June 6, 1944. Even failing history students usually understand the significance of the date. 65 years ago many brave men made the ultimate sacrifice to make the impossible, possible. The rest of us can read about it, watch movies about it, but we'll never fully understand the hell that those men went through at places like Normandy to preserve our liberty. We lose more and more veterans from that generation each day; the youngest among those on D-Day are now in their 80's. We would do well not only to honor their memory, but to follow the example they set for us. Lest we forget, God bless them.
Yesterday Hope got to stay with daddy while mommy went to the store. Going shopping out here is not as simple as driving a couple blocks, getting a basket, and coming home. When we go to town it's never a short trip. Mommy was gone about 4 1/2 hours, a trip to town can easily be a 6 or 7 hour ordeal.
What did we do while mommy was gone. Hope took a very long nap on my chest. Hope has developed a very strong willed personality, and she usually seeks out mom to get what she wants. She had become seemingly inconsolable for anyone but mom if she inn't getting her way. I got Hope to sit on my lap, and relax while mom snuck out the back. Hope was a little upset when she realized mom was gone. It only lasted for a fleeting minute before she came back to sit with me again. With a little distraction, and some help form Elmo Hope fell asleep in my arms . . . for three hours. She needed the rest. Later when mom got home Hope didn't immediatley run to her in tantrum, like she has done in the past. She even came over to see me several times after mom had returned. I realized that not only did mom need a break from Hope, Hope needed a break from mom. Hope and I also needed our time to bond.
I'm heading back to work today. I'm not fully healed but I can walk, albeit slowly, with just the knee brace and no crutches. I'm supposed to have a high school student starting work today, so I guess I can finally use the "supervisor" part of my job title. I'll have to see how little I can do. Hopefully by the end of next week I'll have full mobility.
We know that all things work for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.
Romans 8:28 (NAB)
Monday, June 8, 2009
Friday, June 5, 2009
Starting June off Right
Last night Suise Luchsinger came to perform in our small town. I know many of you are wondering "Who is Susie Luchsinger?" She is a country gospel singer with an incredible amount of talent. She was born Susie McEntire, and has a sister named Reba who allegedly has some musical talent as well. During the show she shared her faith and testimony, and asked others in the crowd to do the same. We enjoyed the show and our daughters did their best to dance while the music was playing. It was a great chance for members of the community to get out and visit with one another, for kids to run and play, and just to enjoy the music. www.susieluchsinger.com
Since I'm slowed down by my current injury it has allowed me more time with my kids. I wasn't able to work yesterday, but I did figure out how to get into my truck and drive. With that figured out I took Grace and Isaac to the playground at the school. I sat down on the playground, and watched them play. They had a good time, and got along well (which they don't always do at home). I was supposed to help with a neighbors' branding today, but with my leg in a brace I figured it would be hard to flank calves. Faith, Isaac, and I went over for the dinner, so they could play with their friends. After dinner Faith wanted to go to the corrals to see the newly branded calves before they got sorted off to different pastures. They got their first view of a rattlesnake at the corrals. They climbed on fences, and played at the corrals until their friends left for nap time. Once their friends left, Isaac decided it was time for us to go too.
Grace, Faith, and Isacc have been excellent assitants the last couple days. They do everything from bringing food and drink to helping me put on my boots. Sometimes they aren't quite sure how to do things, but they try very hard and are very thoughtful. As parents we are blessed to have such wonderful children.
Our daughter Hope continues to grow and thrive. She has developed a very strong personality, which probably goes with having to overcome such adverse circumstances at the beginning of her life. She has discovered Elmo on Sesame Street, and is enthralled whenever Elmo is on TV. We pray constantly that she will continue to do well, and we give praise constantly that she has done so well thus far.
They that hope in the Lord will renew their strength, they will soar as with eagles' wings; They will run and not grow weary, walk and not grow faint.
Isaiah 40:31 (NAB)
Since I'm slowed down by my current injury it has allowed me more time with my kids. I wasn't able to work yesterday, but I did figure out how to get into my truck and drive. With that figured out I took Grace and Isaac to the playground at the school. I sat down on the playground, and watched them play. They had a good time, and got along well (which they don't always do at home). I was supposed to help with a neighbors' branding today, but with my leg in a brace I figured it would be hard to flank calves. Faith, Isaac, and I went over for the dinner, so they could play with their friends. After dinner Faith wanted to go to the corrals to see the newly branded calves before they got sorted off to different pastures. They got their first view of a rattlesnake at the corrals. They climbed on fences, and played at the corrals until their friends left for nap time. Once their friends left, Isaac decided it was time for us to go too.
Grace, Faith, and Isacc have been excellent assitants the last couple days. They do everything from bringing food and drink to helping me put on my boots. Sometimes they aren't quite sure how to do things, but they try very hard and are very thoughtful. As parents we are blessed to have such wonderful children.
Our daughter Hope continues to grow and thrive. She has developed a very strong personality, which probably goes with having to overcome such adverse circumstances at the beginning of her life. She has discovered Elmo on Sesame Street, and is enthralled whenever Elmo is on TV. We pray constantly that she will continue to do well, and we give praise constantly that she has done so well thus far.
They that hope in the Lord will renew their strength, they will soar as with eagles' wings; They will run and not grow weary, walk and not grow faint.
