The Prayer Link

Tuesday

“Be happy with those who are happy,

weep with those who weep.”

~Romans 12:15 TEV~

Retia Dukes

Tuesday, August 4, 2009 1:10 AM, EDT

< memorial. >
Erik, Dad, Mom’s sister, Dad’s brother, and I together stood around Mom’s bed Monday evening taking in the vacant body before us. Mom was gone. What remained was the shell of a woman whose beauty was stunning and whose compassion was life-changing. Both have been affirmed over the last four months of a journey that still seems a bit surreal and unbelievable to me.

I plan to blog about it tomorrow – remembering Mom. For tonight, please let it suffice to simply give you a few details. Frankly, I am spent. Erik and I are about to get some sleep. Hopefully Dad is sound asleep by now, especially after only three hours of sleep last night while he waited in the hospital.

THERE WILL BE TWO MEMORIAL SERVICES for Mom. There will be one this coming Wednesday, August 5th, at 11am on the New Orleans Baptist Seminary campus in the Leavell Chapel. There will be a second memorial service on Tuesday, August 18th, in Orlando. We will get you the details for that one.

IN LIEU OF FLOWERS, please donate any gifts to the fund that New Orleans Baptist Seminary set up for Mom and Dad.

Dad, Erik, our family members, and I cannot express in words our deep gratefulness for all of you and the way you have prayed for and stood beside us during these last four months. There is still a journey ahead. Not only the steps of grieving Mom’s departure, but also the new normal for Dad and his continued recovery. Please keep us in your prayers.

We love you.
-jason

Chapmans

Mom: had a tough night last night, doing well today, begins therapy tomorrow. Pray that she will rest well tonight.
Dad: same, but doctors are trying hard to figure out what medicines may help him rest without adding to his confusion. Pray that he will rest well tonight.
Krisa: overdid it yesterday, paid for it last night, but doing well today. I MISS MY SWEETHEART!! Pray for her neck and head pain.
Emma: tough night last night, but something clicked this afternoon and outwardly she is doing 100% better. Lungs problems won’t let her out of the ICU, so pray for that.
Me: I wish I could be in four places at one time, but I’m thankful for sisters and church family and other family and friend that are awesomely loving and helping in every way possible. I’ve been resting under the shadow of the Almighty (Psalm 91), and He is GOOD.

KneEmail

Bounce

GENERAL GEORGE PATTON argued, “Success is measured by how high you bounce when you’ve hit bottom…”

Simon Peter is a perfect illustration of this truth. He forsook his Lord and Friend in the garden. He even denied that he knew Jesus when identified by a young maiden around the fire. He hit bottom. However, he didn’t stay on the bottom. He bounced, and he bounced high. He would preach the gospel powerfully on Pentecost just a short time later (Acts 2). He would be a catalyst in the growth of the early church (Acts 3-12).

The question is not whether we are going to fail; but rather, how high we are going to bounce once we do. (Wade Webster)

“Peter answered and said to Him,

‘Even if all are made to stumble because of You,

I will never be made to stumble.'”

Matthey 26:33

Posted by Mike Benson at August 3, 2009 3:26 PM

Thank you for praying.

Anna Lee

Monday Evening Update

Retia Dukes

Jason asked that we share this word with those of you who have been praying for the Dukes family…

Retia Dukes passed away this afternoon. She is now in the presence of her Savior. Her heart stopped just before 4:20.

Please continue to pray for the family. Thank you for how you have loved and given to them.

Retia is healed, and she is whole. And there will be a wonderful reunion one day soon.

Love to you all,

Jim Collins
Westpoint Church

Susan Belgard just updated me on the Chapmans with information from Debbie, one of Deloy’s sisters.

