Happy Thursday!

We give thanks to the giver of every good and perfect gift and the creator of life that all went perfectly today. Lord Jesus was in the room all day. The first and best good news was that Bruce had no blockages. The only problem encountered today was that Bruce’s oxygen saturation kept going below 90 which caused the alarms to go off throughout the afternoon. That was most likely due to his very relaxed state with the “conscious sedation” he was given. He wasn’t breathing as deeply as he normally does. So, all that has to happen is the aortic valve replacement. The good news is that the surgeon who has been recommended to do Bruce’s valve replacement is reported by the nursing staff to be the “top dog.” They also say that we have this surgery on his time table. So I guess Dr. Norcross will set the time and we will do what he says.

The floor on which Bruce will be during his surgery is the 3rd floor of Memorial. He will just be at the other end of the hall. I have not been on that floor in two and a half years. So I took a deep breath, went up the stairs from the waiting room and made a left onto the oncology floor. The nurses remembered me and welcomed me warmly with hugs wanting to know all about the family and how all were doing. It was great to see them again. And then just as I was about to say my good-bye’s and go back to check on Bruce there was a fire drill and the floor locked down and I stayed a bit longer. So now I think I can go back to the floor when the time comes and be okay.

Prayer: Lord, bless every aspect of my life today. Give me the strength and grace to live in unity with other believers so that Your name may be honored through our lives and glorified in this world. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.”

Colossians 3: 14-15 “Above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body, and be thankful.”

As a teacher of reading, I instruct children in different strategies of reading. Cause and effect is one of the strategies. Today this passage of scripture is a good model of this strategy. The Word tells us to put on love and let it rule our hearts. When we let love (another name for God) rule our hearts then the effect is that we will have peace in our hearts. Peace in our hearts is what God’s love is like when it reigns over us. And when God’s love reigns over us then God’s peace rules in us.

Take joy in the journey. Wear comfortable shoes. Count your blessings and say your prayers. Thank you all for your covering prayers today. You are truly mighty and faithful prayer warriors. Remember when you pray to give thanks to God for being with us and working with us in the midst of every situation in which we find ourselves. Love you all, Bruce, Gaylene, Geni and Travis.

Gcapplenotes@aol.com

I am not moved by what I see. I am not moved by what I feel. I am moved only by what I believe and I believe God.