Thursday

Today is the 58th annual National Day of Prayer. You can go the the official website at http://www.ndptf.org/home/home.html to get more information. Let’s celebrate a country that has honored prayer for many years and practice our wonderful freedom to pray.

“I mean that I want us to help each other

with the faith we have.

Your faith will help me,

and my faith will help you.”

~Romans 1:12 NCV~



Continue to pray for Wanzie Williams as arrangements are being worked out for physical therapy.


Continue to pray for the Melder/Pezant family. Little four year old Haley continues to have kidney issues because of the e-coli.

Tracy Williams is doing well following his surgery. Continue to pray for him.

From Melissa Simpson:

I know this couple in McComb who really needs our prayers. Talmadge is 81 years young and had surgery about 4 weeks ago. He is doing good but the healing of his body is really going a little slow for him. Marvis is really taking good care of him. I spoke to her this morning on the phone to check on them as they only live about 3 minutes from where I work and ask her if she needed anything and she told me to keep on praying for the healing of Talmadge. I told her I would put them on the prayer link. This is a really wonderful couple and they have a church that is there for them. But hey! one more prayer group would be wonderful.

Thanks
Melissa

Don, Diane, and Josh Denton

I got sleep! Today was a day that I was able to rest. I spent the evening with Don this evening. Just a few updates.

Don is on again off again with a private room. His level of headache pain has not changed. The doctor decided to put Don back on steroids starting at a smaller dose to help with his symptoms. Hopefully within the next few days, Don will be able to see some relief from his symptoms.

Don’s veins are not working well. They collapsed today when the nurse tried putting another IV in. Don is having problems with swelling in his hands and arms too. So a “line” has been put in.

The nurosurgeon talked of us being able to go home by Friday. That is not going to happen. Don is not well enough to go home at this point. Hopefully next week.

I am praying that we will be able to be home for Joshua’s birthday. I have planned his little party for Saturday the 16th. And my hope is that we can keep this part of our life as “normal” as possible. So please pray that Don will be well enough to come home.

IF…all goes well and Don shows improvement by Friday, Josh and I will go home. I have to get our pets from the boarding facility. This is taking longer than I had thought that it would.

And I have to get my mail and I am hoping that Joshua will be able to play with some of his friends. We will then go back to St. Louis on Sunday, Mothers Day.

Having an illness like this changes everything. Last year I would have been upset if Don forgot Mother’s Day. This year, all that matters is that Don is with us. I am so grateful to God that we have each other.

So much in that way has changed for me. One learns what is important in life, when someone you love is so ill.

We continue to ask God for his mercy and grace upon us. We continue to hope and believe. Believe for answers and hope that whatever this disease is, it will be treatable and restore Don back to us.


As much as I don’t want to leave Don up here, his parents will be here for him. And I will only leave if I know for sure that it is OK. It is so hard to make decisions sometimes.

Thank you for your continued prayer for Don, Joshua and I. It means everything to us. Thank you for continuing to touch us in the way that you do. People we don’t know just reach out to us and love us in a way that only God could show them.

I believe God uses you all to show us that He has not left us and it encourages and touches me deeply. Bless you.

Diane

Richard Rowley Lipscomb
Richard died Tuesday, May 5, 2009, following a brief illness. He was born May 29, 1911, in Norwood, the son of William “Lynn” F. Lipscomb and Julia Pemble Lipscomb. Richard married Inez Hughes on June 7, 1941, in the home of the Rev. Dearman in Kentwood. Richard and Inez started their life together in Clinton. Richard retired in 1976 as secretary-treasurer of Community Coffee Inc., and he was the past president of the Baton Rouge Association of Accountants. Richard was also a member of the Stuart Cameron McLeod Society, an organization for past national officers and directors of the National Association of Accountants. Earlier in his career he had served in various positions with the Civilian Conservation Corps followed by an appointment by the LSU Extension Services as district secretary to the Bogue Chitto-Pearl River Soil Conservation District with headquarters in Kentwood. Prior to World War II, he was appointed as the project superintendent of the first project between the Soil Conservation Corps and the Works Progress Administration, overseeing projects in East and West Feliciana parishes. As war appeared eminent, the project closed and Richard joined the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at their Shreveport office. From there. he went to Minden with the Ordinance Department. He was subsequently transferred to the Vicksburg branch of the General Accounting Office, then went to Little Rick, ending up in the Canadian Yukon, where he worked at the Whitehorse, Yukon, office of the Corps of Engineers. Another move led to Watson Lake, Yukon Territory, where he served as administrative assistant to the chief project engineer on the airport construction and a section of the Alaskan Highway. Richard loved classical music and gardening. He spent many enjoyable hours on his patio, which was covered with beautiful flowers and plants. Richard and Inez were members of Broadmoor Presbyterian Church. He, with the help of Inez, spent many years researching the Lipscomb Family history and in 1978 published The Lipscombs of East Feliciana, a Virginia Heritage. They continued their interest in genealogy and researched Inez’s family meeting many people along the journey. He was a great husband, father and provider for his family and a true friend to all who knew him. Richard will be greatly missed. He was preceded in death by his wonderful and loving wife of 66 years, Inez Hughes Lipscomb, who was a native of Kentwood; his father, William “Lynn” F. Lipscomb; mother, Julia Pemble Lipscomb; three brothers, Wilbur S., Elvis F. and Clarence E. Lipscomb; and two sisters, Mildred Lipscomb James and Ida Lipscomb Jones. Richard is survived by his sons, John Pemble Lipscomb and fiancée Karen M. Holloway, of Brandon, Miss., and Rodney Kent Lipscomb and daughter-in-law, Elizabeth Titterington Lipscomb, of Hammond; a brother and sister-in-law, Jack and Dorothy Hughes, of Kentwood; and sister-in-law, Beatrice Crawford of Vidor, Texas. Surviving nephews and their spouses are Larry W. Jones, of Baton Rouge, David E. and Barbara Lipscomb, of Houston, Kenneth and Diane Lipscomb, of Denham Springs, Jack D. and Mary Hughes, Paul M. and Mary Hughes, and Mark and Dera Hughes, all of Kentwood, and Wayne and Pat Crawford, of Vidor. Visitation at Rabenhorst Funeral Home East, 11000 Florida Blvd., on Friday, May 8, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., followed by a brief prayer service conducted by the Rev. Hawley Wolfe. Graveside service at Woodland Cemetery, Kentwood, on Saturday, May 9, at 11 a.m. Pallbearers will be Jack D. Hughes, Rodney Lipscomb, John Lipscomb, Mark C. Hughes, Mike Larsen and Danny Lamier. Honorary pallbearers are Norman Saurage III, Paul White, Clarence Bourg, Huey Coltharp, R.H. “Jack” Hughes, Luke Elliott Sr., Carlton Varnado, Robert Lewis, Roland Gary and Dr. Tom Graves. In lieu of flowers, please make memorial donations to Hospice of Baton Rouge, 9063 Siegen Lane, Suite A, Baton Rouge, LA 70810, Broadmoor Presbyterian Church, 9340 Florida Blvd., Baton Rouge, LA 70815 or a charity of your choice.

IT’S NOT EASY BEING A MOM

Judith Viorst once wrote an essay based on interviews she had with children. The subject was “What’s a good mother like?”

Viorst reports that the children expected their mother to get angry from time to time. “She has to,” said Ted, “or she’ll faint from holding it in.”

“But it’s best to remember,” said Randy, “that when your mother starts to act real weird, you have to look scared and serious. Don’t giggle. When mommies are mad, they get madder if you giggle.”

“My mommy got so mad,” said Megan, “that she yanked the plate off the table and all the mashed potatoes flew into the air.”

“And why,” Viorst asked, pretending she’d never heard of such shocking behavior, “why would a mother do a thing like that?”

“Well,” said Megan, “she told my older brother, Mike, he’s 11 years old, to eat the potatoes on his plate and he said ‘Later.’ And then she told him again to eat the potatoes and Mike said ‘Soon.’ And then she told him he had better eat those potatoes right now and he said, ‘In a minute.’ And then she stood up and Mike finally took a bite and told her, ‘How can I eat them? They’re cold!'”

It truly is not easy being a Mom! But how blessed we were to have our mothers. In this country, we will honor our mothers on Sunday, and I think it’s certainly appropriate. Paul said we as Christians are to “give honor to whom honor is due” (Romans 13:7), and I can’t think of anyone any more deserving of honor than our mothers. I hope that you will honor in a special way those mothers who are like Hannah.

In I Samuel 1, we have recorded the birth of Samuel. Before he was born, Hannah prayed a vow to God. She said, “O LORD of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a male child, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor shall come upon his head.” (I Samuel 1:11)

The Lord heard her petition and she was blessed with the birth of Samuel. Hannah didn’t forget her vow to the Lord. She took her son Samuel to be trained at the feet of Eli, the priest of God. From a very young age, Hannah made sure that her son was preparing to serve the Lord.