Quincy – fractured back; still disoriented (trauma or medication)
Ann – hallucinating; beginning therapy 2x/da for 3 hr.
Krisa – home; tears in stomach
Emma – more responsive after seeing her mother yesterday; broken ribs

Monday Evening

Baptist Press

August 3, 2009

WASHINGTON–House panel nixes another pro-life effort on health care. http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=31005

MISSISSIPPI–Second victim of church bus crash dies. http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=31006

TENNESSEE–GCR website goes live at pray4gcr.com. http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=31007

LOUISIANA–From New Iberia to Brazil, La. church reaches world. http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=31008

TENNESSEE–CP down 2.69%; off ’09 budget by 2.65%. http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=31009

CALIFORNIA–TRUSTEES: GuideStone trustees receive positive report. http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=31010

LOUISIANA–FIRST-PERSON (Jerry W. Pounds Sr.): Drive-through weddings? http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=31011

Mrs. Lula Mae Needham Will
(February 25, 1925 – August 2, 2009)

Mrs. Lula Mae Needham Will was born February 25, 1925 and passed away at 6:43 p.m., Sunday, August 2, 2009 at the St. Helena Parish Hospital, Greensburg. She was 84, a native of St.Helena Parish and a resident of Kentwood.Mrs. Lula is survived by 2 sisters; Mildred Needham Birch, Kentwood and Helen Needham Caston and husband, Edgar, Baton Rouge; a brother, John Needham and wife Judy, Gainsville, FL; a godchild, Janet Glascoe, and husband, Larry, Winston-Salem, NC; a nephew, Kenny Aron and wife, Betty, Roseland; numerous nieces, nephews and extended family.

Preceded in death by: 1st husband, Ray Floyd Copeland, 2nd husband, George H. Will; parents, Jule Pierce and Mae Felps Needham; 2 sisters, Daisy Lee Needham and Mary Needham Roberts; and special niece, Sandra Birch Lee.

Visitation will be at the McKneely & Vaughn Funeral Home, Amite, on Thursday, August 6, 2009 from 9:00 a.m. until Religious Services in the funeral home Chapel at 11:00 a.m. with Rev. Percy “Mac” Frazier & Rev. Richard Sandberg, officiating. Interment in the Bond-Needham Cemetery, Kentwood.

An on-line Guestbook and to view a Video Tribute is available at http://www.mckneelyvaughnfh.com

McKneely & Vaughn Funeral Home, Amite, is located at I-55N and Hwy 16W behind Mr. Tom’s Express Car Wash & Bond Eye Clinic.

Monday Afternoon

Momma Dot

My mother had two wisdom teeth removed this morning. All went well. Momma is at home in Roseland.

Retia Dukes

< the ICU again. >
Mom is not doing well. Seeing her this morning brought back a flood of memories from when she was in a coma in the University Hospital ICU. She is that critical. Technically more critical than then.

Her condition from mid-week this past week to Saturday morning to what happened last night has only worsened. Her blood pressure is very low, and her heart is working very hard to keep blood flowing. The doctors believe she is now septic (infection all through her blood), and it is also possible that she passed a blood clot into her lung.

Whatever the cause was of Mom’s sudden decline last night, her blood is as a result very acidotic. The high level of acid has caused her kidneys and liver to begin to shut down. Along with the other medication she is on to help with her various issues, the critical care doctor is now saying that the only hope she has to have a chance to see if the infections that are plaguing her will clear is to go on dialysis. It is simply to try to help clear her blood and help her kidneys function again.

There is a chance she can rebound and fight back against her serious infections. That chance will depend upon how her kidneys respond to the treatment. In the meantime, pray not only for that to work, but also for her heart to hold up to the extra load required right now.

Dad and I and Dad’s brother are here. Erik will be here soon, as will a few other family members. We can’t thank you enough for your continued prayers and support.
-jason

Maggie Lee Henson

Dear Friends-
We are headed home. Maggie Lee’s miracle did not arrive in the way we would’ve wanted but through her organ donation, she gets to be the miracle for two other children which is incredible.
We will have visitation for her on Wednesday Night at Rose Neath on Marshall Street in Shreveport from 5-7 p.m.
Maggie Lee’s Celebration of Life will be Thursday, August 6th at 1pm at First Baptist Church, Shreveport. We will have a private graveside service for family afterwards.

Monday

“Pray also for us that God may open a door to us for the message,

to speak the mystery of the Messiah …

so that I may reveal it as I am required to speak.”

