Be careful

Boy, these things happen so quickly. Yesterday afternoon my shoe caught the cord to the electric blanket and before I knew it I was on the floor.  I fell with full force on my right hip from a standing position.  I thought immediately that my bionic knees would be affected.  The Lord is good.  I feel no pain at this point and am thankful for His help to me.  Margie did not have a good night.  Her leg and hip are hurting quite a bit.  I told you yesterday that the two steps into our garage where the washing machine and dryer are located are the culprits.  She really has trouble getting up and down them.  That's why I took over again the washing and drying process on the clothes.  It's much better for me to do it like I have for the last year.  She laments not being able to do it because since her strength is a little better now, she wanted to resume those responsibilities. We will have to wait on that for the moment.  Yesterday we had prayer meeting at the church.  In the morning I painted more on the house and hope to do more within the next hour.  Little by little we will get it done, Lord willing.

Wondering

Margie's latest hip and leg problem seems to stem from her doing the washing on Thursdays.  For many months I did this and gladly so.  But as she gained strength, she really wanted to resume this work that she has done for years. It seems, however, that the two steps down into the garage are too much for her.  So I am going to take back that process starting TODAY.  I am also studying the possibility of putting a small ramp over these two steps to determine if it would help her maneuver better from the family room to the garage.  Margie had two medical appointments yesterday and hopefully they will help her.  I believe she had a good night.  If she didn't, I will "edit" this later, letting you know.  Thanks so much for the prayer support.  It is deeply appreciated.  I hope to be able to do more painting on the house today.  Yesterday I finished the west side so the house is right now 1/2 painted. I will start on the front side this morning.  This afternoon we have prayer meeting.

Painful night

We arrived home after 6 in the evening from Margie's appointment with the chiropractor.  We appreciated this doctor's method of trying to help her the best he could.   She did not have a good night and we are sure it was because of the soreness which followed the treatment. We will return there again this evening for the second treatment and pray it will help her feel better.  Yesterday morning the clouds cleared and in the afternoon started to get warm so I painted more on the west side of the house. I hope to be able to repeat this today but I will get out there this morning.  Margie has another medical appointment in the afternoon before going to the chiropractor in the evening.  Please pray all will go well.

Finding help

I reported yesterday that Margie had two medical appointments.  Well, she only had one.  Her chiropractor is on vacation.  We spent some time trying to find another that would accept our insurance, but found none.  We will try again today because we think we have located one that will.   Margie had a good night.  The rains continue so there is no painting for me out there. Thankfully the side which really needed attention is all finished and ready for the weather beating it gets all year. Please continue your prayers for Margie and now Joy as Shepherds gives us counsel on suggestions for her transfer to another facility.

Different Sunday

We don't often attend other church services but yesterday we witnessed the baptism of a family friend and near-relative. It was a blessing to be present for this occasion which meant a lot to him.  I had actually baptized him years ago but he told me he was not a believer at the time.  We are glad for his growth in the Lord and great desire to be baptized now at the right time.  Margie still continues with the nausea which makes life pretty uncomfortable for her.  We hope and pray she or the doctors will determine what is causing this on-going problem. I had planned on painting today but when I awakened this morning, it was raining.  High winds are forecast for this afternoon and more rain.  I think I got the most important side of the house(south) painted just in time.  Margie has two medical appointments today, so we will be busy on those trips.  Thanks for praying.

More things to do

I started out painting the west side of our house yesterday.  Then the kind men from our church came to sweep the roof, cleaning off the moss which had been treated previously treated with a chemical.  After that they reapplied more chemical.  This changed my plans for painting and I spent the rest of the day cleaning out the gutters which were pretty well clogged up with debris. I wonder how many times I climbed up and down that ladder yesterday.  Pretty good exercise for an old man. (Ha!) Margie did well also and had several projects around the house which she undertook. She rests, when needed, and also walks to help maintain her strength level.  Rawlie and our granddaughter, Monique stayed here last night.  It is always nice having them, especially now that Margie is stronger and feeling better. In just a few minutes I will go in an wake up Margie (per her request) and she will start her day.  We pray she has a good one.  All signs seems to indicate she had a good night and for this we are thankful.

