Progress

I just got off the phone with Dad. He is sounding a lot better. The physician's assistant was in and said they will be sending him "home" soon. Home means a rehab center in Fresno if they can get the necessary approvals. I don't know what "soon" means - my guess is by the end of the week. Originally the doctors had said 4-7 days, but that was before surgery and the blood loss he experienced.

Dad has been sitting up and walking a little more each day. Yesterday he said they were going to have him sit up for 30 minutes and it was 45. Today they were going to have him sit up for 45 minutes and it was an hour. He also said he was able to walk to the bathroom.

Slow progress is still progress...

Tuesday afternoon update:
Dad will be discharged from the hospital tomorrow morning. He will be going to a rehab center in Fresno for the time being. It will be good to have him close to everyone in the family (except me!) My plan is to go up on Friday.

Swimming with "Flat" Hannah

Since Hannah's arrival a couple of weeks ago, I've been a little distracted with Dad's surgery. So here's a little of what has been going on. The weather is still pretty warm here compared to where Hannah lives, so we've been spending time outside. Here is a picture of our Bird of Paradise flowers.

Hannah decided to try out Uncle Les and Aunt Kathy's pool.

When she jumped in, the water made her return to her regular size! Here she is:


Too bad that didn't really happen! This is a picture from the summer of 2007 when Hannah and her family came to visit.

Thankful

Dear God, help me not to overlook the giving of thanks to You, before I begin asking.
- Mom's Bible

I do have much to be thankful for this morning. I talked to Dad last night on the way to church and he sounded so much better! His voice almost sounded normal and we talked for more than just a minute. He said, "They made me walk. I did it, but kicking and screaming the whole time." Now that's the Dad I know!

I also found out that Rick does not have anything wrong with his heart. We're not sure what the doctors thought they saw, but it's not there now.

Thanks, God!

A Little Better and Interim Plans

Dad seems a little better today. Kim said he ate about half his lunch - he's been taking about 2 bites of everything the last couple of days. He still sounds very, very weak. He did get up and walk - he said he made it about 50 feet. I told him that many people are praying for him and he really appreciates it.

Sunday update:
Kim said Dad is a little better today. I'm taking a little better each day as a good thing. Our congregation prayed for him this morning and I felt God's peace in this storm.

As far as when he will come home, that seems to be in question. The doctor had said 4-7 days, but that was before the blood loss and weakness. One of the nurses did say that they have him scheduled to go to a rehab center in Fresno, but no date. This would definitely make it easier on our family for the short term as he gets stronger. We wouldn't have to worry about him being at home alone or one of us not being able to lift or move him, but he would be in our home town instead of in San Francisco. I'm sure a paid physical therapist will get him moving more than any of us can, too.

Actor Paul Newman Dies

Before you start thinking I'm a fan of Hollywood, don't worry! The headline caught my eye and I found the most amazing quote from Mr. Newman:

He sometimes teamed with his wife and fellow Oscar winner, Joanne Woodward, with whom he had one of Hollywood's rare long-term marriages. "I have steak at home, why go out for hamburger?" Newman told Playboy magazine when asked if he was tempted to stray. They wed in 1958...

I'm blessed to feel the same way about the wonderful man I married.

Please Pray for Dad

Well, recovering is not going as smoothly as we'd like.

Dad has lost quite a bit of blood, so he is extremely weak. While talking to Kim, it dawned on me that Dad has been on blood thinners due to other health issues, so his incision has bled more than it might have on a healthier individual. While we were talking, the nurses came to give him more blood.

It's so hard talking to him and hearing him sound so tired and weak. Daddy's girl is trying not to worry, but can I say I'm concerned? It seems he's getting the care he needs, it's just taking time.


Friday evening update: They seem to have his blood pressure and blood sugar under control now. The biggest problem is the blood loss, which is causing anemia. While Kim and I were talking I looked up anemia. Symptoms include:

• Easy fatigue and loss of energy
• Unusually rapid heart beat, particularly with exercise
• Shortness of breath and headache, particularly with exercise
• Difficulty concentrating
• Dizziness
• Pale skin
• Leg cramps
• Insomnia

Kim said he has several of these symptoms and it seemed to relieve her mind that the blood loss was the cause. The latest check of the drain of the incision shows the blood loss is slowing.

Praying for better news tomorrow.

What You Do Today

Go out each day and do something that nobody but a Christian would do.

- Mom's Bible

What is on your To Do list that separates you from the rest of the world?

1 Peter 2:9-10 "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light; Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy."