~Colossians 4:3-4, HCSB~

Elizabeth H. Cooper

Elizabeth received an injury for a ball a couple months ago. She looks great and will be able to return to teaching this month. Thank God for the progress she has made.

Rusty Benoit

Rusty has a thickening of the heart wall and will be having additional tests soon. Please add Rusty, Jana, and their family to your prayer list.

Dot Smith

Pray for my mother as she has oral surgery this morning in Hammond.

Several people will be having check-ups for various problems tomorrow. Among these are Jared Prescott, Mason Carter, and Faye Price. Please remember them in your prayers.

Don Denton

Sunday, August 2, 2009 10:36 PM, CDT

Here we are at the first of August. And now it has been almost 8 weeks since Don has been in a hospital. This is such a good thing! Thank you God.

This September will be one year since Don got ill. Life has changed in so many ways. And we are so praying that Don will continue to get well. We are beginning to do some things we have not done in almost a year. WE had supper at the park tonight and then watched the sunset.

We will see Don’s doctor for a follow up in St. Louis this week. She will be key to getting us to Mayo sooner. Hopefully we will know something soon.

Joshua will start school the 17th of the month. He is excited. We would love to be back from Mayo by then. It does not look like we will even get there before then, unless something changes.

We had a surprise visit from my brother Steve and his wife Lynn. Not completely a surprise….we spoke a few days ahead. I loved every minute of our time together. Joshua just loves his uncle Steve and aunt Lynn. He has a special bond with them. They have been here several times this year to see Don and help out. Steve worked on both the cars while he was here and helped so much.

My other brother said that we should not drive our car to Mayo. It has allot of miles on it and needs even more work to it. He may be the “over protective brother”. Actually having my brothers support means so much to us during this time. It is precious to me.

I have yet to make a “lemonaide stand” this summer. I have good intensions. I am going to make that happen before school starts or do my best.

I am tired. Life is so busy. I need to find work soon. Please pray for us as we try to make decisions for our future. We keep talking about having to sell our house. We will be making a decision soon. Pray that we will have wisdom and discernment.

We are so grateful to you our friends and family.

– Pray for Don that he continues to get better.
– Pray that we will get an appointment at Mayo soon.
– Pray that we will have wisdom and discernment regarding our future.
– Pray that Joshua will transition to pre-school easily.

Diane

Retia Dukes

Sunday, August 2, 2009 11:45 PM, EDT

Keeping you informed and asking for your prayers – Mom has had another tough go the last two days. After a tumultuous Saturday, Dad and Erik and Mom’s sister were hoping to awaken this Sunday morning to find Mom doing much better. She was not. In fact , tonight, after Dad had left the hospital to go to his room to rest for the night, the nurses called him back to the hospital due the worsening of Mom’s condition. Even with the help of oxygen, they were only able to get her SATs up to a little over 80.

Still not a lot of information, yet. We just wanted to communicate it with you to ask you all to be praying. They are going to transfer Mom out of the 5th floor Long-Term-Acute-Care hospital she is in now and move her downstairs to the ICU. We will keep you posted of any new developments.

Thanks so much for your prayers.
-jason

Mrs. Lula Mae Needham Will

(February 25, 1925 – August 2, 2009)

Mrs. Lula Mae Needham Will was born February 25, 1925 and passed away at 6:43 p.m., Sunday, August 2, 2009 at the St. Helena Parish Hospital, Greensburg. She was 84, a native and resident of Kentwood.

Arrangements are incomplete at this time.

An on-line Guestbook is available at http://www.mckneelyvaughnfh.com

McKneely & Vaughn Funeral Home, Amite, is located at I-55N and Hwy 16W behind Mr. Tom’s Express Car Wash & Bond Eye Clinic

I hope you have had this sorrow in your life.

KneEmail

Repentance

WHEN BABIES ARE born prematurely, one of the most common critical problems is with their underdeveloped lungs…

In September 1996, the New England Journal of Medicine reported the results of a pilot study that offered hopeful treatment. The treatment is surprising. In the study, doctors filled the lungs of critically ill premature babies with liquid — an oxygen-rich liquid. Through this liquid the babies actually “breathe.”

