*****

Dear Family & Friends,

Christmas time is my favorite time of year! I hope that you and your familes are doing well as you prepare for the holidays!

Shane is still in the Air Force. He has had trouble adjusting to his workplace here but God blessed us by opening up the opportunity for Shane to cross train to Flight Engineer. He is really excited about this change for his career! He left for training in August and finally came home in time for Thanksgiving Day. His training was a long and difficult process and we are greatful for all of you who took the time to keep him in prayer during that time. He will be home for the month of December but will be leaving the end of January for six months of training in Arkansas. Then he will come home for a short while before leaving for New Mexico for another few months. After his cross training is completed, we have projected orders to be stationed in Florida!

I, Alysa, really miss our friends & life we had in Okinawa (not to mention the Oki climate since I absolutely hate being cold!). I am extremely grateful for the few close friends that I do have here and for the people who so willingly helped when I needed them while Shane was away from home! I am also grateful for cell phones and facebook that allow me to keep in contact with my family and close friends in other states or countries! This year, I have become a distributor for Juice Plus+ and absolutely love sharing my story, helping others to be more healthy, and doing wellness presentations! I also started working part-time at Hallmark which I also love! When I am not working, I am home with the girls who are my greatest blessings!

I started homeschooling Kendal last year but she was not interested at all and we had several discipline issues. After a lot of prayer, we decided to put her into a Montessori Preschool. She is doing well and absolutely loves going to school! Kendal will be 5 in January and will be able to start kindergarten in the fall. She really loves to color and draw. She is getting very good at coloring! Audrey is still home more often than not. She will be 3 in January. We are hoping to put her in preschool next year after we move. She loves cats, kittens, and anything that has to do with them. She carries her stuffed cats around with her everywhere! Both girls are energetic and love to learn. They love to watch movies and play on their Leap Frog learning computer. They both also love to play outside. Please keep the girls and I in prayer this next year while Shane is away again. The girls love and miss their daddy and it is always an adjustment each time he leaves. We still have Keenan, our dog, and Hashi, our cat. The girls love their pets! Keenan is getting grey all over. He loves the girls no matter what they do (or try to do) to him. Hashi is pretty much my cat and only comes out when everyone else is not around. He tolerates the girls but doesn’t like Shane at all

As the holidays approach, I remember the people around the world who have had great trials this year. We felt helpless when Japan, our host country for four years, was destroyed by earthquakes and tsunamis earlier this year. Although, most of our friends were in Okinawa and were safe, we still felt the loss and pain of those who were affected. This summer, our town of Minot, North Dakota was also flooded, and has been called one of the biggest natural disasters in the US that was not covered well in the national media. We were blessed that we were not flooded but many of our friends who lived in town completely lost everything and were displaced. Please continue to keep the people affected by these disasters in prayer throughout the new year.

Christmas and the New Year are right around the corner! Presents are bought, wrapped, and under our three trees (yes 3)! Advent countdowns have begun and the Christmas lights have been hung outside. My favorite decoration of all is my Nativity because it is a visual reminder of why we are celebrating this holiday. As you shop, open your presents, spend time with family, and watch Christmas specials on tv, keep in mind that we are celebrating the Hope of Christmas. Even more so, we are celebrating the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ because without Him we have no hope!

May your holiday season be filled with the love of Christ!

Love, Shane, Alysa, Kendal & Audrey

See the following blog link for all of the updates from his brain surgery & recovery.

Please Pray For Greysen

We have been living here for almost a year now and God has blessed us. We have found a great church, Minot First Church of the Nazarene, where I sing on the worship team and teach the 2 & 3 year old Sunday School class. We have met some great friends who will always be close to our hearts. We have found a great school, Montessori of Minot, for Kendal. I have found a great job at Joan’s Hallmark in the mall. I am still running my home businesses, Heart Treasures Boutique and Juice Plus. We like the people and the town but hate the cold weather during the long winter.

Over the last few weeks, many of you have probably heard in the news about the historic flooding that has devastated Minot, North Dakota. I have not blogged about it yet because so many people were already doing so. Now it seems like there is not much news coverage. I don’t think that people (who don’t live here) fully understand what is happening here.

It started with our heavy winter snow fall and heavy spring rains which caused flooding of farming fields and roads.

