The Old Lighthouse

{ July 25, 2024 @ 11:36 am } · { My Faith Journey }
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Sunday a group from church sang this beautiful old gospel hymn and it ministered so deeply to me. Its message spoke to my weary soul.

The lyrics to the song…..

There’s a lighthouse on the hillside
That overlooks life’s sea
When I’m tossed it sends out a light
That I might see

And the light that shines in darkness now
Will safely lead us home
If it wasn’t for the lighthouse
My ship would be no more

It seems that everyone around us says
“Tear that old lighthouse down
The big ships just don’t pass this way anymore
So there’s no use in standing ’round”
Then my mind goes back to that one dark stormy night
When just in time, I saw the light
Yes, it was the light from that old lighthouse
That stands there up there on the hill

And I thank God for the lighthouse
I owe my life to Him
Jesus is the lighthouse
And from the rocks of sin
He has shown a light around me
That I might clearly see
If it wasn’t for the lighthouse
(Tell me) Where would this ship be?

I thank God for the lighthouse
I owe my life to Him
Jesus is the lighthouse
And from the rocks of sin
He has shown the light around me
That I mighty clearly see
If it wasn’t for the lighthouse
(Tell me) Where would this ship be?

Connie Lancaster introduced the song, it is one of her favorites, and she has requested it numerous times through the years. Her words are worth repeating……

“ The first time I heard the song ‘The Old Lighthouse’ I knew it was more than a song, it was a story with many truths.

The people who lived around the lighthouse decided they did not need it anymore. They said the big ships didn’t sail through there any more, there was no use it’s hanging around. Finally one man stood up and said, ‘my mind goes back to a stormy night, a very dark night, when just in time I saw the light. It was the light from this old lighthouse. I owe my life to him. Jesus is that lighthouse. If it was not for that lighthouse, this ship would be no more.’

We at PMC (Powhatan Mennonite Church) are a lighthouse beaming light to our community from this corner of Route 13. Let us faithfully share the light.”

As I soaked up the precious words of the song I was reminded of Jesus’ words to us, “I am the light of the world.” We are only the candle, lighthouse, or lantern from which His light beams. Jesus also said in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5:14-16…..

“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

A burnout candlestick, forsaken lighthouse or discarded lantern does not offer the lifesaving guiding light. It can only stand as a memorial to a has been.

Are you drifting on the sea of life? Are the storms and fogs of life causing you to lose your way? Are you in danger of ship wreck? There is help. There is a guiding light shining bright if you just look and reach out. Jesus is beckoning for you and will navigate you through the sandbars and rocky shoreline to bring you home. Can you trust him today?

If you are searching for the way to Jesus start by reading the New Testament. The book of John is a good starting place.

Gene’s Medical Crisis: Part 15-More Surgery

{ July 24, 2024 @ 9:11 pm } · { Medical Adventures }
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This has been a tough week with lots of pain and nausea. The stent moved significantly yesterday and we were so hopeful but then it became stuck in the lower section of the small intestine in a macaroni noodle kind of curve. It was getting so close but was still out of reach of being able to get with a scope. The surgeon decided it was time to do surgery and remove it. Enough is enough and to keep waiting was counter productive.

The surgery was 3-1/2 hours long this evening. It was a concerned wait after thinking it would be 1-1/2. The end result is good news but what happened was serious, a real mess.

When he had his first emergency, because his gall bladder had ruptured and died, a lot of bile had drained into his abdomen. In the aftermath, he had four more procedures to stop and fix bile leakages and drainage. Bile acts like a detergent and melts fat. The surgeon found lots of melted, sticky, gooey, mud-like fat plastered to his intestines which he had to remove. It caused the intestine to tighten and twist in the area where the stent was stuck causing a total blockage. There was no way the stent could move any further. This also caused issues with his stomach and it couldn’t empty causing nausea and three days of nonstop hiccups. The hiccups was the body’s way of responding to the bloating and air in his stomach and diaphragm. They removed 2 liters of fluid from his tightly bloated stomach.

On Sunday he had pizza for lunch which did not settle well and caused him to start throwing up. But what it actually did was alert us to a more serious issue that was developing before it became an extreme emergency. His stomach had closed off and he could not process food. His intestines had been pinched shut and his bowel could not move. I could hear his bowel rumbling sitting in my lazy boy chair across the room.

