WHAT THINGS IN LIFE ARE CERTAIN?

Certain (surt’ n): adj. sure, fixed, established, positive

In our last blog I said, “We have a June MMAP project scheduled…in Stanwood, Washington…the June plans are certain.”

Again, I ask you – What things in life are certain?  Perhaps the answer (at least in this life on earth) is – The uncertainty of each day.

Shortly after posting the last blog update on May 1^st (the one sharing our May travel plans and our certain MMAP assignment to a project in Washington for June) we found ourselves at the emergency room of the local hospital. Jim was passing a great deal of blood from his intestinal tract each time he would visit the “little boys’ room”. After four or five episodes of this in just a few hour time period, we decided to call the doctor. Her advice (of course) – “Go immediately to the hospital!” 

After several more episodes while in the ER, they decided to admit him for an overnight observation and do some tests to locate the source of the bleeding. As we waited for them to get the admissions paperwork done, Jim decided he needed one more trip to the “loo”. As he was coming out of the bathroom and back to the ER room, he took a nose dive and passed out. (That, needless to say, gave me some concern!) But as it was later determined the cause of his swan dive was dehydration because of the amount of fluid he had lost over the course of the day each time he took a trip to the potty. However, just to be on the safe side, the ER doc “upgraded” his admit status to ICU for the night with an additional day in a regular room. 

So, after three days of trips back and forth to the hospital, I was starting to wonder about the certainty of things. By the early morning of the third day, the bleeding had stopped and a colonoscopy and endoscopy were unable to determine the actual source. The “medically educated guess” was that the heavy duty anti-inflammatory drugs he was taking for his hip was the culprit. It apparently caused some of the diverticula in his colon to bleed for a time. So until the hip joint can be replaced in a year or two, he is going to have to control that discomfort with less intense medications. BUT the good news is that the test results from the colonoscopy and endoscopy showed no signs of serious problems – no cancer, no ulcers.  

Yet, we wondered how this was going to affect our travel plans. An added side effect of passing so much fluid and then having a colonoscopy resulted in some super sized and very painful “boo boos” with blood clots on his south part (if you get my drift). He couldn’t walk, sit, stand or lay down without being in a great deal of pain. We were just a couple of weeks away from our planned departure, but there was no way he could even consider packing up the RV and driving it several hours each day for a multi-day trip of 1600+ miles to our project in Washington. And then what would he do if we could even get there? How could he do construction work? Should we go…..should we stay….should we delay……OH THE UNCERTAINTY OF LIFE!

After two more weeks of sitz baths, ice packs and doctors’ appointments we were still up in the air on a decision. God had to step in on this one. And so HE did! 

One week before our scheduled departure we got a call from MMAP headquarters. “Would you consider changing the location of your June project from Stanwood, Washington to Donnelly, Idaho? There is an adequate number of MMAPers signed up for the Stanwood project, but the Donnelly project only had three couples and one couple has just crashed their rig and won’t be unable to go. If you can’t change your plans, the Idaho project will have to be canceled.”

“Give us a few minutes to pray about it and consider it. We’ll call you right back.” OK, God….what does this mean? Donnelly is 500 miles closer, and since we would have to postpone our stop at our son’s house in Northern California, we could get there in just three or four days time – giving us 6 extra days for Jim to heal up.  OK, God….we get it. Our plans have a great deal of uncertainty – but yours are always certain. 

So, a quick call back to MMAP HQ, a follow up call to our kids giving them the details of the change of plans, and here we are – packing up for a trip to a place we had no intention of going to. But, if memory serves me from past experiences – we will have some pretty awesome reports for you about why we were “sent” to Idaho.

And by the way, that same day we accepted the change of projects, Jim’s condition took a major turn for the better. The blood clots dissipated, the swelling is subsiding and he is feeling almost as good as new.

The project starts on June 1^st. We will be pulling out of here on May 27^th, stopping the first night in Kingman, AZ at our good friends, Sam and Mary’s then heading north to Idaho on the 28^th. Oh….one more note… when we told Sam and Mary about our change of plans, they changed their travel plans as well. The last week of May they were planning a one week RV trip to see their daughter and family in Idaho Falls then return to Kingman. Now, after their visit with family, they have decided to join us at the Donnelly project for the rest of June. Isn’t God good!

