Our Big Top Life

This gift was from my sweet friend Holly and her Mom. It came at perfect timing. As soon as Carter was wheeled back to his room after procedure on 8/27, the delivery came. We are blessed beyond measure to have so many kind, generous friends who love and care and pray for us. THANK YOU isn't enough!

This is a program here called Prescription Pet Program. This is Rosie! She was awesome and SO BIG - gentle GIANT would be a good description!

This is Blondie! Seeing these sweet dogs kind of makes me want one. As if we don't already have enough to deal with right now! he!he!

Kohls hosted a craft party in the lobby. Here is Carter making a football in celebration of the upcoming season. YAY for football. We love it!

More crafting in the activity room. I finally changed my shirt. Did you notice?

These glow sticks were brought to us by Aunt Tina. He is the coolest patient at Children's.

Carter slept great. He never drank that Splash drink I mentioned in yesterday's post, but he did accept something called BOOST. Bribing him with money helped a lot. I currently owe him $5.00. He only had 1 very small episode last night and is so far doing good this morning. They were able to stop IV, but left port in just in case they have to re-start it. I am not thinking this will happen especially since he is doing so well with Pedialyte. He had a faecal reducing substance test come back positive. You can read about it here: http://healthengine.com.au/info/Faecal_Reducing_Substances_Test. His celiac testing was negative. There is definitely a malabsorption issue and right now they are thinking it is related to carbohydrate/sugar. GI Docs are going to look at biopsies under a scope today to hopefully provide us with more answers. We are still waiting on some test results as well. Still no solid foods as of now.

I have been reading a book called TRUST for the past couple of days. It's jammed packed with good stuff. You need to buy it. Here is just some of what I've learned in the first 25 pages that has really ministered to me.

Sometimes God will come to near to us in unexpected ways that disrupt our lives and make us afraid. Christians will likely experience such divine intrusion at one time or another. And it is actually a good gift. God is lowering the veil a bit so we can see the reality of who he is and who we are in relationship to him. God might just be using an intrusion to prepare you for special work in his service and to deepen your faith.

Whatever God has in store for you, his drawing near is always designed to give you a deeper, heartfelt grasp of your need for Jesus. When God comes near - through crisis, a loss, unmet need - how will you respond? Will you cling to God in the midst of fear, discovering in the process all that Jesus is for you, or will you run away from your only source of hope?

Real faith - the kind that brings peace - is faith that lets God choose the best answer for you! My trouble is in his all-wise hands!

We are designed to glorify God and enjoy him, not to spend our energies worrying about the details of daily life or fearing the pain of major crisis. He will always supply what he knows we really need for every circumstance we face. Freedom from fear comes from believing that. It comes also from opening our hearts to embrace God's supply, even if his supply differs from what we think we need.

I pray that I can have a right view of God so that my circumstances don't shake my belief. I pray that through this trial I will know him more and, therefore, trust him more.

Hope you are encouraged as I am today!