Update On Ali

MRI results show lots of swelling on her spinal cord. It's a real miracle she is not paralized. She will continue to wear brace.

Ali may be sent home today, if she passes the tests she needs to pass.

Prayers for Ali

This is Ali. She lives in Texas. I went to school with both of her parents, and graduated with her dad. Her mom was a year behind us. When my hubby and I were newly married, we were in a Bible study group with them for a year or two.





Usually on the weekends, I don't check email or facebook very often, but for some reason, I was prompted to check it on Saturday afternoon. I now know why. On Saturday morning, life was good for Ali. Things changed. I checked my facebook 2 minutes after this was posted: pray-Ali is on starflight. She is messed up bad. Colt kicked her in head with two hooves...Sat at 12:53pm
My hubby and I started praying, sent out texts and emails asking friends and family to pray. The mom of Ali had numerous responses to her post that many around the country were praying, and getting the word out for prayer, and many friends had posted Ali's updates for prayers on their facebook status. My friend over at Aspire To Lead a Quiet Life, got the email and she sent it out to people all around the world. It was amazing to see the amount of prayers that went up for this girl in such a short period of time!


The day continued:

Ali on life suppprt non respponsive Sat at 3:56pm

Ali still on life support-has woken up for few seconds-pray life for her Sat at 5:13pm

Ali skull is fractured. She is still on life support. They will take her off when she wakes up-no one knows why she is not waking up Sat at 9:44pm

Ali was taken off life support. She is breathing on own. Her head has fractures and she may need brain surgery in a.m. She appears to be getting better-thank you Jesus our Shephard Sat at 11:25pm

Ali is stable. She had ct-waiting on results now. She opens her eyes for pain but will not talk or stay awake. She can shake head and seems coherent-thank you all dear friends keep praying --she needs to turn this corner Sunday at 4:20am

Ali is doing well considering her brain swelling. Her skull is crushed. She responds to pain but will not wake up but she did smile at me ~~tears~~Sunday at 7:09am

Ali is waking on her own but we still cannot wake her-she stirs and opens eyes for a second. She says she is not in pain. we are happy she is not having brain surgery! Thank you Jesus Sunday at 3:13pm

Ali is awake eating jello Sunday at 5:19pm

Pray for Ali to settle down. She is very restless and confused. She is on no meds ty Sunday at 7:37pm


Ali had good night. We all finally slept. Her sister saved the day by sleeping in her bed with her and kept her from pulling all her equipment off so thankful for Kaila and all my friends and family. Be blessed today. We are gonna see if Ali can get out of bed today-big step Monday at 8 am



Ali said full sentence sat up so cool Monday at 11:30 am

Ali condition has improved to critical Monday at 6:30 pm

Ali had good day, she was not awake as much as yesterday but they say that is normal and tomorrow should be better. She was appropriate the drs call it to all the questions and responses, she is doing amazing. Great to have her off life support and all those tubes out of her. She has no memory of the life flight or of the horse kicking her. She seems to be recovering nicely, she says she is in no pain Monday at 9:30 pm

Things to pray for: that she can get her neck brace off tomorrow, that the mri shows her spine has no damage, that her new ct shows her skull fracture is healing correctly, that she gets hungry and will eat and drink, that is is more compliant, and that her cough goes away. She needs to want to be awake..thank you wonderful friends for your prayers-keep em up it is working..we can all get through, I feel strength from you Monday at 10:30 pm






If you can read that and believe that there isn't a God who hears us and answers prayers, I don't think anything would convince you!! Ali's prognosis was bleak when she arrived at the hospital, and throughout the night. Brain surgery was a sure thing, then suddenly it wasn't! I know I did not sleep on Saturday night, and checked for updates often. I spent much time in prayer in those sleepless hours. Prayers went up around the globe for this girl, most whom have never met her or her family. God heard the prayers, and started to heal this girl. Yes, she and her family still need prayers, but what God has already done is amazing. If you know anything about head injuries, she is way ahead of the curve in healing. The faith in her mom as I've kept updated is amazing. The amount of believers who have stood together and prayed is faith at it's best.



Please continue to hold Ali up in your prayers for a full recovery. Please pray for her mom, dad, and family as well as it's been a long few days for them.



Thank you God, for your faithfulness and healing! Thank you for hearing the prayers of those who cried out to you for Ali's life to be spared.

Time

September! How is it already September? Yes, I know I'm a few days behind, but that's how my life is going right now. My brain is swirling wondering where summer went and how it can already be over. How is it already Labor Day weekend? Last night as I sat outside for a meeting for over an hour, it definitely felt like Fall, and it took me a couple hours to warm up after getting home. It seems summer just started, and now it's over. Time goes so fast.

