Quote of the week:

"Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding,
but  whoever has a hasty temper exalts folly." Solomon

God know best 

I grew up in a community of 2500 located between Rapid City and Sioux Falls.                                     

I always dreamed of being  a nurse. I even prayed to be a nurse someday. After high school I went to nursing school in Sioux Falls.

While in school I received a call from a lady who was looking for an ultra sound technician. She said she had received my name from a friend.

 I told her I wasn't interested, that I wanted to be a nurse and would finish school in a few months.

She said why don't you come in for a talk so you can understand what you are declining. She sounded nice so I went and during my visit she made the statement that any working nineteen-year-old wants to hear.

"This position is less work and more pay. "

She told me to finish nursing school and come back and see her. That is exactly what I did.

I have been an Ultra Sound Tech for  the past  twenty years. I love what I do.

A funny thing happened during  the first few years I worked  as an Ultra Sound Tech at a hospital. I noticed that nurses take a lot of abuse. They are often yelled at or scolded by patients, the patient's friends and family  and even by sleep deprived stressed doctors.

 I'm a sensitive person and when I am yelled at, I want to assume the fetal position. I realized then that nursing would not have been a good fit for me.

 God knew all along and honored my desire to serve others in the medical field. I thank the Lord everyday for having that lady call me and explain the Ultra Sound Tech position.

 "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."(Jeremiah 29:11)

      Robyn Burns Brazelton                                                                                                                                      Winner, SD

Hugged by God

Hugged by God

I was born in Romania where my dad and grandfather were planting Christian churches. At age four I said the prayer asking Jesus into my life. That is when I started noticing others besides myself. I would write, Jesus Loves You, on scraps of paper and leave for people to find.

In 1984, my dad felt his days were numbered in Romania, then ruled by the communists. He moved our family to California. I was eleven and attended local public schools. I was graduated from Cal State Haywood with a premed major. I had a change of focus and received a Masters in Divinity from Fuller Theological.

In 2010 I was a broken man. My career as a police officer  ended when I was permanently disabled in a scuffle while apprehending a suspect. My wife and I were divorced after twelve years of marriage. I was totally depressed.

To get back on track I decided in September 2011 to pray and fast. I tried it for a day. Nothing changed.  I fasted and prayed for three days. Nothing. Then I fasted for seven days, no change. and finally I had only water for two weeks. Nothing changed, I was still depressed.

In October I attended a prayer retreat with other members of the Lighthouse Church. While on my knees I said to God, "I tried on my own and nothing is going right," I was crying. "Lord I surrender to You. My life is yours."

I heard, "I love you. I've always been here."

I don't know how to adequately describe what happened next, I felt I was being lifted up while still kneeling There was a bright light of many colors in front of me and the light wrapped around me. I sensed I was being hugged by God. I was overwhelmed by love and peace beyond description. It was a freeing experience. Everything became peaceful.

I felt I was born into eternity.

"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God." (Matthew 5:8)

Daniel Ploscaru                                                                                                                          Freemont,CA

A Confirmation

A Confirmation

 Like most empty-nesters, we had two cars:  A luxury sedan for Bill and a sporty                          SUV for me.  When Bill was diagnosed with brain cancer and had to be driven to chemo treatments, he became the passenger in the sedan…the smooth leather seats made it easy for him to pivot while getting in and out.  The cloth seats in my vehicle didn’t quite do the trick.  He just plain enjoyed being in that car!

As Bill’s condition worsened, we realized that we no longer needed two cars, so our youngest son was given my little car.  When Bill entered hospice care at home, I drove the sedan on the days I was able to go for all the errands.

After Bill died, I tried hard to like his car as much as I had my “old” one.  It was a lovely automobile, and as much as I appreciated its features, it just didn’t please me.  Another son with two children needed to replace a troublesome car, so I knew I could pass the sedan along to him and keep it in the family.  And that Bill would be pleased to have some grandchildren riding in it!

So a trip to the dealer produced a sporty little red sedan that won my heart right away.  No trade, not much paperwork, and the car would be ready for pickup the following day.  That night, of course, doubt came to visit.  Had I been callous to Bill’s memory not to cherish his car?  Was it my duty to keep it spiffy and on the road for as long as it would last?  I decided to claim the new car.

When I saw it sitting on the lot, all shiny and cute and waiting for me, I knew I’d been guided to the purchase and that all was well.  How did I know?  The numbers on MY (not Bill’s) car’s license plate had been 5603.  The brand new plates, supplied by the dealer, ended in 5604.  A most logical progression that my engineer husband would certainly have appreciated.

Rosemarie Seewagon

Hilton, New York

Christmas Headwinds

I had a break in my residency at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington DC and I was looking forward to spending Christmas with my family in Phoenix.

When I arrived at the airport, I discovered that my flight had been canceled because of weather. Like hundreds of other disappointed travelers I stood in line to get help getting out of Washington.

My hope faded when the airline attendant behind the counter looked like a teen ager filling in during his holiday break. When I explained my situation, he quickly suggested an alternate route. He told me a flight was leaving for Pittsburgh and from there I could take a flight to LA.

I said something about my destination being Phoenix. He explained that the LA flight would have to refuel in Phoenix due to headwinds and I could get off there.

In Pittsburgh I told the flight attendant my situation and she said she would inform the crew. While we were waiting to take off the pilot came on the PA, "would the guy who thinks he is going to Phoenix please come forward."All eyes were on me as I walked forward. Everybody had a good laugh at my expense.

The crew was adamant. They were not stopping in Phoenix but I could go to LA and then catch  a flight back to Phoenix. I agreed to do this and returned to my seat in the main cabin.