None of this has made our days any more certain, and we aren’t promising any of our plans will remain “sure, fixed, established or positive - but whatever happens is by His design and in His timing. So, I’m praying we will be sending you a great report at the end of June about the Idaho project and all that God has in store for us there. 

Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. (Hebrews 11:1)

Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith..(Hebrews 12:2)

Lord, you established peace for us; all that we have accomplished you have done for us. (Isaiah 26:12)

OF ALL OF THIS, WE ARE POSITIVE!!

Since this blog focused on my dear husband (even though he hates to be the center of attention) I have decided to add some of my favorite photos of him. When he sees this addition, he will probably want to “do me harm”…..

Ooooo I’m so afraid….NOT!!

Relaxing on our patio on a warm Arizona evening (May, 2012)

Poppy and Scotti Jean being goofy at the hat store in Seaside, Or Aug 2010

Hugging a cactus with granddaughter, Erica (Jan 2011)

 

Hamming it up with granddaughter, Haddie Joy at Christmas time 2011

Hiking in the White Tank range, AZ November 2010

Working the MMAP project in Pennsylvania July 2011

Alaska Cruise 2009 (Goofy hats and Jim…there’s a pattern here!)

Hope you all can enjoy life as much as Jim does. It's a gift!!

Catching Up On Last Year So We Can Proceed With This Year……. Huh????......What Did You Say?????

May 1, 2012

After a long silence from the “Great Adventure” Blog, we decided it was time to put it in gear – literally and figuratively.  In just a few weeks we will be “On the Road Again” to continue our summer MMAP projects. This time we will be traveling north to the beautiful Pacific Northwest. We have a June MMAP project scheduled at Warm Beach Christian Camp in Stanwood, Washington, and we hope to get a back-to-back July and August project at Camp Berachah in Auburn, Washington (near our daughter in Tacoma.)  If plans work out as we hope (and from previous blog entries – you all know how that might change!) we will end the summer near the California coast at a project in Sebastopol (about 150 miles from our son and his family), then return to Arizona in October. As of the writing of this update however, only the June plans are certain. So stay tuned…….

Meanwhile, we left you all hanging last September with a promise to give you pictures and information on the last part of our adventures traveling around the east coast during the summer of 2011. Well folks, have I ever been late on my promises before? 

“Of course she has,” you’re thinking…….so needless to say, none of you should be too surprised. However, I must admit a 7 month delay from our last update of September 30, 2011 is a bit much – even for me. Sorry……

We arrived back in Arizona a day or two after that last entry, having all good intentions to close out the 2011 blog with a narrative and pictures of the last part of our trip in and around Virginia. But once we arrived home, it seems our “other life” took over and we put blogging on the back burner…..way on the back burner. We jumped into house projects (painting, landscaping and patio building); we got involved in activities with our friends and our church; Helen joined a Spanish class at the Sun City Recreation Center and also started hosting a weekly Bible study for some of the neighborhood ladies. Our daughter and granddaughters came down for a few days before Christmas, and we all drove to our son’s house in Northern California for Christmas (surprising him by walking into his Christmas Eve service without him having a clue that we were coming.) We were joined by our son-in-law who flew in from Washington. It was a great holiday. Our family is such a blessing to us!

2012 found us doing more of the same with friends and church activities and classes and Bible studies along with three short jaunts sans RV: a day trip to Yarnell and Prescott, AZ, a four-day stay at a wonderful time share in Sedona, AZ with friends, Darrel & Darlene (compliments of our other friends, Roger & Esther who were unable to use their time share for that week), and a three day trip to Kingman, AZ to stay with our friends, Sam & Mary.  Jim’s son, Erik also came to our house for a few days to have a pace-maker implanted in his chest to regulate his heartbeat (more on that later.) And our daughter, Meleea and family joined us again for Spring Break during the first week of April.

Wheee……We need to get back on the road so we can slow down the pace! 

