This is my second update even though it is the first one you have seen. I had typed one early Saturday morning while I was in the ICU waiting room "waiting" to go back and see dad when visiting hours opened. Before posting it to this space I went back to see dad and when I returned my cousin, Karen Holditch from Ripley, MS was on my computer. I didn't think anything about it at the time until I got it back an hour later. I opened it up only to find my post gone. She had accidently deleted it not knowing I was working on it. I harrased her about it pretty good. I had not seen her in about 10 years and it was good to see she and her parents.

It is best I re-write it anyway, I was way too detailed in the first one. Everyone is so excited about how well dad has done I wanted to write every detail about this journey. I will sum it up to simply say, "God has been in the house!" We have seen His hand every time we turn around. Not long after dad was out of surgery and in ICU waking up from the anesthesia his pulmonary specialist came in to check on him. Mom and I were there with dad as Dr. Mintz approached his bed and he grinned, shook his head and said, "You are one tough 'ole bird!" That he is. :-)

Friday he had 2 by-passes and an aortic valve replaced but what most don't know is he has a lung disease as well. When he was 19 years old in 1949 he had the lower lobe of his left lung removed. A few years later he had the lingula (middle "lobe" of the left lung) removed. So he only has the top portion of his left lung and any surgery or being put to sleep for dad is a risky and critical proposition. He was off the respirator within 4 hours and in a private room within 20 hours of surgery. The medical staff told us he was way ahead of the curve with his health condition. He has been up sitting in a chair several times today (Sunday) and walked a ways down the hall and back a couple of times as well. He has just done wonderfully.

We know why he has done so well! We have given credit and praise to the Lord at every opportunity we have had. We know his surgery and recovery as it has been is because of God's provision, healing and hand of blessing on his life. We know it is because of the hundreds of prayers that have been lifted to the Father in his behalf. We have been so blessed!

We have had a tremendous medical team taking care of him as well. There were many involved but there were a special few that went the extra mile. I want to especially mention and thank these people:
Dr. Levin - his heart Dr for the past almost 20 years
Dr. Platt - his surgeon (Chief of Cardiac Surgery at Presbyterian Dallas)
Dr. Mintz - his Pulmonary specialist for the past almost 20 years
Tessa - ICU nurse proir to surgery
Ashley - ICU nurse prior to surgery
Scott - ICU nurse post surgery
Natalie - Floor nurse post surgery
Brendyn - Floor nurse post surgery
Monique (Mo) - Floor nurse post surgery

God has gifted these people with an incredible heart to take care of patients and families in some of life's most difficult times. God bless you all!

There is so much more I could write about. I could tell you about the stories of other hurting families waiting for good news on their family member. It is amazing the family, community like bond you sense with people who are going through the same thing you are. We shared names and stories and promises to pray for one another during these difficult days. Tragedy most often drives people to pray. But I will just say thank you for praying and caring. Thanks again for the calls and checking in to tell us you were praying. Thank you for loving us enough to pray for us. God is so good..all the time, God is good!

I saw a disturbing story Wednesday morning about a 20 year old girl that had been allegedly abducted and held captive in this tool shed in the mountains of West Virginia for over a week.  She had been tortured, beaten and sexually assaulted by 6 people, both men and women.  It seemed this happened because she was black.
 
My mind was racing, wondering  what could be in a person that could allow them or make them do such a hideous thing?!  It is hard for me to believe that kind of hate exist in our world today.  The Bible says in Jeremiah 17:9, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?"  Jesus is the heart mender and left to ourselves we are all capable of such atrocities. 

This is not the first time we have seen such hate crimes in the news.  In 1998 I remember the murder of Matthew Shepherd, a 21 year old gay man in Wyoming.   JR Warren, Danny Overstreet, and PFC Barry Winchell are a few more names of people murdered because they were gay or because of their color.

I am not advocating the gay lifestyle.  I believe it is sin and people should run from it.  I don't believe people are born that way and I don't believe gays should have the same family rights as the traditional family.  While I disagree with the gay lifestyle I don't think they should be killed for it!  They need to experience the forgiving love of the Heavenly Father and the saving power of the blood of Jesus.

 Hate Crime Bill

The Hate Crime Bill has been kicked around in congress for several months.  It is a bill that has been introduced to deal with anyone who commits a hate crime.  It sounds good and we cheer it on because we want people who commit such evil to pay for their actions.  But I want to encourage you to look closely at the bill and be aware of the wording of the present bill.  If it ever comes up for vote you need to be aware of it's consequences.

There are sections of this bill that I like and agree with while there are other sections that I disagree with.  Some of the wordings state that any derogatory statements said by anyone about the gay lifestyle would be considered a hate crime.  That means anytime a preacher says from the pulpit what the Bible says about homosexuality he could be imprisoned or fined for it.  Anytime you speak publicly (maybe at work) about Biblical views of homosexuality you could possibly be fired from your job, imprisoned or fined.  It could affect Christian broadcasting for us as well as hundreds of others who share the gospel through TV or radio.

This is what makes it difficult.  You want to support bill language that deals harshly with crimes of hate nature.  But I don't want to support a bill that would silence the pulpits or voice of truth concerning such critical matters.  I am grateful that President Bush has said many times he would veto the bill as it is written.  But next year is election year and depending on who is elected that sentiment may not always be held so highly.  There may be a time in the near future when we all have to get involved in this and let your voice and desire be known.