A Tribute to the Deserving...

Two months following a day no one expected, we pay gratitude to the One to whom all credit is due. As I reflect back over the last weeks, I can see the hand of God tangibly working in precious lives of my family, sometimes through many of you. I am still so very humbled to realize that God, in His great mercy and goodness, gives attention to our very minimal needs. God placed a passage on my heart to share with you in closing out this blog… Isaiah 40, the entire chapter. I have included several of the verses below…

"'Comfort, O comfort my people,' says your God. 'Speak kindly to Jerusalem and call out to her that her warfare has ended, that her iniquity has been removed, that she has received of the Lords hand double for all her sins.'"

"Get yourself up on a high mountain, O Zion, bearer of good news, Lift up your voice mightily, O Jerusalem, bearer of good news. Lift it up, do not fear. Say to the cities of Judah, 'Here is your God! Behold the Lord God will come with might, with His arm ruling for Him. Behold His reward is with Him and His recompense before Him. Like a shepherd He will tend His flock, In his arm He will gather the lambs and carry them in His bosom; He will gently lead the nursing ewes.'"

"Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, and marked off the heavens by the span, and calculated the dust of the earth by the measure, and weighed the mountains in a balance and the hills in a pair of scales?"

"Do you not know? Have you not heard?... It is He who sits above the circle of the earth and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers, who stretches out the heavens like a curtain and spreads them out like a tent to dwell in."

"Lift up your eyes on high and see who has created these stars, the One who leads forth their host by number; He calls them all by name; Because of the greatness of His might and the strength of His power, not one of them is missing."

"Why do you say, O Jacob, and assert, O Israel, 'My way is hidden from the Lord and the justice due me escapes the notice of my God'"?

"Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, does not become weary or tired. His understanding is inscrutable. He gives strength to the weary and to him who lacks might He increases power. Though youths grow weary and tired, and young men stumble badly, yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; they will mount up on wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary."


First and foremost, I give my upmost gratitude to God for His plan. With His cross, He gave His son in love that I might have an end to my warfare, a way to escape what I so very much deserve. By His death and with His hand, He has removed the penalty of my sins. For this I am humbly comforted. He loves me enough, loved you enough, loved the world enough, to place in the path of His only son a cross. It is only there we can find true comfort, true peace, true forgiveness. I have prayed for you, reader, that you have met Him there…

Secondly, I thank Him because He rose again, ascended to Heaven and is now there at the right hand of His father pleading for me, for you. What great news! Because He did, we can have a newness of life. There is no greater joy to be found! One day, the One who created, authored, and began a good work in us, will perfect it and complete it. He will tend us like a flock, gathering us in His arms, carrying us and gently leading us. Oh how precious, how sweet to anticipate… I can see in my own life times when He has carried me, gently leading. I can see how He has carried my sister and nieces over the last months in ways they so desperately needed…

He is a God who measures the waters in His hand, marks off the heavens, weighs the mountains, numbers the stars, and calls them each by name! He is the Everlasting God, the Creator of the very ends of the earth, and He does not wear out like we so often do. When I think about the grandeur of the universe, the intricacies of creation, I am so in awe that He who ordained and maintains on such a grand scale would care about one such as me… And yet He does. My way is not hidden from him. He understands all and grants us strength and power when we are failing. The same God who numbers, names, and calls the stars preserved the life of my sister and her family this past July 9th. Next time you are out on an evening and glimpse the stars, remember to thank Him. Thank Him for loving. Thank Him for pursuing. Thank Him for saving.

As the writer of this blog, I have enjoyed recording for you the crevices, rocky paths, and hilltops God brought this family across over the last weeks. Looking back, I can easily see Him moving. In times of despair, the grass was green. In times of uncertainty, the peace was steadfast. In times of rejoicing, the melody was sweet. This God who made a plan for me, for you, for all the world, cares enough about the finite details of our lives. He used His hands to spare the lives of four precious ones and will continue to use His hands to wrought them into something more like Him.

Thank you for the small part you played in this story, for being supportive in so many ways. My sister and her family have been blessed beyond measure in so many ways, directly from God's hand and from yours as well. I know that God brought them through this for a specific reason. While we have yet to understand purpose and plan, we have seen His power. Choose to remember.

While this entry is an official closing to this blog, I will most likely continue to post every month noting the progress of the family. I have wanted to write something conclusive, giving credence and credit where it is most clearly due…

With that said, I would like to ask your help in closing. If you have been following this blog, reading it and supporting my sister and her family, please comment at the end of this entry. You can simply leave your name or you can write a message to Jenny and her family. I thought this would be a great way for her to be able to read just exactly who has been reading her story and praying for her family. Thank you for your willingness and of course for your relentless care and thoughtfulness…

Gratefully moved,
Andrea

Isabella...

