Jordan

A while back I posted a blog about my nephew Jordan. He's three and a half, and just the sweetest kid in the world. He lights up a room with his smile, and melts your heart when he says he loves you. Jordan was born with a rare intestinal disease, and when he was 2 days old, had surgery to remove his large intestine and a portion of his small intestine. He receives nutrition by way of a feeding tube, and doesn't use the bathroom like you and me... I'll spare you the details. As a result of all these things, he is prone to dehydration and bacterial infections, and he's a pretty skinny little guy. Physically he's got a lot of problems, but mentally he's ahead for his age. Jordan has spent over 10 months of his life in the hospital, and has undergone almost 20 surgeries. There is no cure for his disease. The doctors haven't ever told us what his life expectancy is, because they don't know. He spent 2 weeks at Children's Hospital in Seattle during September, then spent last week at the hospital in Bellingham. He's home now, but is starting to get sick again. Today my sister called the specialists at Children's Hospital to find out what the next course of action will be. They told her that they don't know what more to do for Jordan. That they are down to the last resort, which is an intestinal transplant. Unfortunately, the life expectancy afterwards is only 3-5 years.
I have 9 other nieces and nephews, but this little guy is the love of my life. I'm so broken right now I'm angry and I'm scared. I've spent hours on my knees praying for him since he was born, praying for a miracle, for healing, for wholeness. I'm thankful that he can keep smiling and laughing in the midst of his pain. I'm thankful that he doesn't understand that his body is turning against him. I'm thankful for his joy. But I'm scared, so scared. I've never met most of the people who read this blog, but I'm asking you to pray. For Jordan, our family, the doctors... for a miracle.

The Seven Wonders Of The World

A group of students were asked to list what they thought were the present "Seven Wonders of the World." Though there were some disagreements, The following received the most votes:

1.Egypt's Great Pyramids 2.Taj Mahal 3.Grand Canyon 4.Panama Canal 5.Empire State Building 6.St. Peter's Basilica 7.China's Great Wall

While gathering the votes, the teacher noticed that one student had not finished her paper yet. So she asked the girl if she was having trouble with her list. The girl replied, "Yes, a little. I couldn't quite make up my mind because there are so many. "The teacher said, "Well, tell us what you have, and maybe we can help." The girl hesitated, then read, "I think the 'Seven Wonders of the World' are:

1.To See 2.To Hear 3.To touch 4.To Taste 5.To Feel 6.To Laugh 7.To Love

The room was so quiet you could have heard a pin drop. The things we overlook as simple and ordinary and that we take for granted are truly wondrous!

We're pumpkins :)

Being a Christian is like being a pumpkin. God lifts you up, takes you in, and washes all the dirt off of you. He opens you up, touches you deep inside and scoops out all the yucky stuff-- including the seeds of doubt, hate, greed, etc. Then He carves you a new smiling face and puts His light inside you to shine for all the world to see.

I'm loved

"Picture a giant dump truck full of love. There you are behind it. God lifts the bed until the love starts to slide. Slowly, at first, then down, down, down until you are hidden, buried, covered in His love."
This is the text on a card I received today. There was no return address on the envelope, and the card wasn't signed. Simply the words "remember you are loved". I have no idea who sent it. I guess it really doesn't matter.
I have such a hard time accepting the fact that I'm worthy of love. In my head it makes sense. I've been told all my life that I'm loved. My parents, sisters, and friends have all made it abundantly clear that they love me. When I hear the words "I love you", I choke. They go in one ear and out the other, pausing briefly on the way through, just long enough for me to think "well they have to say that, they're my family/friends". They're obligated to say it. I've never been able to take those words and really hear them. I've never internalized them, or made them a part of who I am. I've never treasured the fact that I am loved, never basked in the warmth of abundant love, because I don't feel that I'm worthy of it.
So there I was, wondering who it could be that loves me enough to send me this card.
Then a friend called and asked if I wanted to come over for awhile. I did. We had fun. :) On my way home it was raining and I was stuck behind a couple of VERY slow cars. They turned off onto other roads, and I found the culprit of the slow moving traffic. A dump truck. Great, I think. I'm never gonna get around this guy. God has a funny sense of humor sometimes. So I'm creeping along down the highway at 30 mph (that's about 48 km/h for my Canadian friends). I'm looking up at the back of this huge truck, wondering how many tons of dirt/gravel/etc it can carry. Couldn't come up with a number on my own, so I decided the scientific answer was "a whole bunch".
When I got home I was still wondering, so I looked it up online and found out that the average dump truck can carry 20-25 tons of material. Wow. Then the lightbulb came on... God loves me more than that. Wow, that's a lot. Now I'm just working on accepting it.