I heard about a preacher a number of years ago who came home after preaching a gospel meeting, and he was asked how it went. Rather discouraged, he said that he had only baptized one young girl who was about 12 or 13 years old — all in all, comparatively speaking, not a very successful meeting. But, after that girl grew up, she married and became the mother of five sons who became gospel preachers. What a great impact that young lady ended up having in the world!

I know that mothers — especially mothers of young children — sometimes get discouraged because they wonder if they’re really accomplishing anything. Let me assure you that if you are instilling within your children a love for God and His Word, you’re accomplishing something. It may be years down the road before you see the results, but you’re having an impact. You’re making a difference.

Give honor this weekend to your own mother — and to those mothers around you — who, like Hannah, have vowed to give their children over to God.

Have a great day!

Alan Smith
Helen Street Church of Christ
Fayetteville, North Carolina

Have a fantastic day!

Anna Lee

Wednesday Afternoon

Watching Dad and Mom see each other again today was unforgettable. It was the first time since they had been transferred to their respective facilities. Aunt Kete (Mom’s sister), Yolanda (Mom’s neice), Uncle Danny (Dad’s brother), and I were there to witness it. Mom seemed very thankful that we all came.

I got to Dad’s room early this morning with his Tall Decaf and some oatmeal and yogurt. He was up and at ’em earlier than normal, because therapy was earlier than normal, so that he could go see Mom. After therapy, I helped Dad with a bath. He wanted to freshen up for Mom. His attire for the special occasion – Superman T and Mickey Mouse pants and hospital-grey socks. And underwear. Very important. A slide into his wheelchair, phone and sliding board sitting in his lap, and we were heading toward the elevator.

I pulled the car under the drop-off canopy and helped Dad slide into the car. Chair stored in the trunk, we took off across the river in my blue Honda Civic. I mention it only to give you a mental image of Dad sliding from a wheelchair, ducking his neck-collared head, and buckling up for the ride. Pretty amazing.

We stopped briefly to grab Mom some lip balm. Dad waited in the car. Once we arrived to the West Jeff campus, we found a parking place and headed in.

Mom had a busy morning. Kete and Yolanda were in town down from Houston, MS and arrived early. Mom’s doctors and nurses came by. Several therapists came by – both for breathing treatment and physical therapy. A friend from Orlando had suggested we ask them about giving Mom a “Passy Muir Valve” to help Mom wean off of her tracheotomy. We asked. They acted like that was a good idea and ordered it. Thanks, Stephanie (and Monica, Jen’s cousin’s wife, too – she affirmed the suggestion).

You are not going to believe what the physical therapists did! They moved all of Mom’s limbs for her, just to loosen them up. Mom moved her feet on command. Then, they SAT HER UP!!! Seriously! With a lot of help, of course. They supported her body and head. Amazing!

Needless to say, once we arrived, Mom was tuckered out.

I could tell Dad was a bit disappointed that Mom was asleep when we arrived. The wound care folks came in at that same time, too. So, we all stepped out into the hall to let them do their thing. While we did, Mom’s doctor came by to talk with us. We got to talk about her care plan and the eventual plans to move her back to Orlando.

When the wound care folks were done, we rolled back in, and Mom was awake! Dad smiled big. Mom did, too, once we lowered the bed enough to let her look over and see Dad at her bedside.

We visited for about an hour and a half. I could tell Dad was tired. So we told Mom bye and that we love her so much, and we headed back downstairs to slide into the Civic. We crossed the river and stopped to grab a burger. We ate it in the parking lot of Dad’s facility before sliding out and heading up.

I asked Dad, “What were your takeaways from seeing Mom?”

He affirmed that he was disappointed at first when we saw her asleep. He so wanted to interact with her. He was so thankful she was awake and alert after the wound care folks left. He was excited about how Mom recognized him and smiled at him. I asked her to wink at me just to see if she could. She did, and then winked at Dad, too!!! He smiled then, of course. He was afraid a bit of whether Mom would be alert and be remembering him. He hoped she would have clarity.

I asked Dad if, even though I had prepared him with a picture for how Mom looked, he was surprised by how sunken in the right side of her head was where that piece of her skull is missing. He said that he was taken back a bit. It is very pronounced now that Mom is missing that part of her head. The skin flap is healing back well. Hais is even beginning to grow back there. But it is tough to see at first if you haven’t seen it before.

He told Mom that he looked forward to the day when they could hang the art from the grandkids together in the same room. We look forward to that day, too.

I posted a few more pictures on my blog of Mom and Dad and the day. Click here to check them out.

Please keep praying. Great advancements this week for both Mom and Dad. This is going to be such a long haul, though, especially for Mom. Thanks for your continued support.

I will post at you tomorrow. Erik arrives tomorrow afternoon. It’s Jen’s birthday tomorrow, too. Remember her if you will. I look forward to taking her out Friday night when I fly back home for the weekend.

By the way – I mentioned Becky Mayberry’s Dad a few posts back. His cancer has returned. They were told yesterday it is Stage 4. Please pray for his healing and for his resolve and for the family to sense more fully than ever how near God is right now. Pray for Chris (Becky’s husband) to have wisdom as he comforts Bec and leads their beautiful family (3 kids) through this. Jen and I love them so much. Chris has meant a lot to Dad during all this time, too. He rode up with me all night to New Orleans the night of the accident, and he has been back one time already to be with me and help Dad. Thanks, bud. So thankful for yall. Hurt with you and am praying.

Thankful for all of you. More than we can say.
-jason

Wednesday

“O Lord, God of my salvation,

I have cried out day and night before You.

Let my prayer come before You;

incline Your ear to my cry.”

~Psalm 88:1-2~

Hatchels

All three of the Hatchel patients are doing better today. Thank you for your prayers. Continue to pray for them to return to full health.

Don, Diane, and Josh Denton

Can’t sleep. I just called the hospital to check up on Don. He is in a private room now. I am so thankful to God for that. Don’s condition has not changed. He is not worse, but not better either. He has a high level of pain and that is on three major pain medications, one of the morphine.

Joshua is not feeling well. Josh in and out of the hospital makes for the opportunity for a virus.

Our thoughtful and kind pastor drove up to St. Louis to just spend the day with us. We are so grateful for him, his wife and our church. It meant so much to Don to see his face.

I have had a hard time sleeping. And at the same time, it is better than in the past. And yes my eating habits are terrible. I have to Make myself eat. And I am working hard at taking care of myself for my family’s sake and mine but Anne is right. She is a wonderful caregiver to us and much more.

Actually, having this amazing, peaceful home to stay in helps on so many levels.

I will update tomorrow.

Diane


There’s a little more than two weeks of school left. Pray for the students who will be graduating beginning next week. Pray for wise decisions in matters that affect their future education and works.


WEDNESDAY WINDOW ON THE WORLD

May 6, 2009

ENGAGING CHURCHES – WEST AFRICA. In January, you asked God to give the Pana people spiritual understanding as team members from HighPoint Fellowship in Splendora, Texas, shared God’s Word through chronological Bible storying and encouraged the small group of believers. God answered your prayers in a mighty way! Since there had not been much response in the village where the HighPoint teams had stayed during the three previous trips, they decided to move on to another village–where the reception was tremendous. They were given a place to stay in the chief’s compound, and his wife was pleased to prepare their meals each day. The villagers gathered to hear stories from the Father’s Word, and many were able to re-tell the stories to others. The team members interacted and bonded well with the Pana people and developed relationships of trust. As the team was leaving, the Pana had a special celebration for them. A good foundation is now in place for the HighPoint team to build upon when they return in June. Give thanks to God for the way in which He is working in the hearts of the Pana people. Pray that they will continue to respond positively to His Word.

MOROCCAN ARABS OF MOROCCO (muh-RAH-kan). “As we celebrate Mother’s Day in the United States, we are reminded of the amazing women in our lives. We think of their love, their sacrifice, and their wisdom. ‘Strength and honor are her clothing, and she can laugh at the time to come. She opens her mouth with wisdom, and loving instruction is on her tongue. She watches over the activities of her household and is never idle. Her sons rise up and call her blessed. Her husband also praises her: “Many women are capable, but you surpass them all!” Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the LORD will be praised. Give her the reward of her labor, and let her works praise her at the city gates’ (Proverbs 31:25-31). Many Moroccan Arab women can be described in a similar manner as what we read here in Proverbs, except that many do not know the Lord. Please lift up Moroccan Arab women who do not currently know the true Lord. May they be free to hear the good news of the Messiah, Jesus. Although there is a growing movement among Moroccan Arab women, many have yet to be discipled or even been able to meet together for fellowship. Please pray for the believing Moroccan Arab women, as they desire to meet together for discipleship and fellowship. Pray for the women who are seeking and meeting with believers. May these women stand firm in their faith in the midst of possible persecution.” http://www.experiencename.com/

MACAU, SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION, CHINA (muh-COW). When patients walk into Hope Clinic, they know that there is something different about this place. Christ is honored here, and the Christian staff strives to meet both the physical and spiritual needs of each person. Pray for the many people who come through the doors of Hope Clinic. They are from all walks of life and from many different countries, from babies to the elderly, from all kinds of religious backgrounds. Pray that Christ will draw them to Himself through the care, love and truth shared with them.

