“I go east, but He is not there.
I go west, but I cannot find Him.
I do not see Him in the north, for He is hidden.
I turn to the south, but I cannot find Him.
But He knows where I am going.”
~Job 23:8-10 NLT~
His (Deloy’s) wife, mom, dad, and daughter Emma were in an accident. All are stable but please continue to pray. Emma has gotten the worst of it and does have serious but treatable injuries.
Mr. Quincy Chapman has a broken tailbone, but other than that doing well. Mrs. Ann Chapman has a broken ankle, multiple ribs, collar bone and 3 vertebrae. She is talking but in a lot of pain. Krisa has a small tear on one kidney and an abrasion on her head and Emma has a bruised lung, small tear in her spleen and a skull fracture. Please keep praying for them.
There was another person in the car as well. A little friend named Chelsea. She is doing well. She has a bruised lung and spleen. Just talked and prayed with her a little while ago and she was wide awake and cracking jokes… man, kids are pretty tough. Keep lifting them all up in prayer.
Dukes
< plateau. >
I honestly can’t remember ever seeing one, except on Road Runner cartoons. I bet they’re pretty to see. For a few years now, it’s been the buzz word for statisticia
ns who study church culture and report about the leveling of and decline of “churches.” Not what you want your church or business described as. It’s not pretty when it’s associated with your mom, though, and it’s definitely not what I want her to be described as, either, especially in the context of having a brain injury.
No doctor has said Mom is plateauing. I am not even saying it. This is way too long of a journey with much further to go to be saying that Mom has plateaued. But if I am honest, I will tell you it feels like she has, at least at this time. She may “incline” again, but right now it feels like she is at a leveling off point.
She is not lucid about as much as she is lucid. One minute, she is asking me about my kids, the next minute she is asking me to move one of them so he won’t get hurt there in the room (even though they are 10 hours away). One minute, she is convincing me that she is at Erik’s house. The next minute, she is convinced that she is in Kenner, LA in a hospital.
I am not having a pity party. I am not crying woe is me. I am not in need of a really long hug, even though I never mind hugs (I am definitely a hugger). I am just being transparent – it really is difficult to see Mom like this. I know I haven’t lost Mom literally, but in a sense it feels like I have. Maybe it is just the medicine, and it will be different one day. Maybe this is just a season of plateau, and God will continue to show miracles to us. I am all for that. And I am in this for the long haul. All the while, I am trying to stay focused and positive. But it’s not easy.
I had lunch with my iPhone at McAlister’s Deli two days ago. A grandmother and her granddaughter (about my Katey’s age) walked in and sat at the table next to me. I made the little girl smile, but inside I was not smiling. This is what that bleepin driver took away from my Mom. I am not consumed with my anger, and I am not embittered toward him. He made a mistake. I forgive him, truly. I am just still dealing with the consequence. A plateaued Mom who likely will never enjoy Katey’s company to the grocery store or for ice cream or for hot chocolate the same again. That is hard to swallow.
What continues to amaze me is the nearness of God’s love. This week, I saw it most in Tracey. She is a very sweet and very compassionate woman who cleans the rooms at the hospital where Mom is. She heard about Mom and Dad from her prayer chain with her church family. She had no idea she was cleaning Mom’s room, the woman she was praying for almost everyday, until she made the connection after seeing some pictures on this website. Here’s what most demonstrates that Tracey loves fully and serves wholeheartedly no matter what – she cleans Mom’s room in the same wonderful way as she did before she made the connection. No better or worse. The same, which indicates that Tracey does everything that her hand finds to do as though she serves the Lord and not the praises of men.
Thanks, Tracey, for praying for Mom and Dad before you even knew you were serving them. That means so much. Your heart for love and service inspires me.
And thanks to all of you for your continued prayer and support. It has not plateaued. Please pray for Mom’s infections to clear and her skull cap to be replaced within the next two weeks. We are hopeful.
I love my Mom and Dad. Pray for Dad to have fruitful meetings. He flew to Orlando this week for the first time since the accident for some meetings he needed to be at. I know it wasn’t easy walking back into the house without Mom. Please continue to pray for his “heart” to be steady and perseverant.
Love y’all. We’ll post at you later.
-jason
Maggie Lee Henson
Wednesday, July 29, 2009 3:04 AM, CDT
Maggie Lee’s blood pressure has been up and down all night and this morning. We want it to be at least 70, but not too high either. The doctor and nurses are tweaking for a good balance.
There is quite a storm brewing outside the window at this moment, with thunder rolling and shaking and lightning illuminating and flashing. It seems to come as a reminder that God is still God and full of power and electricity.
–John
Wednesday, July 29, 2009 7:01 PM, CDT
Thursday, July 30, 2009 6:33 AM, CDT
Good morning, friends-
Ml had a decent night last night w one of her terrific nurses, Kim.Jack won 2 stuffed animals for her yesterday, so those are definately keeping her company today.
Pls continue to pray. We definately are carried by The Lord via all of your encourageme
This indeed has been our worst nightmare yet we are kept in the profound peace of Christ constantly. Thank you, Lord, for your presence.
Love
Jin
Encouragement
YEARS AGO AN experiment was conducted to measure people’s capacity to endure pain…
How long could a bare-footed person stand in a bucket of ice water? It was discovered that when there was someone else present offering encouragment and support, the person standing in the ice water could tolerate paiin twice as long as when no one else was present. (John C. Maxwell, Encouragement Changes Everything, 25)
Could it also be the case that elders could serve twice as long, preachers could work twice as long, and members could be faithful twice as long, if they had someone holding their hands and encouraging them? I believe that this is the case. As you know, the book of Hebrews was written to those who were discouraged and in danger of falling away. The inspired writer of this book often exhorted brethren to encourage one another (Hebrews 3:13; 10: 24-25). In the twelfth chapter, we read these words, “Therefore strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees” (v. 12). (Wade Webster)
“But Moses’ hands became heavy; so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it. And Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.” Exodus 17:12
The Prayer Link 