What a whirlwind of a week since I last posted!

First of all, let me thank you so much for your prayers for Pete Saenz. As you probably read in the last blog post’s comments from his wife, this family needs our prayer support. And we know that prayer makes a difference! GBS is such a discouraging disease –not just because of its own devastating effects, but the way it weakens the body and makes it so much more vulnerable to other things such as infections.

Another thing I don’t think most people take into account is the wear and tear on an inert body as it is transferred from one spot to another. Unless you’ve actually operated a manual Hoyer lift with a paralyzed person in it, you probably can’t visualize the number of steps involved in the geometry of placing the lift over the bed or wheelchair, in shifting the person to one side to place half the sling, turning him over and pulling it underneath (while protecting ribs, unresponsive legs, etc.) – then the raising, the shoving of the lift to the new place…… And that’s not even taking into account the number of times daily that has to happen for toileting, bathing, resting.

I told someone recently that just as you go into certain stores and “everything’s a dollar,” our lives have a new parameter: Everything takes an hour.

We are so grateful to have the equipment to do this transferring. Dan is a trooper during all the processes and is so happy to be in his own surroundings again. He is sleeping well most nights but needs some pretty powerful pain meds to be able to do so. It’s that cattle prod while encased in concrete sensation we were told to expect. He is eating well, beginning to make some phone calls to loved ones with a speakerphone, and receiving guests for short afternoon visits. However, he is receiving physical therapy and occupational therapy and nurse visits, so his day is often involved. He receives medications four times a day, pain meds as needed, gets his blood sugar tested four times a day, and receives an injection. I have to keep close tabs on the time of day all the time so that I don’t neglect any of these things.

I want to return to the theme of discouragement. Dan, in spite of his happiness to be home, has had the very natural reaction that everyone experiences: the waking up in the middle of the night and facing the apparent realities that are going to be part of our lives at least for a while, what I call “the new normal.” Pain and the slowness of recovery all contribute to such feelings. However, Dan realizes and talks more and more about the way that he is able to witness to others about the graciousness of God to us. He wants to be a testimony of God’s grace and care to others.

I had a “moment” of confusion recently myself. If you read the last blog post, I spoke of how uncertain the future seemed to me. As I was driving in to the rehab hospital on May 4, four days before Dan’s release, I was crying as I drove. I wasn’t discouraged exactly but more unclear especially about where we should live, and how I would be able to transport Dan. “Just tell me what to do,” I asked God. “I’ll do whatever You tell me, just give me some clear direction.”

As I was driving into the parking lot, I got a phone call from a dear friend. “I found your handicap van with a ramp,” he said. I was stunned. As the story unfolded, he’d been at his elderly mother’s house repairing a sprinkler that was turned toward a neighbor’s house: a neighbor with a handicap van sitting in the driveway unused since the death of the wheelchair-bound patient who had lived there. We had anticipated having to go into debt for tens of thousands of dollars and this one was a fraction of that amount. “Give all the glory to God,” our friend said, “I would never have noticed the van unless that sprinkler had pointed to it.” He offered to take charge of getting any necessary repairs done and other details. (And days later when I asked about paying for the van and repairs, he told me that he and some friends had decided to buy it for Dan.)

After receiving the phone call in the hospital parking lot about the van, I walked into Dan’s room where another friend sat chatting with Dan. He asked about our plans regarding where we would live when our house sold, and then said, “I’ve found your house for you.” He went on to describe the perfect house, one just on the market and sold by the estate of a wheelchair-bound woman who recently passed away, a house with a state of the art track system for a wench/lift built into the ceiling. We went to look at it immediately and our friend and his wife bought the house for us, telling us that we could rent it from them or buy it when our other house sold, whatever we chose.

So I will be driving a van I’ve never seen, and living in a house I wouldn’t have considered, and both are perfect because God chose them, He answered my prayer for direction in an unmistakable and gracious way. We hope to be moving into that house in the next couple of weeks, and the van will be ready in a few days.

What do I conclude from that? What do I want to pass on to others? That God didn’t reward me for any good works, because I don’t deserve that kind of reward. But He rewards faith. He promised to reward faith, and He did it. Have the courage, my friends, to trust Him in bleak and rudderless situations.

I have not mentioned the name of the van hero and the house heroes, because I am not sure they want to be identified publicly. But they are truly our heroes.