Everyone settled down for a quiet flight. Well into the night, the captain came on the PA with an apology for disturbing us. He announced he had good news for one passenger and bad news for everybody else. He explained fuel was low because of headwinds so we were stopping in Phoenix.

I wanted to gloat but held it to a smug grin.

We landed in Phoenix and parked on the tarmac. The rear staircase was lowered and I was taken to the terminal in a service truck.

I never found a logical explanation for how the young counter worker in Washington knew the plane would have to refuel in Phoenix when the flight crew was so certain it would not.

That leaves the illogical, the mysterious, after all it was Christmas.

Was he an angel? I guess I'll never know.

Gerald Knighton

Phoenix, AZ

Lori talks with God

Lori's  first serious dating with a man lasted six and a half years. He proposed, she accepted and a wedding date was set. He cheated on her and that's when Lori moved from Wisconsin to Florida on what was supposed to be her wedding day.

Her second relationship with a man was more of a friendship but it ended tragically when he died of a diabetes complication.

Years passed as Lori  focused on a career as a certified hand therapist with a leading orthopedic practice. One day driving to work there was a particular beautiful sunrise. She was praising the Lord for this special moment and then audibly talked to God in her car.

Lori says her end of the conversation went something like this: "God it would be nice if you could provide me a husband who knows you, is six foot, about 200 pounds, has blue eyes and would be my protector, provider and make me his priority."  She doesn't know why but she added, "and it is ok Lord if he doesn't pickup after himself."

A few weeks later Lori met  Ryan  while working out in the gym.  He is a Godly man, 6'5", weighing 250 pounds and has blue eyes. After weeks of casual conversations at the gym he asks her out.

They were married  two and a half  years later and as the saying goes the rest is history. Oh yes, he doesn't pickup after himself. (Be careful what you ask for in prayer)

 "He takes after his dad," Lori says, "but he is getting better, although I still keep the door to his office closed when we expect company."

Lori and Ryan happily celebrated their tenth anniversary in 2015 each surprising the other with a ring purchased from the same jeweler.

Lori  Frailing                                                                                                                              

 Lakewood Ranch, Fl.

John's Miracle Recovery

John's Miracle Recovery

 

In mid July 2009 on the island of Kauai, Hawaii I became very sick. I had been healthy all my 63 years and this was a new experience for me. After a week of high fever, aches and waking up with the sweats, I called my doctor friend in Montana. After hearing my symptoms Dan said I needed to see a local doctor.

 

I did and he thought it was a sinus infection. After a few days I started getting vertigo, and seeing double. I decided if I didn’t feel better in the morning I would go to the emergency room.

 

In the morning, still feeling lousy, I took a cab from where I lived outside of Koloa to the hospital on Kauai where I was admitted with what was originally thought to be double pneumonia. It was not. While my lungs sounded clear, x-rays revealed two white clouds.

 

 I was transferred by air taxi to the Staub Medical Center in Honolulu. Here I tested positive for Wegener’s granulomatosis, a rare autoimmune disease that attacks the organs of the body, in my case the lungs.

 

I do not remember of lot of the initial weeks in intensive care as I was drugged and in an induced coma. I was not expected to live very long and my wife and three daughters were called. They came from Montana to visit me for the last time. I did not know they were even there.

My body weight went from 167 to 132. Massive doses of steroids were given me as part of my treatment. I had a ventilator and had all sorts of tubes in my body. I was literally a rag doll and could only move the muscles in my neck. An emergency button  was draped over my shoulder so I could press it with my neck. I remember thinking. how am I going to possibly come back from this. I believed I couldn’t and became totally depressed.

 

The bed I was in was a special physical therapy bed which could be set to do a wave like motion under the body. It wasn’t suppose to be on for me but it was. The motion caused me to move sideways and my body became lodged between the mattress and the sideboard. I was being squeezed with my arms dangling helplessly over the side of the bed. I could not move my head to press the call button. I was crying out “nurse help…nurse help!”

 

Then a strange thing happened. It was as if my spirit had left my body. I was sitting on the edge of a small stream with tall wet grass along the banks. A mist was rising from the water. I knew if I just lay down in the wet grass it would be over. No more struggles. There would be peace. My spirit was ready to totally give up.

 

Then a hand gripped my shoulder. I “sprung back.”

 

I heard, “Can I help you?”

After getting help I found out the man who touched my shoulder was the pastor at the hospital. He told me that he received a call 30 minutes earlier from my friend Jim in  Montana who asked that the Chaplain look me up.

 

From that moment on I never had depression again. In fact, during the rest of my hospital stay I was even joyful. My spirit was strong and I made dramatic progress physically.

 

 Within two weeks I was completely off the ventilator and oxygen. I still could not move a muscle but my physical therapist thought my muscles were ‘firing’ and I believed him. He massaged my muscles and moved my limbs.

 

I was relocated from Intensive Care to the sixth floor of the hospital where they put patients who are recovering.  I worked hard and talked and joked with almost every aide and nurse on that floor.

 

One day the doctors looked at me and my progress and said, “John you are a living miracle.” They suggested I be transferred to a nursing home in Montana where I would be near friends and my support system.

 

The Flying Nurses International flew with me from Honolulu to Salt Lake City and onto Glacier International Airport in Kalispell, Mt.

 

It wasn’t until I was back in Montana that I learned that my doctor friend Dan and Jim, who I knew from my appraisal business, had been meeting and praying for me daily throughout my ordeal.

 

You see, the doctors were right, I am a living miracle. And I was right, I could not come back on my own. I have no doubt that God through His grace spared my life and used my friends, care givers and that Chaplain to help me.

 

John Woods

Kauai, HI