Photos I took on May 1st. [Photo 1: Snowfall on May 1, 2011] [Photo 2: Flooding of Highway 83 north of town & south of MAFB]

The precipitation also caused already full dams in Canada & North Dakota to get way too much water. The dams scheduled water releases in order to control the water. Several homes were evacuated due to the first set of water releases. Many of those homes were damaged beyond repair but a lot of the evacuees were able to return home. Unfortunately, original water projections were inaccurate so more dam releases were scheduled to let out a whole lot more. This caused mandatory evacuations for approximately 11,000+ people. The people of the town rushed to get their belongings out of their homes. The town built dikes that originally would have worked but would not be high enough for the new water projections. People worked around the town in an effort to stop the river as much as possible. Although the town worked hard, it wasn’t enough.

Photos I found on other local sites: [Before & After of the street near the library heading towards the lowest point in the town.]

Photos from NASA: [Photo 1: May 16, 2011 "Before"]  [Photo 2: June 25, 2011 "After"]

The 2011 Minot flood statistics have far surpassed the previously recorded flood records for this town. This flood brought in double the water that came in the famous flood of 1969. The town and surrounding areas, including Minot Air Force Base, was placed on a boil & conservation order for water. Meaning we have to boil the water before using it to eat or drink and we have to limit our use of water to necessity. No washing vehicles, watering lawns, or filling kiddie pools. Many places have had the boil order lifted but we are still to conserve water as much as possible.

Photos I found KX News Facebook Fan Page: [Boat tour on June 26, 2011]

Now that the flood waters have started to recede, some evacuees have been able to go home to see the damages. Armed with masks, boots, and gloves here is what they are coming home to:

Photos I found KX News Facebook Fan Page: [Homes destroyed by water and mold/mildew.]

 **********

So, how can YOU help Minot?

Here are a few ways you can lend a helping hand:

Photos I found KX News Facebook Fan Page:

Vote for Oak Park in the America’s Favorite Park Contest sponsored by Coca-Cola! Help rebuild our largest park which has been destroyed by flood waters. Oak Park is now in 2nd Place!!! (We were in 14th place yesterday afternoon!) Type in area code 58701. Vote as many times as you would like to vote between now & September 6th. If we get to 1st place we will win $100,000!

Send Box Tops & Soup Labels to help rebuild Minot schools! We have LOST 6 schools to the flood here in Minot, North Dakota! This is an incredibly simple way that anyone can contribute from all over the country and all it costs is postage! Send them to:

Erin Edgerly
15 Vista Dr.
Minot, ND  58703

[Photo: One of the schools under water. You can see that the town tried to save it but the barrier they built was not high enough.]

Donate to the Minot Red Cross! As of July 2, 2011, the Red Cross had provided (total for North Dakota with majority for Minot area):  2,868 overnight shelter stays, 17,329 meals and 70,063 snacks, Emotional support to 1,089 people and health services to 852 people, Deployed more than 385 volunteers locally and from across the country to support the operation. [Photo: Red Cross trucks in Minot.]

**********

Fortunately, the people of Minot, ND have rallied together and have supported each other through this crisis. The majority of evacuees have been staying with friends or family around the area. Even in the devastation glimmers of hope peek through on occasion such as the following flag which was torn from a flagpole and ended up on this tree instead of on the ground:

Or these words remaining on the wall of a destroyed home: “Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass. It’s about learning to Dance in the rain.”

Blessings (with photos of Minot, ND)

by: Laura Story

We pray for blessings, we pray for peace
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep
We pray for healing, for prosperity
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering

All the while, You hear each spoken need
Yet love us way too much to give us lesser things

Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops?
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near?

What if trials of this life
Are Your mercies in disguise?

We pray for wisdom, Your voice to hear
We cry in anger when we cannot feel You near
We doubt Your goodness, we doubt Your love
As if every promise from Your Word is not enough

And all the while You hear each desperate plea
And long that we’d have faith to believe

Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears?
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near?

And what if trials of this life
Are Your mercies in disguise

When friends betray us, when darkness seems to win
We know the pain reminds this heart
That this is not, this is not our home
It’s not our home

Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears?
And what if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near?

What if my greatest disappointments
Or the aching of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst
This world can’t satisfy?

And what if trials of this life
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights
Are Your mercies in disguise?