Sorry

Margie did not have a good night.  She started "fighting" nausea yesterday and it increased.  We don't have a clue what causes this but she is experimenting with several ideas in hopes of finding the cause of this discomfort. Despite her nausea, she had a full day of chores.  She ironed clothes and did several projects around the house.  It was a mild, windy day so I painted ALL day.  By 3:30 or so, I had completed the south side of the house.  That side of the house gets all the "weather" during the year and really needs protection.  I will start the west side of the house today.  I was finally able to discover the problem with the publisher for our web site.  That has been resolved and it's all back and running smoothly.  Please continue your prayers for Joy's transfer to another facility. We, and Shepherds, need much wisdom on how to do this.  Thanks for praying.

Web site down

For reasons I cannot figure out, our web site is down and I cannot publish any new material to it.  I apologize for this inconvenience and will try to get it straightened out whenever I have time to spend contacting the technician. I will be painting today and won't have time.  Margie had a good day yesterday doing the washing and folding of clothes.  We had the afternoon prayer meeting at the church also.  We pray she had a better night last night than the one before.  No rain predicted for today so I better get out there and paint.  Thanks for praying for Margie and wisdom to know where we are going to locate Joy after her discharge from Shepherds.

Here & There

We hadn't shopped in several days so off to Bellingham we went.  Margie stays in the car sometimes while I shop and I just run in and pick up the items and return quickly. At Walmart she shopped because there was quite a list.  We made several other stops then headed for Lynden to have lunch before taking her to the physical therapy session.  After all this, we returned to Ferndale and picked up her prescription at Walgreens and went home.  We were glad to be home.  We were rejoicing in the fact that Margie had the strength to do this.  Surely it is answer to prayer and we appreciate so much you who are helping us this way.  Technically, I should have painted yesterday because today it is raining.  At least the side of the house that gets abused the most, has a good undercoat of paint and can weather the storm until I get the finish coat on. Margie just awakened and unfortunately did not have a real good night.  Her neck was hurting from the physical therapy but she finally got to sleep later on.

Warm weather

We thought it was over but while painting yesterday the sun was so hot I thought it best to put some sun shield on.  Boy it was hot.  I worked in the direct sunlight all day,completing the eaves on the south side of the house.  That's always the hardest part to paint, now the siding will be a snap.  When finished, that will have the most vulnerable part of our house protected for winter which is coming just around the corner.  Margie did well again and was able to work around in the kitchen doing some gluten free baking for her own dietary needs and cleaning and organizing some more of the storage areas.  She rested in between the chores she had outlined to do during the day. It is very encouraging to see the progress and we deeply appreciate your prayers.  I just asked her what kind of a night she had and she said "Good".   We are thankful.

More good weather

What a blessing the weather report has been.  I had fully expected to be delayed MUCH in getting our house painted but this week has turned out to be a dandy.  The weatherman claims we will have several days of this and that means I might get the house finished.  Yesterday I got the south side undercoated where it needed it most.  Margie had a good day and was able to clean out three drawers in the kitchen that needed her touch. We are encouraged when we see her able to do these things.  She is still asleep as I write, but I am positive she had a good night.  (Yes she just awakened, and had a great night)  Please continue your prayers for wisdom to be given to Shepherds and us regarding Joy's transfer to another facility.

New week

Well, the new week started yesterday and I was privileged to speak in our home church.  Rawlie and our grandson fixed some dry rot on the south side of our house.  It was quite an undertaking even though the affected area was small.  They got it done but before that, Margie prepared a nice meal for them to enjoy before finishing the task.  We are indeed grateful for their help.  The weather is a little "iffy" today and I think I am too, so therefore I probably won't be painting. Margie had a good night and is now preparing her smoothie breakfast which she really enjoys.  It does take her quite a while to prepare,but it is a good way to get the supplements she needs each day.  Thanks for "tuning into" our blog today and your prayers.

