This is what i've been up to.

painting

catching up on important reading

hanging out with my childhood friend

Feeling the need to share

In January 1990, we got the shock of our lives.
We’d noticed changes in dad for a while. A personality change, headaches, and running into things.
“Why’d you do that dad? It’s right there?”
“I didn’t see it.”

The doctors diagnosed a cancerous brain tumor on the left side of his brain, which they thought had started in his lungs. On the vision center of his brain, it was quickly growing and causing dad to go blind. Dad explained some of what he was going through.
“I can’t see anything.”
He stood with his arms out to the side and began to swing them forward slowly. Finally when they were almost directly in front of him he stopped. “Here. I can see them here.”

As surgery was scheduled, family and friends began to pour into the house offering casseroles, kind words and promises of prayers.

One, my cousin Sherry, took it another step further. She wanted to pray with us. So even thought I thought it was “weird” (but at 13 everything adults do is “weird”) we stood together in a circle and held hands, while Sherry prayed a simple prayer for blessings, strength, healing, and guidance for the doctors.

Short, sweet, simple.

But that simple prayer caught the heart of God.

Later that afternoon I came down from my room and found my dad crying at the dining room table. At first I panicked.

“What’s wrong?!”

He looked up at me. “I can see.”

“What do you mean ‘I can see?’”

He put his arms out to the side again and began to swing them forward slowly. This time he stopped quickly, with his arms still out to the side.

“Here. Now I can see them here.”

I was 13, but that was the first time I understood that God interacted with us,- that prayer wasn’t just throwing up ideas, but someone was listening, and responding. And while I wouldn’t become a Christian for 4 more years, this was the beginning of my relationship with God. I knew the Lord as the God who Sees, and the God who Heals, way before I knew him as the God who Saves.

And while most patients with non-small cell lung cancer will die within 4 months of their diagnosis, my dad survived and lived well for 17 ½ more years.

I am so grateful for that gift of time that was given to my family. He was able to experience graduations, weddings, and grandchildren that the doctors said wouldn’t be seen.

I beleive this is what they call "reverse culture shock"

It's weird being here.
Like, drinking tap water is cool... but there are things that make me feel uneasy.
Like, when did Drew Cary become the host of The Price is Right? SO un-charismatic.
And why is it every motivation to do something fear? I can't turn on the tv or talk to someone with out getting hit with a scare tactic! Global warming, bad economy, war, soaring gas prices,fear, fear, fear! Do this or the earth will blow up! Do that or so-and-so will get elected!
Was it always that way and I just didn't notice it before? I've found myself turning off the television, just over the whole thing.
...And since when did Oprah become the authority on everything? Any question about Tom Cruise, the shape of poop, God, or morality can be answered by watching her show. The scary thing is she's so far out there and people don't even notice because she's a "nice person" and does "good things."
Wake up. She's misguided. I don't care how many schools she opens in Africa.
Ech...
And why do we need so much stuff? Walmart is huge, and all the aisles are filled with stuff! stuff for your house, stuff for you pets, stuff for your kids, and your kids' pets' houses. And if that's not enough, you can get all of that stuff in a variety of colors, so it will match your other stuff. Because God forbid your stuff doesn't match.
Im packing up my fathers house, and I find so much stuff! 2 George Forman grills, one small and one large. 4 crockpots. Yes 4. 3 sets of knives.2 tractors, 2 leaf blowers, 2 cans of tuna...and my dad hated tuna! but i'm sure there was a reason he felt he needed all of this stuff.
Someone probably used a scare tactic.

Some times you just need a good laugh

This week has been tough, but you know sometimes you get an unexpected chuckle. For example, my dad's dog, Bud, is on seizure medication. I have to give it to him twice a day. Now, the pharmacist knows it's for a dog, because the label clearly reads, "Give to dog-Bud 1 tablet twice a day..."
But the warning label is absurd! it reads:
May cause drowsiness. Alcohol may intensify this effect. Use care when operating a car or dangerous machinery.
I'm not making this up! I'm not that creative. Needless to say Bud is mad that I took away his whisky, and his keys to the tractor.

Also, if anything good can ever come out of losing a loved one, it's the ability to mess with those pesky telemarketers that call.
I got a call the other day from a woman, whose favorite line was "I apologize."
The conversation went like this
"Hello?"
"Yes, is this Mrs. Merrill?
"This is Miss Merrill."
"I apologize. I'm looking for Gar-net. Is she available?"
"Garnet is my father."
"Oh I apologize. Is he available?"
"No. May I ask who's calling?"
"I apologize, this is Maryanne with the American Lung association. Is there another time I can call and reach Garnet?"
"No. My father passed away about a week ago."
"...OH FOR THE LOVE OF GOD!!!!!!!!! I'msorrypleasedisreguardthiscall!"
Click.
I just had to laugh. This poor woman is probably going to quit her job now. she couldn't get anything right!