My Rarely Mentioned Miracle

Tonight I was preparing to get in the bathtub when my husband thought he would be funny by banging violently on the bathroom wall to startle me. I hate being scared, and he knows that, which is what I think makes scaring me so much fun for him. Well tonight when I heard that banging sound, it was like an instant flashback to a sound that I had heard before and one that I don't like thinking about.

When we evacuated 3 1/2 years ago for Hurricane Rita, we went to my brother-in-law's house in Fort Worth. Lance was packing up the car to come back home, and he had a gun in his hand that he had brought with us for the trip up there. We had all recently seen the terrible things that had happened in New Orleans, and since he has a concealed hand gun license, it made sense that he would keep one with him on the road to protect his family if, God forbid, the need arose. However, as he carried the gun to put it back in the vehicle for the ride home, the leather band on the holster holding the gun in place broke and the gun came violently down on the hard tile of Laurie and Micah's front foyer. When the gun hit the ground, it dischared a bullet, which shot into Lance's leg. The gun was a 357 Magnum, and Lance was standing at point blank range. Micah was holding Mackenzie in his arms about 4 feet from where Lance was standing.

I was outside at the time of impact loading some other things in the car, but I heard the very loud bang. I was not sure what it was, but it sent me running for the house. My baby was inside! When I opened the front door, it was smoky, it smelled like gun powder and my husband was on the ground. I panicked. Micah told me to get towels and even though we had been staying there for over three weeks, I could not think of where the towels were. Micah called 911. I went to the bathroom and threw up. Its not that I was grossed out by blood or anything because there really was not much of it. I was just literally sick with anxiety and upset. Lance was concious and telling me everything was OK, but he was sweating alot and was very white in color.

The paramedics got there, and the first thing that they commented on was that there was no exit wound, which was a very good thing because the hole that a bullet creates in entry is much smaller than the hole created from an exit wound. The police also got there and since it was a gun shot wound they had to question us about what had happened. They made Micah and I go into separate rooms to tell the story of what happened to make sure that our stories matched up. Of course this totally tramautized an already freaking out wife. After the cops confirmed there was no foul play, they helped me into the ambulance and I rode with Lance to the county hospital while Micah followed behind in my car with Mackenzie.

When we arrived at the trauma emergency room of Fort Worth's county hospital, we had to make our way through the chain gang of prisoners who were being treated there. When I saw what the hospital was like, I sent Micah and Mackenzie back home because I realized it was no place for my six week old baby! So there I was left with a wounded husband in a very threatening, scary place. But God was with me! They took Lance in for an arteriorgram and UNBELIEVABLY, the bullet entered two millimeters away from his main artery. No permanent damage. After several long hours of monitoring him in the emergency room, we were sent home that night.

The reason that I don't like talking about this is because it was very traumatic for me. Not only was my husband hurt, but my baby was just steps away from the bullet, not to mention Lance was TWO MILLIMETERS from death himself. The "what ifs" haunted me for a long time. And the time following his wound was difficult because I had to take care of him and a new baby, as well as return to work. We had a lot of family help, but it was still a very tough time for me.

But tonight as I was sent flashing back to that scary day, I really saw the miracle of the situation and I felt like rarely mentioning it was really not bringing glory to God who so deserves it. He protected my family. I have no doubt His hands guided that bullet right through Lance's leg so no permanent damage was done then He stopped it so that Lance would not bleed out from an exit wound. Then He gave us the strength to cope with the recovery. God does work miracles. I know He does it everyday, and I want you to know that He worked a miracle for my family that day. Thank you God for the miracle of my salvation and thank you for working miracles in my life and the lives of others.

NuNu Went to Heaven Today

Well, I know a lot of you have heard that Lance's grandmother, NuNu as most know her, died today. She and I were very close, and I feel blessed to have some special memories. For the first five years we were married, Lance and I lived in a little house behind hers. We did not have a washer and dryer so I did all of my clothes at her house. In 2002, she had an anurism in her heart, and she has not been in great health since then. Brenda took good care of NuNu until she went to be with Jesus and since that time the family has all worked together to meet NuNu's needs. She also had a really special lady named Maria who came and ran errands with her. NuNu loved to be on the go, and really nothing, even the anurism could slow her down.

NuNu dearly loved Mackenzie and Mack loved her too. I am OK with everything about her passing because I have memories to cherish and I know she did not suffer, but I am a little concerned about my precious three-year old and how she is going to process this. We have experienced loss before, but this is the first time Mackenzie has been old enough to understand what is going on and really feel the loss. We told her that NuNu went to be with Jesus and that she was going to see Gammy (Brenda), and she seemed to understand, yet at the same time, she asks questions like, "When is NuNu coming home?" I am praying that Lance and I can use this experience as a teaching opportunity to show her the saving, eternal power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Yesterday was a great day for NuNu, and that is how I want to remember her. She moved her letter of membership to Hillcrest yesterday and then I fixed a hot dog lunch. She loved the chili I made for the hot dogs so much, and she looked so pretty all dressed up for church. And she was happy and smiling. As I sit here I can only imagine how magnified that happiness became today when she was able to worship Jesus in her eternal home with Him.