*****

UPDATE July 22,2011: Throughout the night and this morning, Greysen has either been sedated or vomiting. They are hoping that he will be able to sit up today. They have also given him some apple juice to see if he can keep it down. Neurological evaluations will begin today. Lesley & Mike (his parents) have not had any sleep for about 48 hours. Please pray that they will get some rest today. My updates will not be as frequent but I will update as I can.

*****

UPDATE 11:30 pm–My last update of the night:  They are waiting for the doctors to give Greysen a dose of Valium… They are giving it to relax the muscles in Grey’s neck. The incision line actually goes slightly down his neck so the muscles that were interfered with are tensing causing lots of pain and extreme stiffness.

*****

UPDATE 10:00 pm: “Vomiting seems to be associated with movement… if it persists they will order another CT scan of the brain to ensure there is no swelling or other issues causing it.” Lesley (Greysen’s mom) has been awake for 40+ hours. Please pray that she can get some rest tonight while Greysen also rests. From the updates I have seen, Greysen’s family is extremely grateful for the prayer support throughout today. Let’s keep it up for the next several days as Greysen continues to recover!

*****

UPDATE 9:05 pm: Greysen is still vomiting (every time they sit him up). They are about to straight cath him and hopefully provide some relief from the pressure of a very full bladder.

*****

UPDATE 6:45 pm: Latest message from Lesley (Greysen’s Mom): “Greysen is beginning to wake… he is incredibly sick and in pain…he’s been out of surgery for 8 hours and has yet to pee… please pray God’s comfort through the night and that he would pee on his own so that he doesn’t have to endure a catheterization on top of the pain he is already in. They are giving him 2 hours to go on his own…Nurses have warned us that this will be an incredibly difficult night… nothing worse than seeing your baby hurting and in need and being helpless to comfort them ” Lesley is really struggling to stay strong emotionally. Please keep her in prayer as well.

*****

UPDATE 5:50 pm: Latest message from Lesley (Greysen’s Mom): “Dr. Piatt stopped in again, Ct scan came back fine. Grey has lifted both legs from the bed and he is responding to light stimulus properly. Still very sedated so we probably won’t know much more til tomorrow morning when Dr. Piatt makes his rounds. I will be staying here in the ICU and Mike will be at the Ronald McDonald House… please pray for a restful night for all and that Greysen will wake fever free, pain free and that all neurological evaluations go well… Thanks so much to all of you following us through this, praying and re-posting… I am amazed and simply overwhelmed.”

*****

UPDATE 3:45 pm: Greysen is running a fever. Pray that it doesn’t spike!

*****

UPDATE 2:15 pm: He has opened his eyes! They are on the way to CT.

******

UPDATE 12:45 pm: Family is with Greysen. “He seems to be doing well though very sedated…initial lab work looks good…preliminary testing indicates that the tumor is in fact benign but we won’t be certain until pathology results come in. Dr. Piatt just visited again, we are waiting for a CT scan to check for swelling and bleeding. They will begin neurological evaluations tomorrow but he was able to wiggle his toes!”

*****

UPDATE 12:00 noon:  ”Grey is in recovery, the doctors feel that they removed all of the tumor and  by the appearance of it they feel it is benign but are sending it for testing.  They are doing a blood test because he is a little pale and want to make sure he doesn’t need a transfusion.   Resting well.”

*****

UPDATE 10:40 am: Greysen is out of surgery! Family is waiting to hear how he is doing and waiting to see him! Praise God!

*****

UPDATE 9:30 am: TODAY, July 21, 2011, is Greysen’s surgery date. “The doctors have started the operation…last report stated they have entered the casing around the brain… they have begun the process of removing the tumor which should take the next two hours… please pray for steady hands and that God would be guiding them through this procedure…this should take approximately two hours… tonight they will do a CAT scan to make sure there is no swelling on the brain… Tomorrow will be the time when they will be able to tell how he is physically affected by the surgery…please continue to join us in prayer. Will continue to update as we hear more. Thanks for your prayers.” I will post updates here as I get them.

*****

For those of you who have followed my blog, you know that we have been praying for a little boy named Greysen for awhile now. He needs your prayers more than ever now. He has been scheduled for surgery on July 21st to remove the tumor in his brain.

Here is Greysen’s story from his mom Lesley:

 ”Our journey with Greysen began about a year ago when Greysen was diagnosed with epilepsy. Soon after his diagnosis we were sent to AI Dupont Children’s Hospital in Wilmington, DE for some routine testing, including an MRI of his brain to discover what form of epilepsy Greysen had.