This is the short version of a serious situation. I am so grateful the surgeon became concerned about the distress Gene was in and made the compassionate decision to do surgery tonight even though most of it was not showing on scans. Gene is expected to make a full recovery however it will be a long haul as it feels like he is starting recovery all over again but this time from a compromised condition. My prayer is that there will be no more problems!

Gene’s Medical Crisis: Part 14-A Rough Ride

{ July 22, 2024 @ 7:48 pm } · { Medical Adventures }
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It has been over eight weeks since this journey began and I will not even pretend it has been easy. There have been mountains to climb, rivers to cross and potholes galore. I sure wish VDOT would get them fixed! But, there have also been lots of encouraging passengers in our car, gas stations to refuel our tanks, and “sonshine” to brighten our path. The guiding voice on our gps has been non other than Jesus Christ our Saviour. We are trusting him to guide us every mile of the way.

My last post was July 6 and we had just came home from the hospital after a return visit for an infection in his abdomen. Things were looking up and doing well until this past week. On Thursday morning I did not like what I was seeing. His vitals were not good, he was running a fever and was too weak to sit or stand without help. After he collapsed coming out of the bathroom, I had to call the Rescue Squad to take him to St. Francis Hospital where he was admitted with another infection and dehydration. A day and half later he was recharged, back on his feet, and looking good. The next day (Saturday) he started having pain in his abdomen and by evening I again did not like his vitals. It is amazing how fast that can change. His blood pressure was 165/124 and his temperature 95.5. Our intuition told us we needed go back to the hospital.

After observing him for about six hours they decided to send him home. They were perplexed as something did not seem right and they really wanted to figure it out but the symptoms were not enough to guide them. They ran numerous tests but nothing really pointed to anything significant. They had done a CT scan 24 hours earlier and did not feel it warranted doing another one.

All day Sunday the pain increased and by afternoon he couldn’t keep anything down. Back to the hospital we went-three times in half a week! It felt like we were racking up frequent flyer miles with a reserved room at a high-end hotel! This time a CT-Scan led them to the source of the problem.

The 1 cm wide stent (about the width of the nail on my pointer finger) that they had put in about seven weeks ago to block a leaking hole (so it could heal) in the bile duct where it dumps into the small intestine had dislodged and was now traveling the depths of the small intestine highway! As of last night it was at a curve and could be blocking the intestine. They are monitoring the situation. They will do another scan in the morning to see if it is stuck or moving. It is currently halfway through the narrow, 22-foot long, winding small intestine. It is at a very difficult, almost impossible place, to retrieve with a scope and they really do not want to do surgery. Join us in praying that it will keep traveling and not stop to sight see. Once it gets to the broader, 5-foot long, large intestine it should be smooth sailing.

This incident is not unusal. They had Gene scheduled to remove it on August 8 but had frequently said that this could happen. Sometimes a dislodged stent can cause problems and other times they simply disappear and are passed without anyone knowing. Of course for Gene, it seems it is going to be the difficult way!!!

In my devotions this morning I was reading from Psalms 33 and was reminded of the sovereignty of our God in creation and history. I quote bits and pieces of several verses…

The Lord looks from heaven and sees all the sons of men. From the place of His dwelling He looks on all the inhabitants of the earth. He fashions their hearts individually and considers all their works. The eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, on those who hope in His mercy. He is my help and shield. My heart shall rejoice in Him because we have trusted in His holy name. (Verses 13-15, 18, 20a, 21).

As you think of us, pray for strength for Gene and that God will completely heal his tired and weary body and that he will be able to stay focused on the goodness of God and not the potholes in the road.

Gene’s Medical Crisis-Part 13: So Much Better

{ July 6, 2024 @ 6:59 pm } · { Uncategorized }
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It has now been six weeks since this medical nightmare began and finally things are going so much better. Six weeks is often the magic goal for surgery healing and this week there has been a definite turn around. He no longer has a lot of pain and his drain tubes have all been removed. He is eating well and sitting up more and more. Last night he actually joined us for supper at the kitchen table and this morning he joined us on the patio as we drank our early morning coffee. Last evening I drove him around the fields in the car to check on his cows. From the front seat of the car, he walked Jill through the process of catching and sorting cows in the corral as Steve is taking a load of calves to market for us this week. This afternoon Jill took him for a golf cart ride to check on several different farming projects.