Normally, when fluid fills the lungs, people drown. But this special oxygen-filled fluid actually saves lives.

In a similar way, there is a sorrow that kills and another sort of sorrow that brings life. Sorrow because there are consequences for my sin drowns my spirit and brings death;godly sorrow that produces repentance brings life.

“For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation,

not to be regretted;

but the sorrow of the world produces death.”

2 Cor. 7:10

Posted by Mike Benson

Thank-you for praying today. Your prayers mean so much to so many!

Anna Lee

Sunday Evening

From Rev. Milton Kliesch

My son whitney’s vehicle ran over a road-side bomb in Iraq. He and his crew are okay. He is being checked for head damage from the blow. I am thankful for the new troop carriers built to withstand the roadside bombs. This is his third IED.

Chapmans

Thanks, Lord, for the sounds of the night. It looks like it’s going to be a quiet one. The doctors are slowly relaxing some of Emma’s aggresive procedures (took her cath out, allowing her to be off her bipap–oxygen–an hour at a time, allowing her to sit up in a chair, switched her morphine to a less stronger pain killer). She just this second figured out a way to lay on her side to sleep! Go, my Butterbean!

Krisa was able to spend several hours up here in PICU with Emma. It was good for both of them!

Momma loves being out of the ICU, even if that means painful days of therapy are around the corner. She looked so much better today! Pray for her pain tolerance as therapy begins.

Dad is still about 99% disoriented, confused, and hallucinating. But he’s safe and being taken care of! They’ve done more tests to try to determine what’s causing this. His sister, my Aunt Nan, has been such a blessing to us. She’s hardly left his side. Pray for his mental and emotional well-being. But also join us in praising God for how he’s taken care of us and walked us through all of this. We have the absolutely best friends and church family in the world! “Oh God, You are my God, and I will ever praise You…”

Maggie Lee Henson

At 6:30 pm tonight, our precious Maggie Lee was carried into the arms of her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. For these last three weeks, she fought for her life courageously, with the skillful help of the medical staff at Batson Children’s Hospital here in Jackson. She was blessed to have thousands of people praying and pulling for her. We celebrate her eternal life in the presence of her Creator tonight.

We gathered around Maggie Lee with this beautiful prayer from the Book of Common Prayer:

Into your hands, O merciful Savior, we commend your
servant Maggie Lee. Acknowledge, we humbly beseech you, a sheep of
your own fold, a lamb of your own flock, a sinner of your
own redeeming. Receive her into the arms of your mercy,
into the blessed rest of everlasting peace, and into the
glorious company of the saints in light. Amen.

May her soul and the souls of all the departed, through the
mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

We will be posting plans for her Celebration of Life in Shreveport, LA as details are completed. Thank you for your constant love and support.

http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/maggieleehenson

Please check out the beautiful pictures and Maggie Lee and then thank God for the precious life he gave the Hensons. God has got her safely in his arms now.

Sunday Addition – A Big “God Hug”

Whitney Kliesch, son on Rev. Milton and Mrs. Pam Kliesch of Osyka and Mr. Harley and Mrs. Mary Nell Kliesch of Kentwood, called his parents today to say he surviced a roadside bomb in Iraq today. Whitney is on his second tour there. He will have some x-rays tomorrow to make sure there is no schrapnel in his head. For now, he is just sore on his left side. Thank God for protecting Whitney today! As you thank God for protecting Whitmey, pray for his continued safety and for that of all the other men and women serving there and in Afghanistan.

Sunday Afternoon

Please add Marilyn Lafield to the prayer list, she is in ICU in Baton Rouge and the doctors don’t know what is wrong with her.

Thanks Bill (Frazier)

Jimmy Dukes was scheduled to preach at Line Creek (Kentwood) this morning. I know the service surely was a blessing to him and to the church.