Preaching

Today I will be preaching in our church.  I am always happy to do this and look forward to it.  Yesterday Rawlie and our grandson, Nathan, came to inspect the siding on our house, some of which is rotted out.  Thankfully it is only in two places so they have devised a plan to repair it.  While looking at the siding, Rawlie noticed the screen on our sliding door was torn so he immediately got the material and he and I (he did most of it) installed a new screen.  It looks real nice. Margie continues doing limited things around the house.  She dusted part of the house yesterday and I vacuumed.  We received a very nice letter from Dr. Amstutz, President of Shepherds Home relative to Joy's discharge. We were pleased as they will be working with us to make this transition as smooth as possible.  We appreciate so much your praying about this.  We all need wisdom.

No painting

Our son is arriving today to take a look at the siding on the south side of the house.  Some of it (very little) has decayed and needs replacing.  He wants to check it to determine the best approach for repairs.  Thankfully I am prepared for my message tomorrow at our church.  I made a visit yesterday to a family whose husband is receiving hospice help.  Margie ironed clothes, prepared our lunch and busied herself with several "projects" around the house.  We drove into town so I could get more material for our painting the house.  It was nice to have her company on the trip.  Margie had another good night for which we are thankful.  Thank YOU for praying.

Weather change

Boy, It's getting cooler around here.  Even with the sun shining, it is different than a week ago.  I mowed the lawn yesterday and we wonder how many more times it will happen before winter sets in.   Margie had a very good day for which we are thankful.  She did all the washing by herself, and folded all the clothes. ( I did the sheets, because that is my "specialty"- plus, I enjoy it)  I spent time preparing for Sunday's message also. We are praying much concerning Joy's transfer to a different facility.  We are completely ignorant of how all this works so will be in touch with Shepherds for their counsel on this. Thanks so much for your prayer help for Margie and this matter with Joy.

The time has arrived

Our daughter Joy has received the most tender loving dedicated care that it is humanly possible to receive during her 45 years as resident at Shepherds Home in Union Grove, WI. Shepherd's admission and discharge policy clearly states the criteria for admission and  pin points certain areas that a client must be independent in order to be accepted at Shepherds.After the tracking was completed for Joy it has come to their attention that she requires a level of care that we cannot continue to provide. Margie and I knew that this day was coming we just didn't know when.  Would you please pray for Shepherds and us as we work with them to determine what can be done for Joy's care in another facility.  Margie's fragile health prevents our being able to do much but we want to do what we can and should for this transition.  It is naturally hard for us to think of no longer having a "link" to Shepherds via our daughter Joy.  Please pray for this wonderful home with whom we have been associated with for so many years.  We only have the deepest respect and admiration for who they are and what they stand for and ALL they have done for Joy these many years.

Daily improvement

We thank the Lord for daily improvement seen in Margie.  She worked a lot in the kitchen yesterday, preparing things for our meals.  It is so unusual to see it because for months she was unable do hardly anything.  Your prayers for her are so much appreciated.  I continued working on the house but encountered some decayed wood sections and our son is going to look at them this week end when he comes up. I prepared the prayer sheet for our church and sent it off late last night to the office.  I am also studying and preparing for Sunday's message at our church.  It is great being back in the books and THE BOOK, preparing for it. We are having a weather change but I believe I can still get more done on the house today before the light rains begin this evening.

Running around

Yesterday was a "running around" day.  Margie commented that we had driven many miles to do the things we did. In the morning early, I started preparing the house for painting.  I found some rotten boards so will have to repair those before continuing.  Margie had an appointment with the rheumatologist so we drove into Bellingham and did some necessary shopping before seeing him.  A friend in the rest home had taken a turn for the worse, we were told, so we drove to Lynden to visit and pray with her.  By the time we returned home it was almost time for the debate.  Margie did very well on that "outing" and we are thankful. Her evening meals are still a problem as nothing seems to taste good.  We are hoping she will discover something that she can eat and while doing so enjoy it.  We are grateful for the obvious improvement in her level of energy and general well-being.  The Lord has and is answering prayer.  We are grateful.