KneEmail
“At the name of Jesus every knee should bow…” (Philippians 2:10).
Mike Benson, Editor
REMEMBER ARTHUR Andersen and the Enron debacle…?
There was still another failure, and it is the most unforgivable failure of all: the failure to learn from failure. Enron was just the latest and biggest in a string of costly Arthur Andersen auditing blunders. In recent years, Andersen settled a fraud lawsuit with Sunbeam Corporation for $110 million, ran afoul with the Securities and Exchange Commission over its audit of Waste Management Corporation, and was implicated in the collapse of Global Crossings, another company with Enron-style inflated earnings. Arthur Andersen was also asleep at the switch during the collapse of Banca Nazionale del Lavoro (BNL) some years ago in Atlanta.
Failure is forgivable if you learn from it. Failure is fatal if you don’t. The lesson is clear: Be a good leader, a great leader, a competent leader. Above all, be the kind of successful leader who embraces failures and learns from them. The great leader understands that failure can be the key to ultimate success when it produces learning, growth, and increased competence. That is one of the great paradoxes of power, one of the enduring truths of leadership. (Pat Williams)
“If if all fall away on account of you, I never will.”
~Matthew 26:33~
Have a great day!
Anna Lee

Tuesday Evening

Don Denton

This is Anne, Diane’s friend. Tuesday 4:30p.m. Diane just called to say Don is still stable. Today’s CAT scan was normal. There’s no diagnosis yet. They’ve gotten Don out of bed to walk and he did pretty well. He’s not able to eat and keep anything down. He still has a high level of pain. If he continues to do well enough, they will probably move him out of ICU & into a room on the Neuro floor tonight or tomorrow. Josh had a very hard time today not being able to see his Daddy AGAIN. (Children aren’t allowed in ICU). Please pray they will be able to move Don soon. Diane is very tired, as you can imagine. She hasn’t slept well prior to the surgery, the emotion is exhausting, and she’s upholding both her son and her husband. Plus, confidentially, 😉 her eating habits have been lousy! I know you will remember her in your prayers, too.

Tuesday Afternoon

Jimmy Schwartz in now hospitalized at North Oaks in room 2216. Please check on him and pray for him. He’s undergoing tests for now.


Mrs. Wanzie Williams had her surgery in Hammond, not Baton Rouge. She’s in the hospital now, but going into rehab when it can be arranged. Keep her in your prayers too.


Sorry I’m so scarce

by Emily Panter

Well, we haven’t signed up for high speed yet, and Verizon refuses to come out and fix our phones. So I am only around the Internet ever so often. But I wanted to write and let everyone know of my milestone. I went to my Bible study yesterday and we were studying the resurrection. I realized that it had been six months to the day from my ordeal, and I though that was pretty cool, and doubt it is a coincidence. We serve an awesome and sovereign God and I am privileged to have experienced His miraculous power in such a public way. Not a day goes by that I do not think of that day, and I am daily grateful for today, for my next breath. Praise God today that He is not finished with you yet, and that you are still useful to Him.


Kathy Jo Thompson

God is really amazing at how he works things out for the good of those who love him! I am taking my test either today or tomorrow evening with a proctor at Covington High School. I’ve been studying and feel I’ll do well (atleast I’ll pass the class). I haven’t been doing much, lots of ice, walking, and sitting around.

I think I may start physical therapy next week if the doctor allows. ha The pain is getting alot better, I only have to take a pain pill when I go to sleep!YAY It will come in time. I can’t really bend or move though so after the healing process which according to dr. instruction

s is about 4 weeks, I will start working on that.

Mom went back to work this week so I am staying with my Aunt Jo. She named a horse after me! It’s a beautiful little filly named Wiggle My Toes! We watch her run and play in the field with her mom. Aunt Jo takes good care of me and makes sure that I eat, which is important cause I still don’t have much of an appetite.

Well if I can get this test taken and feel up to it, I may go to Fl to Aunt Jo’s condo with Kayla and the girls for her bachelorett

e party on Thursday. Ofcourse I won’t be able to do the things they will be doing but atleast I’ll be there and it will be a change of scenary.

Ag

ain, Thank you!

~KJ



Jimmy and Retia Dukes

Tuesday, May 5, 2009 2:45 PM, EDT

< mom’s new shoes. >
 It was raining when the plane landed. A storm was blowing through the New Orleans area yesterday morning, and my flight arrived at 9:15am. The weekend with my family in Orlando had been sky-blue. Seeing Jen and the kids and our church family meant more than I can express in written words. Very refreshing.

Enough to make the present contrast that much more distinguishable, for this morning was all grey. And my heart was, too.

It really hit me hard yesterday what’s really happening and what the long-term for Mom really means.

When

I arrived, text messaging revealed that Dad was in therapy, so I headed across the river to see Mom. I was looking forward to another half-smile and those beautiful, OPEN, brown eyes. And that’s what I saw. Very thankful. Very thankful that she is even alive and interacting with us.

I spent some time with her, asking yes and no questions, reading notes from Caring Bridge, and talking with the medical staff. Then, I headed to Bud’s Broiler to grab Dad a burger with mayo and tomato and cheese. He was craving a Bud’s burger. Their burgers have a unique flavor. You’ll have to try one.

Dad and I ate together and talked. I missed him over the weekend. He is not just my dad. He is one of my best friends. Conversatio

n with him is always sweet.

We went for a walk. I pushed his wheelchair outside to a windy spot under the breezeway, grabbed a chair for myself, and we sat together. I summarized for him what I had taught Sunday morning in our worship gathering back home. It sparked deeper interaction

, especially because we are walking through 1st John right now. One of dad’s favorites.

Then, I read him some of the notes from Caring Bridge. Without fail, each note carved a canyon from his heart that expressed itself through tears of joy. I asked him, “Pop, do you know how lucky you are? How many people get to hear the impact of their lives before they die?”

My father-in-l

aw and I talked about that Saturday night. We wondered why we usually wait to share how much someone really means to us until after they can no longer hear us. We sympathized with Dad, feeling like he must be overwhelmed with your outpouring of overwhelming love. And he is.

I headed back to see Mom. She wasn’t tracking with the clarity that I had seen last week. She seemed kind of out of it. She seemed tired. I thought, “What do I expect? There will be good days and bad days.”

“You have to take this month-to-month, now. This will be a two-year process. We won’t be able to say, with confidence, where she will really return to until that time.”

The neurosurgeo

n from Orlando who performed my neck surgery over two years ago (Dr. Medary) told me that on the phone yesterday. I called him to get counsel on Mom – about her care and about transferring her back to Orlando. We are working on logistics for both her and Dad moving to Orlando hopefully within the month (we’ll see). The brain center there has been highly recommended to us. And, Jen’s cousin Matt has been so helpful in letting us know about options for Mom and Dad. We are praying it all works out. Dr. Medary told me he would be our advocate and work with us in any way we need him to, as well. Thanks, Doc and Matt.

Two years. It’s amazing how a two-second accident can change the next two years of Mom’s life. And more.

My heart sunk when Dr. Medary said that. And at the very same time, it was filled with resolve. Obviously the Spirit welling up in me and responding to all of you praying. He does that stuff. Pretty cool.

I’m just being honest with you, though – my heart was still heavy and grey. How do people make it through stuff like this – hard stuff when loved ones are impacted – without Jesus? I can tell you this is the hardest thing I have ever walked through. I feel it. I feel your prayers, too. I sense Jesus near, too, holding me. But it’s tough.

How do people make it? How do they make it apart from the nearness of His love?

I believe He loves us, you know. That’s why there’s peace and hope in seemingly tragic and unfair circumstanc

es. I believe He hurts when we hurt. I believe He holds us. I believe that His servants, like Mom and Dad who have been so faithful, are not promised safety. I believe we are not assured that everything will always go well. But, I believe we are held. The “good news” is that God came near, not that life will always go our way.

I believe He loves us. And His loving hands reach to hold us. When they do, I am reminded. When I feel His touch and therefore His scars, I am reminded that He knows how tragic and unfair the circumstanc

es of this world can be. The death and injustice unfurled by the self-centered choice in the Garden became the tragic and unfair consequence that, through His hands and feet, was nailed to a tree.

Becau

se He loves us.

And, because His love is so mysteriousl

y, thoughtfully, purposefully, steadfastly near, there is resolve. The same resolve that allowed Him to “set His face resolutely toward Jerusalem.”

I see it in Dad’s eyes as he readies to go to therapy. I see it in Mom’s eyes when I tell her that she is a miracle and we are gonna make it through this. I see it in Erik when we talk about the near future. I hear it in my wife’s voice when, with her nurse’s heart, she speaks with passion about caring for Mom when she returns to Orlando.

