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Tuesday, March 4, 2014

Mary Lee, Day Too Many to Count

Well, that was a lofty goal and an admirable one.  I'd hoped and set out to write daily on this passageway being traversed with our friend, Mary Lee. I have pages of notes on medications, dosages, nurses and doctors I've spoken with, as well as scriptures scattered throughout those notes. On some of the pages are random to-do's and grocery lists. 

 My life with Mary Lee is busy and varied. The road to the hospital is well-traveled, and even though our surface streets are fairly level, in the highway of my heart  there have been unanticipated turns and hills and valleys mixed in with a few flat tires of the soul. How I love Mary Lee, dear friend and role-model extraordinaire to my two children.

These last nearly 8 weeks now have been dedicated to walking out devotion. I decided last night that I would set my alarm for seven this morning. I'm happy to report that I didn't get up until 8 a.m. Ah, rest. Rest is needed on devotion's way.  A morning for coffee. The windows are open. The birds choose their notes carefully and with unpredicted punctuation, they sing.  As I sat waiting for the coffee to brew, I opened my Bible to Isaiah 61, where I'd also read last night, and re-read the passage. It didn't take long to find the verse that my soul needed to camp on. Verse one says, "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good new to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound..", and the passage continues to verse two. Upon reading it, I closed my eyes as the tears began to fall. And in my weakness and slight weariness, I cried. " I can't do this, I can't do it." It was a quiet plea for help. I can't be any of this: I can set no one free, I can't bind anyone's wounds, I can't open anything for anyone. Not me. Labor without God is just that, labor. Labor with God brings life. So today my prayer is that the Spirit of the living and sovereign Lord would be on me, and that the outgo of labor would be an overflow of God's life, the life of Christ in and upon me. 

God, if  you don't do it through me, then it's merely labor and in labor there's no freedom, no liberty, no binding up of broken things. Let this labor of love result in life; life for anyone whose heart is touched and awakened as devotion is walked out in sincere love before them.  

Saturday, January 18, 2014

Dear Mary Lee, Day 8

Yesterday, was park day for our family. Daniel stayed home because he had a cold, but Bethany went and then she had a dog training session with Carly at which Bethany was there to assist and learn. Danny took her to the session as I was having a Mary Lee visit.

Yesterday, I came up after your bronchoscopy. They found no mass and the secretions were minimal. They sampled those and sent them off to see what they look like....looking for infection etc.  Of course, we're praying that it will be minimal. We should know by Sunday or Monday on the results.  I had Colleen call and check in on your nurse, just kind of quiz her, ....it just throws me a little when they're  young looking....I just wanted to make sure you had the best.  She was very pleased with who you had. Said she was matter of fact and straight forward, and that ER nurses, even when they're young and fresh out of school, are excellent nurses and are usually kind of cutting edge.  That brought me lots of comfort.

While I was there, I opened my Bible to read, and came upon the scripture where Jesus was explaining to His disciples to continue to pray and not give up hope. That was a good word for ALL of us!

You got a new bed yesterday.....a blow-up mattress type of a bed. You look SO much more comfortable.  You also stood up for a little today which I think wore you slap-out!

I came back in the evening for about an hour, and you asked to have your phone plugged in with the blistex nearby. :)  I moved fluffy brown dog to the table so it wouldn't be in your way. It felt SO great to be with you yesterday.

I've come to love your family even more.

Monday, January 13, 2014

Dear Mary Lee, Day 1

The next  posts, which I hope to write daily, will be in honor of our one and only best family friend ever on the planet, any planet, actually, Mary Lee Glassburn.  Mary Lee, following chemo and radiation for esophageal cancer, recently went through a very serious surgery: an all-out esophageal remodel! It's not nearly as unexciting as I just made it sound. It's....well, Mary Lee will have to fill in that blank someday.
Anyway,  when our family went on an 8 week trip to Georgia about 3 years ago, Mary Lee wrote daily posts called  The Vacation Chronicles, and posted of her daily events in our absence. I should mention she house sat for us as well.  So, in her honor and during each day of recovery, I'm writing Dear Mary Lee posts. It'd better not take 8 weeks of her being in the hospital, by the way! We miss her terribly, and we're praying for her full recovery and healing.

Dear Mary Lee, Day One:

I  transported your humorous self to the hospital for a 6 a.m. checking with an 8 a.m. scheduled surgery. Much of our discussion prior to that was whether or not I should pick you up at your house,
 or if you should meet me here and leave your car. We eventually decided that you would come here, and then we could keep our eyeballs on your car. A couple of times I've look outside of our kitchen window which faces the cul de sac and I have seen your car. Your lovely orange Element! It's so you!  Anyway, as I have seen your car, it's been my God-reminder to pray. Yes, pray. Even more than I'm already doing so.  Each time I drive into the cul de sac, the sight of your car brings me comfort.We miss you. Your car is cool. Hurry up and get well soon!