Some Thoughts on Lighting…

by ObtainingMercy, posted in Just My Thoughts

This
morning as I was getting ready for work, I was trying to fix my hair. 

(For those of you who don't know me, I have very thin
hair.) 

I just couldn't seem to get the right side to do
what it was supposed to do.  It was sticking out in every wrong
direction and I was getting frustrated. 

Then I
realized that behind me on my bedside table was a lamp that was turned
on. 

Usually this light is not on while I'm doing my
hair.  I walked over and turned it off, then went back to finish my
hair. 

Amazingly, there was nothing wrong with the right side of my
hair.  It looked just fine.

That little thing got me to thinking…

The Christian community is
notorious for embracing a little too easily all the new and exciting
rays of "light" that come along – personality catagories, famous
prayers, alliterative bracelets, spiritual diets, 40-day-programs
and books of the month – just to name a few. 

Do these things really bring peace
to my life?  Or do I find myself "hyper-focused" on one little tiny part
of my Christian walk?  Do these flickers of "light" actually cause me
to stumble? Even more troublesome, do they enable me to judge and
condemn others who have yet to see the "light"?

Am I spending so much time, money,
effort or thought on that little bit of "light" that I am overlooking
the big picture?

Don't
forget, II Corinthians tells us that the Evil One himself
is transformed into an "Angel of Light".

Be sure that the "light" you are
focused on today is that of Christ Himself, and clarify that through the
Word of God. 

We may
have to turn off that other "light" we've been spending so much time
in, so that we can clearly see what the Lord would have for us today. 

Maybe that aspect of our life that
we've been so zoomed in on is just fine as far as the Lord is
concerned.  He may want us to take our eyes off that and look around
us. 

Satan
would much rather me be focused on my own little light than for me to
see those in darkness around me. 

Alesha

Tuesday, 20 March 2007

by ObtainingMercy, posted in Isaac Update, Just My Thoughts, What's Happening

Praise the Lord – we
were able to go to church together on Sunday.  It was so nice.  Isaac
started "singing" as soon as we got inside. 

He has been having quite a bit
of seizure activity, but not grand mals.  It's more of the smaller
seizures that take him out for only a few seconds at a time – over and
over.  He has many of them in a cluster. 

When he's experiencing these, he
doesn't sit very well.  He topples over suddenly.  He also has a hard
time drinking from his sippy cup.  His toungue wants to "hump" and the
liquid rolls out.  We just have to keep at it though and eventually he
can get the sipping part down again.

Isaac's also been staying up and
partying all night again!  Last night he stayed up until 6 this morning! 
Then he slept until noon!  What a life! 
Seriously, we suspect its seizure activity that keeps waking him up just
as he tries to drift off.

Doug has been reading the info from the hospital
about what to expect when we go.  I'm getting a little anxious about
it.  Not a good state of mind, I know.  I'm going to the Lord with it. 
He's working on me.  

I also made a really stupid mistake at work the end
of last week.  I wasn't slacking or doing something I wasn't supposed to
do.  I just forgot to do something that was really important.  I just
HATE when I do that!  I want to run home and never go back!  Then I get
mad, and after that self-pity tries to settle in.  Grrrrr…  

So, the Lord has been merciful
and given His Word and words of encouragement to me all along and I do
feel better today.  Still irritated with myself, but not dwelling on it
too much in my mind and singing praises to keep my focus on Him.

I guess that's it for today. 
Hopefully, something more interesting tomorrow.

Alesha

Saturday, 17 March 2007

by ObtainingMercy, posted in Isaac Update, What's Happening

Good Morning,

I thought
I'd include a few more pics from our trip.  It was such a beautiful day
and everything was new to me and therefore interesting.

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This was the Ronald McDonald
House.  Can you see that someone has painted only one coat of red paint
on a white wall.   This sign was perhaps the most
impressive part of our stay here.  'Nuff said!

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A little friendly dove
that greeted us at our 2nd. floor window.  He sat there all evening.

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I was amazed at how far you
could see of this skyline.  Good ol' FLAT Florida!

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One of the many
gorgeous, palm-tree-lined, neighborhood steets near the hospital.  The
tall spire is the Biltmore Hotel.  It was beautiful.  Unfortunately, I
didn't get a good shot from in front of the hotel.  It was truly
impressive.

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The gateway to a
Coral Gables neighborhood.  I'm thinking that in years past, this was
the main entrance.  Now it is just one of many.  Pretty though, huh?