I pray for that same resolve in your prayers and your love as we walk through this together. And I pray that I will show it to you in return when we get to walk with you, when you are held in your circumstanc

e. Hopefully it won’t come, but it likely will. At least until Mom stands whole again and sees those scars with her own eyes.

This morning, my heart wasn’t grey. Resolve and a good night’s sleep kicked in. Dad got his Tall Decaf. Mom got to see her baby boy. And I was there when they gave her a new pair of shoes.

Her feet had been extended for too long, and the wound care specialist feared pressure points would form on her heels from touching the bed. So, she got new shoes. They kind of inspire you to hit the slopes. I wish Mom could, although I don’t think she has ever snow-skied.

Basically, they will help Mom from getting those bedsores on her heels, and they will help hold Mom’s feet in a more natural position, hopefully preserving some of the muscular tone in her lower legs.

Pleas

e pray for more new stuff for Mom – first steps to wean off of her tracheotomy, first steps to move away from needing a feeding tube, first steps, period. That’s a ways off I am sure. We’ll see. With all yall praying, you never know! Please pray for some renewed stuff, too – that bone piece from her head to be put back soon, her bodily functions to be back under her conscious control, her complete smile, two bedsores (bottom and head) to heal, and more. And please praise – that she is even alive.

Pleas

e pray for Dad, too. He will see an ortho doctor Thursday about his bones, particularly his wrist. They are supposed to reassess everything for him early next week. Surgery on his wrist is coming soon, also.

Our family is so grateful for all of you. Thanks to all of you for how you have loved us in this season. We love you.

I’ll holler tomorrow.
-j

ason



Tuesday, May 5, 2009 3:55 PM, EDT

OH YEAH!!! One more thing to add to today’s post – we got word today that Dad’s doctors are giving him a day pass for me to somehow get him over to see Mom tomorrow!!!

How cool is that?!! So, pray for good transport and a sweet time. I will post about it with a picture tomorrow afternoon or evening.

-ja

son

Hatchels
David talked with Boyd. His three patients are doing okay. The older two children have not developed any problems. Pray for Jennie, Madison, and Mason to get better in His timing.

Tuesday

“In the day of my trouble

I will call upon You,

for You will answer me.”

~Psalm 86:7~





Our grandson, Mason Hatchel (5), was diagnosed with a contagious bacterial infection yesterday. Later, he broke his collarbone. Jennie pulled a muscle getting him to the hospital and is not feeling well. Boyd took Madison (6) in to be checked. She has had an allergic reaction to something. All this in less than twenty-four hours and after Jennie drove home from Poland. We would appreciate your prayers for these “bumps in the road”. Pray for Boyd. It seems he will have three patients!

Don Denton

11:20 P.M. Monday

Doctor came out the surgery went well so far. They had to make a larger incision, but they feel that they got a biopsy that may reveal something. He found an area that did not look normal.

The doctor still had to close, it will be another hour. Then Don will be in ICU. Please pray that he will not have complications.

And as always pray for a cure.

Diane


From Baptist Press

NOBTS Creates Fund for Dukes’ Recovery
By Staff

NEW ORLEANS (BP)–New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary has established a fund to help Jimmy and Retia Dukes with recovery and rehabilitation costs from severe injuries sustained when they were struck by an automobile near the campus April 4.

Jimmy Dukes, professor of New Testament and Greek since 1984, serves as the director of theological education/distance learning for the Florida Baptist Convention. In an arrangement with the Florida Baptist Convention, he also serves as associate dean of the seminary’s Florida extension centers and director of the seminary’s Orlando hub. Retia was a longtime NOBTS staff member before they moved to Florida in 2007.

The couple faces a long, expensive recovery from their injuries. NOBTS President Chuck Kelley created the Jimmy and Retia Dukes Recovery Fund to offset the many rehabilitation costs that will not be covered by insurance. These include treatment costs as well as travel and lodging expenses incurred by the Dukes’ two sons, Erik and Jason, who are making frequent trips to New Orleans. Erik is a physician in Booneville, Miss. Jason is co-pastor of Westpoint Fellowship Church in Windermere, Fla.

“Many of us who have been blessed and helped by the Dukes’ ministry through the years and want to help,” Kelley said. “We know that the recovery will take months and they will be away from their home and family.”

“This fund will be for expenses not covered by insurance. It offers a way for any who want to help to be able to help in a way that greatly assists them and their family,” Kelley said.

Jimmy Dukes received treatment for multiple fractures and injuries, including two broken legs, a broken arm, broken ribs, a cracked vertebra and a collapsed lung. Retia suffered a brain hemorrhage in the accident and was in coma for three weeks.

As bad as things were for Jimmy, doctors and family members were most concerned about Retia’s coma. For three weeks she was unconscious. Family members and seminary administrators urged churches and individuals to pray diligently about her situation. On April 24 Retia awoke and responded to questions from doctors. Now the couple is braced for months of rehabilitation.

The Dukes recently were moved to separate metropolitan New Orleans hospitals to continue their recovery. Jimmy Dukes is at Ochsner Hospital in Elmwood, Retia is at West Jefferson Hospital in Marrero.

The driver of the SUV that struck the Dukes waited at the scene for the New Orleans Police Department to arrive. The case is still under review, but no charges have been filed to date.

Contributions to the fund for the Dukes may be made by calling 504-282-4455, ext. 3252, or sending gifts to New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, Office for Institutional Advancement, 3939 Gentilly Blvd., New Orleans, LA 70126. Note “Dukes Fund” on checks. Online gifts may be given by selecting the “Click to Donate” tab at www.nobts.edu. Once in the online giving area, select the Jimmy and Retia Duke Recovery Fund before submitting a gift.

The president’s office at NOBTS will handle disbursements from the fund based on expense requests from the family. Records of the income and disbursements will be available to the NOBTS trustee board for review. Any remaining money in the fund after treatment and rehabilitation is complete will be used to establish the Jimmy and Retia Dukes Scholarship Fund.

The accident happened at dusk April 4. A vehicle traveling east on Gentilly Boulevard/Chef Menteur Highway struck the Dukes as they crossed the street from the seminary’s guest housing to the main campus. NOBTS Campus Police officers and witnesses contacted first responders immediately. Several New Orleans residents, who were on the seminary campus to vote in an election that evening, stopped to offer help as well.

The Dukes family is maintaining a Caring Bridge website with recovery updates for friends of the family. The site is a free, but requires registration: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/jimmyandretiadukes.

Reported by New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary’s public relations staff.

Mrs. Laura Bellavia Platzer
(September 29, 1906 – May 4, 2009)

Mrs. Laura Bellavia Platzer

Mrs. Laura Bellavia Platzer was born September 29, 1906 and passed away at 11:32AM, Monday, May 4, 2009 at her residence. She was 102, a native of Donaldsonville and a resident of Amite.

She is survived by numerous nieces, nephews, extended family and her dog Prissy.

Mrs. Laura was preceded in death by her parents Camello and Angelina Patti Bellavia; 3 brothers, Jack, Kelly & Frank Bellavia; 4 sisters, Josie Ardillo, Virginia “Gina” Fassula, Lucy Catalanotto Alessi & Mary Ard.

Special Thanks to her caregivers, Joyce Williams & Beverly Stewart.

Visitation will be at the McKneely & Vaughn Funeral Home, Amite, on Wednesday, May 6, 2009 from 9:00AM until 10:40AM. Religious Services will be at the St. Helena Catholic Church at 11:00AM with Fr. Joe Camilleri officiating. Interment at the Amite Mulberry Cemetery.

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

McKneely & Vaughn Funeral Home, Amite, is located at I-55N & Hwy 16W behind Grand Prix Car Wash & Bond Eye Clinic.

Danny Paul Brignac
(March 22, 1959 – May 1, 2009)

Born March 22, 1959 and died May 1, 2009, a native of Algiers, LA and resident of Ponchatoula, LA. He is a former employee of Entergy Waterford III. Survived by beloved wife of 27 years, Sheila Ockman Brignac, 2 sons Derek Brignac and Shane Brignac and 1 precious granddaughter, Brooklyn Jaide Brignac, mother of his granddaughter Casey Fernandez, 4 brothers Donald, Bryan, Kevin, and Randy Brignac, 1 sister, Shanon Brignac, mother-in-law, Helen Ockman, numerous godchildren, sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, nieces and nephews. Preceded in death by parents Donald Brignac, Sr. and Gertrude Weckesser Brignac, father-in-law, Earl Ockman. Visitation at McKneely Funeral Home, Amite, from 7 p.m. until 10 p.m. on Friday and from 8 a.m. until religious services at 11 a.m Saturday. Interment Amite Memorial Gardens, Amite, LA.