The results of his MRI were not what we were expecting. As the oncologist pulled up Greysen’s scan, we were not prepared for the bright white image in the center of our son’s brain. Every parent’s fear… Our son had a brain tumor.

We spent the weekend filled with anxiety and fear, unsure of what that bright spot on the MRI film meant for our son. The following week we met with Dr. Piatt, our neurosurgeon. He was very reassuring, telling us that he was fairly confident that the tumor was benign and was comfortable waiting on surgery and monitoring the growth every few months. Our return visit 3 months later was uneventful and we were pretty confident that this tumor could remain for possibly years before it became necessary to remove it.

Last week we returned to AI once more for another MRI scan (9 months since the tumor had been found). From the moment Dr. Piatt entered our room, we knew something was different. “Our little boo-boo has grown significantly and I feel that surgery is necessary as soon as possible.” Though Dr. Piatt is assuming this tumor to be benign, he has cautioned us that this is based solely on the image on the scans and he can not know for sure until he gets in there and gets results from pathology. His concern is the rate at which the changes occurred.

Greysen will go into surgery at AI Dupont on July 21, 2011 to have this tumor removed. We are scheduled to enter the operating room at 7:45 am and surgery is estimated to take about 6 hours. The tumor is located deep within the cerebellum, (which controls coordination, fine motor skills, balance, ect.) near the brain stem. This complicates the removal, making it a slow, delicate process.

Our specific prayer requests as we take our son to surgery is obviously, that pathology would prove this growth benign and that the surgeons would be able to completely remove this tumor. Also, Dr’s have informed us that because of the location and depth of the growth, Greysen is at a risk for losing fine motor skills on the left side of his body as well as balance and coordination. We will not know how severely these abilities are affected, if affected at all, until Greysen is evaluated after surgery. (approx. 2 days post-surgery)

We are so incredibly appreciative of the love, prayers and support that have been shown to us already… and we hope to keep you all as informed as possible as Greysen progresses through this… I will make every effort to keep this page updated so that you can pray for specific needs…

Our DEEPEST gratitude to each and every one offering prayers on behalf of our family and our son.”

Please continue to pray for Greyson and his family. They all need healing and comfort. Pray that they will feel God’s presence during this trial and that they will trust that God knows the bigger picture.

“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7

“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” Philippians 4:4-9

Healing Hand Of God

By: Jeremy Camp

Pray For Grey (Facebook Group):

http://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/191578540900197?ap=1

Go to the following link to Register for the study ($10.00). You can also purchase an autographed copy of  the book or a DVD presesntation! https://juliebarnhill.wufoo.com/forms/shes-gonna-blow-online-book-study-registration/

You can also go HERE to order the book from Christian Book Distributors!

If God moves when 2 or 3 agree in prayer, I can only imagine what he can do when 500 or more agree! There are between 500-1,000+ people who visit my blog each month. A lot of them are regular visitors (daily or weekly).

I plan to post prayer requests and updates weekly on Sundays or Mondays. This blog is public; I will not include personal information such as birthdays, last names, etc. If you have a prayer request, update, and/or praise report that you would like added to the weekly post, please e-mail me by Saturdays via facebook or at: hearttreasurescontact@yahoo.com

If you would like to include a picture of the person we are praying for, please include it in your e-mail. I will put a “Heart Treasures” stamp on the picture before posting it.

Feel free to forward a link to this page to people who will join us in prayer.