We've been called into His marvelous light, so we can go out and shew forth His praises!

Updates on Dad

Instead of having lots of posts, I'm going to update this one and re-post it.

Wednesday Update
I just talked to Dad. The physical therapist had been to see him and had him walk for the first time already. He didn't go far, but it's a start. He said his pain level is low. His therapy is called No BLT - no bending, lifting, or twisting.

I don't know how long the recovery will be, but I'm praying for a quick one.

Thursday Update
Spoke to Dad at 11:30. His blood pressure had dropped quite a bit last night and they had to give him blood. He didn't sound as good today as he did yesterday, he was complaining of a sore throat which is probably due to the tube that had been down his throat. He has been up a couple of times.

It took over two years for the doctor to finally decide to do surgery, so I guess it's going to be more than a day before he feels better!

If Fall Won't Come to Us...

we'll go to Fall!!

After my pathetic post yesterday, I remembered it's our year to go to Tennessee for Thanksgiving! This is an annual event for the McElhaney clan, but Les and I go every other year so we can spend Thanksgiving with my family as well.

Our trip will start by us flying to Nashville on Saturday, November 22nd. We'll stay with our friends, Doug and Lori Long, and go to the church Les grew up in on Sunday. Our plan is to go to Chattanooga on Monday and Tuesday - just the two of us.

Sometime Tuesday afternoon or evening we will head to our final destination - Gatlinburg. Talk about a beautiful place. Two years ago we had beautiful weather and four years ago it rained, then snowed on Thanksgiving morning. That was an amazing sight to this California girl!

Our Thanksgiving celebration will be with all of my father-in-law's family. Les, his brother, Lance, and their cousins Shane and Shannon have given us the name "DOE". This stands for Descendants of Earl. Earl McElhaney was Les' grandfather, a minister of the gospel, church planter, and patriarch to this bunch. The original DOE consists of Aunt Bobby, Aunt Mary, Aunt Betty, my father-in-law Bill, and Uncle Jim (pictured below).


Our Thanksgiving gathering will include four generations, with the youngest being one or two and Aunt Bobby who turned 85 this year. Family members from Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Indiana, Missouri, Illinois, Tennessee, and California will be there. It will be a great time of laughter, eating, games, eating, catching up, and eating!

I may not get a Fall season, but I'll be soaking in as much as possible while we're there!

Fall?

Since Monday was the first official day of Fall, I've read a few blogs on the subject. Cooler weather, pumpkin pies baking, sweaters, falling leaves. Doesn't it sound delightful?

In my part of the world, Fall is a little different. Santa Ana winds start blowing. It's been pretty dry the past few years, so we need to be alert for wildfires. I won't be pulling any sweaters out, either. The average high for Simi Valley in the "Fall" is September: 92, October: 84, and November: 75. We've had record highs of 115, 110, and 99 for those three months.

Fall? I can only dream...

Surgery Update

It's been a long day of waiting for the call!

As usual, surgeries don't always get done when they are scheduled. Dad was suppose to go in at 12:30, but it was after 2:00 before they took him. The surgery took over 3 hours, and the doctor said it was a success.

The doctor inserted two rods in Dad's spine to correct degenerative disc disease. Due to the hardness or tightness of Dad's muscles, the doctor had to move them quite a bit, which means Dad will be very sore for the next few days.

Thank you for remembering him in prayer.

I've Been Tagged

Karen Hopper was Mom's friend (and mine!) She tagged me, so I will do it. Here are six unspectacular things about me:

1. I love cooler weather
2. I'd rather be a passenger than drive
3. I usually have less than $5 in my wallet (a habit I got from Les!)
4. I'd rather spend money on traveling than clothes or shoes
5. I decorate BIG time for Christmas, but I'm ready to put it all away by January 1st.
6. I can read for HOURS if the book is worth it!

Meme terms & conditions:
1. link the person who tagged you
2. mention the rules on your blog
3. list 6 unspectacular things about you
4. tag 6 other bloggers by linking them

Now I'm tagging: Adrianne, Alicia, EliChloee, Breanna, Katie, and Christina

Running Quote

I've heard some funny things while out running, but this one is my current favorite.

Two male cyclists, riding towards me.

Cyclist #1: See that lady, she always runs in a dress.
Cyclist #2: Yeah, I know.

Yes, I run in a dress. No, I am not ashamed of who I am. And I could probably outrun either of those guys!!

Surgery Update

Dad just called. His pre-op work is done. His surgery has now been rescheduled to 12:30 tomorrow, so he won't have to be at the hospital until 10:30. Which means my update tomorrow will be later!