We are so grateful for God’s continued healing touch. The biggest challenge now is getting his strength and energy back. As he likes to say, “my energy tank gets empty really fast.” He still walks with a walker and with supervision! He can be a irratic driver with loose steering!!!

Gene’s Medical Crisis-Part 12: Home Again

{ July 3, 2024 @ 8:16 pm } · { Medical Adventures }
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Today Gene came home from the hospital-again, and this time to stay! It is always so good to be home. Even though the surgery to clean out the infection was unsuccessful as it was under too many folds of liver, they put him on IV antibiotics and his white blood count immediately started decreasing. For the first time since this all began, it is back in normal range. His red blood count is still very low but that should start improving now that the white blood count is under control. Your red blood cells are what carry oxgyen thoughout your body to your organs and give you energy and the ability to breath properly.

Most of his stats have improved, he has a better appetite, and pain seems to be under control. He weighed 183 before this started and lost 23 pounds.

I am really hopeful this time that we are on tract and that things will begin to improve. He looks and feels better. I guess he just needed a little body tuneup!

On our way home I drove past the hayfield and he got to watch Wray and Rich raking and baling hay for a few minutes. My goal for tomorrow is to take a ride out to see the cows.

Gene’s Medical Crisis-Part 11: A Bump in the Road

{ July 1, 2024 @ 7:34 am } · { Uncategorized }
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This has been a rough ride. It has been so good to have Gene home but he has not progressed as we hoped and yesterday I began to suspect that we had another bump in the road. He fell in the morning and Miles had to help me get him up. He was lethargic all day and by evening was running fever and his blood pressure had dropped some. We decided it was time to take him to the emergency room. Lauren and I were unable to get him in the car so we had to call the rescue squad.

Today he will be having another surgery to insert another drain into his abdomen as he has developed some infection. The drains and stents have been causing us some issues. Please keep us in your prayers. Jesus is the ultimate healer. Hopefully this is just a little bump in the road and he will soon be back on the road to recovery.

Gene’s Medical Crisis-Part 10: The Energy Tank

{ June 23, 2024 @ 12:08 pm } · { Medical Adventures }
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Being home is so wonderful for both of us. I was weary, not really tired, just weary of all that goes with a hospital and rehab stay. It is so much easier now that we are home. But it is still hard, very hard and maybe the most challenging part. Gene so much wants to be better, for it just to magically disappear. Being patient is hard and his energy tank empties very, very quickly. Sitting up, walking across the room is an instant drain on his tank and fatigue immobilizes him.

But we are improving. Today he had his first shower in a month. It felt sooooooooo good! The drainage of bile from his side has almost stopped. He sits up to eat and can feed himself. The big acheivement this morning was getting him in the car and driving around the pasture to see his cows. In case you don’t know it, driving over a field even at the slowest of speed is rough on an abdomen that has endured five surgeries. Four of the beef steers go out this week so we drove down to the corral so that he could see and tell Jill pm how to capture and control them until Steve can haul them out on Wednesday morning. It was a big “field trip” and qualified for a good physical therapy session.

We are settling into a routine, getting meds organized, and physical hygiene figured out. The doctors assure us he will get better but it will take time, patience, hard work, endurance, and lots of healing.

I was reminded this week of Jesus personal invitation to the crowds of weary, sick, and crippled people who were coming to hear him speak, “Come to me, all you who are weary and heavy burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28. Even today his arms are stretched out inviting and calling to the tired, weary and those carrying heavy burdens…..Come, come to me. Give me your burden, give me your cares, give me your hurts, give me your weariness and I will give you rest in your soul. Can I fully put my faith, hope and trust in Jesus? He invites and I respond.

Gene’s Medical Crisis-Part 9: Home

{ June 21, 2024 @ 7:19 pm } · { Medical Adventures }
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I had fourteen cards on his rehab wall to count down the days and help him keep track.