Maggie Lee Henson

Sunday, August 2, 2009 12:40 PM, CDT

We attended worship at Northminster Baptist this morning, which is just across the street from the home we are staying in currently. Today was Communion Sunday and we drew strength from centering ourselves around the table of grace, remembering the length to which God has gone to demonstrate eternal love. We also drew strength from being with some of the many brothers and sisters in Christ we have met in this caring city.

I also took great comfort in the familiar words to Harry Emerson Fosdick’s, “God of Grace and God of Glory,” particularly from the words,

God of grace and God of glory
On Thy people pour Thy power
Crown Thine ancient church’s story
Bring her bud to glorious flower
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage
For the facing of this hour
For the facing of this hour

While Fosdick wrote these for the church, I received them today for me, for the facing of this hour.

Chapman Update

Emma – slept well; one lung clearing; sitting; eating (1/3 cup yogurt)

Ann -moved to regular room (better for family to visit)

Quincy – disoriented

Krisa – will see Emma today for first time since wreck Wed. night

Chelsea and family plus family from another care in accident – in worship at Amite Baptist Church
Deloy – being the caring son, husband, and father he always is

Sunday

“I have called upon You, for You will hear me, O God;

incline Your ear to me, and hear my speech.”

~Psalm 17:6~

Chapmans

Deloy faced the night with peace of God and comfort of friends. You may send cards in care of this address.

c/o Amite Baptist Church

7100 Amite Church Road

Denham Springs, LA 70726

Maggie Lee Henson

Saturday, August 1, 2009 7:51 PM, CDT

Hey friends-
Another difficult day for MLH. She continues to struggle with blood pressure stability.

The good news? Her cholesterol accodently got checked last night and that is good news:). Honestly, our precious girl is still in very critical condition and could use your prayers.
God is so good to surround us with so many of your prayers and concerns.
Graciously yours
Jin

Sunday, August 2, 2009 2:35 AM, CDT

Aug. 2
Sun am
Shift change- John is in the hospital chair-bed and I am not, yet my thoughts remain in room #7.
Friday Night instead of the surprise 40th Birthday Party I had planned for John, we were here at Batson Hospital celebrating Maggie Lee’s move to her own room in the pccu.
Life is so bizarre that way.
Like her twin cousin, Madeline, I, too want to think that this has all been some crazy dream. In my dreams, now, are the only time when I hear her booming voice and see her laugh, dance, dream or fly.
For now, we wait. And pray. And trust in God’s very rich love for us and her.
-jin

Dukes

Saturday, August 1, 2009 8:56 PM, EDT

Low on salt

My mom always has been considered encouraging and she has always changed an encounter or relationship with whomever she is connected to. She seasons, she preserves, she protects, she changes (as in melting ice), and she balances all those she has touched.

Today she was low on salt, salt is what keeps the fluid balanced in our body. It allows water to be held or released in our body. I did not do well on renal in med school, more than half the class failed that area, but i do remember that brother.

Today my mom had a day like last wednesday week. This means wednesday before last if you are not from Ms. She appeared to be seizing, to be lethargic, not responding to questions. Her sodium was low and a CT scan showed a fluid shift in her brain, and they have given her a concentrated sodium drip. Much like she gave all she touched. She is as much of a changing force as concentrated salt. May God himself protect her and provide healing for her and balance of her electrolytes.

She has 3 more weeks of antibiotics. Then hopefully we will be able to get the skull cap on and potentially a wound flap for the decubitus.

My awesome writer brother, whose book should be out in september, scanned out some snf’s in the orlando area. One is close to mom and dad’s home and dad’s work and the BIRC gave them a huge recommendation, and jase agreed that it is awesome. I am sure he will write in his post next week about with descriptive terms and flowery words, so i won’t steal his Thunder.

Dad is doing well and is holding out hope and positivity through this horrendous journey of realistic feeling and humanistic thought. Did Jason just channel me? Whoa. Anyway I digress.

Despite mom’s tough day I am glad to spend time with her and bring her sister to see her this weekend. My family came with me as well, which I know dad has enjoyed.

Please keep praying for us. For peace that passes understanding, for patience to wait on our unimaginable heavenly Father, and for positive hope to endure this journey that has been brought upon us by the world of havoc.