My Hero

"Rodney coaxes her, she is practically his shadow. These two are really close, in every way."
- From My Baby book

The last few days I've been thinking of how we react to unexpected tragedies or difficulties. Whether it be the Metrolink crash or Hurricane Ike, the same response occurs. After the initial shock, the media starts reporting on how it could have been avoided or who was at fault. We humans have a hard time accepting that bad things happen, even to good people.

As I was thinking through a post on this subject, I kept thinking of Rod.

Rodney Dean Fultz was born on March 5, 1963, just 13 months before I came along. Within the first year of his life, it was discovered that Rod was a hemophiliac or a "bleeder" as he was commonly called. In spite of many, many difficulties and hospitalizations, Rod was an overcomer. I think God gave him an extra dose of grit in place of the clotting factor found in most humans!

What a brother he was! He had an incredible wit. You never got the last word with Rod. He had a comeback for anything you threw his way. I know, because this was the source of many fights between the two of us! As we got older, he knew when he was about to push me over the edge and would say something that would just crack me up.

Hearing him sing was a powerful experience. The second verse of "I'm Just Warming Up" with the words "all my pain and sorrow, up there I will forget", could not have been sung with more power or passion by anyone else.

If anyone had the "right" to question his circumstances or try to find someone to blame, it was Rod. But I can still hear him, not many months before his death, as we spoke about all he had been through in his life. He said, "Kathy, whenever I'm tempted to question or feel sorry for myself, I just read the book of Job. I can't complain."

One definition of shadow is an inseparable companion or follower. Rod's example of facing life's difficulties is one I want to follow. I knew even as a baby, he was someone I wanted "shadow".


To my friends that knew Rod, I hope you enjoy this photo walk down memory lane as much as I did! And whenever I hear "Jingle Bell Rock" I remember the Christmas when Rod and I entertained the family, he with his "crutch guitar" and me with some fancy moves!!

Dad's Surgery

Dad, Barbara, and Kim will be traveling to San Francisco today. He has his pre-op in the morning, and has to be back at the hospital Tuesday morning at 5:30 (which means surgery will probably be around 7:30 or 8:00). Your continued prayers are appreciated and I'll post updates as I know them.


Pictured below is Barbara, Dad, Dad's Aunt Bertha and her son, Rick, at Dad's 70th Birthday party (the reason for the hat!)

No Pudge!

After almost an entire week of running posts, I thought I'd share today's indulgence!




No, they aren't "homemade" in the truest sense - it's a mix that you add fat free vanilla yogurt to. But they were yummy! A gooey 1 1/2" square is only 2 points!! Gonna top 'em with Weight Watchers ice cream next...

Unexpected Visitor

We received a little something in the mail today from our niece, Hannah. Hannah lives in Indiana and is in 2nd grade. Hannah's class has been reading about a little boy who became flat and went on many adventures. So she decided to try it!

Her first adventure is right here, on the World Wide Web! Aunt Kathy's blog!

She must be returned by November 5th, so I'll see what kind of adventures I can come up with in the meantime. If you'd like to say hello to "Flat Hannah", please do so!

This picture is of the "real" Hannah, her sister Claire (who is 10) and their mom Monica. They are at the American Girl store in Chicago.

Train Ride

Let us be contented with what has happened to us and thankful for all we have been spared.

- Mom's Bible

Wednesday arrived, and with it, my turn to ride Metrolink again. Since the crash last week, I have bravely stated "when it's my time to go, it's my time to go." But you know, I hoped it wasn't my time to go.

As I stood on the platform, awaiting train 118, I was greeted by the sight of numerous flowers and notes. One said, "with sympathy to all who lost loved ones." I also watched the faces of my fellow passengers. Many were stuck in Simi Valley on Friday evening, unable to ride the train home because of the disaster on the track.

When we boarded the train, the atmosphere was different. It was somber. People weren't chatting about their day or gabbing on cell phones like usual. The car I rode in was almost silent.

The train from Simi Valley goes through three tunnels to get to the San Fernando Valley. Immediately after coming out of the tunnels, we arrived at the crash site. The train slowed almost to a stop. The clean up crews had done their work, but we all knew where we were. There was a civil engineer checking our progress and two sheriff vehicles were parked to the side.

Again, I watched my fellow riders. Each one had fallen completely silent, and they were all staring out the windows. I bowed my head in prayer for each of them, hoping at some point I'll be the witness they need.

After church on Wednesday night, I found out that Stephanie Benavente from our church attended high school with one of the victims. He was her class valedictorian, and now at age 20 is dead.