Remembering

Yesterday was a day for remembering the tragedy of 911. Churches and TV programs were full of it. Our church choir sang a beautifully fitting hymn for the occasion.  Margie & I had missed services in our church due to Margie's health, so it was especially nice being there.  We had another delightful visit in the afternoon.  One of Margie's room mates from college days, along with her husband who live in San Bernardino, CA, are in our area and came by for a visit.  What a great time we had.  Rawlie, our son, returned to Stanwood in the early afternoon to be at their church for a special 911 event also. Many remarked this morning how good Margie was looking.  We are indeed grateful for her improvement and pray daily it will keep on at this wonderful pace of gaining strength and feeling better.  Please pray that we will be able to find out the reason for her afternoon and evening nausea which is so annoying.

America, the beautiful

Oh how well do we all remember 10 year ago the tragedy that marked our nation.  Today is a day of reflection and prayer for thousands who were touched by that horrible event. It's a better Sunday for us today because Margie had a good night's sleep and feels able to attend church today. Yesterday was filled with delightful activities. Two great friends, Mike and Garrett came to apply the moss and mildew treatment on our roof.  We appreciate so much their kindness in doing this.  Garrett's mother, Lisa also sent Margie some frozen berries ( a lot of them) and peaches which she will use to make her morning "smoothies". How thoughtful of her.  Our family also came by for a visit and Rawlie stayed the night here.  We are all rejoicing in Margie's improvement.  It is an answer to prayer.  We thank you for being part of that with us.

We like this

It is a blessing to hear Margie say she had a good night.  For SO long it was not that way.  She had a very good day yesterday and we were privileged to make a visit on a couple of retirees and have prayer with them, especially for the husband whose health is failing.  I spent part of the day preparing for a message I will be bringing in our church soon. It is amazing that of the hundreds of sermons preached, very few of them seem to be what I really want.  Today the team from our church is coming to look at our roof and give it a mildew and mold treatment to prevent damage to the shingles. I will try to remember to report on this tomorrow.  Thanks for praying for Margie.  We definitely see signs of improvement in many areas and are grateful.

One job finished

 Margie had a good night.  What a blessing. Yesterday she kept busy around here and did as much as she could according to her strength level. She also communicated with friends for whom we are praying to get updates.  The weather has been much warmer and we used the evaporation coolers especially to cool the bedroom.  They are "thirsty" and require a lot of water to keep the temperature down. I finished the painting at the Vista house yesterday and even had an offer to look at another job nearby.  We'll see.  We have some plans for today about which we will speak tomorrow.

Yesterday

Yes, yesterday was a big day as we reported in the blog.  Thankfully Margie was able to accomplish everything and we were still able to attend prayer meeting at the church.  What a blessing.  Thanks for praying.  She is still trying to determine the cause of the nausea.  It is for sure, the medical profession has no answers so she will have to self diagnose and do the detective work to determine what's going on. I am fairly confident Margie had a good night.  She is still sleeping as I write this, but as usual, if the picture changes, I will update this and let you know.  Thanks for praying.

Full afternoon

I guess the whole day will be FULL,  This morning I paint and in the afternoon Margie has two appointments. We hope to also get in a visit to a dear lady from our church who in hospice care at a Lynden rest home facility. Tonight will be prayer meeting so the day is pretty well planned for us.  Hopefully Margie had a good night.  She is still sleeping as I write this.  Yesterday she discovered that one of the ingredients for the morning smoothie she drinks is making her sick, so he has eliminated that one from the list.   It is a trial and error method, that's for sure. Yesterday for the first time in probably a year, Margie attended the Women's Missionary meeting at the church.  It was so nice she could do this.  I took advantage of her being there to slip into town to get some material for the men who are coming Saturday to apply the mildew and moss "medicine" on the roof. 

