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After a pretty good night’s sleep with only 2 leg-cramping episodes, I awoke with a strange sensation in my belly … I WAS HUNGRY!!! Now that might not sound like a big deal to you but it was for me. I’ve had no appetite for more than a week. Yesterday I ate 1 packet of oatmeal, a cup of yogurt, 2 of Peter Therrien’s cookies and a baked potato. That was an increase over Tuesday.
I also noticed that nothing hurt. I poked myself in a few spots to test it out. Nope, nothing.
I started off the day with oatmeal and a banana, for lunch my sister Gloria made a delicious salad and a low-sodium veggie soup, mid-afternoon I had a cup of black raspberry ice cream (low fat) and then, for dinner I ate a delicious beef kabob skewer with veggies and three heavenly little hunks of steak, some squash and a piece of angel’s food cake with fresh strawberries. My pals Bill and Bev Simpson prepared it and Bill grilled the kabobs to perfection. Wow. It was soooo good. After dinner we went shopping for this weekend’s Axis Church Sabbath Retreat and Bill walked my slow pace with me and we laughed about stuff. (Axis Church is the missional community we are planting.) We even flipped a bunch of bags of peanuts face down to hide the Yankees logo. I made it for about 20 minutes before it was time to find a bench and sit there like a couple old men.
The only negative of the night was Bob Gardner. Now, don’t get me wrong, I miss Bob tons and count him one of my best friends. He only has one fatal flaw. He’s a Yankees fan! He came into my house wearing a Yankees hat and teeshirt! Can you believe it? He brought Mikey and Scotty with him. It felt good to hug those two young men. I had the privilege of being their pastor for 10 years.
I got an awesome phone call from Misty Shores tonight. I have wondered where her journey took her over the years. She called to thank me for making a difference in her life. She just made a difference in mine. I am simply blown away by so many people sharing their stories with me. Email, Facebook, Twitter, this blog … the contacts are coming by the hundreds.
And then just now I got a text from Jenifer Niheley’s husband Pat Bolduc. Jenifer was a connect from a camp back in the 1980’s. Her husband is a liver donor! He reached out to me to tell a bit of his story and how being a donor “changed me forever, in a good way.” He said he’d do it again if he could! Wow. And then he told me he would be happy to talk with anyone considering it on my behalf. I’m speechless.
I’m pretty tired now but what a great day it was. Tomorrow I hope to connect with the Lahey Clinic and get the report on my liver panel bloodwork. I think it will be good news because I’ve lost that yellow tint.
Then, we head away with no phone, no internet and no schedules for a weekend of rest with my Axis family. Solitude, beauty, meditating on God’s Word, quiet and laughing with friends. Ahhhhh ….
Friday afternoon I’ve got a group of my charismatic friends coming over to anoint my head with oil and lay on hands to pray for healing. (I know it sounds weird to people who don’t get the whole faith thing, but some people just dare to try doing what the bible says to do.) I love their faith, I love the way they dare to do what the bible says to do and I love how they pray. I’m not a charismatic type guy but I LOVE all the different expressions of the Church of Jesus. I think God really likes a variety of flavors. I really don’t worry about how you pray … I’m just thankful for you sending up a few for me.
James 5:14 If you are sick, call for the church leaders. Have them pray for you and anoint you with olive oil in the name of the Lord.
Let’s all pray for good news tomorrow. I know that people on the transplant journey have lots of ups and downs. It feels really good to be up right now. I’m sure that if another down is around the corner, I’ll lean on my faith in Jesus and come through it stronger on the other side.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.Clik here to view.