*****

~~~NEW REQUESTS~~~

Travis: He will be going back in to surgery on today (Monday). The following is the e-mail that I received from Travis’ sister Jennifer: “We went to see several doctors last week and they all say that he is doing very well. The surgery will be to take out the hardware that was put in when the mandibular distraction was done. The ENT will look at his airway while he is under anesthesia to see if it will be a possibility for the trach to come out now that his lower jaw has been moved out some. It seems to be a waiting game. We really won’t know anything until after surgery.”

Previous Requests: Travis was born prematurely and was considered “A Failure to Thrive” with an enlarged liver, a small displaced stomach, and lung disease. He was also diagnosed with Pierre Robin Sequence, which is a birth condition involving a very small or set back lower jaw and cleft palate. The small lower jaw causes the tongue to be displaced back toward the throat, where it can fall back and obstruct the airway. As a result of this condition, Travis had a tracheotomy shortly after birth. The trach was removed at age 5, but the stoma remains open because of the small air way. He has undergone 5 mandibular distractions to lengthen his lower jaw and help open his airway. To this day he still tends to stop breathing when he sleeps and is in need of another mandibular distraction because of this. Pierre Robin and “bad teeth” seem to go hand in hand. Travis has very little enamel on his teeth. It has been a struggle for him to actually keep any of his teeth. No matter how hard we try he seems to continue to get infections and loose teeth. He is scheduled for dental surgery this month. The doctors have to make sure that he is infection free before he is able to go in for the mandibular distraction. The insurance will cover some of the cost for these surgeries, but the part that we will have to pay is pretty high. Travis was also born with a hearing loss. He has been in deaf/hard of hearing classrooms or has had an interpreter most of his school life. He has dreams of being able to hear and now that dream can become a reality! There is a surgery that can make hearing possible for Travis! It is called BAHA (or Bone Anchored Hearing Aid). Travis will never be able to hear without the help of a hearing aid / hearing system, but this will let him hear sound that he has never been able to hear before. The only problem is the insurance company will not cover any of this surgery and it is VERY expensive. Please pray that his family can raise the funds needed for his upcoming surgeries. Also pray that the doctors will have the wisdom they need while performing the surgeries and he will recover quickly from them.

Minot, ND: Our town flooded last week and many people were evacuated from the flood zones. Many people have lost their homes. Please keep the town in prayer as the flood waters receed and people find out what the damages are.

Makenzie (my niece): was born a few weeks ago. She was taken to the NICU due to Respiratory Distress. They could not find a reason for the distress so they just monitored her. During the diagnosic tests, they also found a small hole in her heart. The doctor is not concerned about her heart at this time and believe that it will eventually close on its own. If it doesn’t, surgery may be an option in the future. Now my sister Jenn and Makenzie are home and doing well!

~~~UPDATED REQUESTS~~~

Emry: Update taken from mom’s blog post (link below): “Latest stats: 3lbs 10.8oz, 14 & 1/4 inches long, Eats 4 PO feeds a day and the other 4 are tube feedings, She loves to have momma hold her after she eats, Still holds her temp great!, 1 brady in the past 60 hours. The Dr. said if she keeps it up then we can go home by the end of next week. Now, that is IF she keeps doing as great as she has been and I have no doubt in my mind she will. He also said Emry’s weight was no longer an issue and that all we needed to get down was feeding. She is at 4 PO (bottle or breast) feeds a day right now but she has to take ALL 8 feeds before we can go home. That’s 30MILS (1 ounce) 8 times a day.”

Previous Requests: She was born pre-mature less than 2 weeks ago. She weighed 1 lb 3 ozs and was 11 and 3/4 inches small at birth!! She is still in the hospital getting around the clock medical care. She has frequent bradycardia episodes but has been coming out of them quickly on her own. She is on oxygen and is tube fed. Her mother has been able to hold her “kangaroo care.”  Please pray that this miracle continues to grow & thrive! Pray for the doctor’s wisdom in caring for her and pray for peace for he parents & family as they go through this trying time. You can stay updated on Emry’s progress by going to her family’s blog: http://walkerfam05.blogspot.com/

Cher: Is going back for treatment on June 20th. Expenses to finance the trip and lodging while there are a big concern. Pray that the long term treatment plan works and is effective.

Previous Requests: Was recently diagnosed with Myastenia Gravis (a chronic autoimmune neuromuscular disease characterized by varying degrees of weakness of the skeletal (voluntary) muscles of the body). Please pray for the doctor’s wisdom in creating a treatment plan. Also, pray that the housing they need would become available when they go for treatment. They have their name on a list for Nazarene Well House. On their already strained budget it would be a Godsend. Pray God will work out all the details!

Shannon: (Sam’s Mommy): Benjamin Nathaniel (Ben) was born in May. He weighed 7lbs10oz, and 20.5 inches long.  He was slightly jaundice but it is now under control!

