OUR JOURNEY: THE LATEST UPDATE

Good morning from The Woodlands, Texas.

This is Day #2 for my treatment for Guillain-Barre Syndrome.  It is an outpatient infusion that allows me to be home overnight and conduct sessions with clients and prospects. The doctors believe that, while it may be a lengthy process, I should fully recover.

On Monday, the contractor, electrician and others were in our home preparing for the remodeling. Yesterday, they were ripping out shelves, taking down doors and doing the prep work. They will be in and out for the next two weeks renovating an upstairs bedroom, my new office, and other items around the house.

Because of that – and because it is a challenge climbing the stairs right now — I’ve taken over the dining room table as my new temporary office. (Can’t wait to show you my new office!)

Elizabeth and I believe God put us on this journey and brought us to Texas for such a time as this. What are we learning or re-learning or gaining a better understanding of? Here are a few things.

• There’s always somebody in a worse place than you. One of the most compelling pictures has this caption: I complained I had no shoes until I looked at the man next to me who had no feet.
• It’s also been a reminder to us that people are hurting in secret all around us. Take note, listen closely and reach out more often. An encouraging text or phone call or card can make all the difference in the world. They are in your church, in the cubicle next to you or even living next door to you.
• Learn to laugh in the face of adversity. Our oven is out, and contractors and carpenters are in the house. The pool pump broke a couple weeks ago, the oven went out last week. Oh, and a small tree fell in the backyard. A home warranty comes in handy, doesn’t it?
• The peace of God is necessary. If you don’t have it, you’ll want to find it. Jesus said in John 14 that he left peace with us, and in other places, we are taught to pursue peace and seek peace. And then there is Isaiah 26:3.
• Many of the things we believe are not as important as we thought after all. Funny how that happens when God wants to get your attention.
• Live for today. Yesterday is gone, and tomorrow may not be. Focus on the beauty that is today.

And then there is the sweet lady who has become my chauffeur, my chief chef, my gopher, my encourager, my replacement for chores, my perspective, my even keel, my constant reminder that we’re right where God wants us.

Those are the names you might call my wife. For me, though, I am grateful for Elizabeth, whom I am privileged to call the love of my life.

Finally, thank you all for your continued prayers, your words of encouragement, your acts of kindness and, most of all, your continuing friendship.

If you would like to receive notification for future posts, please enter your email address below.