Another group of heroes has arisen, as well. One is Dan’s boss, a Christian par excellence who has continued to pay Dan’s salary and thus maintain our needs and our health insurance.

Our health care insurance does not pay for any kind of assistance for the home care Dan needs. As nurses know, fulltime care of a quadriplegic is not possible for one human being to sustain long term, and I have needed some physical help. The Mountainside Church of Christ and its elders have been very generous in this area. In addition, our son Ryan has been the conduit of overwhelming generosity from corporations and individuals who have in an incredible open-handed way also contributed. We are speechless with gratitude to our friends, family, and church. We truly could never have come this far alone. This gives us resources for the future. How gracious you are. May God reward you.

Thank you all so much for your prayers and support. If we can be an example of anything, may it be of the fact that fallible humans can come to God with expectation of His help:

Without faith, it is impossible to be pleasing to Him. (Faith is the tipping point, not good deeds.) Those who come to Him (in desperation, in need, in confusion) must believe that He exists, and that He becomes a rewarder (that’s what the Greek says—He becomes a rewarder, even if He has not had that function before in your life) of those who earnestly seek Him. (Latayne’s expanded translation of Romans 11:6.)

So: Come to Him. Believe He exists. Earnestly seek Him. He will become your rewarder.

To Him be all the glory.

Not only does our almost 1 year old Even recognize Cookie Monster (not that cool)… she says, “Cookie” (a little cooler)… and she says it in Cookie Monster’s “voice” (very cool!)

Yesterday morning as I paused and looked around my office before pressing a very important “send” button, I acknowledged before God that He had helped me complete the very involving book I have been writing since the end of December. Quite to the contrary of what medical personnel told us, Dan is improving, and that thanks to God as well. We have so much to be thankful for.

On Monday Dan underwent his third procedure (during this siege of GBS) under general anesthesia to correct problems in his kidneys. What had looked like stones on the CAT scan last week turned out to be “sand” held together with tissue and bacteria, which we can expect to be an ongoing problem for him and the expectation of ultrasounds every three months to watch for problems. The urologist gave me a list of symptoms to watch for in a few months that would indicate a blockage.

Because of the procedure, Dan’s release date has been pushed forward to May 8. Though we are excited to have him home as soon as possible, we want to make sure that he has the maximum amount of therapy at the rehab hospital as he can possibly have.

Another great even happened Saturday when our daughter in law Kimber gave birth to a beautiful, perfect little girl, Judah Danielle Scott – named after Dan. We praise God for her safe arrival and for Kimber’s safe passage as well through labor and a caesarean.

I was also privileged, while walking around outside the hospital trying to find a cell phone signal after visiting with Judah and Kimber while Dan was still in surgery, to encounter one of the nurses who had so faithfully served Dan in the ICU. “God sent you here today,” she said, telling me about a man presently in the ICU with the same kind of GBS that Dan had, except not as severe. Unfortunately, however, he has contracted a terrible infection in his trach stoma and is very, very ill. The nurse told me that he and his family are desperately worried. They all seemed so encouraged when I told them of Dan’s recovery and assured them that I would pray for them. What a privilege to minister to people as others ministered to me when I was in the ICU. Would you join me please in praying for this man, Pete, that God would be gracious and heal him and restore him to his praying family? Please lift him up in your prayers.

I hate Guillain Barre Syndrome. I hate it.

Also I ask for your prayers for the sale of our house. Though it is handicap accessible, it is much too far out of town for me to feel safe and confident in taking care of Dan and is too large for me to maintain. I ask for your intercession that God’s will be done in this matter, and that He guide us to the right place for us to live during this challenging period of time in our lives. I have always told our children that during times of uncertainty regarding a move, God knows our new address and phone number, and I wait with confidence and anticipation as He begins to reveal such well-known (to Him) details to us.

I must admit, that never before in my life has the future looked as cloudy and uncertain to me in terms of time schedules and details. (But then again, the future looked very well-defined for me on November 30, 2011 — and see how deceptive that was!)

Only the character of God is constant, and in that I take refuge. He has promised to bring blessings out of every situation for a believer, and I hold the shield of my faith, and your faith as you join me, against all that the future could vainly threaten. God will prevail, His purposes will prevail, and we delight to be part of that grand purpose.