What do you do with your time? Do you make a difference or do you waste the moments you have been given? Do you reach out to people or do you just spend time on yourself? Time goes by very quickly, so use the time you are given to leave a legacy, to be a mentor to a kid who needs one, to be a true friend, to care about someone. I think even smiling at people can make a difference. It doesn't have to be a grand gesture, although those are great, but just something small to brighten someone's day can make a big difference. The local radio station that I listen to challenged people for a couple days to 'pay for someone behind you at the drive through' a couple weeks ago and the stories of people calling in, both who gave and received, is very heartwarming. Something that small made a huge difference.

When this day is done, it's gone forever. Will you have done something worthwhile, something that made a positive impact on someone else, or will you have wasted twenty four hours of time?

Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin. ~Mother Teresa

"This is the beginning of a new day. You have been given this day to use as you will. You can waste it or use it for good. What you do today is important because you are exchanging a day of your life for it. When tomorrow comes, this day will be gone forever; in its place is something that you have left behind... let it be something good." ~ Author Unk

The Government Can

It's a funny parody but it's full of truth!

Danger Lurking Right Outside the Door

I was out enjoying a walk through my garden, and backyard a couple nights ago. I was enjoying the flowers that are blooming, finding treasures, like strawberries, tomatoes, and peppers.

It was nice to bring in a harvest to enjoy as our meal for dinner.

As I went back outside to harvest a few more things, I was trying to avoid the yellow jackets that chase us each time we go out the back door. We have sprayed numerous nests, but haven't been able to find where these are nesting. We have a hornet, wasp, yellow jacket catcher out by the back door, which is full of all three varieties. For some reason, I glanced up, and here is what I found....

Two huge nests! Huge! The one takes up almost the entire vent, and the other is just as large in the corner of the house! No wonder we get chased, and the dog gets stung every time we walk outside. Why hadn't I seen them before? How has this danger been lurking right outside the door, and we missed it?

We can do the same thing in life. We can just be going along, thinking everything is fine, and we miss the dangers around us that satan has put in our lives. Things we know are wrong, suddenly become right and acceptable. We give up our beliefs and values for what's acceptable with the culture, instead of lining things up with the word of God. We let our freedoms be taken away because we become lazy, or don't want to 'offend' anyone, and we don't take a stand for what is right. We are told in 1 Peter to stay alert. Are you alert, are you on guard? If not, take a look around because there may be danger right outside your door that you have allowed to live there, just like the yellow jackets, and the danger is ready to attack because your guard is down.

Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. 9 Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. 1 Peter 5:7-9

Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong.1 Corinthians 16:13

Happy Birthday to My Sis

Today is my sister's birthday. I would say how old she is, but I may get in trouble. She is at the end of a decade, and next year, her age will be made public because she sure enjoyed telling everyone when I hit that milestone! haha It's fun to be the older sister sometimes. My sister is a great mom, who loves her girls deeply. She is a very hard worker, sometimes too hard, and at those times, as a big sis, I worry about her, and wish she would just relax a little more instead of working so hard, but she keeps a very busy schedule with her husband and girls, the horses, her pup, and around their home. She has an amazing gift in the music field. She has a beautiful singing voice and we all enjoy when she plays the piano. She also makes beautiful scrapbooks for all of us. My sister is my friend, and although we didn't always get along very well as kids, I am blessed as an adult to say she is my close friend and I miss hanging out with her like we used to do when we lived just a couple miles from each other. So today on this special birthday (the one that mom keeps turning) I wish my sis a very happy day, filled with a lot of JOY and happiness. I would wish her a nap, but she's working at the Fair, so the nap will have to wait until Sunday! I love you and hope your day is as special as you are to me!

Control and Worry

“Faith for Jesus is the opposite of anxiety. If you are anxious, if you are trying to control everything, if you are worried about many things, you don’t have faith, according to Jesus. You do not trust that God is good and on your side. You’re trying to do it all yourself, lift yourself up by your own bootstraps.

The giveaway is control. That’s a good litmus test of the quality of your faith. People of faith don’t have to control everything, nor do they have to change people.” ~Richard Rohr


This quote hits a little too close to home for me. I struggle with control and worry. I try to turn it over to God, but I forget to leave it with Him, and I take it back. I don't want to struggle with anxiety but I want to rely on Jesus. My type A personality has a hard time letting go of control. But, this quote, and God's word, tells me I have to or my faith is weak. I don't want a weak faith. I want a strong, unshakable faith. A faith that goes through the fire and comes out refined. A faith that relies on God to get me through this life, and a faith that is grounded in Him.

My prayer today: Lord, create in me that faith. The faith that does not have to control or worry but a faith that can leave all that at the foot of the cross, allowing you to be in control.