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The construction going
on in downtown Miami was astonishing!

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This was a beautiful shot.  I
wish my camera had captured the color of the water.  It was an amazing
turquoise green.  My hubby says this was the most beautiful scene we
saw.  Unfortunately, there was no place to stop to get a better picture.

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Pretty little side street off
Ocean Drive.  See the quaint ivy-covered building?

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One last pic to pay homage to
my favorite beverage store!  Starbucks!  Can we say "Cinnamon Dolce
Latte"?  Yummmmmmmm…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Isaac update:  Yesterday Doug
was able to get him in his stander for almost an hour.  That's really
good for us to do everyday, but some days his lateral hamstrings are
just too tight for us to get him in it.  He had a little seizure
activity last night, but slept really well.  He woke up smiling this
morning, but is also having seizure activity this morning.

We're praying for a good
weekend – I'd LOVE for all of us to get to go to church together
tomorrow.

Alesha

Friday, 16 March 2007

by ObtainingMercy, posted in Isaac Update

Yesterday Doug took Isaac to the
neurosurgeon to have his shunt checked.  It is draining well. 

His CAT scan showed that his ventricles
are getting smaller, but not as fast as the doctor wants them to.  So
they adjusted his shunt again. 

It's a magnet and can be made to open or close off the opening
that the fluid flows through.  The lowest setting is 0.5.  Isaac has
gone from 2.0 to 1.0. 

Let's
pray that this change does the trick.

He slept ALL NIGHT last night! 

WHOOOOO HOOOOOOO!

Praise the Lord!

Alesha

P.S. for
those of you who have asked about Isaac's diagnosis – He has
hydrocephalus (shunt revision – 12/13/06), epilepsy, GERD, delayed
gastric emptying, asthma, various eye conditions (although he does see
fairly well), developemental delays, and he is basically non-verbal and
non-mobile.  He can say about 10 words or short phrases, occasionally
using them with meaning. 

These diagnoses are
primarily due to a premature and traumatic birth, complicated by
substance abuse by his birth mother.  The wonderful little man that he
is today is due to God's grace and mercy – he was placed in a FABULOUS
foster home at 3 months of age (directly from the hospital), and then
came to live with us at 18 months old.  We adopted him just 3 days after
his 2nd. birthday.

He is our pride and joy and God's
perfect will for our lives.  We have determined that when Isaac has
something new going wrong it's because there are more doctors, nurses,
receptionists and parents who need to see God and witness His hand on
Isaac's life. 

It is amazing the places we have been
and the people we have met because of this little child.  We wouldn't
want to miss a thing God has for our family – so we just hang on and see
where God is taking us next.  Hopefully that doesn't mess with your
theology!!!!  We've learned that God just refuses to stay in
that box some churches and Christians try to put Him in!!!!! 
Imagine that!

Anyway, those are the things that are
going on with him medically.  Some day, I'll share with you the amazing,
funny little person that Isaac IS.  Diagnoses do not the person make!

Wednesday, 14 March 2007

by ObtainingMercy, posted in Blessings, Florida Weather, What's Happening

I thought
you all would like to see some pics from our trip.

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There were quite a few more
roads than we're used to seeing where we live.

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And LOTS more TALL buildings!

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See?  I told you!

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Over by the beach, it was much
more pleasing to the eye.

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They are refurbishing
the hotels in the Art Deco District back to their original glory.  Very
pretty!

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Could the sky have been
any more beautiful?

All in all, a good trip!

Alesha

Tuesday, 13 March 2007

by ObtainingMercy, posted in Isaac Update

Hi, we've had a good day here.  The "big meds" seem to
have helped Isaac this time, rather than wipe him out.  It's like
somebody pushed his reset button.

I only saw some slight seizure activity this evening, and he
was all smiley and happy the rest of the day.  We were singing before
bedtime and he kept telling me "more".

We picked up Newton (our Labradoodle) from the kennel today
and he seemed soooo happy to be home.  BTW, have you figured out the
little joke with his name, yet?

I've been
visiting lots of blogs this evening – just taking it easy after our busy
weekend.  So many great ladies – wives, moms and daughters writing
about our Lord and our families.  It's very encouraging.

We all have trials and struggles, but "the same Lord over all
is rich unto all that call upon him." (Romans 10:12)

Praise the Lord for His faithfulness.

Alesha