Yes, I'm thankful for what I've been spared, but I also know Psalm 31:15 "My times are in thy hands."


This photo is from LA police officer Spree DeSha's funeral. Officer DeSha was killed last Friday. The photo shows her badge bent from the crash.

Running - Lessons Learned

SheGazelle, you now know more than you ever wanted to know about me and running! When it comes to exercise, I fit in the "Normal is Broke, I Wanna be Weird" category! The recommended 30 minutes a day, most days, is just not enough.

I will finish this series with a few lessons learned. I have read many articles regarding this subject and some of it I've learned on my own. I also learned a lot from the book "Eat Smart, Play Hard" by Liz Applegate, Ph.D.

1. No Pain, No Gain is not necessarily true
Muscle pain is one thing, but I don't ignore injuries. If I start out with a pain in my foot, leg, or knee, I'll run a little to see if I'm just stiff. If the pain persists, I back off. Running through pain can often cause greater injury and put you off your feet for months instead of a day or two. I have never had that happen because I listen to my body.

2. Eating still matters
People often say, "you run so much, you must be able to eat whatever you want." Unfortunately that is not true! Since I rejoined Weight Watchers in 2005, reached goal weight in April 2006, I have been a committed points counter. I write down everything I eat - everyday. I've been able to maintain the same weight using this method.

3. Most people overestimate calories burned
I have read dozens of articles claiming certain exercises will burn hundreds of calories in 30 minutes. Without a heart rate monitor, there is no way to verify that. I can run the same route, two days in a row, but not burn the same number of calories due to how hard I push myself. Having an accurate count of calories burned allows me to know how much extra I have for that day. I burn about 50-60 calories a mile. So if I burn 600 calories on a 10 mile run, I can't have an extra 1500 calories that morning. Which leads back to tracking everything.

4. Food quality is important, too
The first thing I have after a run is a Recoverite with about 32 ounces of water. Getting a good mix of carbs and protein is key to recovery and fueling for the next day. A little bit of chocolate each day helps, too...at least that is what I tell myself!

5. Shoes matter
The general rule on running shoes is 300-400 miles. I buy 2 pairs at a time and rotate them each day. I write the date that I first start using them and after approximately 600 miles, I replace both pairs.

6. Start slowly
When I re-started running in 2005, my average run was 5.5 miles. My typical run now is about 9 miles. I increased my speed and distance slowly. If you've been a couch potato for the last 5 years, start out walking. Depending on your weight, walk 20-30 minutes a day. Increase your time and distance, then slowly add running. Walk a minute, run a minute, lather, rinse, repeat. Do that until you can walk a minute, run two. Keep at it until you're running 15 minutes.

Finally, if after all of this you're thinking about taking up running - do it!! I enjoy it so much, especially running outside early in the morning. You will achieve that runner's high eventually!

Running - Half Marathons and Beyond

Since 2005 I have run very faithfully. I usually run six mornings a week. So how did I become a half marathon runner? Glad you asked! Okay, you probably didn't ask, but here's the answer...

In 2006 our Music Department was doing a fund raiser. We did a 20 kilometer bike-a-thon. While in the planning stages, I realized that 20K was just under 13 miles and I decided it was time to try something new! I determined to run the 20K with a little more added on to complete my first half marathon. Up to this point, the longest run I had ever done was 10 miles so this was a BIG deal!!

Saturday, September 2, 2006 finally arrived! I had sponsors, I had my running shoes, water, hammer gel, and Les was following me on a bike. I was a ready as I was going to be! The route was the Ventura to Ojai Bike Path. I had studied the route and the halfway point was at Foster Park, with water and clean restrooms.

I started out very strong with the goal of running my first half marathon in under 2 hours. That would be just under 9 1/2 minutes a mile. I didn't share this goal with anyone, but it was in the back of my mind, pushing me on.

When I crossed the 10 mile mark, I was in new territory. 11 miles, 12 miles, finally 13.1 miles!! I did it! My total time was 1 hour, 58 minutes, and 57 seconds... I beat 2 hours by 63 seconds! I was so happy and relieved that it was over!!

As anyone will tell you, the feeling of accomplishment will drive you to do more and more! In 2007 my goal was to run a half marathon each month (which I did) and I have run more than one each month this year. My longest run to date is 22 miles and I'm eyeing a marathon in the near future.

One more post tomorrow - Lessons Learned

Weight Watchers Campaign

This is not a paid ad ;) And I'm not suggesting that everyone who reads my blog needs to lose weight!