A month ago we would never have dreamed we are at this moment in time. Almost a week in ICU, a week on the stepdown floor and two weeks in rehab. It has been a journey and the longed for day finally arrived. I was suppose to be at the hospital between 10-11 a.m. to pickup him up. At 9:30 he calls. “Are you here yet?” When I said I was just leaving, he said, “Please hurry!”

Gene sitting in his wheelchair, dressed and ready to go.

Gene was so ready to be home. Home to his sofa, homecooked food, and windows that look out over the farm. His recovery is going to take a while, probably all summer. When the medical staff refers to what happened they say, “You were very, very, very, very sick.” It was a close call but God was merciful and spared his life here on earth. We are so grateful.

When we got Gene in the house and he sat down on the sofa, he let out a huge sigh of relief. He was home.

Gene’s Medical Crisis-Part 8: Enduring

{ June 16, 2024 @ 10:51 am } · { Medical Adventures }
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There comes a time when one is weary; weary of the waiting, going, sitting, poking, sticking, pain, interrupted sleep and even the healing process. You are just ready to be done. Healed. No pain. Home. Sleep. Good homecooked food. Working and seeing at it all in the rear-view mirror. I am as ready to be done as Gene is. It is at this point where discouragement nudges its way in, impatience strangles the mind and weariness saps the strength.

This morning I thought of the verse, “Those that wait on the Lord, will renew their strength. They will mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary” (Isaiah 40:31). There is that “don’t want to think about word” wait. The promise that if we wait on the Lord, his timing, his mighty power, our strength will be renewed, we can soar emotionally as an eagle and the stamina to exert energy will come. This is my prayer for today.

One of the things I did when we got to rehab was put up cards on the wall in his room to help him keep track of the days. They had given us a projected stay of 14 days in rehab. We are now at day 9.

By the time this is over it will be a month of hospital and rehab. It is hard for a patient to figure out what day of the month it is much less the day of the week. Each morning we take down the previous day. The end is in sight (hopefully) and we are having to endure. Wait. Wait. Wait. Wait. I remember a children’s story about Thomas, the little train that was chuggin up a mountain, and the going got tough…..I think I can, I think I can…… Lord give us the grace to endure and chug this mountain. I think we can, I think we can, I know we will.

Gene’s Medical Crisis-Part 7: Therapy and Healing

{ June 13, 2024 @ 11:24 am } · { Medical Adventures }
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So much is happening and happening at an amazing rate of speed. I started a blog post and didn’t get it finished and now I have to start over.

Sheltering Arms Rehabilitation Center. It is huge and they are getting ready to add another floor!

This week I started coming home for the night because I felt like I could. He wasn’t needing me for anything during the night that pushing the red call button on his remote wouldn;t take care of. For days he couldn’t push the call button, hold a cup to drink or use the cell phone. That really started changing this week.

Tuesday afternoon our Pastor and a friend came in and prayed over him and anointed him with oil. That is a scriptural teaching from James 5:14-15.

Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. 

In the sermon on the mount, Jesus said, “Ask and it shall be given to you, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be open to you.” (Matthew 7:7) Jesus wants us to petition him. He is ready and wanting to help. It is important to acknowledge our need of his healing care.

Wednesday morning I called to check on him and he answered his cell phone. His voice sounded so much better-almost like normal. He said he felt so much better. It was a change he could see and feel. I heard hope and a lift in his spirit. All I could say was thank-you Jesus. Thank you for your healing touch. A little later he called me which means he could figure out how to make a call and get it to work! He was sitting in a chair which is a part of his therapy.

He did therapy well and when I went in after lunch I stopped at the nurses station to ask how he was doing. They were bubbling with excitement over the change, they could hardly believe it. I told them that he had been anointed the evening before and Jesus was healing him.

This morning (Thursday) I called in first thing and he said he had rough night. He said he tried to escape in the middle of the night. He got his feet and clothes all tangle up together, got confused, and I am not sure what all transpired, but they finally got him settled down and everything worked out. Apparently his “get out of jail” card didn’t work!!!

Today is evaluation day with doctors and nurses and then they will meet with us at 2 to give us an update on his progress, a targeted discharge date, and what to expect when he comes home. He is so wanting to come home but several goals have to be met first. I am ready to be done with the hospital also but want him to be physically ready for me to care for him.

Right now I am praising God for his healing and the change that has happened. I feel like we are on a good path right now.

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