Friday, September 17, 2010

Grateful

Today is day 6 lying in bed with an excruciating bladder infection. For the second time, I had to fight to get a urinalysis because the doctor at Beth Abe doesn't want to give me antibiotics! I understand why, but if I need them why deny me them? why not at least check? He just kept throwing pain meds at me which didn't work. But praise God my provider for putting people in my path to change his mind, expedite a urinalysis. But by day 5, the pain was so horrendous I cried for my mother!

Today I told my father to look into checking me back into mount sinai KCC2 because they would take care of me best between my spinal cord injury, catheter, nerve pain, trach, etc. I could feel my energy draining with him on the phone. I then just cried to God to provide a way, strength, a person, something that will help me through this. Just then, a woman came in. It was Pat, my new nurse case manager. I cried and filled her in. My phone had died so I needed her help plugging it in to talk to my dad again. He had talked to Dr. Bryce at Mount Sinai and he said I didn't need to be admitted but made some pretty good simple advice for my knucklehead doctor which I gave him his number! Take out the catheter for a few hours and take a fresh urine sample.

I was able to take a nice nap after the nurse removed the catheter and by 6pm she put in a new one and I have not felt so bad since. I'm on Levaquin and on oxycontin for pain which is just enough to help me sleep! I have to drink plenty of water and watch what I eat so I don't become impacted! Continue to pray for me as I am going for surgery to remove the catheter business soon!

Thursday, September 9, 2010

Response to "Burn the Quran Day"

Much controversy has circled this upcoming event which I hope doesn't happen. For one, it is not in the spirit of Christ. Pastor Terry Jones is working off of nationalism and not scripture. Jesus says to love our enemies and to spread the gospel. If anything, it showed the true feeling of many muslim countries that they wish "death to America."

One, there is nothing in the Quran that denies the truth of the gospel. If Allah has revealed the scriptures and guarded them (Surah 5:9), how could have the Christians corrupted it? Then you make your God to be a liar. The Quran is not our enemy, we can use it to point our muslim friends to the truth of the one true God of Abraham who's name is YHWH, not Allah.

Pray for Israel as Iran has used this as an opportunity to become more virulent toward "their annihilation." Pray for Christians in Muslim countries who will be persecuted even more because of this. Pray for Muslims to experience the love of Jesus in spite of everything and gain salvation. Pray for this country. God hears!


Wednesday, September 1, 2010

"Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered" Psalm 32:1

A couple of days ago, I ran into someone I met casually in the halls of Beth abraham. He attended the adult day care program and seemed very bored (he looked very young) so I said if he wanted to hang out he could find me on the fourth floor and maybe we could play music or mess around on the computer. Well, I didn't see him again for awhile until Saturday. I was on the way out to Dunkin' Donuts when he came on my floor looking for me. Another resident, who stuck on him like a barnacle, came also to check out my room. Once Dayquan was enjoying my Sony MDR-V6 headphones she got the picture and left. Anyway, I invited Dayquan to D&D and began telling him about my life. He told me about his and it became clear to me that his situation was pretty dire. He did not have a home. He was just crashing on his friend's couch and even that was tentative if his friend's boyfriend came over. Some nights, he was locked out and was forced to roll the streets or go to a shelter, which is not usually safe, especially for a disabled person! I noticed he wasn't sitting on a cushion and he was dysreflexic because he didn't have cathing kits to cath himself. The Lord sent a CNA my way and she provided cathing kits for him and I got him more necessary supplies from the cart in the hall. In just a few hours, I saw how swiftly God was working in Dayquan's life and that he put him in my path for a purpose!

It was close to end of visiting hours so I prayed with him and asked if he wanted to come to church the next day. He waited for me at 8 in the morning! We finally left at 9:45 to take the 39 to Morris Park ave...

The day was beautiful and Calvary welcomed Dayquan warmly. We came in time for worship and I was squarely in God's presence. I couldn't help but lift my hand and praise him for all he did for Dayquan, and that was just the beginning! Pastor Rich has been teaching from the book of Romans which is doctrinally powerful. In Chapter 4, we learned that Abraham (the father of the three major faiths), was justified not by works or good deeds but by faith:

[Cometh] this blessedness then upon the circumcision [only], or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness. Rom 4:9

How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision. Rom 4:10

And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which [he had yet] being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also: Rom 4:11

And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which [he had] being [yet] uncircumcised. Rom 4:12

For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, [was] not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. Rom 4:13

Abraham was justified by following God's word, not because he was religious. He was not even circumcised until he was 99! He was a Pagan called out of the land of Chaldeans and was given the promise as a Gentile. The circumcision was just an external sign of the covenant. The law was given to What matters is the heart and I was glad Dayquan was there to hear Romans Chapter 4 as his first sermon. It cuts to the heart of the matter: faith in the Lord Jesus Christ spoken of since the old testament brings salvation, not works of the law.

Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, [there is] no transgression. Romans 4:15

What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? Romans 6:1
God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Romans 6:2
Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Romans 6:3
Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. Romans 6:4
I skipped ahead there but true Christians will live according to the way Jesus taught his disciples. We shed our old ways of the world, grow in grace, and bear the fruits of the spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). When we do sin we should confess them to Jesus, our advocate! (1 John 1:9)

The best part of the day is that Dayquan accepted Jesus as his savior! I prayed with him and the pastor a simple prayer that he recognized that he was a sinner, that he needed Jesus' redemption, he believed he died on the cross for his sins and was raised the third day. He then accepted him as Lord of his life. Now what's personal is the intention of the heart. Only him and Jesus knows that. He then needs to develop a relationship with the Lord. That's ultimately what God wants with us, to trust him to lead us because he loves us.

Now I knew The Lord was still moving on getting Dayquan out of his situation so we prayed about that as well. I told him to come to Beth Abraham early the next day to speak to an admissions counselor about possibly getting a bed here. As much as I have issues with this place, it is the best to have his own bed and have his medical needs met. I called him at 11am the next day and he was still sleeping! I guess he was exhausted but my father and I wanted to address the urgency of the situation. I ended up speaking to an admissions counselor and told Dayquan all he needed was a referral from his social worker at the Day program! Even with this good news, he still needed a nudge to get out and jump at the opportunity immediately. I began to feel frustrated at his lack of motivation so my father then called him to come over so that he and Dayquan could meet with his social worker. By the time my father returned, it was a done deal. Dayquan was being admitted that day into the second floor! I was so overjoyed and immediately went out to get Dayquan toiletries. Just having your basic needs met does a lot. Jesus gives us this example in John 13:14 and Matt 25:31-40. The Pharisees were so caught up in the law, that all they saw was when Jesus healed 'on the sabbath' or if his disciples ate with Gentiles. I digress...
He has been resting a lot (as been I!) he's needed it after sleeping on a couch and not sitting on a cushion.

I went to have my new back adjusted to my chair the other day--what a difference! I can actually put my hands in my lap effortlessly. I did chew them out a bit and serve them a letter stating how they royally screwed up in not fixing my chair for months. Lois, the Home Medical technician was quick to get defensive, apologize and roll right over it, but they really screwed up. I haven't been able to use my chair for months and your wheelchair is important. I like the work that they do in terms of adjustments, but I've spoken to others that have been less than satisfied with how repairs are handled.

I like the convenience of the powerchair, but I'm antsy to get settled back into my baby again, pushing again.

Pray for the Lord to do a continual work in Dayquan, and that he fills me with His spirit to continue to minister to him and others on the floor.