Weight Watchers has a new campaign called "Lose for Good." While we'd all like to lose our weight once and for all, this takes it a step further. For every pound lost by members between now and October 18th, WW will donate the equivalent of one pound of food to two organizations that fight world hunger, up to one million dollars.

I'm a huge fan of the Weight Watchers way - it's sensible eating with no foods cut out (in other words, I eat chocolate everyday!) So if you've been thinking about joining Weight Watchers, now is the time. Don't wait until January 1st, do yourself and others some good now. They even have a special going if you join with a friend (besides the fact that you lose two to three times as much when you do so).

Eat a little less, lose a little weight, help someone in need!

Running - Getting Back on Track

In 2003, for my 39th birthday, Les got me a Nike running shoe pod. This device tied into my running shoe and measured my miles run. It was a great motivational tool as I tracked my miles each week and worked to run further. Unfortunately my eating was still out of control so running was not a joy!! Carrying extra weight put so much pressure on my joints that I just didn't enjoy what I was doing.

In 2005 the light finally came back on!! I had regained all my weight and knew I was out of control in my eating. Les and I were in Chicago that October. As he worked, I shopped, but I just couldn't bring myself to buy any of the beautiful clothes I was seeing. I promised myself that when we got back home I was going back to Weight Watchers and that's exactly what I did October 28, 2005!

This time I knew what it was going to take and ramped up my running along with my healthy eating. By April 2006 I was back down to my goal weight and plan to stay there.

Here are some numbers that demonstrate my new commitment to running - January - October 2005, I ran a total of 486 miles. November and December, 2005, I ran 266 miles. And that was just the beginning. For Christmas that year Les bought me a new running device to replace my Nike that was slowly falling apart. It is the Polar s625x running watch, heart rate monitor, and shoe pod. I admit that I thought it was a little overkill, but Les had done his research and within a week I was hooked! I wear the watch, heart rate monitor, and shoe pod everyday. The watch gives instantaneous data that includes distance, heart rate, calories burned, current and average speed and much more!

Here are my annual running totals since my recommitment:

2005 751.9
2006 1,865.3
2007 2,415.0

And I'm looking at 2,600 miles this year!

Tomorrow - Half Marathons and Beyond

Running - How I Began

I had the following comment from SheGazelle on September 5th:

"Now you might have covered this already (if so, just point me to the right post,) but I would be interested to hear about how you became interested in and got started running. I mean, I figure you laced up your shoes one day and went out the door to pound the streets, but I just thought there might be more to the story. =)"

In my attempt to answer, this became a total of four posts! I could have put it all in one, but I guess I'm a little ADD because I personally don't like reading posts that go on and on and on, so I decided to break it up! Get ready for running overload for the next few days! Or come back next week...

My first adult attempt at running started in 1996 when I was hired to work for Amgen. At the time, the company had an employee gym, but they also paid up to $200 a year for employees' personal gym memberships. I enrolled at an all ladies gym and started going 5 mornings a week, spending 30 minutes on the treadmill and 30 minutes working out with weights.

It was during that time that I went from walking to running on the treadmill. A lady on the treadmill next to me had a routine of 5 minutes walking, 5 minutes at a high incline, 5 minutes running. She suggested I try it and before long I was running the entire time. Running on a treadmill is the easiest way because all you do is up the speed and your legs either follow or you fall off! The consistent speed of a treadmill is a great way to work on form, no flopping or flailing!

It must be noted that during the year that I faithfully attended the gym, I did not lose any weight! Up to that point in my life (age 32) I had never been on any kind of diet. I was still operating on the thinking that I had a teenager's metabolism!

At the end of that 12 months, I weighed more than I ever had and was discouraged with the gym! Fortunately at that time, Amgen started Weight Watchers at Work meetings and I decided to spend my 200 company dollars on WW fees instead of gym fees. After getting a better understanding of portions, calories, fat, fiber, etc., the weight started coming off. But I knew exercise was also necessary, so I started walking in my neighborhood.

From September 1997 to February 1998 I lost approximately 30 pounds and had worked up to walking/running about 3-4 miles, 4-5 mornings a week. Some days just walking, other days running the majority of the way.

Lest you think I have been a faithful runner since that time, I will relieve your mind at this time! I maintained my weight loss and ran faithfully until late 1998 when Mom passed away. The emotional void was first manifest in my eating habits, although I did keep running. It wasn't until Les went grad school in August 1999 and our schedules got totally out of control that my running fell off. Gradually at first, then completely!