However, before I get too distracted……a promise is a promise…..and I did promise pictures and a short narrative of the last part of our 2011 adventures. You’re probably thinking this is “old news” – but my intention was to make the final 2011 blog entry a pictorial to honor our great nation and the brave men and women who have given their all to keep us free. Perhaps my delay makes the message even timelier as we ponder over the daily news and wonder where our future as a great and free nation is headed. I hope you enjoy the following pictures and our comments about these places we had the privilege to visit:

Let’s start with the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC –

 

The famous words of Lincoln's Gettysburg Address causes us to reflect on many things -

Our nation was indeed “conceived in liberty” – but that liberty came at a cost and continues to cost us to this day. I believe our liberty is currently in jeopardy. Don’t forget, it was a mere 87 years from the birth of our nation to a time when men’s ideology of what this nation stood for clashed so seriously, it split our nation in two and brother ended up killing brother. Let’s pray that will never happen again. Read again how Lincoln ended his speech – “this nation under God shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, and for the people shall not perish from this earth.” (Or to quote another American President: “If we ever forget that we are one nation under God, then we shall be a nation gone under.” Ronald Regan)

We move on to a time in our history that is much closer to each one of us, especially those in my generation

The Viet Nam Conflict

 

The Viet Nam War Memorial in DC also caused much reflection on our part. Many claim it was an unnecessary war….who can say if that was so? Many of our friends and relatives came back changed beyond recognition (either inside or outside) – many didn’t come back at all. But what part of any war is necessary? Be careful how you answer that – I think it’s a question that may not have an answer. And history has a way of repeating itself, thus our children and grandchildren echo that same question today and watch with worry and dread as their friends and relatives are sent off to some strange far away land, and mourn with broken hearts as they return battered or broken or not at all. But let it be said that in any war or “conflict” our nation has ever been involved with, the rhetoric “for” or “against” should never overshadow the bravery of the men and women who are willing to give their lives to protect our freedom. Freedom has never been “free”. Praise God for our troops and their sacrifice for us so we have that freedom to stand on street corners or gather in protests to speak our beliefs “for” or “against” freely. God willing, may we never loose that freedom!

 A visit to the National Museum of the Marine Corp continued to put into perspective the sacrifices brave souls have made for all of us over the 200+ years of the existence of this country. 

 

Never doubt that we are a great nation – not infallible, but nonetheless GREAT! Anyone who has no pride in our military or respect for our country should be (in my humble opinion) “run out of town on a rail”.

 

For anyone making a trip to the DC area – this is a “must see”.   The National Museum of the Marine Corps is a lasting tribute to U.S. Marines--past, present, and future. Situated on a 135-acre site adjacent to Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia, and under the command of Marine Corps University, the Museum's soaring design evokes the image of the flag-raisers of Iwo Jima and beckons visitors to this 120,000-square-foot structure. World-class interactive exhibits using the most innovative technology surround visitors with irreplaceable artifacts and immerse them in the sights and sounds of Marines in action.  It’s a monument to Honor, courage and commitment.

   

     

This display brought tears to the eyes of my Navy Corpsman husband

 Many of the displays are ultra realistic – even with the temperatures of the room matching the heat of the jungles of Viet Nam or the cold of the terrain of Korea. In this display you walk through the belly of a helicopter (vibrating with noise and motion) to exit the rear of it onto the battlefield where sounds of gunfire and shouts of troops surround you. It gives just a glimpse of the gravity of the battlefield.

These are people we should be proud of....very, very proud!

 

Our final stop in this tribute to our great nation and to the brave men and women who have given their all to protect it takes us to Arlington National Cemetery just outside of Washington DC where we were privileged to see the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Our pictures do not do justice to such a hallowed place as this. Just looking out across the rows and rows of gravesites causes a catch in your breath and a feeling of both sadness and pride….it’s hard to explain.

 
 

The tomb of the Unknown Soldier

We close with this thought (again from President Ronald Regan):

No arsenal, or no weapon in the arsenal of the world, is as formidable as 

the will and moral courage of free men and women.