Many of you know I’m a stormtrooper in the 501st Legion. This means I dress in white plastic and go on “troops”. Usually these “troops” are something charity related — food bank donations, visiting sick kids in the hospital and so on. For a costumer like me it’s an amazing thing to be able to do. Everyone once in a while, however, one of our troops is something very special. This happens when we are called on by George Lucas himself or another celebrity to participate in a Lucasfilm sanctioned event. On April 30th, 2012 I got to do my first big event of this type when I participated in the “Weird Al” Yankovic concert.

I’ve had many a surreal experience with celebrities before. Working out with “Marky Mark” Wahlberg at a Kansas City Gold’s Gym in 1991… having a 2:00 a.m. breakfast with Lou Ferrigno… having Jackie Chan ask for a picture with me (while I was in stormtrooper armor)… to name a few.  But being on stage with “Weird Al” Yankovic (who was on my top 5 people “to meet” list)… while wearing stormtrooper armor has to be one of the most surreal experiences of my life. As one life-long school friend (Kirk Strauser) put it, “Congratulations on rolling so many lifelong dreams into one amazing night!”

But that’s not all the night entailed!  While I was on stage, looking out into the audience, who do I see but none other than Aaron Paul, Bryan Cranston, and RJ Mitte (a.k.a. “Jesse Pinkman”, “Walter White” and his “son, Walter Jr.”) from Breaking Bad all sitting together… laughing… watching me dance in my stormtrooper armor while Al sings! Breaking Bad is one of our favorite shows and is filmed here in Albuquerque, NM. We just finished watching the most recent season so it was like seeing people I knew (as celebrity sightings usually are).

Life long dream of being a stormtrooper from Star Wars… done.
Meeting “Weird Al”… done.
Being part of some alternate reality where I’m a part of one of my favorite shows… done.

So yes… easily one of the most surreal experiences of my life… bar none.

As the 501st we get to meet Al after the show (an amazing guy by the way) and get pictures with him. I didn’t get to say anything but “hi” to Aaron Paul… but seeing them there was enough.

Here are some pictures — and a video — from the night.

P.S. If any of the producers, writers or actors of “Breaking Bad” want a couple of stormtroopers for a “bit part” on any of the episodes… email me… I’ll set you up!

The text under consideration in this lesson is Psalm 105. Read the psalm repeatedly during the week before the lesson. You must also be familiar with the life of Joseph as depicted in the book of Genesis.

The point is to be able to see in this psalm three main issues.

· *First*, God’s words and His actions are congruent: When He speaks or commands, reality takes the shape that He says.

· *Secondly,* we must deal with the fact that we often find ourselves in situations in which His words apparently have *not *changed reality.

· *Thirdly*, and most important, we will explore ways that God uses His word to actually test us.

We will use generalizations from this psalm to clarify some of these issues. This is not a lesson with glib answers. There are no one-size-fits-all explanations of how and why God does what He does. However, you as a teacher are responsible for pointing students to the impeccable and kind character of a God who often acts in ways we will not understand until we get to heaven.

It may be that you will need two weeks to cover this material, depending on your class time and the discussion involved. If that is the case, assign the students a daily reading of Psalm 105 during the week.

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*The Lesson*

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1) Read Psalm 105 aloud.

2) Look at verses 1-11. We can say that from reading this psalm, God wants us to understand that there is a congruency between His words and His actions: He makes promises, covenants and oaths, and fulfills them. We might even think of them as “words/actions.”

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*3) *We could also generalize from verse 8 that God’s acknowledgment of those promises bridges the past, present and future.

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*4) *Here are some other aspects of God’s words/actions as depicted in Psalm 105: (this is by no means an exhaustive list.)

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· His words/actions are preventative and act as contraventions: verses 12-15

· They are protective: verses 14-15

· They are directional (caused the Israelites to act in a certain way and go to Egypt): verse 16

· They are preclusive (of worse things): verse 17

· They are probative (they test people): verse 18-19

· They are productive in a physical way: verse 24

· They are confrontational and divisive in some cases: verse 25

· They compel: verse 26

· They control the basic elements of life (water, light): verses 28, 29

· They are judicial (verse 28)

· They are responsive (to the actions of humans): verse 28

· They are powerfully invasive: verses 30-31

· They control meteorology (and, by extension, all of physical science): verse 32

· They can control/destroy economies: verses 33-35, 37

· They control and can dispose of our most personal assets: verse 36

· They enable the weak: verse 35

· They control human psychologies: verse 38

· They are by nature providential, thoughtful and kind: verse 39

· They can provide extraordinary things for even ordinary needs: verse 40

· They demonstrate God’s delight in demonstrating the unexpected, the antithetical, and the contradictory (more about this in Lesson 10): verses 40- 41.