From 1999 to 2003, my running was very hit and miss. I can come up with a million "reasons", but truthfully, I just lost all motivation, even as I had to purchase larger clothes!

Tomorrow: Getting Back on Track

First Responders

I started a post yesterday about the emergency workers that were on the scene of the Metrolink crash, but had trouble finding adequate words. I have great admiration for the women and men in uniform who put their own lives in peril for the rest of us. When the calls goes out, they come. They head into danger while others flee. And most of the time we never learn their names as they go about doing their jobs.

Pastor White brought it all into focus in this morning's service. There are people in our services whose lives have experienced a train wreck. When they make their way to the altar, our duty as Christians is to be first responders. We may not know the circumstances, but just kneeling next to a hungry soul instead of burying our faces makes a difference in those critical first moments.

I thought this quote from today's LA Times was an accurate description:

"There was so much to do in such a short time frame," Los Angeles Police Assistant Chief Jim McDonnell said. "The thing I'm left with is a tremendous tragedy, of course, but also an acknowledgment of the training and the relationship that exists among first responders. It was critical. And in this case it saved many lives."

Safe at Home

Some of you know that I ride the Metrolink train from Simi Valley to Burbank for church on Wednesday nights. Les also rides it from time to time. Thank God, neither of us were on the train this afternoon as a Metrolink collided head-on with a Union Pacific freight train. The location of the crash is approximately five miles from our home. You can read more here.

I'm glad to know my life is in God's hands and I pray for those that were affected by this tragedy.

Updated Saturday afternoon: The death toll continues to rise - it is currently at 24. Rescue workers are still trying to pull bodies from the wreckage. This is a great tragedy that appears to have been avoidable. It is being reported that the Metrolink engineer failed to stop at a red light.

I Am a Chocolate Cake

I thought this was fitting after Wednesday's post. I'm not sure I fit the description exactly, but I LOVE chocolate cake with chocolate frosting!! Mmmmm.... Mom made the BEST!! (Don't even suggest someone else does on this blog, cause you would be WRONG!! Sorry you missed it.)

Fun, comforting, and friendly. You are a true classic, and while you're not super cutting edge, you're high quality. People love your company - and have even been known to get addicted to you.

What Kind of Cake Are You?

Here's a slide show of just a few of Mom's many cakes through the years, along with a couple shots of her apprentices.

Remembering 9/11

This was one of the most sobering days of my life. Since I was not alive during World War II, this was the first attack on American soil in my lifetime - and what an attack it was. I was working at Amgen at the time and was on my way to work when I first heard the news. Both Towers had been hit, along with the Pentagon. What in the world was going on? What an eerie feeling, so sobering and frightening.

We in California were blessed that none of the attacks occurred in our state, but the impact was still felt. As the day progressed, word spread that an Amgen Clinical Development team had been in Washington, D.C. The team was there for meetings with the FDA regarding approval for a new drug. Later in the day, team members checked in, reporting they were okay, but stranded in D.C. for the time being. They had been scheduled for a Tuesday afternoon flight. Then we got word that Dora Menchaca, the team leader, had changed her flight to Tuesday morning. She, of course, was on American flight 77 that flew into the Pentagon.

Dora took the earlier flight for one reason - to be with her family. How that simple, sincere decision changed the life of her family! There was no way Dora could have known what the terrorists planned for that morning.

The enemy of our souls would love nothing more than to bring us down. I pray that God will direct even our most sincere decisions to avoid the traps in our paths.

Good Cake, Mom!

As I've mentioned, Mom was a cake decorator. She also babysat, or as they call it now, did in-home daycare. One of her charges was a darling little boy named Scotty. Scotty had huge brown eyes, brown hair, and an impish smile. Scotty followed the lead of my siblings and me and called Mom, "Mom".

When Mom had a wedding cake to create, it was a big ordeal. She took great pride in her work and would spend hours baking, icing, piping, creating flowers, etc. Naturally she couldn't just send the kids she babysat home while this was going on.

One day, Mom had a wedding cake to decorate. She had finished one layer and it was resting on the dining room table while she went into the kitchen to work on another piece. When she came back into the dining room, along one side of the cake the frosting had been destroyed. Young Scotty had walked the length of the cake and sampled it.

Mom was ready to have a nervous breakdown until her official cake tester proclaimed: "Good cake, Mom!"

Safe Landing

God promised a safe landing, but not a calm passage.

-Mom's Bible

When we were in Santa Barbara on Les' birthday we spent an hour "at sea". There were times when we were going with the current, and the ride was smooth and easy. Going against the current made for a much choppier ride, with an occasional unexpected dip or rise. There were also moments when we put the motor in neutral and just enjoyed the scenery.