Previous Requests: she is almost 30 weeks along in her pregnancy. She went to L & D and found out that her placenta is 30% abrupted. Please pray it does not get any worse and that the baby will stay in for as long as possible. She is now home and not having any complications right now. She has been advised to be on modified bed rest. She will be monitored weekly but if it gets worse she will have to get an emergency c-section. Please pray that she will have no further complications and that the doctors will have the wisdom to do what is best for both her and the baby.

Heather: E-mail update from Heather: “Elizabeth Grace  was born in April weighing 7 lbs 12.2 oz and 19.7 inches. The first couple of hours where a bit rough, but nothing major, them just checking her sugar which was a little low…but nothing mom’s milk couldn’t fix    and trying to regulate her temp which was also too low. 2 days later we where home and adjusting to life. At a week old she had her heart checked and we where told her pulmonary stenisous was GONE!! but where also told they needed to re-check her heart b/c she may have a hole in it (with a better Dr and Machine) in a couple of weeks….so at a month old she was re-checked and we where told on the spot HER HEART IS PERFECT!!! and that we no longer needed to have her heart checked. We know that God watched over our baby girl the whole pregnancy and delivery and healed her heart. Now at 2 months old , she is a wonderful baby. She is slowly showing us her beautiful smiles and she loves to snuggle, we have surely been blessed. (and by the way…my sugar has been great also, it was gone back to normal and I’m back to eating a normal diet with no meds!” Praise God!

Previous Requests: After flying to Hawaii, for a specialist appointment, she has returned home to Okinawa, Japan and will be able to deliver there. She is now taking a pill in the morning, and a insulin shot before dinner and a insulin shot before bed. For the most part, sugars are regulated but are just a little too high so they are trying to figure out how much insulin is needed. Baby girl is getting bigger daily and more active! Also, the Fetal Eco determined that the baby has Pulmonary stenosis (narrowing in the artery in the heart). Please pray for both Heather and the baby as well as the rest of her family who will be affected by her traveling. Also, pray for the doctor’s wisdom in caring for them.

Japan: The fundraisers that I helped run raised a total of $600.00 that was donated to the Red Cross for Japan Relief efforts! Please continue to pray for the people of Japan who are still recovering from this devestation!