Rejoicing

We are grateful for the good day Margie had yesterday.  Our son and family were here on business and brought lunch for us to enjoy together in fellowship.  Margie gave her nice keyboard piano to Monique, our granddaughter and Rawlie took that last night to their home in Stanwood.  My espresso coffee maker gave out and Margie went with me to town where I got another one.   She stayed in the car while I picked it up (about 5 minutes total time)  I had done all the research Online so it was held for me at the courtesy desk. Except for some nausea toward the end of the day, Margie felt pretty well. We pray today will be a good one for her. She is  asleep right now.  If for some reason she did not have a good night, I will add a footnote to this.  Thank you dear ones, for your faithful prayers for us.  We deeply appreciate it.

Pleading

Last night as I prayed I plead with the Lord to please give Margie some quality days of living. For years she has suffered in many ways from poor health.  But she has nobly carried on with serving and a prayer ministry that is probably unequaled.  I long for her to feel good so she can enjoy her days.  I know you will join me in this prayer and I thank you so much for the help.  Yesterday she had the first migraine in 30 years.  We don't know exactly why but this was accompanied with severe nausea, something she has been fighting for several weeks now. We were looking forward so much to being in church, but that plan had to be laid aside. She spent the day fairly miserably but we were able to hear some messages both on the radio and TV.  As I write this, Margie is  still sleeping. I think she had a good night but soon will know.  If things change, I will add a footnote to this after she awakens.  Praise the Lord. She had a GOOD night.

Not sure

I surely thought Margie had a good night, but early this morning she awakened with a terrible headache.  She has not had this problem in a long time.  So we are concerned.  As I write this, she is in bed trying to get more rest. If the headache disappears (with medication she took) we hope to attend church today. This is something unexpected. We have talked about being able to go to the service all week.  I hope it will be possible. Thanks for praying.  If things change, I will add an edit to this blog.  Latest word:  Margie's severe headache and extreme nausea will keep us from the service today.  We are so sorry about this because our desire was to be there.

Plenty to do

Our son comes today with a U-Haul trailer to take some things back to his home in Stanwood.  Margie & I will be cleaning our freezer (defrosting).  The forecast is for warm weather today and that will be nice. We can tell "fall" is in the air so our warmth is on the way out, we are sure. Margie had a full day yesterday by doing  the laundry from start to finish.  Her level of endurance is increasing and we are thrilled.  She felt bad toward the end of the day and that seems to be the pattern lately.  But we know that her enriched smoothie each day is really helping.  We are so thankful for getting this advice from her doctor about this nourishing drink.  So we take things one day at a time and are so thankful to you who pray for us.

Live and learn

In trying to find the right blender for Margie, I looked at many places and none had the item I wanted.  But on the Internet their stores carried it.  So I found it, paid for it and in no time an email advised me that it was ready for pick up in Bellingham.  What a neat deal.  So, as I write this Margie is busy washing the blender and cutting the fruit etc. to put in it.  I will help her get acquainted with the machine then she will know how to use it thereafter.  She had a restful sleep last night.  She looks forward to being able to do more today also.  I just received a call from the roofing company who will come Labor Day to give an estimate for the mold removal process on the roof shingles.  I am thinking I will have to have several estimates to get the right price. If it were not for my bionic knees and old age, I could pressure wash the roof myself, but at our stage in life, wisdom teaches me otherwise.  We trust you all have a good day and thanks so much for the prayer support.

More energy

How thankful we are to see Margie's strength increasing. She worked around the house all day it seems.  She prepared lunch, did some straightening up in the bedroom and several other things.  I painted in the morning and in the afternoon, mowed and trimmed the lawn.  At one time I looked out and Margie was sweeping the back porch.  I could hardly believe it.  What a blessing to see her energy level getting better.  Last night she said she had a more restless night, but at least she slept and is feeling fine today.  We are thankful.  I am waiting for a roofing company to give an estimate on removing he mild and mildew from the roof shingles.  Looking at them from one angle, you can see a line of "green".  That must be removed before it "eats" into the material and ruins them.  It is cooler today. We know winter is on the way.