5) We want to give particular attention to the story of Joseph in verses 16-22. Joseph had been given very specific and powerful prophecies about his future in dreams when he was a young boy (Genesis 37:1-11.) For much of Joseph’s life, what the Lord had told him about his future did not match up with his experience. Some versions of the Bible (New American Standard, for instance) state that God’s words were testing him. He is a powerful example of someone living most of his life with a great disparity between the words of God and the actions that fulfilled those words. In addition, we can generalize about two types of situations that he exemplifies: the situation of being confined or unable to act, and the situation of being injured by the actions of others.

6) In the case of Joseph and some others mentioned in this psalm, the words of God and His actions in fulfilling those words was delayed or in some cases even absent in an earthly, temporal sense. Look at Hebrews 11:32-40 for another depiction of this type of condition.

7) There is also a startling generalization to be derived from verse 38. The Egyptians *felt* better when the Israelites left. But their feelings misinformed them – when the Israelites left Egypt, so did the presence of the Lord in the cloud and the pillar. The only real hope for Egypt was out of their reach.

8) Thus we can see that our feelings about a situation, as well as the situation’s own very facts, often do not tell us the truth about what is going on. Here is the most important generalization of all: if we are to be faithful, we must allow the words of God to define reality. Even when they do not seem to be fulfilled in our own experience (the words of God don’t match the actions of God), even when we do not *feel* their influence over situations and people.

9) If we look at Biblical examples of the way that faith or lack of it affected circumstances, is it possible to conclude that God is testing us by His Word, waiting to let us see the connection between our faith in His version of reality and the actions He does to reward us for that realization? (Or, as Dr. Strawn puts it, “If you do not replace human lived experience with the Word of God, you won’t be able to see the power of God.”)

* *

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*Questions for Thought and Discussion *

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1) Read verses 1-11 and point out examples of congruency between God’s words and His actions. What aspect(s) of the character of God is He trying to get us to see in these verses?

2) From verses 1-11, how are *we* to “manipulate symbols” through language about God? How could it be said from these verses that when our language expresses glory to Him, that we are activating or making more real to ourselves and others His promises?

3) The period of time covered by verse 23 is 400 years. How would the Israelites of those centuries have seen the relationship of God’s words to His actions?

4) Did you see any examples of the word/action relationship in this psalm that was not covered in the lesson material?

5) What does verse 38 tell you about the relative importance you should assign to your feelings about a situation? What part do emotions play in what we see of the Israelites in verses 10-39?

6) How does Hebrews 11:13-16 link the words of God to actions beyond this lifetime?

7) What does 2 Chronicles 15:1-8 tell you about the temporal relationship of God’s words to His actions?

8) Read 2 Corinthians 12:10. What did the words of God change in Paul’s life?

9) What points of agreement do you see between Psalm 105 and Isaiah 55:8-11?

Other people may chart the progress of their lives on Facebook timelines, or by anniversary dates. I wonder if we won’t chart Dan’s illnesses by the dates that he had tubes or cords removed. So far he’s had the PICC line removed, the plasmapheresis port on his neck removed, the ventilator tube removed from down his throat and then the one which was inserted just above his collarbone, the nasal cannula removed, the telemetry unit that was taped to his forehead for three months, the stick-on sensors that were on his chest for four months and the unmentionable tube removed. On Wednesday he had his PEG or feeding tube removed as he is now able to swallow pills and chew and swallow food. (Oh well, we’ll never again get to see a nurse check his “residual” by extracting his stomach contents with a giant hypodermic thingee. Can’t say I’ll miss that either.)

On Monday he will undergo a general anesthesia procedure like the one he underwent on February 6. His urologist will go through the stent in his ureter to blast kidney stones with a laser. Dan has developed five new significant stones since February, and the stent must be removed as well. Pray for this procedure, and for the stones; that this, too, will pass. :)

We had a team meeting with all his therapists and his doctor, and we have exciting news! Dan will be coming home on May 4! I’ve gone through the house praising God that He put on my heart to design this house as completely handicap accessible – you can wheel through the house via the garage with no steps and no changes of level through the entire bottom floor. The shower is very large and designed to wheel a big shower chair into. Our friend Dennis Snyder is on the hunt for a Ford Transit Connect van with a wheelchair lift, and friend Steve Varley is going to build ramps for the small steps out the kitchen and front doors. And our friend Helen King, upon the passing of her mother, gave us a hospital bed, hoyer lift, and other supplies. We are deeply grateful for the kindness of friends. We remember and praise God for all of you who have sacrificed your time to help us through the hospitalization period. I don’t even want to start naming people because there have been so many of you. Even people who don’t live in New Mexico have done great things for us. God knows and will reward you. Thank you, thank you so much.