Cecil Reinken Bedsole
Mrs. Cecil Reinken Bedsole, beloved wife, mother and grandmother, died at Hood Memorial Hospital on Sunday, May 3, 2009, surrounded by her family. She was 88, a native of Baton Rouge and a resident of Hammond. She graduated from Baton Rouge High School in 1937 and LSU in 1941 where she worked as a secretary to the LSU dean of men. After marrying and moving to Hammond, she was secretary to Luther H. Dyson, president of Southeastern Louisiana College (now SLU). She was a retired real estate agent and former member of Les Mesdames and other campus, civic and church organizations. She was a member of the First United Methodist Church of Hammond and the United Methodist Women. She is survived by a daughter and son-in-law, Robert G. and Brenda Bedsole Ricks, of Amite; two sons, G. Alan Bedsole, of Hammond, and Robert L. Bedsole, of Baton Rouge, and his special friend, Marcia Colvin; five grandchildren, Mike Ricks, Rachel, Laura and Joseph Bedsole, of Baton Rouge, and Robert W. Ricks, of Amite; four nieces, Barbara Griffin Wiltshire and husband Rick, of Richmond, Va., Jane Griffin DeMatteis and husband Denny, of Raleigh, N.C., Jan Woods Gray and husband Bob, of Dothan, Ala., and Betty Sue Woods Rash and husband Bobby, of Slocomb, Ala.; nephew, David Griffin and wife Mary, of Raleigh; and numerous other family members. Preceded in death by her husband of 60 years, George W. Bedsole, retired department head emeritus of the department of sociology, social welfare and criminal justice and professor emeritus of sociology at SLU; parents, Granville B. and Bertie Dixon Reinken; sister, Nell Reinken Griffin and husband Percy; brother-in-law, Vergil L. Bedsole; sister-in-law, Blanche Bedsole Woods and husband Hubert; and three nephews, Hubert “Trump” Woods, Edward Woods and Jimmy Woods. Friends will be received Wednesday, May 6, from noon until service at 2 p.m. at Harry McKneely & Son Funeral Home, Hammond. Entombment in Greenlawn Mausoleum. The family extends a special thanks to all of her wonderful friends, neighbors and caregivers. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the George and Cecil Bedsole Criminal Justice Scholarship through the Southeastern Louisiana Development Foundation, SLU Box 1073, Hammond, LA 70402. An online guestbook and family forum are available at http://www.harrymckneely.com.

Mrs. Wilda Westmoreland’s photograph has now been posted.

Wilda Phillips Westmoreland

KneEmail
“At the name of Jesus every knee should bow…” (Philippians 2:10).
Mike Benson, Editor
WILLIAM TYNDALE WAS born in A.D. 1494, near the middle of the Dark Ages…
The times were dark because the Scriptures had long been kept from the people by the Roman Catholic church. Church leaders believed that only members of the clergy should read the Scriptures. For that reason, the Word of God was neither taught nor made available.
Tyndale devoted his life to changing all of that. He built on the work of John Wycliffe, a man who died a hundred years before Tyndale was born. Wycliffe risked his life on a daily basis to translate the Bible from Latin to English, then to have handwritten copies distributed to the people. Wycliffe was so hated for making the Bible available that several decades after he died, his enemies condemned him for heresy, dug up his body, burned it, then threw the ashes into a local river.
Tyndale built on the foundation Wycliffe laid down, except that Tyndale bypassed the Latin version entirely ad translated the Scriptures from the original Hebrew and Greek, directly into English. Because his work was so violently opposed in England, the land of his birth, he fled to Germany. In answering a priest who criticized his work, Tyndale said, “If God spare my life, ere many years, I will cause a boy that drives a plow to know more of the Scriptures than you do.”
Like those in the time of Josiah, the people did not know the Scriptures, but neither did the priests. Most of them were ignorant of the Bible. Their source of “truth” was the Pope.
One bishop in Tyndale’s time did a survey of the 311 priests in his diocese:
. 168 of the priests couldn’t repeat the Ten Commandments.
. 31 of the 168 had no idea in where in the Bible the Ten Commandments could be found.
. 41 could not locate the “Lord’s prayer.”
. 31 of the 41 could not name the author of the Lord’s prayer.
When Tyndale completed his translation of the New Testament in 1525, more than 15,000 copies were smuggled back into England over the next five years. Officials did their best to stop the distribution. They delighted in burning Bibles whenever they discovered any. In May of 1535, Tyndale was finally captured and thrown into prison. Approximately one year later, he was burned at the stake. And why was he burned in the flames? Because he was committed to the idea that average people should be able to read the Bible. That was his crime. (Steve Farrar)
KneEmail: “Then the king sent and gathered all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem. The king went up to the house of the LORD, with all the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem—the priests and the Levites, and all the people, great and small. And he read in their hearing all the words of the Book of the Covenant which had been found in the house of the LORD. Then the king stood in his place and made a covenant before the LORD, to follow the LORD, and to keep His commandments and His testimonies and His statutes with all his heart and all his soul, to perform the words of the covenant that were written in this book.” 2 Chronicles 34:29-32

Have a great day!

Anna Lee

Monday

“If you love those who love you,

what credit is that to you?

Even ‘sinners’ love those who love them.”

~Luke 6:32 NIV~

Haley Melder is still fighting the e-coli problem, but is now out of ICU and in a room so her family can visit with her more. Haley’s dad is now hospitalized in St. Tammany with the e-colit problem. Thank you for your continued prayers for this family.


Yesterday, the shower for Kara Sellers was delayed for an hour so Kara could be with Wesley Corkern as he had tests following an accident in Amite. Wesley is okay! Thank God for this protection for Wesley. Pray for Wesley and Kara as they continue plans for a wedding in a few weeks.

Continue to pray for Wesley’s grandmother, JoAnn Carter as she continues her battle with cancer.




Continue to pray for those infected with the swine flu. The state now has confirmed cases, but no cases have been confirmed in our area so far. Pray for wisdon for the people who are “calling the shots” in this situation.




Jimmy Dukes

Sunday, May 3, 2009 10:54 AM, EDT

Do you know what a friend is? Do you know what a profitero is? Do you know how they are connected? A friend is someone who loves you period. A profitero is an indescribab

ly delicious dessert that we first encountered in Florence Italy. Only a true friend would be able to go back several years and remember how much I love profiteros. Then he went to a New Orleans bakery and had some made. Chocolate cream sauce, delicate pastry, and more dark chocolate. Yum! Don Richard, a true friend had some made and brought some yesterday. Everyone in the room and all the nurses were better off because of it. Thanks Don for the profiteros and for being a true friend. Keep praying for us. Jimmy.


Jimmy and Retia Dukes

Sunday, May 3, 2009 9:41 PM, EDT

Don’t you just love the smell of honeysuckle? After the two days of near flooding at home the smell was intense and fresh as I walked the dog tonight after getting home just in the nick of time to see joshua sing with his children’s choir tonight at church. Our music minister and all of the people who help with choir do a tremendous job all year. Tonight was the end of year production and it is, as it is every year, great. All the kids did well. One red headed boy was glad his dad made it.


I did not want to leave though. I had a good morning with pop. Yesterday afternoon before our windy walk around the parking lot I gave pop’s beard a trim and a haircut, 2 bits. Needless to say he looked and felt great and it made his bath this am even better. Also his eating of meals and lattes not as messy. This morning after breakfast, I helped pop get cleaned up and he brushed his teeth. He wanted to go downstairs to sit outside for a while. Storms continued to roll across the south and it was nice, fairly windy, and had that smell and feel before it rains. I hesitated to leave him but he assured me he would be fine and he could get himself back upstairs to his room. I made him promise no going up the elevator of parking garage and coming down on two wheels and no wheelies. He did well I checked on him later. He is so independent and strong. This will help him.

I went to mom’s room and she was awake again. I said, “GOOD MORNING! I LOVE YOU!” She mouthed good morning and I love you. We talked for some time. She listened to jason and the kids and erin and pop by phone. She responded to questions appropriately again and moved her feet and opened her mouth wide for me. We talked off and on while we watched Paula and her husband Michael make veal and potato cakes and some good looking cornbread salad and strawberry cake, from a box cake mix, really! Did I mention i had had no breakfast? I told mom to imagine that the cake was in her parenteral nutritional therapy. Although it looks more brown than red or pink, like strawberry cake. As I was about to leave I leaned over to her and told her I was leaving and I loved her. She looked at me, and I said, “Do you love me?” She smiled her new halfway smile and I knew she did. I have a peace she is going to be ok. She may have a new personality though because usually she would have been crying so badly. She would have mentioned something about needing more estrogen today as i cried and she wept, but that did not happen she just smiled. I will gladly take that beautiful smile. She agreed to fight. I kissed that little Vardaman Sweet potato on the head and told her bye. I set out as Flood warnings and thunderstorms with possible tornadoes waited for me. Thankfully I made it and my boys and my wife were very happy.

I talked to dad and he had numerous visitors and some Copeland’s. He eats well but that is a passion of his. Last night we had semolina’s cheezy bread. I think i posted about this last night but it is worth repeating.

I pray they will both have good nights and God will protect them and watch over them as the Holy spirit sings and dances with them in their dreams. Peace. Erik.




