October 16, 2010

Wednesday, I was able to join Kathie, the Staff and fellow residents of Care Meridian at a farm for their monthly outing. We looked at the pumpkin patch, the small animals and sat in the shade of a large tree, another nice trip. I have mentioned to you that occasionally we meet someone on these trips that takes the time to talk to us. This day it was a woman from a retirement home who said, “I said a prayer for her” as she handed me a bottle of water. I am always struck as “God engineers our circumstances” through the people we meet. Later I watched as she and her friend struggled to walk around the farm yet she still smiled at us.

Hebrews 12:1 (New International Version) God Disciplines His Sons. Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.

“The race marked out for us,” carries a frustrating meaning for me, I continue to wait on God’s plan. I can’t count the hours I’ve sat holding Kathie’s tight fingers or stroked her hair, I let God know my frustration. Many times I am frustrated by the balance I try to maintain between Kathie, Madison’s senior year of high school, the rest of our family, work and coaching girls soccer. The volume of activity is not my goal, quality is and I don’t always measure up to what I’d like to achieve. A verse in Kath's room was Proverbs 16:9, “The human mind plans the way but the Lord directs the steps.”

My latest project of changing Kathie body wash, shampoo and conditioner was successful, I am proud to say that her hair would pass for a TV commercial and Friday night I was able to wash her hair without spraying water over the entire room.

"Persevering in the race marked out for us,”

Dave & Kathie

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