Growing and Growing

I can walk, talk, see, taste, touch and feel all around me … yet I struggle to find even a few minutes in the day for quiet, personal prayer.

Dad can shuffle, groan, glance, reach and barely move around himself … yet he prays without ceasing.

Yesterday, Dad woke up praying for my Big Week and what has been on my brother’s (CaveBear) plate. When Mom was upset yesterday, he called her over to his bed, asked her to lay down, put his hand on her head, and prayed for her. What an example of a true man … a warrior … a comforter … a protector … my hero. (In case you missed it, check out my Hero 1, Hero 2, and Hero 3.) Dad has even become someone else’s hero. He may be yours, too …

Here are some of Dad’s recent prayers:

• Thank you Lord for your sustenance and provision … Jehovah Jireh … Provider
• Lord, take me into the abyss of God’s love …
• Thank you Lord … (groan from pain) … Thank you Lord … Oh, hallelujah!
• Oh, Lord, how long? Thank you Jesus. Thank you Lord. Praise you Jesus. Praise you Lord.
• My God, El Shaddai ….
• According to your Word I can do all things.
• You are everything to me, oh Lord.

This continues for hours … My 2 minute personal prayers (when they happen) seem like seconds … Dad, why can’t I be more like you? … Why can’t I be more like Him?

I love you, Dad!

Within days, Dad changes his mind about sheets, pillows and blankets … He says, “This blanket is so comfortable and provides me with so much strength and comfort.”

Now, he won’t sleep without it …

If you are “Rooting for Ray” then send us your picture here. Today’s FeaturedFoto comes from JrSongGroup … this lively crew is getting ready for a holiday feast to the ears … and they took a little break from their Sunday practice to do some Rooting! We can’t wait for Dad to hear your new production this year!

Just got an add to my FaceBook page from Santa’sHelper in the North Pole. We are so excited they are praying for Dad that far North. Here is what the litte elf had to say:

Hi Self,

Thanks for the add. Now you can add Alaska as a praying state also. I’m believing for full recovery for your Dad and expecting him to have a mighty testimony to share when he is back in the pulpit again. You have a beautiful family. God bless you all, along with your Dad and Mom.

Santa’sHelper from North Pole, Alaska

Thanks for being my FaceBook Friend Santa’sHelper.

P.S. If you see Santa anytime soon, we want a Nintendo Wii for the kids for Christmas. ( … hint … hint … if there are any Nintendo manufacturer reps reading this website … hint … hint … you can find our address here … )

World,

Your letters and emails inspire us so much. Mom has a little basket in Dad’s room that overflows with cards from all of you … only now we need to replace the little basket with a larger basket.

The best type of words of encouragement are those from our unknown friends. For example, check out this one from Compelled, a never-met-before-guest-blogger who lives in the SouthWest:

You can count me as one of at least a thousand who are prayer for your 100% recovery, ray, and for strength and blessing for your wonderful family.

I would have written sooner, but as Self so succinctly put it, I have been “compelled” … I have discovered his website and have spent hours trying to catch up on each detail of your family’s faith and prayer progress and of updates on Ray’s struggle and medical reports. I am engrossed, Self, with your humor, your faith, and your witness.

Actually, you don’t know me … I am writing to let you know that even though I do not know you personally, I have been praying for Ray since first learning of his accident. I began to realize that God must be calling me to pray mightily for you, Ray, when I noticed that I was thinking of you several times throughout the day and waking up in the night thinking of you. I prayed for you each time. This was well before I learned that Self had a website. Somehow I felt from the beginning that God has His Almighty hand on this family, and he wants to show us His grace and His hand in a Big Way! 100% recovery, YES! …

I’ve grown to love your family, and my prayers continue for you. I am so sorry for your pain, ray, but you are becoming my hero too! … God bless you, my friends. Compelled.

Compelled, your words compel us to keep fighting. After just one letter, we, too, have grown to love you! If you ever make it to the MusicCity, you have a place to stay. We’ll even feed you. Thanks for taking the time to write.

If you are “Rooting for Ray” then send us your picture here. Today’s FeaturedFoto comes from the bums of nice beaches … that’s right … the BeachBumFam … who all look perfict in this pic. Dad will join you guys on the beach one day … I promise!!!

You’ve been behind the scenes at the TraumaCondo. Here’s a little teaser for our upcoming special, TheSelect: Behind the Scenes, which will air later this week.

There’s a little bridge connecting TheSelect with the CrossHospital … As you walk across the bridge, you find some inspiration from the Jewish Liturgy. Take a look yourself.

Many blogging networks have a problem reporting from Baghad … some of your information is late … some of your information is incomplete … But here G&G Network, we go the extra step to make sure our news is timely and accurate and complete. Here is an update on Dad:

1. Yesterday and this morning we reported on a new eye surgery recommended by Dr. EyeGal. Mom and P-Pet talked to EyeGal this morning and we have a better explanation of the recommended MedicalFixIt. There is an eye nerve that tells the muscles to contract the eyelids. Apparently, along with the EyeJunk in Dad’s right eye, the EyeNerve is not talking to the EyeMuscle to tell the EyeMuscle to close the EyeLid. That’s what EyeGal needs to fix with an EyeStitch. When I get some Google-power later, I will let you more about the procedure.
2. The eye surgery is scheduled for Thursday morning. Let’s pray for Dad.

Reporting from Baghdad, this is Self.

Ok … so now that I have had time to digest yesterday afternoon’s news, I am in no better position to digest what’s happening. Since the first day of the ViolentSilence, many have said that recovery would look a little like this:

Two steps forward …
One step backward …
Two steps forward …
One step backward …
Two steps forward …
One step backward …
Two steps forward …
One step backward …
Two steps forward …
One step backward …

Sum total recovery … that looks pretty good. When you are living a sleep-deprived-life without sleep or without a life (… that sounded so cool … I am so impressed with my prose sometimes … ), then the steps backward don’t feel too good. Here’s what I am thinking … tell me if you agree?

Doctor 1 likes Dad’s progress, but wants to make sure Dad is strong enough before undergoing additional rehabilitation surgeries. Doctor 2 doesn’t like Dad’s eye progress and wants to perform immediate surgery in attempt to prevent further eye damage. At this time, we gotta go with Doctor 2.