Don Denton

Sunday, May 3, 2009 10:49 PM, CDT

Early this afternoon we as a family met with the neurosurgeon. There are some changes regarding the surgery and the time.

Don will be taken for surgery at about 6am. The surgeon will do another lumbar puncture and put a drain to Don’ spine for relieve pressure. Another MRI has been done and the surgeon has decided to move the site of the surgery further up the back on Don’s head and to the left in the ocular region of the brain. The surgeon sees an area on the MRI that looks more promising with getting a tissue sample to biopsy.

The surgery can take up to four hours or more, but surgery should start around 8am in the morning. We, Don’s parents and I will be waiting in the Neuro surgery area.

Once Don is out of surgery he will be moved to ICU. This surgery IS risky. I would ask for prayer with however you feel lead to pray for Don.

There are some risks. The surgeon said they are “low” risks. These risks are the potential for bleeding in the brain, also blindness on one side, strokes and seizures.

If all goes really well with the surgery, we could have a diagnosis anywhere from 2 to 10 days after the surgery. And if all goes well with Don’s recovery we could go home near the end of the week. Then we would have a follow up appointment for next week.

The surgeon will let us know if we can travel back to Bolivar once he sees how Don is doing toward the end of the week.

We have prepared Joshua with how daddy (Don) is going look with the size of incision, and his hair being shaved.

After meeting with the surgeon, I took Joshua to Forest Park right across from Barnes and we went paddle boating, hiking, playing in the stream and lots of throwing rocks in the stream. We had a very peaceful day.

Ann, the women we are staying with then came and picked Joshua up and I spent till after 9pm this evening with Don. It was peaceful and precious. We prayed together and others called praying for him as well. And something else that was so comforting for us that happened today. Don’s dad asked the neurosurgeon if he would be Ok with us having prayer for him, the surgery team and Don. This surgeon embrased praying with us. The surgeon responded in a very comforting way to us and the prayer.

I will be at the hospital by 5:30am to be with Don before he goes into surgery. Ann and Frank will be with Joshua in the morning. Don’s parents will be with me at the hospital. It is such a blessing to have Ann and Frank in our life to provide in so many tangible ways. Joshua feels safe in their home and he loves being with them, which is so comforting to me.

I will post as soon as I can access a computer, or I will call someone to have them post for me, once we hear from the doctor after surgery.

I will close for now giving thanks to our heavenly father for his grace and mercy. WE are truly blessed by all of you….God’s people ministering to us in so many ways. I could not do this without you all. The amazing love that is shown to us touches us deeply.




Joyce Caston Taylor, 76, of the Mount Vernon community in Amite County, died April 30, 2009, at St. Joseph’s Carpenter House in Baton Rouge.

Visitation is 5 to 9 p.m. Saturday at Hartman-Sharkey Funeral Home in McComb. Visitation continues at 2 p.m. Sunday at Mount Vernon Baptist Church until services there at 3 p.m., with the Rev. Clint Penabler and the Rev. Todd Sumrall officiating. Burial will be in Terry’s Creek Cemetery.

Mrs. Taylor was born Sept. 14, 1932, in Amite County. She was the daughter of Glen and Lottie Frazier Caston.

She was retired from Louisiana State University, having worked in the poultry department. She was a longtime member of Mount Vernon Baptist Church in Amite County, where she was active until her health began to fail and where she served many years as church treasurer and in other various positions. She was a member of the MVPs, Liberty VIPs and Terry’s Creek Golden Ages.

Mrs. Taylor was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, David Augustus Taylor; and an infant brother, Alton Hugh Caston.

Survivors include a daughter and son-in-law, Glenda and Terry Campagna of Baton Rouge; two sons and daughters-in-law, David Alton and Deborah Taylor of Zachary, La., and Danny and LaMarylis “Lemy” Taylor of Baton Rouge; two sisters and brothers-in-law, Annie Belle and Phillip Harrell of Liverpool, La., and Mary Dee and J.B. “Bert” Rice of Clinton, La.; eight grandchildren, Stephanie Doktorchik and husband Andy of Fort Worth, Texas, Amanda Phillips and husband Brandon of Prairieville, La., Monica Campagna, Brad Taylor, Adam Taylor and Mark Taylor, all of Baton Rouge, Sandra Kirby and husband Joseph of Port Allen and Stephen Taylor of Zachary; and six great-grandchildren, Kylie Phillips, Kaylin Phillips and Kinsey Phillips, all of Prairieville, Alyssa Joyce Doktorchik of Fort Worth, and Ian Kirby and Amanda Kirby of Port Allen.

Pallbearers will be Stephen Taylor, Brad Taylor, Adam Taylor, Mark Taylor, Andy Doktorchik, Brandon Phillips and Joseph Kirby. Honorary pallbearers will be nephews and nephews-in-law and deacons of Mount Vernon Baptist Church.

Memorials may be sent to Mount Vernon Baptist Church, 4923 Mount Vernon Road, Liberty, MS 39645.

To share sympathies, condolences and memories, go to Hartman-Sharkeyfuneralhome.com.

Wilda Phillips Westmoreland
Westmoreland, Wilda Phillips McKneely Funeral Home, Kentwood, at 10 a.m.

Sunday

“Dear friends,

let us continue to love one another,

for love comes from God.

Anyone who loves

is born of God and knows God.”

~1 John 4:7 NLT~



Jimmy and Retia Dukes

Thats what friends are for:

We often think and say this but it is true. Whether it is a starbucks card, getting a pool pump, or just calling to check on you when things happen, or whatever, you know what I am saying. Like when you get slipped 60$ by a patient who knows you don’t have to have this money but did it from his heart listening to God. Or when another patient who connects with someone 30min from home, at a garden store no less and talks of booneville, Dr. Dukes and his parents and then shows up to your office with a tomato plant for your mom. Like I said that is what friends are for and my family has been blessed with them and we are thankful for all of you. Still fairly overwhelming after 4 weeks, not just this sureal tragedy, but the outpouring of love an prayer to the Father. I often think I dont need anyone, but this has disproven that. We need each other and we need Him. Isnt it funny that the greatest commandments are to Love Him and to love others!

Does that ever trip anyone else out, that the creator of the universe, the all knower, the all powerful one and only true God cares for us and came near to us and wants relationship with us. He listens to us as we pour out our hearts and empty ourselves to Him for Jimmy and Retia Dukes. May he answer our prayer as we ask for complete healing and recovery for them.

I can count on about 3 hands the number of doctors I like, dentist, sorry Ken and Catherine and Jeff and Bo, are even fewer and further between, mostly cause the pain they inflict on me. but doctors bother me more because I am one. This last month I have been on the other side and hope that I listen more better, sorry big O for the grammer, and communicate more and better than the ones I have had to deal with from this side. I am praying for my attitude but I must say pray with me. They have not communicated at all, it is like pulling teeth.

Mom, is opening her eyes and responding. she stayed awake today for over 8 hours and interacted with me some shaking her head yes or no, respectively and correctly depending on what I asked her. She moved her feet at command, both feet. However, she is still far from out of the woods. Please, Please, Please, be ever fervent in your prayers as this time is as crucial as the first 3 weeks before she showed signs of life. She needs to continue to progress, moving and keeping her airway open and breathing on her on when they cap her tracheostomy. They did that today about 5mins and she did about as well as expected for someone who has not had to breath without aid for 4 weeks. Please pray for healing of wounds a 3×5 cm decubitus on her sacrum and other lesser skin wounds and that she would be protected from other infection. Pray for dad as he continues to heal. Pray for his spirit to be full of peace and joy from the Father as he worries about mom and finances. Pray for the logistics of the surgery to come and at some point movement back to Orlando. Pray for strength for rehab. Again, Jason and I thank the tens of thousands of you who are praying and our God is faithful to hear the prayer of those He loves and who love Him.

Duct tape can’t fix this: My wife fixed our pool pump today in the middle of a torental downpour. I think she used the whole roll but it worked. But only our God can fix this situation. Keep praying.

I thought the last two days about the overwhelming response mom and dad have recieved and wondered why? It made me think of effect, affect and infect. They have lived their lives transparently loving on others as God has loved them and in the process they have effected: Made an effective difference in, changed them cared for them and showed kindness and encouragement and Loved them. They have affected: Like when you put the cream on the affected area. The poison oak is what affected your skin. They have touched others and affected them they have made them better. They have also infected them: with the affect of their effect they have gotten into the heads and hearts of all us and made all of us act differently even if it is just when we are around them. They have changed so many lives and I am thankful to be one of them. Praise be to my God for my mom and dad. May we all have an effect, affect and infectiveness on others as we let Him live through us.

Dr. Kelly, president of the New Orleans Baptist Seminary, has set up a fund for mom and dads recovery. It will be used for bills after all insurance has run out. If there is any money left over it will be used for a sholarship fund in their name. The only way dad would have it, to think of students and their benefit, as they have been in the forefront of his mind always. If you care to give contact the Seminary on the web or by phone and they will help you give tax deductibly. Oh yeah since I feel like I am giving a commercial BUY Jasons book it is coming soon.