I would echo my dad’s words that we have a loving and merciful God who is not surprised by anything and will calm the storm or carry us through this storm and the ones to come. Praise the King!!

Thanks for journeying with us and continuing to lift us up to Him. erik.

Wall, Mrs. Paula Jean Shaw

Graveside service at the Woodland Cemetery, Kentwood, at 2 p.m.

David Welch

A resident of Baton Rouge and a native of Mendenhall, Miss., he died Friday, July 31,

2009. Visitation at Greenoaks Funeral Home, 9595 Florida Blvd., on Monday, Aug. 3,

from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Visitation resumes on Tuesday, Aug. 4, from 9 a.m. until religious

services at noon in the funeral home chapel. Services will be conducted by the Rev.

Don Perkins and assisted by the Rev. Don Hoy. Interment in Greenoaks Memorial

Park. He was a U.S. Navy veteran of World War II; worked at Ethyl Corp. for 20 years;

and retired from Carville where he was chief orthotist. He was employed at National

Hansen Disease Center at Oschner Hospital. He is survived by two children, Gwen

Starks and husband Roger Starks, and Kathryn Hatcher; three grandchildren, Janece

Collins and husband Troy Collins, Rachel Hatcher and Jonathan Starks; and a sister,

Patsy Dreher. Preceded in death by a daughter, Barbara Ann Welch; wife, Wincie Mae

Pippin Welch; parents, Ernest Welch and Louvenia Welch; brother, Lonnie Welch;

sisters, Bobbie Sanchez and Johnnie Bennett. Pallbearers will be Troy Collins, Andy

Dreher, Dickie Sanchez, David Jewell, Ronald Pippin, Delmar Gene Pippin, Richard

Sanchez and Scott Rankin. He will be dearly missed by many friends, patients and

loved ones.

Hardship

DIANA ROSS MCCAIN wrote an insightful article entitled, “The Hardships of Worship…”

In it she described what it was like to worship in a Connecticut church meetinghouse some two-hundred plus years ago. She observed:

“There was no fireplace, no stove, no significant heat source of any kind. Half-frozen men, women, and children, bundled up in their heaviest garments, hunched into themselves to conserve precious body heat and peered through clouds of condensation formed by their breath. In the pulpit the minister himself might be preaching clad in a greatcoat and mittens. At times it got so cold the Lord’s Supper froze… Comfort was not a primary consideration of those who constructed early Connecticut meetinghouses. Here one came every Sunday to attend to the serious business of hearing the word of God and how it might be applied to daily life. And that solemn duty was to be carried out no matter what weather it pleased the Almighty to provide.”

Wouldn’t it be interesting to some day note the following add in the local newspaper…, “Come worship with us. Our building is cold in the winter; hot in the summer. We use neither heat nor air conditioning. Our pews are not padded. We meet not for physical comfort, but spiritual worship. You are cordially invited.”

Now, what was it your were saying about the thermostat…? (Mike Benson)

“But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth” (John 4:23-24).

Posted by Mike Benson

David and I have worshiped in a Roma (Gypsy) church in Romania where it was so cold there were icicles on the inside of the windows and one man fed the heater pieces of wood all during the two hour service. We kept coats and gloves on the entire time. I can’t say it was the most comfortable service I was ever in, but it taught me a lesson about how much people sometimes endure just to worship each week.

Today, I hope you worship in God’s house, comfortable or not!

Anna Lee

Saturday Afternoon

Chapman Update

Quincy – “Settled a bit”

Ann – Neck fractures worse than first thought; Blood in lungs; Lots of pain

Krisa – Much better; Not released yet

Emma – Lungs 2/3 full of “trauma junk”; Requires help breathing

Chelsea – Being discharged today

Deloy – Got much needed sleep last night

Please continue to pray for all these people and those caring for them in any way.

Tracy Ivy Williams
(December 14, 1958 – August 1, 2009)

Tracy Ivy Williams, 50, a lifelong resident of the Bolivar community, was born December 14, 1958 and passed away on August 1, 2009.Tracy was strong in his faith as a Christian. One of his favorite verses was Philippians 4:13: “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” He attended New Beginnings Baptist Church and he was an ordained deacon and served as a Sunday School Superintendant for many years. Tracy’s faith in the Lord never waivered and he was an inspiration to everyone who knew him.

