Christian's team?

Here is a recent picture of my grandson, Christian. He looks just like his Daddy, except for the big eyes, which definately came from his Mom. As you can see he is sporting an Iowa State "jersey". That is his Grandma Kate's alma mater. His uncle Branden would like to see him in a Bear's outfit, whereas his uncle Jacob would prefer the San Diego Chargers. But as far as Steve, his Dad, is concerned he should be wearing nothing but Denver Bronco gear!!

This coming Saturday Steve and Christian will meet for the first time. I will be video-taping this exciting event and will post it on my next blog entry. Be watching!

Scuba diving in Costa Rica

"And God said, 'Let the water teem with living creatures....' So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living and moving thing with which the water teems..." This verse in the book of Genesis takes on real meaning when you stare eyeball to eyeball with a 5 foot white-tipped shark or swim over a sting ray with a wing span of 8 feet! Although the water off the Pacific coast of Costa Rica is cold, a frigid 68 degrees the first day we dove, it is indeed "teeming" with God's creations. Because of the bone-chilling temps I wore three, yes I said THREE, wet suits. For those of you who have never been diving let me give you a little bit of information concerning wet suits. They are made from neoprene, synthetic rubber foam that is filled with thousands of tiny gas bubbles. Once you enter the water a thin layer of water enters your wet suit filling the space between your skin and the inner surface of the wet suit. This layer of water is then warmed to your body temperature and it helps to keep you warm throughout your dive. The optimum word in that last sentence is "helps". I can get cold in 80 degree water when I dive longer than 20 minutes. So I knew I had to add the third suit but then I encountered another problem. You see, since the suits trap air, I'd simply be a big bobber if I didn't actually add weights to my gear in order to sink to the bottom of the ocean floor. More suits equal more weight. I needed 24 pounds of added weight to sink. Once in the water that's poses no difficulty but with a pitching boat, getting either into or out of the stern is a definite test of patience and balance! (I managed with the help of an attentive husband and the helpful boat crew.) It was worth all the effort when I skimmed the ocean's bottom and witnessed an orange seahorse gently swaying with the current and a spotted octopus wrapping its graceful tentacles around an unsuspecting fish among a multitude of other sights. I have marveled at a sunset, been amazed at the brilliance of fire-red fall leaves, and sighed in wonder at the beauty of the mountains, but I've learned, that is only half of God's creation. The rest lies under the water and possesses its own kaleidescope of shapes, colors and swimming creatures. I would challenge each of you to consider scuba diving. Give it a try. You'll never regret it!

Besides enjoying the scuba diving adventures, Hunter and I joined the group riding a "zip-line" through the rain forest canopy. Hunter became a "modern" Tarzan flying upside down from one tree to another!

Less thrilling but equally enjoyable activities were playing cards with friends, feasting on gourmet cuisine, walking hand in hand along a black sand beach, and sitting on volcanic rock beside a cave watching the tide rush in and out and just sharing with one another.

Although Hunter and I live thousands of miles apart right now, God continues to provide us with special times together that bond us with unforgettable memories!

Christmas "Cheer" for Charlie Company

As the holiday season approaches we often begin to think of ways we can help others. This year Rebecca, my daughter and wife of Captain Stephen Thorpe, and Star, wife of Lt. Eric Bradley, are spear-heading a project to provide Christmas "stockings" for the men of Charlie Company. This is a group of approximately 167 infantry soldiers who are stationed in Iraq for 15 months. I am helping by sewing some of the 167 stockings, which will be filled with candy and various other items. We hope these gifts provide a bit of "cheer" on Christmas Day, as these men will be far away from their loved ones.

If you would like to give toward this project please e-mail or post a comment and I will respond with the information. Here is a photo of one of the completed "stockings". Thank-you for your generosity and willingness to remember our servicemen and women. Let us continue to pray for their safety; both physically and spiritually.

The Nation's Pastor

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"That the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored."
2 Thessalonians 3:1

That Bible verse was the keynote verse for the dedication ceremony of The Billy Graham Library in Charlotte, North Carolina on May 31st of this year. That dedication ceremony was highlighted in a recent Decision Magazine with the cover a picture of three presidents bowing in prayer seated on a podium beside Billy Graham. Journalists arrived thinking they were going to report on a tribute to a man but instead the celebration was designed, like the Library itself, to glorify God and to proclaim the message of salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ.

This past week Mom and I had the priviledge of visiting Billy Graham's Library. Never have I been more inspired by a library/museum anywhere in the world. Upon entering we were given a brochure with the follow sentences: "Every aspect of the Billy Graham Library is designed foremost to honor Jesus Christ and the message of the Gospel, which Billy Graham has dedicated his life to preaching. From the towering 40-foot cross at the entryway, to the Scripture passages emblazoned on the wooden structural beams, it is our hope that you will see beyond the man and be touched by the message of God's love."

As we walked through the various rooms and listened to a number of fascinating presentations I was filled with a sense of being in the presence of a remarkable and extremely humble man; a man totally sold out to God, willing to do whatever it took to herald the name of Jesus around the globe. God used a willing farm boy to change the face of true evangelism. Billy went where others could not go-behind the iron curtain, into communist countries, through palace doors, on the fields of war-torn nations always with the same message of hope through Jesus Christ. His life's journey has caused me to reflect on the question: "How is my life's journey being used by God to draw others to Jesus?"
Maybe it is a question we should all ask of ourselves!

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Sleep!