Don Denton

Don is still stable and that we are so thankful for. We will meet with the neurosurgeon Sunday afternoon to go over the details of the surgery.

What we know is this. Don will have a meningial biopsy of the brain on Monday afternoon. This surgery will take from 3 to 6 hours depending on what they find. If it goes into six hours, they will be also putting a shunt in and that will mean two surgerys.

This is a difficult surgery. He will know more tomorrow about what to expect. Once Don is out of surgery, he will be in ICU till he is stable.

Today is seven days we have been in St. Louis. We miss home again and we miss our friends and church. Don is still having headaches, nausea and he usually does not keep down what he drinks for liquids. Today his blood pressure went pretty low.

So Monday will be a big day with the surgery. I will not be able to post probably until last Monday night. If anything should change between now and Monday I will post it.

Please pray for a successful surgery with no complications. Brain surgery as you know is risky. We are praying that his neurosurgeon will have wisdom. We are praying for good results and a diagnosis. We so need a diagnosis so they can treat this disease in the best possible way.

Today was a very long day for us. I am pretty emotional today. I find that when I get the sleep I need it really makes a difference.

One other thing I would ask you to pray for. Joshua’s birthday is the 15th of this month. I am asking God to get us through this time, so that Joshua will not have to endure a difficult birthday this year. We are hoping to do life as normal as possible especially for his birthday.

Don is so grateful to you all for all that you have done for us and all that you continue to do to help us. I am too. We are so grateful for God’s mercy and goodness to us. We are holding onto the hope that is in Christ. I believe that we are going to get past this.

I am thankful to you our family and friends for your precious love extended to us. We are so blessed. And for those of you who I don’t know that post on caringbridge. Thank you for your committment to praying for us and for you precious words of hope and peace. Thank you for each of you. You have been the “Christ” to us. Your words of hope and encouragment are a healing balm to my soul. I could not make it through this without all of you walking with us through this.

Bless you!


Pray for my former student, Cindy, as she has heart surgery tomorrow. Pray for peace of mind as she submits her health to surgeons.


Thanks for your prayers and concerns for my mother. She is back to where she was before her hospitalization two weeks ago. Please continue to pray for Momma and Daddy as they care for each other daily.

Dakota Brooke, grandson of another former student, is doing better. He is still less than two weeks old and in NICU still, but progressing – baby steps! Please continue to pray.


Greg Corkern, husband of yet another former student, has been released from the hospital. Pray for him as he makes changes in his life to help with his heart problems.

Prayer concerns for IMB personnel in Romania

Dear Prayer Partners,

Donna Brown is at the CEE ladies retreat right now in Krakow Poland. So hopefully the May prayer calendar will be sent out the beginning of next week. Pray for the ladies as they studying God’s Word and enjoy the time together. (Jennie drove a group of ladies from her area to the same retreat)

I do have a few prayer requests you can pray for while waiting for it.

Please continue to pray for Larry and Peggy Carnes as they seek God’s direction in their lives. They are back in the US in Gastonia NC (at the church where Frank and Mary Alice Fox atten). Peggy has been to the neurosurgeon and he says she will probably have to have surgery on the cervical vertebrae (upper neck) before the lower. She had a spinal block on the upper part on last Thursday and had one on the lower back two days ago and another on the lower back after 2 weeks. The doctor is trying to avoid lower back surgery, but we will see. Please continue to pray for Peggy during this process. Samuel and Maricatherine are finishing up homeschooling. (The Carnes family shared a duplex with the Hatchels in Bucharest.)

I have not received an update from Floyd and Freda Angeletti. (The have a daughter who lives in McComb.) They are in Harrisburg PA. Freda was to have had test at John Hopkins last Thursday. Please pray for her as she finds out if she will have to have more surgery. Also pray for them to know where the Lord wants them to serve him next.

I heard from Bob and Diane Wagstaff this morning. They are currently on stateside assignment. They are due to return to Romania July 10th. They have been busy speaking at different conferences. The latest were in LA and AR. The next one in about two weeks will be in Washington state. They ask for prayer for the South Carolina team that is currently in Craiova Romania ministering with Bob and Margie Craig and the Romanian team they work with. Also pray for Bob and Diane as they finish up medical tests during the next week so they can be cleared to return to Romania. They also wrote “we are praising God that Raul and Ana and Kevin and Michelle, our Canadian missionary co-workers, all returned to Romania safely and that they (the Canadians) raised 93% of the support they felt they needed while they were in Canada for three months. Our other praise is that our son, Pete seems to be settling into his life and teaching job in South Korea in spite of the fact that the food is a challenge for him. Also we are thankful for the opportunity to visit my sister and Adela (Romanian), whom we took to America with us in 1995 before and after our conference in WA.” Roger and I are hoping to see them before they return to Romania.

Please continue to pray for a job for Roger. We learned yesterday the job he interviewed for three weeks ago he did not get. We know the Lord has the perfect job for Roger but of course I am ready for Roger to have it now. J He has kept busy working on items inside and outside the house. Yesterday and today Roger is in San Antonio attending an organic church conference with a pastor friend. We are also on baby watch. Our daughter-in-law could have her baby anytime. Her due date is May 17th. I am hoping Kelly has the baby before Mother’s day. Jordan and Kyle have finals at Union University the third week of May. Pray they can stay focused as they study and finish up the semester.

Thank you for praying for these prayer requests and for the work God is doing in and through his missionaries in Romania.

Love,

Melinda

(Melinda and Roger just complete their service in Romania and are making their home in Texas near family members.)



“Down by the Creek Bank” will be presented by the children’s choir of FBC, Kentwood tonight at 6 P.M. If you remember the presentation by that name of twenty-five years ago, you will be delighted to know the musical is the same, just a different generation of children presenting it. Come and support the children and the adults who have worked with them.


KneEmail

Mike Benson

Encourage

abmk.jpgMARY KAY ASH encouraged her employees at Mary Kay with a an attitude of celebration and blessing…

She signed hundreds of birthday cards offering free lunch and a free movie. She commemorated employees’ “blessed events” such as weddings and babies with personal gifts. She put flowers and white tablecloths in the company cafeteria, and perfume and makeup (Mary Kay brand, of course) in the rest rooms. A sign outside her office read “Department of Sunshine and Rainbows.” Her credo was “Appreciation is the oil that makes things run.” Ash realized that constant verbal and physical demonstrations of encouragement are necessary for the achievement of ambitious goals and to make employees feel truly valued.

Moses knew the encouraging power of encouragement. When the desert sands seemed unending, when food became scarce, and when internal dissidents threatened to undermine the organization’s purpose (“Let’s return to Egypt!), Moses reminded the Israelites of their goal, a “land of milk and honey” that truly existed, even if they had never seen it. (Lorin Wolfe)

“…Encourage one another daily….”

~ Hebrews 3:13; cf. 10:24~

Have a great SONday!

Anna Lee

Saturday Addition

Wilda Phillips Westmoreland
(Died May 1, 2009)

Wilda Phillips Westmoreland, 82 years old, died Friday, May 1, 2009 at North Oaks Medical Center. She was a lifelong resident of Tangipahoa Parish and resided in Fluker. She was a graduate of Kentwood High School and retired Bookkeeper at Kent Truck and Trailers in Fluker. She was a member of Tangipahoa Baptist Church and a former Sunday School Teacher. She is survived by two sons, Dr. Leo R. Westmoreland, Jr. and wife Patricia of Hammond and Dr. Daryl M. Westmoreland of Fluker and three grandchildren, Jessica M. Westmoreland, Daryl M. Westmoreland, Jr., and Dannon M. Westmoreland all of Fluker. She was preceded in death by her husband, Leo R. Westmoreland, Sr., parents, Grace Bridges Phillps and Pierce Madison Phillips, one sister, Christina Day Sims, two brothers, Buddy and Joe B. Phillips and a special nephew, Wallace Day. Visitation will be at McKneely Funeral Home in Kentwood from 8:00 a.m. until 10 a.m. with services at the funeral home at 10 a.m. Interment will be in Tangipahoa Cemetery. In lieu of flowers the family request that donations be made to the Richard Murphy Hospice Foundation, 16013 Halbert Road, Hammond, LA 70403. The family would like to take this opportunity to thank the physicians and staff of North Oaks Medical Center for the wonderful and compassionate care provided to her. Pallbearers will be Daryl M. Westmoreland, Jr. , Robert W. Caston, III, Donald Kent, Duke Kent, Wayne Mitchell, and Tim Day.

Note: The obituary does not give the date for the visition/service. I have left a message with McKneely’s and will post the day later.

Later: The services will be MONDAY.

Saturday

“Listen to this!

Behold, the sower went out to sow;

as he was sowing,

some . . . seeds fell into the good soil,

and as they grew up and increased,

they yielded a crop

and produced thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold.”

