walking

Daddy went for a walk today. They took out his chest drainage tube and he was totally free of tubes! Well, he has the portable heart monitor and the IV. We walked down the hallway, into the waiting room and back to the room. It was so great to see him standing up and moving around. more later perhaps

weak faith

Ok friends, I need to be really honest here. I am struggling. My faith is so weak. I am rarely feeling God's presence, and I know that is not because He is far. I am not fighting to believe His promises and I am failing to pour out my heart to Him. I hear the scriptures you tell me, I read the promises in the Bible, but I doubt. I am thankful that I know in my head that not even my own doubt can separate me from God. I am thankful that God is faithful no matter what.

recovery and exhaustion

We got to visit my dad twice today in the ICU. He was sitting up and eating and went for a little walk today! He ate real food for lunch- that was happy. He was a little more grumpy today as I think some of the reality is setting in. It was so good to spend time with him though. So good to have conversations with him and just see him recovering.

Alison and are handling this similarly. We slept for the hour drive home and then took naps in our beds. Emotional exhaustion is the term we use. Anna went swimming.

Again, thank you so so much for praying and encouraging me with phone calls and scripture. Please keep praying for my dad's recovery- Oh! He is breathing very well, so pneumonia is not even a big threat right now. And pray for all of us to find our strength and hope and joy in God and trust Him. Oh I need much strength right now. And give glory and thanks to God for hearing our prayers and showing His healing power!

happy update

Friends,
Great news! We got to see daddy around 5 pm today. He was sleeping and still had a breathing tube, but he looked SO good. Not white or cold at all! He just looked like daddy sleeping. THEN we got to see him again at 8:30 and he was awake! Praise God! He was possibly not going to be awake until midnight. Anyway, so we got to talk to him and he was funny and himself. We decided that a catheter could be useful for not having to get up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom. He is going to market it using the following awesome slogan. "clap clap catheter" (clap on, clap off). Yes. And he was so encouraged to hear about all of you praying for him and you care and concern. And Andrew, Alison's boyfriend sent flowers. (awwww) And daddy really appreciated that. I am so thankful and relieved that he is doing well. All glory to God! Praise Him that he is so faithful and the healer and He hears our prayers! He is healing daddy quickly!

I am really happy to be at home right now (in silver spring).
Please keep praying. Pray that God would continue to strengthen us as it is very draining to be in a waiting room all day. Pray that I would learn to rely on God's strength and not my own. On my own, I would not be able to do this.
Pray I would be bold to give glory to God.

I am so thankful for all of you and your care for me and my family and for your encouraging emails and phone calls! I praise God for you!

May you see God's hand in this situation and love Him more because of it!!
Mara

daddy

As some of you know my dad went to the hospital tuesday morning with chest pains. He had some tests done and they found blockage in his arteries. I am here now at Sinai Hospital in Baltimore as he is having bypass surgery (double at least). For those who did know, thank you for praying. God has given me peace today and things are going well with the family. Janie (stepmom), sisters Alison, and Anna and I will be here in the waiting room all day. We had good time with daddy this morning. Alison got to show us some of her peru pictures, We read from Isaiah and Psalm 23, and prayed together. It was a good time, but we could tell daddy was scared. It is strange to see him scared. I still have some of that mindset that he is supposed to be a superhero, and this whole thing is showing at least his physical weakness. It is super hard to fight anxiety as we sit here waiting. When I think I am relaxed and trusting God, I realize that my stomac is actually in a knot. It is tense here. I struggle to put my trust in God and not in the surgeon -who is very very good, we hear- or medicine and technology. Its funny. Sometimes I think of myself as having strong faith and being really good at trusting God's sovereignty and goodness. Now I am reminded how much I need His grace and help.

Even if everything does go well they warned us that he will look bad when we see him. He may not wake up completely until around midnight. He will still have breathing tubes and all that stuff and "white and pasty and cold" is the term that the PA used. uuhhg

I have struggled to pray- maybe I am doubting that God will hear, maybe I am afraid to ask God to keep him alive because I don't want to think about all the risks. I know his chance of coming out of this really healthy and recovering well is very good, but it is still scary. I mean, it's open heart surgery. That is a big deal. But this morning I was able to intercede a little. I am thankful. Oh! I am so thankful. I am thankful that my dad went to the hospital when he did, and that he is at a good hospital. I am thankful that I was able to get here quickly and see him before the surgery. I am thankful that not even this can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus! I am thankful that God sustains us and keeps our hearts beating. I am thankful that the waiting room has plants and big windows. I am thankful that money is not a concern. I am thankful that we have 3 pounds of peanut butter that Alison insisted we bring. I am thankful that they were able to operate today and not have to wait until tomorrow. I am thankful to be with my sisters now. I love them so much.

Please pray that God would heal my daddy quickly. That we would trust in Him. Pray that we would love God more because of this. And beyond that, just pray as the Holy Spirit leads you.

Thanks friends!