Ray of Sunshine!

If you are reading this on Wednesday morning, I am going to start your day off with a little ray of sunshine! 

Mom's Hospice nurse, Carol, left a little over a month ago for vacation.  She came back this week and Mom was placed back under her care.  She has been to Mom and Dad's house twice this week, once on Monday and once this morning to drain her.  Monday, no fluid was drained off Mom's lung.  Carol came back this morning and tried some different positions with Mom laying in bed to see if she could get any fluid to drain, and none was present.  Carol was caught off-guard by this.  She asked Mom is she could speak frankly to her, and, of course, Mom said that she could.  Carol told Mom that, when she left to go on vacation, she did not expect Mom to be alive when she got back!  She thought that with the amount of fluid that she was draining and that the fluid was pure blood, that Mom would not survive much longer.  What Carol did not take into consideration was the power of prayer!!!  I cannot count the number of people who are praying for my Mom, but it is a LOT! 

Carol continued to tell Mom that she has good color, a little pale, but the color of her nail beds is good and her over-all color is good.  Mom is short of breath after exertion, like taking a shower, but Carol followed Mom from the living room to the bedroom and said she had trouble keeping up with her!  I must admit that the Smith pace is pretty quick!  Ollie constantly tells me to slow down when we are exercise-walking together.  He says, "You Smiths are all alike!  I have to almost run to keep up with you!"  He is relating to being out at the deer camp with Danny and having to almost run to keep up with his stride!  Anyway, regarding her shortness of breath, Carol said that it was much better than she expected, and nothing close to what she would call an urgent situation.  In fact, she is considering visiting Mom once a week instead of twice!  

Mom's appetite isn't great, but her strength has gotten much better in the last few days.  I am a firm believer in the power of prayer, and I believe that is making all the difference in the world!  There are so many quotes from the Bible about asking God through prayer and receiving.  Mark 11:24, one of the many, says, "Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours."  I can't answer why some prayers are answered differently than others, but I am grateful that Mom isn't suffering extreme pain or of shortness of breath, that she is in great spirits and that she and Dad are able to be together.  Thank you, Jesus!  

I had a pep talk with Mom and Dad this afternoon and said that we were going to stop thinking about Mom dying and enjoy her living!!  She wants me to take her out to see their old ranch at Spicewood, so we are going to do that this Saturday unless she isn't feeling up to it.  I told her I would take her and Dad anywhere they want to go!  I mentioned driving them to Elgin, Rockne or anywhere they might want to go!  The great part is that Mom was excited about getting out of the house!  I think Carol gave her a new lease on life!!  How long will it last? Who that is human can answer that question?   None of us is guaranteed tomorrow! In the book of James it says , "Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow."  Exactly!  So, live for today, and live according to God's word!  

Gotta run!  Love to all of you!!