Isabella had a few moments at school this week, understandably so, of being overwhelmed. She is raising her hand in class and giving genuine effort, but overcome with frustration at some points because she doesn't know what she thinks she should. She also had a follow-up appointment with her neurosurgeon (who did her brain surgery) and it went well. He was pleased with her progress.
It is wonderful for Jenny now to have her screws out. She has holes in her jaw that will eventually close up. She has to use a special mouthwash to clean them out. She is still working on full range of motion in her jaw. That will come eventually. She is pleased to finally be able to brush her teeth and eat properly without limited motion or rubber bands causing issues...

Tuesday... a big day

Hello, all.
I spoke with my mother this afternoon. Isabella went to school with a smile and came home with a smile. She was able to participate in class, keep up with the group except in a few areas (this is simply because she has missed the last few weeks of instruction). She even answered a few questions. She was able to see friends from last year and thoroughly enjoyed her day. What a huge answer to prayer! Through all, she has proven so resilient that this great start to the school year doesn't surprise me in the least! God has done amazing things with this child over the last 2 months (the accident was two months ago to the day on Sept. 9th)...
Jenny also got the screws in her mouth taken out today! She had several shots in her jaw/cheek to numb her that we apparently quite painful, but she is relieved to have them out!
They are continuing their therapy and are healing in so many ways now that they are back together as a family.
Thank you for reading. Within the next few weeks, I'll be doing a closing write-up and asking for you to sign a comment page for the Laird family! (Just so you know, the blog will remain available to read and I may post additional news occasionally, just not nearly as often.) I wanted to provide for their family the blog in printed form and to do so justifies a closing tribute to the mercy of God and all He has done!
Thank you for reading. And as always, thank you for praying for my sister and her family.

Saturday... a little more

I know it has been a few days since I posted... I just spoke at length with my mother. They were on their way home from watching my dad fly his model airplanes, so we had a good chat. Jenny, Matthew and the girls were at my parents house having some family time together.
Life is slowly creeping back toward what we used to call normal. My dad is teaching again after retiring in June. That was an unexpected blessing for my parents because he is now drawing retirement and a salary! My mom will be returning to work in another week, and my sister, Jessica, is already back at college. Steph is teaching now for a few more days until that baby arrives (due the 16th). I'll post a picture, yes...
Jenny has been having a lot of neck pain. She went to the dr. this week. He said it is very typical for her to be feeling this at this point after the accident. He gave her an anti-inflammatory and a muscle relaxer to help. She also went to physical therapy for her leg and neck this week. Her therapist was pleased with the movement in her leg, but scolded her for doing too much too quickly. Apparently she has been "walking" short steps across the room without her walker! Rushing her healing could cause more issues... She told her she had to slow down which was I am sure very hard to hear!
Isabella will be going to school on Tuesday. Please be in prayer for her transition back into that arena. She is still dealing with emotions she doesn't know quite how to handle and another change is around the corner for her. I will post on Tuesday, the 8th, after the day to let you know how she did....
That is all for now. Thank you for reading.

Tuesday...life continues

Good morning, readers.
I spoke with my mother last night for several minutes. I could hear the chatter in the background, so I know things are beginning to creep slowly back to normal....
Isabella's tutor came to the house yesterday; she was very pleased with Isabella and the work she was able to do. I think we all have a bit more confidence in Isabella and just what great measures she will be able to accomplish this year! She does begin her outpatient Speech and Physical therapies today in Dayton. When my sister told her she would be going to therapy yesterday, she got very scared and cried. She thought that meant that she would be going back to stay in the hospital. Please pray for her today that her fears would ease and doubt would subside....
Jenny is walking with her walker a lot, but has not yet started her physical therapy. She did get her left leg caught going out of the elevator the other day (it sounds like it could have been really bad...) and bent it way back behind her. My mom said she cried good tears at that and said that was not the home therapy/exercise bending she was supposed to be doing! She is also ready for the screws to come out of her mouth and is awaiting a call back from her doctor.
Melissa got her cast off a few weeks ago. Also the plate they put in her right clavicle is too big. They will take it out in 3 months and she should not need anything else given the bones have healed correctly :)
On a different note, please pray a specific prayer this morning for my mother. I know she is reeling inside still from all of this. She will be returning to work in a few weeks and able to have some sense of normal life again. Pray for God to give her His strength today, His peace, in a way she can feel and know.
Love you all and thank you for reading once again! I will post again after the weekend or if there are any urgent updates in between :)