Just got home from a very hectic weekend.  Springvale scheduled up the entire Sabbath from Fri. night through Sabbath evening at midnight, Sarah was involved in worship both days so we needed to be there.  Travel home was the worst, route 80 shut down before State college at Clearfield.  We waited an hour with little gas when a guy got smart and said for every one to move backwards enough so that we all could squeeze by a tractor trailer and drive on the burm to get to the Clearfield exit ramp.  We slid several times all over the road, we saw numerous  people in the ditch, I begged him to stop for the night but he wouldn't.  After driving in blinding snow for about an hour at about 30-25 miles an hour and passing up many gas stations we again got stranded on a remote mountain on 322 that was shut down.  After an hour of waiting Bruce turned around and traveled many miles to find a gas station only to go back to the same place that was shut down on 322 and wait again.  He actually fell asleep while waiting and he awoke when he started to hear motors starting up.  We got home at 6:30 this morning. Thank the Lord we made it home safely!

During the past two weeks I have enjoyed taking part in a hospice training program. The training lasts for 11 weeks. I have learned quite a bit and have been challenged over some of the material.  The class helps us to council  those who are at the end of their life and also the family and friends who are very much effected by the loss of a loved one.
Most of what we will be doing is listening, comforting and encouraging.  I am finding that the principles being taught in this class should be incorporated in every day interactions with people we meet and those close to us. Listening with genuine interest when you are distracted or tired is a challenge!  But it will mean a lot to the brother or sister who  is struggling. Much of our work as fellow Christians is done through listening with interest and kindness.  Not in solving the problem but rather by asking questions to guide another toward solving the problem themselves.
I was drawn to work for hospice for several reasons.   Hospice helps people who are already at the end stage of a disease to die the way they want to and helps them to make the most of those last days, weeks or months.
I have learned how important a living will is, especially to the care giver.  The guilt can be tremendous for those who are called on to make tough decisions when  you can no longer communicate your desires.  I would urge you to write up a living will and have it simply signed by a loved one as a witness.  These documents can be changed at any time, if you change your mind you can rewrite one or verbally change it.  It will give great comfort for those caring for you to know what your wishes are if you can not communicate with them because of disease progression or if a  sudden accident has left you  with the inability to communicate.
I have the forms for writing a living will, if you would like one I would love to send you one.
Just e-mail me at momchesney@yahoo.com .
I hope your week is pleasant and full of hope for better days ahead!

I have been thinking quite a lot about God's movement in my life.  I remember as a very small child having a great desire to know the Lord and an excitement about His return.  I was blessed with a twin who also had those same passions.  We can remember having a great love for the church people at the age of 5 and 6.  I praise God for His calling on our lives very early in life and as well to those brothers and sisters in Christ who showed us the Love of God.  We were intrigued by their passion for truth and God's Holy Spirit!
We are seeing many of those beloved ones growing older and know that it will not be long before they will not be with us, but we have a great hope that we will be reunited at the the return of our Savior.
It is so discouraging to live in a world so full of Godless entertainment, education and government.  One can feel so tainted just by living amongst it all and I wonder how can God love me when I am polluted by the culture that has inevitably tainted my moral judgments. I pray almost daily for a pure heart and mind.  Reading God's word and practicing what I read definitely helps, but I know I am still not where I should be.  This is when God's grace means so very much to me.  Grace for those sins I do not know are sins and for the understanding He has about the fight to stay pure in a generation of moral decay.
So as I ponder these things I can understand all the more why the angels message to the shepherds at the birth of  our Redeemer, "peace on earth and good will towards men" is so profound and full of hope! Our Father really loves us and desires for us to live an eternity with Him!  It truly is an amazing love from the God and Creator of not just our planet, not just our galaxy, but the Holy Almighty Creator of many, many galaxies.  How amazing that he cares about his disobedient human creations who live on a tiny planet that exists, not in the center of it's galaxy, but in a tiny space between bands, of a far reaching arm of the Milky Way galaxy, one small galaxy amongst many, in the vast and endless universe!

Anna is finally showing signs of consistent healing. She has had fever for over 2 weeks but they are lessening and her strength is slowly returning. Her ears are still filled with fluid behind the ear drum. The ear specialist said we are doing all the right things to help, he will check her hearing in a month. Her hearing is poor at this time.
I hope you are enjoying these beautiful days of unseasonably nice weather and that God's perfect love encourages you each day!

Anna is much better after starting new antibiotic! Thank you for all your prayers on her behalf !

It seems as though I often post when things are troubled and we need prayer.  I am hopeful today that Anna (our 7yr old) will mend soon, but we could use your prayers on her behalf.   She wakes every morning with 102.6-8 temp I usually work to get it down and them it gets bad in the afternoon many times after it is above 104.F.  Today another 104.2 temp. I have been doing the motrin - tylanol dosing and  I was giving her azithromiacin (antibiotic they called in to pharmacy without seeing her) since wed., today they finally took a look at her and found her ears are terribly infected (one was bleeding) and chest congestion. They think it is a pneumo-coccal? (msp) bacteria, resistant to normal antibiotics for pneumonia. 

I have never seen anything like this!  I am simply worn out! I made a big batch a chicken corn soup today with lots of garlic, fresh parsley and celery today! Thankfully she loves it! 

Poor kid she got up this morning and begged to go to school, she was dressed so pretty.

Anyways that is life here for now, the doc thinks she should be good enough to go to school by wed. with the new antibiotic, it kind of worries me.  Even if her fever is better, a whole day of school so soon could wear her out to much.

I have heard of a lot of serious flu like sicknesses right now. I pray you and your family are well!

Becky's shower was a good time for fellowship and seeing dear ones we miss.  We expected 50 people but I think more the 60 arrived!
I hope you all are doing well and staying safe and warm during these winter storms!