This journey called life can take unexpected turns, some for the good, others not so good. But keeping our life in His hands, we can be assured that we will land safely on the other side.

Monday Updates

Two updates for today:

I talked to Dad today, his back surgery is scheduled for Tuesday, September 23rd. Dad, Kim, and Barbara (Dad's lady friend) will be traveling to San Francisco on Sunday, with pre-op on Monday. My plan is to go to Fresno a week or so after he gets home. He and I are a lot alike when we're not feeling well, the best thing for us is rest and quiet!

Isabel Ramos (to whom I taught Bible study lesson #1) came to church yesterday morning!! She brought her friend Maria and I think they both enjoyed the service. They plan on attending our Spanish session next week. I spoke to Sis. Maria Halverson about continuing the Bible study and Sis. Maria is going to teach it herself, which will be great since she speaks Spanish and I don't!

Ronald Reagan Library

Les and I had guests staying with us for Youth Alive - great friends of ours, Bro. and Sis. Larry Montano. Bro. Montano pastors one of the daughter works of Truth Tabernacle - PinedaleTabenacle . They are great people of God and true friends to us.

On Saturday we visited the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. The library opened in our hometown in 1991, but this was the first time Les and I had ever visited there. We enjoyed it so much and plan to go back when we have more time.

There were so many fascinating things to read and see, but I had to mention one on my blog because it is fitting. When President Reagan was inaugurated in January 1981, the Bible he placed his hand upon was his mother's. Knowing how precious Mom's Bible is to me, I found it very touching that it was a mother's Bible that was used at such a momentous event.

Youth Alive Report

Last Thursday and Friday nights were our annual Youth Alive services. Our church has been hosting this for many years and it has grown and grown! Last year our building was so crowded that we had people sitting in the stairwell... what a mess, but a good problem! This year we rented the John Muir Middle School auditorium, with a seating capacity of approximately 750 we had planned to have room for everyone...

Thursday night the building was almost full and Friday night every seat was taken, with people standing in the lobby and outside!! It was unbelievable! We certainly expected to have a great crowd, but this surpassed all expectations!

And the preaching?? Oh yeah, the preaching! The guest speaker this year was not only one of my favorite preachers, but one of my favorite people! Elder Vaughn Morton!!! And he was awesome!

Thursday night, Elder Morton preached "Living a Lie". He talked about the life a hypocrite. His text was from Job chapter 20, verses 4 through 7. Verse 5 speaks of the joy of the hypocrite being for a moment. The message was awesome and God moved in a great way during the altar call.

Friday night, Elder Morton spoke of passing things on to the next generation. He told of elders in his life - Bro. Rhode, Bro. Terry, Bro. Ballestero, and others, that put a love for the truth in him. He then preached about "Revival and Evangelism". It was a powerful message. I heard many "old themes", things that I grew up hearing and loving. He also balanced the message by reminding us not to have a holier than thou attitude.

My favorite part was seeing hundreds of young people flooding the altar, seeking God, making new dedications, and renewing old ones! Being part of God's church is the greatest!!!

Life's Blessings

Good health and good sense are two of life's greatest blessings.

- Mom's Bible

I've read several blogs lately regarding weight loss. Ugh! What a horrible part of life! Been there, done that, got the Weight Watchers pin - TWICE!! Of course I didn't learn the first time. I'm certainly not perfect in this area - I love to eat, but I've actually learned that I love to run, so the two balance each other most of the time.

It really does take good sense to take care of our good health. Yes, there are times when health issues come along due to no fault of our own, but there are many times when we bring it on ourselves.

As we head in to the "danger zone" of the holidays with all the gatherings, parties, baking, and feasting, I'll be turning up my good sense a couple of notches to keep my good health in check!

Prayer Requests

I have two prayer requests regarding my family:

First, Dad has been having back problems for about two years. He has seen numerous doctors and gotten a lot of run around, in my opinion. He has finally seen a specialist in San Francisco and it looks like he will be having back surgery on September 19th (tentative date for now). I think it is going to be a lumbar fusion. If that is the case, it is the same type surgery that Les had on his neck two years ago where they remove damaged discs, insert cadaver bone, and screw it all together with a metal plate. Not fun! And certainly not fun for a 70 year old. As with any surgery, going in they say "We do this all the time, it's a common surgery." And when it's over and the patient isn't bouncing back as quickly as they'd like, they say, "Well you DID have Major Surgery."