Soapbox

So, I am on my soapbox today. I was reading the headlines about the 93 million dollar salary a football player agreed to yesterday. Agreed to? Why wouldn't you agree to $93,000,000?? And why does he get this huge salary for six years? Because he plays football. Don't get me wrong...I love football. It is one of my favorite sports to watch. But, give me a break. Let's compare this salary to a police officer who puts their life in danger when out on the job. Or a nurse, who works hard to save lives. How about a soldier in our military who fights for our freedoms, and to keep us safe? I have a niece and nephew serving our country, and although I don't know what they make, I am sure several zeros can be taken off that salary! How about an EMT/Paramedic/Fire Fighter who are the first to arrive at emergency situations and many times, peoples lives rest in their hands? Something is really wrong here when athletes, movie stars, and politicians make the most money in our country. We have a distorted view of heroes when these people make the big salaries, not those who risk their lives on a daily basis. I think this is an area that could use some reform, not that I want the government to step in and "fix" it because it's not their place, as a lot of things that are being "fixed" aren't either. However, there needs to be some balance and the real heroes, those who risk their lives and work hard, are the ones who deserve the big salaries and signing bonuses. I don't know how to solve this problem other than to fire all the elected officials and start over, which sounds like a pretty good idea right now, and to not pay $10 and up a ticket to watch a movie or $85 and up to watch a football game. i think it's time that Americans start to reform America, not politicians and movie stars and that the common person makes their voice heard on ALL the issues. I've heard more people than ever talking about government issues the past week, and there is a lot of unhappiness, unrest, and distrust out there with the 'average' person. Stand up and be heard and get involved while we still can and before it's too late.

First Time Meeting

I was blessed to meet an old friend today. We have been online friends for a year and a half, but have never met in person. Our mutual friend, Jenny, 'introduced' us over email, and we have been emailing and sharing our blog world ever since. We shared tears and heavy emotions when our friend lost her battle with cancer a little over a year ago. We continue to share our struggles and victories, as well as pray for one another through emails. I felt like I already knew her, and I would say from our meeting, I was amazingly close. I was even real close on how I imagined her voice would sound. I must admit, I was nervous on the way to meet her and her family. I don't know why, but I was. I knew our hearts already knew each other, so didn't know what the butterflies were all about but those butterflies were calmed down quickly when we shared warm smiles and hugs. We enjoyed a beautiful evening on her mom's porch, chatting and introducing our husbands to each other as well. We also had the privilege of meeting their son, as well as her mom. Thanks friend, and family, for the hospitality and warmth we felt from you. I am thankful for finally getting to meet in person. It was wonderful to finally put a person to the words of encouragement, support, and caring that have come across my screen for the past 18 months! I am thankful and feel blessed that God, and Jenny, brought our lives to a place where we crossed paths. See, we grew up in the same town, but didn't know each other. We even found out tonight that we lived in the same neighborhood as kids, just at opposite ends of the road. Yes, indeed, it is a small world, and God works in funny ways that brought us to a place to meet some 20 plus years later.

Happy Anniversary

Today is my parent's 44th Anniversary. I wish them many more years of happiness and love.


The world is full of divorce, and people living together not making a commitment to be one, to be married, to be there through good times and bad times. I'm sure in 44 years, there have been a lot of times when things haven't always been the easiest for mom and dad, but they made a commitment to be married and to stay married until death. They made a vow before God and they have kept that vow. God is the center of their marriage, so they follow Biblical principles to love each other and to keep their marriage together all these years.

My parents didn't tell my sister and I how to love, they showed it. They have shown us how they stuck it out in the tough times. They have shown us that a husband and wife should be each others best friends and the one that you share your life with. They have shown us how to laugh and to love, and to put God at the center of our lives.

I am grateful for my parents and their example, their love, and their marriage. Happy anniversary, mom and dad. We love you!

Busy Day

Yesterday was a very busy day. I headed north about mid morning. I met my sister, mom and nieces for lunch, then went over to pick up my mother in law to bring her down this way to show her a new apartment we would love for her to move to. These places aren't quite finished so it was hard for her to get the overall picture of what it will be like, but she did get to see her apartment, the beautiful grounds with many water features, walking paths, and flowers, and she got to hear about the details of the indoor pool, the exercise room, and some of the events they are planning once the place opens. I think she's excited about it, but I also think she's holding back a little because, as she keeps telling us, she doesn't like change! I told her few people do like change, so we understand. We keep telling her it will be a good change, she will be closer to us and we can see more of her, and the apartments are so much nicer than where she currently resides. After sitting in her apartment for a few minutes, I think she started to really like it and could see herself there. Unfortunately, she will not be able to move for almost three months yet, which seems like a very long time to her. I know it will be here before we know it, but yes, it would be nice to get her down here sooner.

We ended the day with a very good seafood dinner with my hubby, and a trip back up north. We watched an amazing sunset all the way from Coeur d'Alene to the Long Bridge. The sky was filled with smoke last night, and although it made it difficult to breathe, it made for a beautiful sunset! The sun started out as a giant red ball, and by the time we hit the long bridge, it was streaks of pink and red across a dark blue sky. I had the sun roof open on the way home, while my husband drove, and enjoyed the bright stars that twinkled in the darkness. I also got to see several shooting stars go by, which made arriving home at 11 pm, worth the late night.