Previous Request: We lived in Okinawa, Japan from 2006-2010. Both our girls were born there and it became our home away from home. We are thankful that Okinawa was not harmed but Our hearts are breaking for the Japanese people that we have come to love. As we watch the devastating footage of Japan’s tragedy we still feel like we are watching home being destroyed. Please pray for the people of Japan who have lost loved ones and have to recover from this.

~~~CONTINUED REQUESTS~~~

Sam: We are singing praises to God that Sam has stopped running a temperature every night, though she still gets one occasionally. The doctors are still uncertain of the cause of these fevers (as high as 105.1), though they will be doing a DMSA renal scan this Wednesday (the 2nd) to see if her kidneys are the culprit. When she was inpatient, her ultrasound, abdominal CT scan and her galium scan all pointed towards her kidneys, but her urine cultures and analysis all came back normal. Her stored iron level is still dangerously low and is actually decreasing rather than getting better, though she is receiving 400% of the daily recommended amount of iron each day. There is a question of whether she has celiac disease which could be contributing to her low iron level. The other main concern at this point is the regression in her gross motor skills. While walking, her legs (especially her left) give out, causing her to fall. She has fallen down our steps twice due to this issue. Please pray for wisdom for the doctors (she now sees six specialists along with the pediatrician), her therapists (she has occupational, physical and speech therapists, along with an early childhood interventionist), and  her parents to know what is best for her. Please pray for Sam’s complete healing!

Previous Requests: Has a new possible diagnosis is Primary CNS Vasculitis, or basically swelling of the blood vessels in her brain. Diagnosis procedures include CT San/MRI (doesn’t always show up), angiogram (catheter goes up starting in leg) or brain biopsy. Treatment consists of immuno-suppressants (form of chemotherapy). Sam’s MRI/MRA came back negative, so now they need to decide their next step… they may try a more natural diet and supplement type lifestyle. This 2 year old’s final diagnosis after being in the hospital for several days was meningoencephalitis (infection that affects the nervous system causing inflammation of the brain & meninges). She regressed about 6 months and has to relearn how to stand and walk. Had a lumbar puncture to check for white blood cells, to help determine if they need to look further into the vasculitis. She also had a bone marrow aspiration to check for leukemia since she is still extremely anemic & running fevers. Please pray for the doctor’s wisdom and for Sam’s complete healing!

Brad: (Sam’s Daddy): After being poked in the eye a few weeks ago, his eye is still healing and his vision may be permanently damaged in that eye. On top of that, he has lost feeling in his left leg and toes again (he has a bulging disk between L5 and S1 that he has been getting steroid shots for) and they are talking the possibility of surgery, though we first need to make sure his disc has not ruptured. Please pray for complete healing!

Greysen: has had some seizures that were not controlled by his medicine. So they have been working on medicine adjustments.

Previous Requests: This 4 year old boy was diagnosed with epilepsy this past spring and was sent to AI Dupont to determine the exact type of epilepsy he had. During a scheduled MRI, an Oncologist found a “mass” in the back left portion of his brain and that it would require surgery. A few days later, his parents met with the neurosurgeon and received better news. He was fairly confident that the tumor was benign, and therefore surgery could be put off for a while. The tumor will be monitored for any sign of change or growth. The tumor is in a place that it can be removed, however, to remove the entire tumor, he most likely will lose coordination and fine motor skills on his left side. This can be regained through physical therapy. For this reason, Greysen’s parents hope that they can wait until he is a bit older before having to do surgery. They returned to AI Dupont last Friday for another MRI scan so that the surgeons can re-evaluate the brain tumor. They saw no significant change in the tumor so the current plan is to wait and re-evaluate in 6 months. Please pray for Greysen’s healing and the doctors wisdom as they monitor and treat his condition.

Shane: My husband recently saw a new doctor about his Plantar Fasciitis. He now wears special shoes when he sleeps at night and has started physical therapy.

Previous Requests: My husband has a few career decisions to make in the next few months. He also has Plantar Fasciitis (irritation and swelling of the thick tissue on the bottom of the foot) which could effect which direction he chooses. The choice he makes will effect where we live, how much we get paid, and how often he will be deployed. Please pray for wisdom and direction for our family.

Alysa (ME): I have 2 home businesses, Heart Treasures Boutique & Juice Plus+, in order to bring in extra money for our family but I have not made many contacts for either one. It’s expensive to move back to the states! Please pray that God will bring the right people in my path so that we can earn the extra money that we need.

My favorite page of the book quotes Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Then the author writes, “Sometimes life doesn’t go as planned and not getting what we want becomes a blessing in disguise. There is a plan for you. Have faith. Be patient, and most of all… believe.”

I think this book is great for the sentimental mom who wants to share with her daughter what is on her heart in a unique way.

In accordance with the Federal Trade Commission I am required to disclose that Thomas Nelson provided this book for free in exchange for my review. I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions I have expressed are my own.

*****

Eat Your Peas Daughter

By: Cheryl Karpen

*****

Just so you know, in the next week or so, I will resume prayer request updates and book reviews both of which I am behind on. My family is taking a 5 week road trip vacation to see our families this summer. My posts will probably be inconsistent during June & July. After our vacation, I plan to continue my anger & marriage series.

If you think about it, please keep me and my family in prayer. We all have had trouble adjusting to being back in the states. Emotionally, financially, climate, work environments, etc. We are stuggling to see why God brought us here to North Dakota. We know that God sees the big picture and that there is a purpose but it would be nice to know what that is. Anyway, we would appriciate your prayers.

RESURRECTION COOKIES

Ingredients:

Large Marshmallows

Crescent Rolls (uncooked)

Sugar/Cinnamon Mixture

1. Wrap an uncooked crescent roll  around most of the marshmallow–leaving one side of the marshmallow exposed.

~~The crescent roll represents the tomb and the marshmallow shows that the tomb is not empty.

2. Roll the crescent roll/marshmallow tomb in the sugar/cinnamon mixture.

3. Place them on a cookie sheet and bake according to crescent roll directions.

~~Read the resurrection story (using a Children’s Bible or book on your child’s level).

5. As they bake; the marshmallow will melt. Remove them from the oven according to directions.

~~You will have an empty tomb!

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Facts about Planned Parenthood, the organization at the center of the potential government shutdown: 1. They crush and dismember innocent human beings for a living.  That is their primary revenue source.  Abortion is not health care. 2. They have been caught countless times, both on audio and on video, hiding statutory rape,.  That alone should result in them being not only being de-funded but put out of business.  Businesses who commit serial fe … Read More

via Eternity Matters