Have you ever heard some teenager glibly state: "Sleep is not all it's cracked up to be"? He never had to dive into bed at 9:00 p.m. in order to cherish 2-4 hours of uninterrupted sleep before being woken to the sound of a crying baby ready to nurse, needing a diaper change, or spitting up all over the crib sheets. I remember these scenes years ago while raising my three children but now, at 58, the sleep deprivation seems to take a greater toll. On mornings when Rebecca and I have experienced at least one "chunk" of four hours of unbroken sleep we smile and say, "It was a good night." On the other end of the spectrum, there are mornings I wearily take out the dog, sit on the front step, and try to remember how it felt to feel rested and have energy to accomplish a list of "to-dos". I recently read that when we get less sleep (even one hour less) than we need each night, we develop a "sleep debt." Wow-am I in debt! The article said that if the sleep debt becomes too great, it can lead to problem sleepiness-sleepiness that occurs when you should be awake and alert, that interferes with daily routine and activities, and reduces your ability to function. Ok, that explains why I let out the dog before I remember to shut off the house alarm sending me into a panic as I attempt to quiet the blaring siren or why I bake a coffee cake forgetting to add the baking powder or why I fall asleep watching the Today Show! Yet, having said all of this, I wouldn't exchange a day of being here with my grandson for a full night's sleep! So maybe "Sleep isn't REALLY all it's cracked up to be!"

Lessons from "Mr. Blue Eyes"

God has a way of teaching us valuable life lessons if we but look for them in our daily routine. Since coming home from the hospital God has used Christian to teach me more about the three "Ps": Prayer, Patience, and Perseverance.

During long hours late at night or early in the morning I have learned the value and joy of prayer. God somehow seems closer while rocking an infant in the quiet of a dark nursery.

Can one have enough Whitey's ice cream? NO! In like manner, one can never have enough patience! As my grandson squirms and fusses "refusing" to burp at 2:00 a.m. God gently reminds me that I, too, squirm and fuss during various times in my life and He has always been patient with me. So, though I'm sleep-deprived, my patience grows.

James 1:2-3 says, "Consider it pure joy when you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance." Because of Christian's health challenges Rebecca and I have had to be determined to find a solution and commited to following through on a diet change involving saying "no" to all dairy products, including ice cream-yikes! And I agreed to join her on this diet? What was I thinking??

Prayer, patience, and perseverance are producing results as you can see in this photo of a smiling, happy baby!

Christian Michael Thorpe "Update"

At 5 1/2 weeks Christian Michael Thorpe, my adorable grandson, is 9 lbs. 5 oz. and 21 1/2 inches in length. The "just born" onesies have been packed away and the 0-3 month sleepers are now in use. Little folds of fat around his thighs and under his chin indicate he is thriving on mother's milk. The increasing volume of his crying clearly shows his lungs are healthy and he keeps both mom and grandmother hopping from crib to rocking chair at all hours of the day and night. Every baby is unique and Christian is no exception. With his basketball size eyes and his little turned-up nose he's a handsome boy, but sometimes he resembles a little old man with a receding hairline when he furrows his brow ready to voice a complaint. And voicing complaints he has mastered!

Rebecca and I have been on a journey to discover why he has been relatively unhappy since coming home. In the ER room of the local hospital, three weeks ago, he was diagnosed with GERD (gastro esophageal reflux disease). The symptoms were projectile spitting/vomiting after nursing and extreme fussiness about an hour after he ate. We were given a prescription to fill and sent on our way. We followed this visit with a trip to a new pediatrician who concurred with the ER doctor, but switched medications to one she felt was more effective. We went home confident that we were on the road to a happier baby. As the week progressed Christian continued to exhibit the same disturbing symptoms-intense crying & restlessness while adding other problems to the mix. He developed excema on his head and a rash on his cheeks. The medication seemed ineffective, although we were told it could take several days to see results. After a week of frustration Rebecca began searching the internet and for hours researched various other possibilities. When she came upon MSPI (Milk &/or Soy Protein Intolerance) we felt we had a "winner"! We guessed Christian might be intolerant to the milk protein in Rebecca's breast milk. To verify our theory we gave him one bottle of soy formula and-bingo-a sleeping baby! Now, Rebecca had a choice to make: switch Christian to soy formula or completely eradicate all dairy from her diet. She chose the latter and already, after less than a week, we are seeing dramatic results. It is a challenge to bake without dairy but I am enjoying the adventure of adjusting recipes and scanning the shelves of the local health food store for alternatives.

Now, even though we think we have Christian's health problem solved he continues to be quite demanding. Did you know that babies have distinct temperaments? I guess I realized that after raising three different children but I never read any literature on the topic. In trying to better understand my grandson I have been surfing through various articles on the internet. It seems that there are basically three types of babies.

1) the easy going, quiet, placid baby who adjusts quickly to new situations, is able to calm himself, reacts only mildly when in discomfort, & generally is in a good mood

2) the sensitive-slow to warm up baby who seems shy, approaches new situations cautiously, & responds quietly to hunger or discomfort

3) the active-fussy-high need baby who is continually in motion, easily distracted, hard to soothe when in discomfort, sleeps fewer hours, & demands much attention

Guess which category Christian falls into? You are correct if you guessed number 3! He is definately a hand full for BOTH mommy and grandmommy! But he is the source of great joy each and every day and we never stop thanking God for this special little boy!

Here is a recent photo of my little treasure. (Thank God for "binkys". They work wonders for the active baby temperament!)