I Noticed Him and He Made a Difference

On Sunday, I had a long-ago, precious memory of a man who attended our church in Shawnee, OK. What I remembered about him was that he was always in an electric wheelchair accompanied by his devoted mother. I remembered he was a “beamer”. You know -- a sunbeam that lit up the room. His quick wit made everyone laugh. We were magnetically drawn to him because he exuded a peace beyond description -- especially considering his circumstances. What stirred me most in this memory was that his hands were strapped to the arms of the wheelchair where he could use the controls to maneuver it. And, the most vivid remembrance I have of him was when we would sing, his eyes would close and he would lift his hands as much as he could, even though they were strapped down.

That memory comes from well over 40+ years ago. I noticed him and his joy and his peace and his humor and raising those hands from the wrist up. With what he had – he used it all. Amazingly, I remembered his name so I googled him – Larry Williams, Shawnee, OK. His obituary came up with his picture. He was 60 when he passed on. “Larry became a quadriplegic when he was 19 from an auto accident but still had high spirits and always could make people laugh. We know he is walking in heaven. Larry touched many lives in his lifetime.” So what I remembered about him, was true all his life.

I also remembered when the pastor asked people to raise their hands in worship to God, many people wouldn’t, but Larry always did what he could – he raised his hands. When people were urged to sing with all their hearts – many wouldn’t, but Larry did. He used what he had.

I called a friend who attended that church with us. I asked if he remembered Larry. He replied: “Oh, yes. He was in the same nursing home as my mom. Everyone adored him. He was friendly to everyone and always had a kind word to say to all. Why am I elaborating about a man from so many years ago and who is no longer living on this side of heaven? Because he made a difference. He made such an impression on me that here I am 40+ years later, remembering the strong and mighty man that he was. Oh, no – I’m not talking about his physical abilities because those were very few. But, I am talking about a man that rose up higher and spoke louder and appreciated life greater than anyone I think I have ever known. He took what he had and made a difference.

I appreciate the quote: “Who you are is God’s gift to you. What you make of yourself is your gift back to God!" I think that’s what Larry did and that’s what I am determined to do, too. If Larry could make a difference in this world from where he sat – then with my two good legs and arms and hands and a voice, I can make a difference too. I can spread the Good News in my actions, in what I say and what I do. I can “preach the gospel at all times and when necessary, use words". (Thanks, St. Francis, for that quote.) Would you consider what you could do to make a difference to those in your corner of the world, too?

I want to be noticed as a joy, peace and hope pusher like Larry. I want to be noticed and remembered for what I had been given that made a difference in this world. I know I can because if Larry could – so can I! And, so can you!

We Will, We Will Rock You

Have you ever felt like your circumstances were looming over you like a huge GIANT who was fierce, beyond your capability, bigger than life, and he was throwing every negative word of doubt and unbelief, imaginable, your way -- taunting, harassing, smack talking -- and, your faith was challenged like crazy?

If that sounds like some things you're going through right now, then the story of David and Goliath, is worth thinking about. David faced the giant, Goliath, who was taunting, harassing....and even smack-talking young David and the armies of Israel. I Samuel 17:37 & 46 describes young David's attitude toward the giant "Who is this Philistine that he should defy the Lord my God?" "This day the LORD will deliver you into my hands, and I'll strike you down...." David didn't allow Goliath's size, or words, get in the way of what he knew his God could do through him. He took on Goliath with just his sling and a stone and the giant was destroyed. The giant, and everyone else, was saying “He’s too big to hit”, but David was saying “He's too big to miss!"

That story, and David's words, speaks loud and clear to me: "What is this giant that could defy the words of my God?" I shake off those words of defeat and loss and replace them once again with the words of the maker of heaven and earth and the maker and healer of our bodies and our circumstances -- God's Word that says in Luke 1:37 "For nothing shall be impossible with God."

Now, let's get fired up and with God’s words of faith as our sling & with Jesus as our Rock, we face our giants TODAY, and say.....“Move out of our way or .....WE WILL, WE WILL ROCK YOU!"

Whole Lotta Infusion Goin' On!!

Infusion -- To fill or cause to be filled with something; Injection; Instill. That's a word that we've encountered many times in the last several weeks. My Honey has had more than his share of I.V. infusions for hydration, nutrition, medication, blood transfusions, and then on Friday, August 13th, he was infused with the first targeted therapy treatment (chemo). The chemo treatment went well -- no side effects for which we are so grateful.

The next week, went quite well as I continued to give him the antibiotic via I.V. for the staph infection. We also were able to get his pain better managed as we figured out the necessary meds to bring about comfort. He grew stronger as he began physical therapy three times a week. Now we were ready for our next chemo treatment on Friday, August 20th.

All was going well until Friday morning at 5:30 a.m. when I was awakened by Ron violently shaking with chills and rigors. I quickly checked his temperature and it was over 102. We've been directed to call the medical on-call line if that happens. We were quickly urged to go to the Emergency Room as soon as possible. Fortunately, our son had come into town the night before to see us before going to Asia for nine days, so he was able to help me get Ron into the car and to the hospital, as he was very lethargic and unable to communicate. Once determining that there was another type of infection in his body, and his blood pressure being extremely low, we were moved to the intensive care unit for the next 36 hours. Today, Saturday evening, we were moved to a regular room since they've been able to get the infection under control and the blood pressure stabilized.

Another exciting ride on the roller coaster! Many keep asking me, "How do you cope with the ups and downs of your faith journey?" I'll tell you how we continue to believe we are "winning" no matter what we face. Back to how I started this blog…..with the word, "Infusion". When Ron and I first talked about this word, we looked at it two-fold: one, in the medical sense, but then we started saying….."We are also being 'infused' by God's Word as we continue to trust in the many promises of God." Psalms 119:130 says "The entrance (infusion) of Your words gives light." When we meditate on God's Word, it brings light and life. As everyone must know by now, that has been the source of our strength, as we meditate, trust in, and place our hope upon the infallible Word of God. We believe it is crucial for our success. Another verse comes to mind. It says "If your law had not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction" -- Psalm 119:92. That is so true. It has been our lifeline. It has been our strength. Yes, we have been literally squeezed during this faith journey, but that's why we want to be so filled with the Word of God that when we are squeezed -- when we are in trouble, or when we are at a loss for human understanding, or when we are faced with situations in life over which we have no control, we must be so filled with the Word of God that we pour out faith and hope and trust in the midst of the storm. That is what has been our "shelter in the time of storm".

In our church, when we are about to hear a Gospel reading (a reading from one of the four Gospels -- Matthew, Mark, Luke or John), we do the sign of the cross on our foreheads (indicating "May this Word be in my mind"), on our lips (indicating "May this Word be in my mouth") and in my heart (indicating "May the Word be in my heart"). How do we actually get those words into our minds, our mouths and our spirits? We meditate on those words 24/7 -- we read them consistently -- we've placed them on the walls of our home -- we speak them consistently over circumstances in our lives. It’s in the music that’s being played in our home. We're surrounding and saturating our lives with the Word of God. Being as intentional with believing, trusting and speaking -- taking in God's words like medicine, as much as we are taking the prescribed medications given to us by our medical team.

Tomorrow a CT scan will be done on Ron to determine the source of the infection. Whatever the outcome, we still believe that "with God all things are possible"! We are INFUSED with those words from Matthew 19:26. That scripture is in a picture frame in our bedroom. We read it daily -- it's in our mind, our mouths and in our heart!!! WE WIN!!