Thank you, Jesus, for NuNu, and thank you that you love us and desire us so much that you died a terrible death so that we could live a redeemed life forever with you and all those that love you.

Two great things...

I wanted to share two things that I have discovered so far this year that I think are great. First, some of you may be familiar with the Heaven Bible study that a few of the Sunday School classes at church went through. Well, a sweet lady at church gave me the study because she wanted me to be encouraged by it in light of Brenda's death, and I was changed by it.

This may not be new information to some of you, but the Bible study transformed the way that I think about Heaven. Basically, the author, Randy Alcorn, encourages Christians to think about the idea that God never gave up on His original plan, Earth, and Heaven will actually be a perfect Earth. Not spirits playing harps in clouds, but a physical place with physical people and physical things that have a redeemed spiritual nature. He rejects the Platonian idea that spirit and physical are opposites and believes that God created humans for earth and that Heaven will be redeemed humans experiencing a restored earth. I know this sounds complicated, but I find his ideas exhilarating because I never wanted to admit it, but I was not all that excited about the idea of singing on a cloud for eternity. But Heaven is so much more.

So anyway, I loved the Bible Study so much that for Christmas Lance bought me the full novel that the Bible Study was written from. I am learning so much. I definitely recommend this book if you want to learn more about what's to come for those who have asked Jesus into their hearts. If anyone wants to borrow it when I finish let me know or you can pick it up at Lifeway.

The other thing I have discovered this month is called "Group Groove." It is a urban/salsa dance aerobics class at Exygon on Tuesday and Thursday nights. It is so much fun that you don't even realize you are exercising. Basically it is cardio aerobics with a dance flare. The best part is that they turn off the lights and turn on a disco ball, and they cover the mirrors so that you can't see yourself acting a fool! My favorite cardio routine is to Vanilla Ice! Burning calories while having fun - it's a great thing!

Perserverance

Tomorrow is the first day of Lance's last semester of school. I know that he is ready to get it over with. I know that he is tired of all the studying, tests, and projects that come along with college, and I am praying that God will give him the strength to make it through one more semester.

I also thank God for a husband who chooses God's way, even when it's not the easy way. When I think about his college career, I am so proud of him. He could have chosen the easy road and found a job with his first degree, but instead he chose to answer God's calling and perservere through four more years of school because he knows that God's ways are higher than our ways. And when the studying got long and the nights got late, he never waivered. I think it's because his eyes are not fixed on a BS in Mechanical Engineering, his eyes are fixed on the Great Engineer - the one who designed a perfect plan for His life.

So Lance, as we embark on your final semester of school, I just want you to know how very inspired I am by you. Your perserverance is a testimony of the peace of the Holy Spirit and the joy of your salvation. Thank you for accepting His call. It's an amazing journey to walk through life beside you because you choose to follow God's direction. I love you.

Happy Birthday Momma!

Today is my mom's birthday. I won't tell you how old she is, but I will tell you that I think she is still young :) I love my mom so much. She is one of the most important people in my life. To honor her today, I wanted to share 10 things about life that I have learned from my mom...
10. You can show people that you love them by knowing how they take their coffee.
9. Eating crackers in bed is OK if it's on Daddy's side and he's not home :)
8. Use the china at Christmas, and really anytime, because it does no good in the cabinet. Plus it really does make the dinner more special.
7. Wear a dress sometimes, even if it is more uncomfortable, because being a lady has value.
6. Don't quit something half way through. There really is a reward in finishing something difficult.
5. Value your teachers and your children's teachers. They are there because they want to teach you, not for the money!
4. Value family traditions and make time for them. They may be your legacy.
3. Be a doer. God has put us in the game, not on the sidelines.
2. Never leave the house without telling your family that you love them. You may not have another chance.
1. Put God first in your life and He will lead you through everything in life. He never leaves you.

Happy Birthday Momma! I love you!

Promised to the King

Well, I finally did it - I made a blog. I thought for my first post I would tell you why I picked the title that I did. It really has dual meanings for me.

First, God has been so faithful to our family by keeping His promises to us. Four years ago, Lance and I were very surprised to find out that we were pregnant. During that same year, we learned his mom had pancreatic cancer. God always knows what he is doing.

In August of 2005 we welcomed a beautiful new addition to our family. In July 2006 we temporarily parted with a wonderful woman of God. These have been the two major events that have shaped our life for the past two years. And through the joys and heartaches, God has kept His promises - His promise to lead us, to guide us, to heal us, to give us hope, to restore us, to calm us, to protect us, to provide for us, to never leave us. We would not be who we are were it not for His fulfilled promises.

There is another promise that I know He will fulfill in His time, and that is His promise to bring me to that special place that He has gone to prepare for me where I can live forever with him and those who love Him. I am promised to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords who created me and then paid a very high price for me. He is coming back for me. While I am waiting, I want to make every moment count.