PEACE THROUGH OUR TRIALS OF 2012

The angels’ message
to the shepherds was

“Glory to God in highest heaven,

and peace on earth to those
with whom God is pleased.”

Jesus promises us
“Peace I leave with you,

My peace I give to you;
not as the world gives do I give to you.
Let not your heart be troubled,

neither let it be afraid.”

 

As this year’s Christmas Cards started arriving – a number of you have indicated that you miss getting our Blog, and wondered whether there will be any more – so we decided to use this issue as a Blog and our Christmas letter to family and friends as one publication. 

 

2012 started out normally with church activities and later yard and garden work, although this spring and summer was quite different - record heat and drought conditions. Even with soaker hoses our garden yielded poor pickings.

 

Dan and Carol continue to faithfully give leadership to LIFE CHURCH as the Lord is guiding them. Joel is working for a computer programming company and is also taking several university courses including calculus. The Walker 7 are involved in church activities and soccer, volleyball, drama, music etc.

 

Bren continues teaching at the high school and the community college.  Next semester she is schedule to teach her first online class.  She is hoping to do more online teaching so she was pleased to get her first class this spring. In early June she took Donna and I to see Sue and her family in Arkansas.

 

Sue and Virg’s life took a dramatic turn January 4^th when Virg’s father’s house burned down – leaving Lloyd with absolutely nothing except the pajamas on his back. So for the rest of the year this 89 year old man, with many medical needs, moved in with them while Virg rebuilt his house. Through it all, the Lord provided them with His PEACE. Their son Ryan is a junior at Christian Bible College. He was chosen to be on a drama team that will minister at summer camps on the East Coast.

 

October 5^th brought a dramatic change into our life! While in her office, Donna reached down to pick up a Kleenex, and kept on going down in great pain. I called 911 – an ambulance rushed her to the hospital - she had broken her right hip. The next day she had a partial hip replacement – a metal ball replaced the bone that had broken off. A few days later I woke up with a severe burning sensation over my upper body and arms. My lips were stiff and tingly. Sue was visiting and thought I was having a heart attack and called 911. My heart was not the problem – I was having a severe anxiety attack.

 

Donna was in a rehab facility for about a month. Physical therapists , occupational therapists and speech therapists worked with her Monday – Friday, she made continual improvement. I spent days with Donna and nights at Dan’s house during this time. She was discharged on Nov 9^th,  at which time  we moved in with Dan and Carol and family for a number of weeks until Donna’s restrictions, “not to bend over” were lifted - when we moved home Nov 24.

 

Therapists continue to work with her at our house and will continue for several more weeks. The goal is for her to get around without a “walker” or a “walking cane.”

 

These have been trying months, but the Lord’s promise has been a constant comfort - “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

 

Future blogs? – we’ll see how the Lord leads. Thank you for your prayers over the months. I am still on anxiety medication.

 

Trust you have had a Blessed Christmas, and may your New Year be filled with the Lord’s PEACE!!

 

WONDERFUL PEACE by GaithersL