Family

I asked my son how he wanted to spend our day together today. He decided to go to the zoo. Even though we have been there several times, it is one of his favorite things to do. The weather was beautiful and the animals were more active than I have ever seen. First, we had fun feeding the giraffes. They stuck out their long black tongues and wrapped them around the lettuce that we held out. Then we went over to the elephants. They had an indoor/outdoor enclosure. One elephant was inside the large maze-like room. When another elephant came in, he quickly went outside. In a little while, we heard trumpeting. The elephant who was inside went out to see what was happening. As soon as he got out one door, the other elephant came running in the other. It was hysterical. Once we got to the grizzly bears, we heard that one of them had just come to the glass and did a big swipe at the little girl who was sitting by the window. As we watched, the 2 bears got into a fight. They were growling and batting at one another until one backed down. They did this a couple of times. Then a zoo keeper came and fed them as they showed off some of the behaviors. The otters were also tussling around under the water. Then one did some continues loops and flips. We went to the wolf enclosure where things got really interesting. When we arrived, all we could see were lots of magpies – crow like birds – who evidently thought that was their home. My son jokingly said that the wolves were going to come out and catch one. After a bit, the 2 wolves awoke and started wandering. The magpies were irritating one of them, even landing on him and pecking at him. The wolf snapped at him a couple of times, and as we watched, he actually caught him. This upset the magpies even more. As the wolf trotted around his territory with the dead bird in his mouth, the magpies – now in a flock of about a dozen – chased the wolf dive bombing him and pecking him now and again. It was quite a scene. Soon, a zoo keeper came in to talk about the wolves and feed them. The now large crowd told her about the incident. She was surprised and said she did not know that the wolf had it in him. She said she was actually happy about it as the magpies have been problematic as they tease the wolves and steal their food. But that was not the end of the animal antics. The hippos were playing with very large plastic balls. It seemed to be a game to see if they could get them under the water. Once the did, the ball would get loose at some point and come popping back up to the top. Then the hippo would throw it’s head back with it’s mouth open and splash it on the surface of the water as if it was laughing. In the reptiles, we watched one of the reptiles shed it’s skin. When we got to the primates, there were more zoo keepers feeding some of the smaller monkeys at the entrance. There was also an enclosure that held naked mole rats. The keeper pointed out that one of the naked mole rats was giving birth just at that time. Amazing. Perhaps it was Spring fever that had everyone worked up. The whole adventure was better than Nat Geo Wild.

I Found God today in the amazing behavior of wild creatures.

Permalink
Leave a comment

To Be 110

Posted by eph21920 on May 23, 2016 in Answer, Doctor, Grateful, Joy, Life

In preparation for my dad’s appointment with the cardiologist today, he put together his chart of blood pressure readings that he takes on a regular basis. It does seem to fluctuate and has for quite some time. He also has been recording his pulse and feeling it on his wrist with his finger. To him, it feels like it skips a beat or has a double beat. This has also happened for quite some time. He has been feeling anxious about that and other things recently. He sent in his pacemaker information a couple of days ago. It still amazes me that it can capture so much data and be sent to the clinic through an electronic connection. Those receiving the information called back to let him know that the device is running properly and there has been no evidence of any abnormalities. My dad made some notes about these things and others that he wanted to discuss. His appointment was with the NP he saw last month following his bout of vertigo. She went over his concerns and his records. She assured my dad that everything is working well and that he is in very good health. He asked about his dizzy spells, which many times are attributed to anxiety. She recommended exercise and meditation. Another doctor told my dad that he could in fact live to 100 year old. He asked the NP what she thought of that. She said that she wouldn’t be surprised if he lived to be 110. She told my dad not to worry so much and to enjoy life. My dad was very happy to hear what she had to say and was just elated the rest of the evening. It was great to hear the words from the NP and to see the difference it made in my dad.

I Found God today in uplifting words that helped my dad to have a more positive outlook.

Permalink
Leave a comment

Giving Youth a Chance

Posted by eph21920 on May 22, 2016 in Answer, Homeless, Hope, Opportunity, Youth

Today I helped with a spaghetti supper to help support foster families. This particular activity focuses on the teenagers. I learned more about one particular woman who is a foster parent. In the past, she ran a homeless shelter in the city. She encountered several teenage boys looking for a place to stay. She wanted to find out why this was happening, so she did her research. She found that many of the young men came from foster homes. Once they “aged out” of foster care and left the homes, they had a hard time making it on their own. The concerned woman decided to do something about the problem and started fostering teenage boys. She has 4 boys in her home all the time. She is strict, but loving, and does the best she can for the young men. Now in her later years of life, she has had over 150 youth go through her home. She spends her life completely for the betterment of teenage boys who have had a very difficult childhood and whose future can be bleak.

