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July 16, 2005
Saturday, July 16, 3 PM
unfortuantely, after spending the good part of an hour writing an update, i did something wrong and lost the whole thing. guess i didn't need to send that one. i think i am, at least, tired, and more than a little stressed. i really wasn't aware of being so stressed until i talked with gloria earlier and between the 2 of us we were able to conclude that i am more stressed than i have realized. fighting giants is never easy, but when you exaggerate their size in your mind they have far more power that way than in reality.
i got to see asher thursday afternoon through the time that he went to sleep at around 9 pm. my plans were to come back to chattanooga that night, but there was just no way i could safely do it after being up since 6 am that morning, so i spent the night and came back to chattanooga the next morning.
i haven't had an opportunity to speak to asher today or to even get an update. since they moved him up to the 3rd floor in the spinal unit, but he is still a patient on the 2nd floor of the brain injury unit, which is where they take him to spend the day after he wakes up, it makes it almost impossible to get in touch with gloria until they take asher back up to his room in the evening after supper.
last night asher was really tired. i think putting casts on both his arms now has created some new pain for him in addition to it making it more difficult for him to sleep. he had a lot of visitors both thursday and friday which also tends to tire him out. that is not a bad thing, though. particularly when those visitors are some of his very closest friends, which several of them were. having them visit him has always proved to be his best therapy yet.
please continue to pray for asher's complete healing and that he would be greatly encouraged and hopeful for the outcome in the process. pray that we all get some much needed rest. particularly gloria. she gets the least amount of rest, because she gets the least amount of diversions from her daily routine.
before i close i want to give an update on chris smith, who was in the room next to asher's when asher first came to shepherd. chris has been moved home to be with his wife and daughter. he has shown some improvement. he is opening his eyes more regularly and has even tried to speak, according to his daughter (she is keeping me updated), but has not been able to yet. the fact that he is alive, like asher is a great miracle, and the fact that he is continuing to make progress towards being awake is also miraculous. please continue to pray that God would restore his mind and return him to his family. please continue to pray for his wife and daughter, too.
kelvin, the roommate that asher had when he was moved into a new room about a week ago, has been moved to a hospital in Indianapolis. he is also making progress towards waking up. this move came very suddenly for them, though, and i still don't know the reasons for it, but please continue to pray for them. pray that his mother, would make some friends there who will also be able to be a support to her. indianapolis is really far away from all of their family and friends, so i know that this has to be adding to an already unimaginably stressful situation.
i almost forgot. david norman, the father of one of asher's closest childhood friends, hunter, called me yesterday to say that he has put together a golf benefit for asher. it will be august 28, at Windstone golf course in ooltewah, tn (next to chattanooga. free lunch at 11 am, and tee off at noon. it will be a 4 man select shot tournament. he said if anyone is interested in being a sponsor, or playing, call him: 423-874-0308 or 423-309-5081. bless you david.
continuing thanks to you all for praying for us to be relieved of all fears and anxiety as we continue to journey on in the valley of the shadow of death.
praying for some rest for us all, and thankful that it is on it's way,
andy mendonsa
| By Andy Mendonsa | 04:16 PM
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Comments
Andy,
Continued prayers are being sent for Asher and your family. A friend shared scripture a few months ago that had been special to her during hard times, may it give some comfort and strength to you. It is Nahum 1:7 "The Lord is good. When trouble comes, he is a strong refuge.
And he knows everyone who trusts in him.
God Bless you.
Posted by: kim from cleveland at July 16, 2005 05:54 PM
. . . we boast about all your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring. . .
GOD will give relief to you who are troubled. . .
. . . lie down and sleep in peace. . .
1 thessalonians 1:4b, 7a , psalm 4:8
Posted by: grace at July 16, 2005 09:29 PM
Hey ,
I had planned to spend the day with Dick so your mom could get to Atlanta to see Asher some time this past week, but she was too plum wowrn out to travel, so we are keeping it on th back burner.
Andy, I want to tell you that I have had some of the best and most refreshing conversations with your mom in the past few weeks, that I have had with anyone in awhile.
She is a woman of sterling faith and as I've come to know her a bit better, I know where some of yours springs from and it is appearant the heritage of trust and confidence in God that she has passed on to you and your family as well.
I haven't forgotten to send that great Samuel Rutherford letter to Lady enoemore that I read to you several weeks back. Just haven't done it yet, sorry. I will.
I read it to Beverly and she encouraged me to post it ............for/to you and Gloria and Hadrianna on the blog so hopefully some time this week I'll get around to it.
Have fun with your family furing this season and try to enjoy it and maybe even try to take some pictures for the sake of posterity.
Maybe that seems like a wierd thing to suggest but I'll bet you and Gloria and Hadrianna and especially Asher will want a photo- log of the progress/work of God in what He is doing in a might and glorious way these past several weeks.....archived ...and in print to go back and reminisce over....at least.... probably that will be so some day.
Posted by: paula myers at July 16, 2005 11:13 PM
Andy, I anxiously awaited the next update and was relieved to see on this morning. As I read it I remember back when we were going thru something similiar with our son, Bryan. I was so tired, words would never do it justice. I know what you are feeling right now, I honestly do. But you are looking to God for your strength and rest and at that time I was not. How foolish I was. My son, who is distant from God at this time in his life has finally started reading a little of the Asher Update because I talked about it so much. He can identify with Asher. He told me yesterday he tried to post a comment and it wouldnt go. That encourages me that he read and cared enough to send a comment. Have you stopped to wonder how many people, hearts, spirits, Asher is reaching out to right now thru this awful event in his life? I feel God is using him and you - his parents - to reach out to many who do not even believe. Praise God! How Great is that?! I pray for Asher daily and now that he seems to be improving greatly, I especially pray for you and your wife. I KNOW how trying and tiring these days you are going thru are. I have no doubt that God will give you rest and strength.
In His Love,
Lisa
Posted by: Lisa Erwin at July 17, 2005 07:21 AM
about "giants" -
"stand still and see the salvation of the LORD."
Posted by: grace at July 17, 2005 12:58 PM
I come here every evening Andy and read your update and have since the beginning. No matter how my day has been or what has happened, when I read your words on here, I am always drawn closer to Christ than before I had clicked onto this blog. You are always expressing your gratitude for so many people on here but I wonder if you know the hearts and lives that are being deeply changed and drawn to the foot of the cross as a result of watching you live out the Gospel... right in front of all of us, a day at a time. No matter how difficult some points of this journey have been, you always find your way back to Jesus' feet. You take many of us who read your words with you Andy and I thank you from my heart that you take the time to not only post your thoughts but also that you are so transparent. I pray for your whole family, especially Asher many times during each day and will continue. I pray that God keeps giving you rainbows... and a complete healing for Asher.
Posted by: Shirley Madewell at July 17, 2005 10:15 PM