The other request is for my oldest brother Rick, age 47. He is seeing a cardiologist. What we know right now is that his EKG came up irregular and a stress test was taken. The results will not be known for a couple of weeks.

More important than the health of either of these men in my life, is the fact that they do not live for God. So please pray that God will use this time to speak to their hearts.

Cake or Bread?

The Bible is meant to be bread for our daily use, not just cake for special occasions.

- Mom's Bible

I find it interesting that the daily Bible reading program that so many churches use is called the B.R.E.A.D. program. Bible Reading Enriches Any Day!

For some reason this also reminds me of the bread eating contest between two of my best friends, Dawn and Rod (who was also my brother!) No, it was not who could finish reading their Bible first. Those two nuts decided to see how many pieces of bread they could stuff in their mouths at once!! It was quite hilarious and how I wish I had pictures!! They both survived the ordeal and I don't recall either of them getting sick. I wonder how they would have fared in a cake eating contest...

May we hunger for the Bread of Life every day!

Shoe Research

I taught our Youth Sunday School class last month on the topic "Run the Race and Stay on Course". It was my back-to-school lesson. I spent some time talking about the type of foot covering we need to be able to run this race. I also did some research on the history of shoes. Here are some of the tidbits I learned:

• In the West, shoes have had a place in marriage ceremonies for many centuries. In some cultures, the bride's father threw his shoes at the newlyweds to signify the transfer of authority from father to husband. In Anglo-Saxon ceremonies, shoes were as indispensable as the wedding ring is today. Instead of exchanging rings with her betrothed, the bride customarily passed her shoes to her husband, who then tapped her on the head with a shoe.

• Compared to modern footgear, the shoes of earlier centuries were, for the most part, highly uncomfortable. It wasn't until the development of woven stockings in the seventeenth century that footwear could be made snug-fitting and shaped to the foot.

• To give you an idea of the crudity of earlier shoes, it wasn't until the invention in 1818 (LESS THAN 200 YEARS AGO!) of the left-shoe last and the right-shoe last that the left shoe was constructed differently from the right shoe. Prior to that, either shoe could be worn on either foot with equal discomfort!

• By the way, the average American woman now buys about five pairs of shoes each year, and the average man, about two pairs. As a rule men's shoes last longer and remain in fashion longer than women's footwear.

Thankfully, Dad did not throw shoes at our wedding, neither did Les tap me on the head with. It is safe to say that I am above average as shown here...

Broken

I saw a sad sight while out running on Sunday morning. First it was just a sound, something scurrying along on the road. Then I saw it - a young coyote. It must have been attacked or hit by a car because it was dragging its back legs and heading into the hills. Please forgive me for not calling The Department of Fish and Game, but I doubt they could have found it.

The helplessness I felt towards that coyote is nothing compared the helplessness I often feel towards those around me. They are wounded, dragging their broken hearts and lives. I hurt when I see them unmoved in church, wrapping their hurts more tightly around them. I hurt when they turn away from those that love them and want to help them. I hurt when they miss a service here or there, then disappear completely. For there is One, greater than Fish and Game, who can not only mend, but restore completely that broken life.

Christ can do wonders with a broken heart, if given all the pieces.

- Mom's Bible

Give Them All to Jesus

Are you tired of chasing pretty rainbows?
Are you tired of spinning round and round?
Wrap up all the shattered dreams of your life
And at the feet of JESUS, lay them down.

Give them all, Give them all, Give them all to JESUS
Shattered dreams, wounded hearts, and broken toys
Give them all, Give them all, Give them all to JESUS
And He will turn your sorrow into Joy.

He never said you’d only see sunshine
He never said there would be no rain
He only promised a heart full of singing
About the very thing that once brought pain.

Words and Music by Phil Johnson and Bob Benson, Sr.

Bible Study Report

Yesterday was our Celebration Sunday. We had approximately 20 new Home Bible Studies. Our goal was 30, but this is a great start - Pastor White said we have never had this many new ones at one time.

When I think about the importance of Home Bible Studies, I'm reminded of an Elder Morton saying, "The Bible: Learn It, Love It, and Live It."

I think we often get these steps out of order. A new person comes, repents, starts seeking after God, and we expect them to Live the Bible in a short time. How can they Live something they have never Learned? So many people do not have any knowledge of the word of God, or what they do know has been taught in error.

I've also known people that Learned the Bible, could quote verse after verse, but they never fell in Love with it, so they had a difficult time Living it!

It is definitely a life long process - Learn It, Love It, Live It!