I Found God today in a completely selfless woman who is giving youth a chance at a better life.

Permalink
Leave a comment

Royal Gorge

Posted by eph21920 on May 21, 2016 in Creation, Family, Fun, Grateful, Happiness, Life

When my son and I made arrangements for him to visit for a few days, I wanted to do something fun that my parents would also enjoy. They hesitate going out on new adventures and it causes some anxiety. I had always wanted to take the train ride through the Royal Gorge. I thought this would be an activity that everyone could do – the drive wasn’t too long, the train ride itself was pretty short, there wouldn’t be a lot of walking, it was at a good time so we wouldn’t have to leave too early or get home too late. When my sister and nephew were over for a visit, they said they would like to go and we talked my parents into it as well. The next day I spent quite a lot of time on the phone with the woman to make reservations. I wanted to make sure I understood the seating options and what accommodations could be made for my mom who has a hard time getting around. I thought we had it all worked out sufficiently and assured my parents that it was all going to work out fine. Then I started praying for good weather. Today was the day. It was a very nice drive to the area and the weather was perfect. When we arrived, we picked up the tickets and a wheelchair for my mom. My big strong son wheeled her over the railroad tracks and dirt to the lift that they had waiting for her. It was like a little open air elevator that went right up to the train door so that my mom would not have to try to navigate the steep stairs. It was a hand crank and I was impressed with the girl who turned it. I was happy that we got seats with a view of the river that ran the distance of the gorge and the train ride. The scenery was beautiful and we saw several rafts riding the rapids. At one point we could see the infamous Royal Gorge Bridge up above. Everyone had a great time and thoroughly enjoyed the day. I was so glad that my parents were able to make the trip as well.

I Found God today in a beautiful and fun adventure and grateful that my parents were able to participate.

Permalink
Leave a comment

Fun With Chickens

Posted by eph21920 on May 20, 2016 in Creation, Family, Fun

My sister got some baby chicks 6 weeks ago and my mom and dad and I were able to see them the day after they arrived. They were so tiny, fragile, cute, and fuzzy. This is my sister’s first venture with chickens, so it is a whole new experience. She and her husband got the coop prepared and moved the chickens in last week. My son and I were able to visit this evening. We have been having a rather cold streak here, but today was warm and breezy. My sister decided it was time to open the door to the coop and let the chickens outside for the first time. We positioned ourselves in the run so we could see what would transpire. Once the door was open, there was a lot of curiosity. The chickens came just to the edge of the ramp that led to the great outdoors. You could see lots of little heads looking out and peeking around the corner. They all wanted to see what was going on, but no one wanted to be the first one out. Finally one bird put her foot on the ramp, possibly by mistake. I am pretty sure the chickens were pushing one another. Once both feet were on the ramp, the chicken found a plant growing right next to it, so she tried it. It must have tasted pretty good, as she went back for more. Another bird saw what was happening and thought she should try it too. In all, about 6 of the 34 chickens actually made it outside the coop. Then I went in to see them up close. Some of them came right up and wanted to see what I was. I could even pet some of them, but they did not want to be picked up. They grew so much in 6 weeks and had a good layer of feathers on them. They were so curious and fun to watch and interact with. Who knew?

I Found God today having fun with chickens and appreciating their personalities and antics.

Permalink
Leave a comment

Authoritative Dad

Posted by eph21920 on May 19, 2016 in Answer, Family, Life, Shopping

I was out running errands today and stopped by Target. There were those huge red round cement balls in front of the store. As I was driving in, a mom and her kids were walking out. The older girl jumped up on it like leap frog. I have always wondered if they actually have a purpose, or if they are just there for people to play on. I parked the car and as I was walking to the entrance, a man and little girl came out. The little girl headed straight for the large red balls, but dad had a tight hold on her hand. She got closer and stretched and reached as much as she could, but dad was doing his best to keep her away. Then she started whining and digging her heals in. Her dad was insistent that she was not going to climb on them. Her retaliation got a little louder and to me it looked like it could turn into a full blown tantrum. When the father realized that his coaxing was not effective, he turned around and picked her up. He calmly told her that he said she was not going to play on the big ball, and to tell it goodbye. Instead of the screams that I was sure would follow, she said goodbye to the ball and they were on their way. I was so impressed with the stable, calm, persistent nature of this dad. Even though it was a small thing, he set the boundary and stuck to it. The little girl obviously respected her dad.

I Found God today in the persistence and calm authority of a dad that was met with a respectful daughter.

Permalink