~Mark 4:3-8, NASB~

Jimmy and Retia Dukes

< sleepy day. >

I took a nap on the plane. Just landed in Orlando and am awaiting the arrival of my beautiful, amazing, supportive, astonishing, captivating wife to pick me up. Someone is hanging at the house attending the kids, who are all in bed already, so that Jen could come. I am looking forward to a weekend with my wonderful family, and I will head back to New Orleans early Monday morning to be with two other members of my wonderful family. Both continuing to rest and heal.

Yet another member of my wonderful family arrived to be with Mom and Dad. Erik got in last night a little past midnight. We talked for a while and hit the hay. I was glad to see him. We have really been appreciating the time together.

We woke and took Dad coffee, getting him prepared for the day. Another day of therapy and rest and good eating. I continue to be amazed and inspired by the stubborn strength and resilience of my dad. He wore “Popeye” pajamas today. Very appropriate. When I headed to the airport, Erik was on his way from Mom’s to be with Dad – take him for a stroll in his wheelchair and grab some supper.

Mom had a very sleepy day. Must have needed the rest. She woke up very little today. Even when she did, it was for brief moments. The body is so odd and so beautiful at how God made it to heal and recover to live while decaying and preparing for death all at the same time. Not mentioning death to say Mom is “dying” (we all are technically), but simply to marvel at the way God made our bodies. Amazing creations.

I was bummed that Erik didn’t get to interact with Mom the way I had the last few days. I think he was, too. Hopefully he will tomorrow. Hopefully it will not be a sleepy day for her. Please pray that Erik will see “I love you” mouthed from Mom tomorrow as I did this week. I so want him to interact with her in that way, too.

Look for Erik to share two great stories of love and support from his hometown tomorrow. I hope he will share it with you all. Made Dad cry tears of appreciation when Erik told him.

By the way – in prep for that story, the pic at the top of this post is the first tomato that sprung to life on Mom’s tomato plant back home. Jen snapped the picture and sent it to me. The bud appeared the day Mom woke up the first time (we mentioned that in an earlier post). How awesome – this sign of life.

How we all anticipate the day when those who have fallen asleep in this world will be raised to newness of life together with Jesus face-to-face. Until then, amidst the sleepy days and the alert days, Lord, please continue to heal Mom to spill Your love and life onto us once again.

Post at you Monday. Thanks as always for your continued prayers and concern for Mom and Dad. Be looking for those stories from Erik. He is one of my favorite writers.

Much love.

-jason



KOMpray

Kids on Mission Pray

Prayer requests

“Let the little children come to Me, and don’t stop them, because the kingdom of God belongs to such as these,” Luke 18:16b

SIT AND TALK

All over the United States you can find construction zones. Workmen are hammering, spreading cement, painting…they are building houses and stores and office buildings. It can be really interesting to watch.

One of our missionary moms took her son and daughter for a walk in their West African neighborhood. Just one street over, they watched a new house being built. It was amazing to see! The men made the cement blocks, they dug out the foundation and laid it then they built the building block by block. It is a very slow process. The young boy really enjoyed seeing the dump trucks and talking to the men who were working. One day three men were sitting on a short wall taking a break. This little boy just went up and sat by them. When his little sister said she wanted to keep walking, he reminded his mom how important it is just to sit and talk!

Another day at breakfast, the little girl asked if she could say the blessing. Her parents were amazed—she prayed in the local language! She has learned enough local language to talk to God about her new neighbors.

Moms and dads can teach us new things, but kids can teach their parents too. This little boy taught his mom that it is really important to just sit and talk with people. That’s when you can tell them about the love of Jesus. The little girl helped her parents remember that we can pray in any language and that it’s really important to learn the local language. If you can’t speak their language, then when you just sit and talk…well, you just sit.

MORE PRAYER REQUESTS FROM MISSIONARY KIDS

Please help us settle nicely into our apartment. Also, help the team leaders be safe & calm. BONNIE, age 12 (Northern Africa and the Middle East)

Pray for my friends and my cousins. AVERY, age 8 (Pacific Rim)

Last Saturday we had a friend from school eat dinner with our family. His mom came too. During our prayer before the meal, my friend, Jon laughed and cut up. We all kept praying. Later his mom apologized for him not respecting our religious practice she said “he hasn’t been taught to respect religion.” Pray that my friend will respect, love and honor God and enjoy praying to him one day. Pray as we play soccer after school that God will touch his heart. Pray his mom and dad will also come to know God and understand how much he loves them. Josh (Western Europe)

Please pray for Sarah. She is my friend who is sick. LAURA, age 7 (South America)

My brother and I have been sharing with our friends about Jesus. We don’t talk about Jesus a lot because our friends try to change the subject. They have seen the Jesus film, but afterwards they haven’t said a word about Jesus or God. I would like you to pray that our friends’ hearts will be opened to what we have to say and that my brother and I will have the language to share with them. SETH, age 14 (West Africa)

Nairobi has over 3.5 million people, and over 2 million of these live in the slum area. My family’s new people group is the people of the slums. My family will also be starting a small business. We will use this business to let people of the slums get at least 20 hours a week of evangelism training and a way to make a living for their family. Pray for our family and for the new business. ERIN, age 10 (Central, Eastern and Southern Africa)

Elsie Naomi Pitt
(May 6, 1931 – May 1, 2009)

Mrs. Elsie Naomi Pitt a loving mother, grandmother & sister was born May 6, 1931 and passed away at 11:30AM, Friday, May 1, 2009 at the Kentwood Manor Nursing Home, Kentwood. She was 77, a native and resident of Kentwood. She is the daughter of the late Sidney J. & Kate Grace Hodges.Mrs. Elsie is survived by a daughter, Linda Faye Booty, and husband R.J., Kentwood; 3 sons, John R. Franks, and wife Cheryl, Houston, TX, Ronald “Bruiser” Franks, and wife Linda, Roseland, & Robert Fauver, and wife Mona Lisa, Bogue Chitto, MS; a brother, Jonathan “Bonnie” Hodges and friend, Brenda, Chesbrough; 12 grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren & numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, a son, Tommy Franks, 3 brothers, & 2 sisters.

Visitation will be at the McKneely & Vaughn Funeral Home, Amite, on Monday, May 4, 2009 from 10:00AM until Religious Services at the funeral home Chapel at 1:00PM with Interment at the Hodges Cemetery, Chesbrough.

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

McKneely & Vaughn Funeral Home, Amite, is located at I-55N & Hwy 16W behind Bond Eye Clinic & Grand Prix Car Wash.

LIVING STONES

Joe died. His will provided $30,000 for an elaborate funeral.

As the last guests departed the affair, his wife, Susan turned to her oldest and dearest friend. “Well, I’m sure Joe would be pleased,” she said.

“I’m sure you’re right,” replied Joan, who lowered her voice and leaned in close. “How much did this really cost?”

“All of it,” said Susan . “Thirty thousand.”

“No!” Joan exclaimed. “I mean, it was very nice, but $30,000?”

Susan answered, “The funeral was $6,500. I donated $500 to the church. The refreshments $500. The rest went for the memorial stone.”

Joan computed quickly. “$22,500 for a memorial stone? My goodness, how big is it?”

“Two and a half carats.”

That humorous story serves as a reminder to us that there are many different kinds of stones — from granite to diamonds — which are of varying value. People all around the world are agreed that a stone of granite is not very valuable, while a diamond gemstone is of great value. Sometimes, though, a stone can have great value, but not be appreciated by some people.

In I Peter 2:4, Jesus is described as a “living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious.” In I Peter 2:6, Jesus is referred to as “a chief cornerstone”, the most important stone in any building. But he was a stone “which the builders rejected” and is viewed as ‘a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense.” (I Peter 2:7,8).

Peter uses these Old Testament concepts (as Jesus himself did) to point out that, while Jesus was chosen by God, he was rejected by men. He was not the kind of Messiah they were expected, so they stumbled over him. It was the same stone, but Jesus was viewed by some as a very valuable stone and by others as a worthless rock.

The application of this passage to us as Christians is found in Peter’s description of us as “living stones, [who] are being built up a spiritual house.” (I Peter 2:5). Peter is writing this epistle to Christians who are suffering persecution, and are getting discouraged because this world is making life hard for them even though they are doing what is right.

Peter’s point is that, as followers of Jesus Christ, we can expect no different treatment than he received. We are living stones who follow “the stone,” a stone that was rejected by men. We shouldn’t be surprised when the same thing happens to us. Our responsibility, as living stones, is simply to continue to live in a way that will bring honor and glory to God. Some will appreciate our effort, some will not, but, in the end, all that matters is that we are “chosen by God” just as Jesus was.

“Father, there are times when we get so very discouraged. There are times when it seems that, the harder we strive to serve you faithfully, the more difficult life becomes. Help us to remember that we are followers of Jesus and that we can expect nothing different from what Jesus received while he was on this earth. Father, we ask your blessing as we seek to live in a way that glorifies you. In Jesus’ name, amen.”

Have a great day!

Alan Smith
Helen Street Church of Christ
Fayetteville, North Carolina