Isaiah 40:31 (NAB)
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Life Comes At You Fast
So goes the advertising slogan for an insurance company. Well there is some truth in that statement. It has been over a month since I have written. Yesterday morning I was lamenting the fact the I haven't had time to write. Life came at me fast, and I have plenty of time now.
I was doing some work on a roof here in Branson yesterday, which required the use of an extension ladder. I'm no stranger to extension ladders having used them without incident since my teenage years. I got the ladder from my truck, extended it to adequate height to access the roof I needed to work on, placed it against the eave, made sure that it was on level ground, and started climbing. I made it halfway up to the roof before the most bizzare thing happend to me. The fly section of the ladder, the portion which you extend, started going back down with me on it.
Not wanting to get caught in the rungs I pushed myself backwards away from the ladder hoping to land on my feet. I landed on my feet, at which point I discovered a major failing point in my plan of action. The human knee is desinged to bend in one direction, which is not backwards. As my feet hit the ground I thought I was going to be okay, but the velocity of the impact coupled with my body weight changed my initial impresion in about 1/100th of a second. I felt something in the back of my knee "pop", and I fell to the ground rather forcefully.
After hitting the ground the adrenaline was still going, and despite being sprawled out on the ground I thought I would just get up. Plan B failed more spectacullarly than my inital plan of jumping backwards off the ladder. I tried to stand on my injured leg only to have my knee give out from under me causing me to land face down in the dirt. As the adrenaline was wearing off I relaized two things. I was hurt to the point where I was not going to walk away, and I needed help.
Some days God looks out for us. I have a cell phone, but I only get service in a couple parts of town. Needless to say I didn't have service where I was. I had put my EMS radio in my truck instead of leaving it on my desk when I. I crawled over to the passenger side of my truck, where I had left the window down, and pulled myself up. I was able to grab my radio off the dash before falling down for the thrid time. Having some pride, and not wanting to alert the entire county to my predicament, I simply asked my fellow EMT if she could come over to where I was.
Not knowing that I was injured my fellow EMT showed up without her trauma kit, but my trauma kit had made it into the truck along with the radio. She quickly acsertained that my knee was apporximately the size of a canteloupe, and that I probably needed to go to the hospital. Once she had my knee immobilized, and had put a cold pack on it I was albe to pull my self up into the passenger seat of my truck. After being driven home my wife took over the driver's seat for the trip to the hospital in Trinidad.
Several hours later it was determined that I had injured my lateral collater ligament (LCL) and my patellar tendon, but that I had not fractured anything. Barring any meniscal damage I was told that I would be back on my feet in 3-5 days. In the interem I'm stuck with a rigid brace to immobilize my knee, and reduced to getting around on crutches. Despite my injuries God was still looking out for me.
Now as I sit here typing I have to think about how God will work through me in this experience.
I was doing some work on a roof here in Branson yesterday, which required the use of an extension ladder. I'm no stranger to extension ladders having used them without incident since my teenage years. I got the ladder from my truck, extended it to adequate height to access the roof I needed to work on, placed it against the eave, made sure that it was on level ground, and started climbing. I made it halfway up to the roof before the most bizzare thing happend to me. The fly section of the ladder, the portion which you extend, started going back down with me on it.
Not wanting to get caught in the rungs I pushed myself backwards away from the ladder hoping to land on my feet. I landed on my feet, at which point I discovered a major failing point in my plan of action. The human knee is desinged to bend in one direction, which is not backwards. As my feet hit the ground I thought I was going to be okay, but the velocity of the impact coupled with my body weight changed my initial impresion in about 1/100th of a second. I felt something in the back of my knee "pop", and I fell to the ground rather forcefully.
After hitting the ground the adrenaline was still going, and despite being sprawled out on the ground I thought I would just get up. Plan B failed more spectacullarly than my inital plan of jumping backwards off the ladder. I tried to stand on my injured leg only to have my knee give out from under me causing me to land face down in the dirt. As the adrenaline was wearing off I relaized two things. I was hurt to the point where I was not going to walk away, and I needed help.
Some days God looks out for us. I have a cell phone, but I only get service in a couple parts of town. Needless to say I didn't have service where I was. I had put my EMS radio in my truck instead of leaving it on my desk when I. I crawled over to the passenger side of my truck, where I had left the window down, and pulled myself up. I was able to grab my radio off the dash before falling down for the thrid time. Having some pride, and not wanting to alert the entire county to my predicament, I simply asked my fellow EMT if she could come over to where I was.
Not knowing that I was injured my fellow EMT showed up without her trauma kit, but my trauma kit had made it into the truck along with the radio. She quickly acsertained that my knee was apporximately the size of a canteloupe, and that I probably needed to go to the hospital. Once she had my knee immobilized, and had put a cold pack on it I was albe to pull my self up into the passenger seat of my truck. After being driven home my wife took over the driver's seat for the trip to the hospital in Trinidad.
Several hours later it was determined that I had injured my lateral collater ligament (LCL) and my patellar tendon, but that I had not fractured anything. Barring any meniscal damage I was told that I would be back on my feet in 3-5 days. In the interem I'm stuck with a rigid brace to immobilize my knee, and reduced to getting around on crutches. Despite my injuries God was still looking out for me.
Now as I sit here typing I have to think about how God will work through me in this experience.
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