He worked for the Dept. of Social Services and retired after 27 years as a supervisor. Tracy was a graduate of Chesbrough High School and Southeastern Louisiana University. He was also an enthusiastic LSU Tiger fan and he enjoyed making gifts for family and friends in his woodworking shop.

Tracy is survived by four siblings: Trudy Blades and her husband Dickie Roy, Kentwood; Kenny Williams and his wife Jackie, Kentwood; Sharon Walker and her husband Lemmie, Baton Rouge; and Linda Edwards and her husband Tommy, Baton Rouge; two nieces; Donielle Edwards, Baton Rouge; Michelle Ribera and husband Chris, Baton Rouge; three nephews; Jimmy Ray Jones and fiancée Whitney Gill, Kentwood; Jason Edwards, Outer Banks, North Carolina; Brandt Edwards and wife Suzie, Baton Rouge; his great nieces and nephews, Elise and Christopher Ribera, Dylan and Madison Griggs, and Blake Edwards will miss their uncle Tracy. Also close friend Julie Alley.

Tracy was preceded in death by his parents Henry L. and Lucille Lewis Williams of Bolivar; his grandparents, Ivy and Lexie Crawford Lewis of Bolivar; E.A. and Dollie Martin Williams of Anacoco, La; and great niece Ainsley Marie Edwards.

Pallbearers will be Jimmy Ray Jones, Brandt Edwards, Jason Edwards, Mack Brown, Troy Dale Ricks, Jeff Waskom, Chris Ribera, and Hilton Miller. Honorary Pallbearers will be Roy Lewis, J.C. Ricks, Gary Dees, and Dale Bond.

The family appreciates the many visits, phone calls, cards, and prayers of family and friends who brightened Tracy’s days during his last lengthy hospitalization. The family also wishes to thank Dr. Peter Monteyne and the entire staff of Promise Hospital in Gonzales.

Visitation will be at McKneely & Vaughn Funeral Home, Amite, from 5:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m., Sunday, August 2, 2009 and on Monday August 3, 2009 from 8:00 a.m. until Religious Services at 10:00 a.m. in the Funeral Home Chapel with Bro. Tommy Varnado, Dr. Danny Smith, Bro. Johnny Smith, and Bro. Willard Carnegie, officiating. Interment at Bolivar Baptist Church Cemetery, Bolivar, LA

An on-line Guestbook and to view a Video Tribute is available at http://www.mckneelyvaughnfh.com

McKneely & Vaughn Funeral Home is located at I-55N and Hwy. 16W behind Mr. Tom’s Express Car Wash and Bond Eye Clinic.

Mom: had a tough night last night, doing well today, begins therapy tomorrow. Pray that she will rest well tonight.

Dad: same, but doctors are trying hard to figure out what medicines may help him rest without adding to his confusion. Pray that he will rest well tonight.

Krisa: overdid it yesterday, paid for it last night, but doing well today. I MISS MY SWEETHEART!! Pray for her neck and head pain.

Emma: tough night last night, but something clicked this afternoon and outwardly she is doing 100% better. Lungs problems won’t let her out of the ICU, so pray for that.

Me: I wish I could be in four places at one time, but I’m thankful for sisters and church family and other family and friend that are awesomely loving and helping in every way possible. I’ve been resting under the shadow of the Almighty (Psalm 91), and He is GOOD.

KneEmail

Bounce

Repentance

My son whitney’s vehicle ran over a road-side bomb in Iraq. He and his crew are okay. He is being checked for head damage from the blow. I am thankful for the new troop carriers built to withstand the roadside bombs. This is his third IED.

Krisa was able to spend several hours up here in PICU with Emma. It was good for both of them!

Momma loves being out of the ICU, even if that means painful days of therapy are around the corner. She looked so much better today! Pray for her pain tolerance as therapy begins.

Hardship