The sobering part of this process is that Dan is technically a quadriplegic. He can move his arms but other than the ability to punch certain “soft touch” buttons and use the crook between his thumb and forefinger to maneuver a joystick, he cannot use his hands yet. There is movement in his legs but he cannot use them in any sense. He cannot perform any of the “ADL” (activities of daily life) unaided yet. He will come home in a motorized wheelchair with a special pad that will allow him to spend much of the day in it, lifting and reclining him to avoid pressure sores. We are also hoping that the health plan will pay for the special mattress which turns him from side to side at night.

Our children and the hospital personnel have told me again and again that I am not physically able to care for Dan at home alone. Therefore at least at first we will be hiring someone to come to our home and help him with getting out of bed, showering, dressing him, transfers between the wheelchair and other places, monitoring medications and other important tasks. At least for a week or two this will be fulltime as we assess the needs.

Our other good news is that, by the grace, mercy, and help of God, I have completed the 70,000 word manuscript with my co-author, archaeologist and scholar Dr. Steve Collins. (He did the digging, I did the writing :) We signed the contract in the ICU on December 28 and the book will arrive, God willing, to our publisher Howard/Simon & Schuster on May 1. I have let other writing projects slide to complete this because the publisher needs this book as soon as possible. A National Geographic special was filmed last fall in Jordan on Dr. Collins’s discovery. Watch for it to air soon!

So, God willing, a chapter of our lives will close as Dan leaves the hospital next week, and a new chapter with rewards and challenges awaits us. I believe with all my heart that Dan will recover from this horrific illness and be able to cast away all these devices that for now are so essential.

Dan has had a few “blue” episodes as the enormity of this transition has hit us both. But he found great encouragement when I asked him to look around at many of the other people in the rehab center. Dan wasn’t driving recklessly like the injured young woman down the hall. He didn’t drink, smoke or do drugs that brought on GBS. He didn’t abuse his body with overeating like the five-hundred pound man we see in the dining room. In other words, nothing we know of was a factor in bringing on his condition, nor is there any way he could have done something to prevent it. Therefore he need waste no time with remorse over what he might have done. We look to the future and our hope.

I am feeling energized and excited about having Dan back home. The challenges are going to be great, and we must look to God for our aid and help in this very present time of trouble. But my goodness, look how far we’ve come! God be praised!

If it is at all possible Dan would like to come to church again soon and personally thank the Mountainside Church of Christ for their extraordinary service to our family. Every facility in which Dan has resided in the last five months has employees who marveled at the love and kindness of our Christian friends and loving business associates and others.

After the first few days we’ll look forward to short visits from friends who can rejoice with us to see Dan back home.

Keep us in your prayers. Selfishly I ask for special prayers for my physical and mental endurance, please. Our God has helped in the past and will surely do so again. He’s the point of all this, not Dan nor me. Pray that we will be able to glorify Him in all we think, say and do.

With all of the “Keep Calm” posters flying around I had to do one in honor of Snake Eyes and the Arashikage clan of ninja.

You can download a high-res PDF of this here. – (12.7 meg)

And you can buy a t-shirt of this here.

Enjoy!

Dear friends,

This update is unusual– it will be in Dan’s own words, dictated from his hospital bed.

Today was a banner day, a day I’ve dreamed about. Ryan went to Chik fil A and bought me my favorite sandwich. Ryan has become a giant in helping me recover. For all he has done, and all he is doing, he has made me very proud to call him my son.

Celeste and the girls came to see me today as they often do. The sweetness of Celeste has rubbed off on her little girls, and it brightens my day. Celeste has shown inward strength during all this for her family as well as for Ryan and Latayne.

The therapy here at Health South is very intense. I feel like at the end of the day that I have been wrung out and hung on a line. My day generally starts about 5:30 to wake up and goes to 3 or 3:30. Sometimes I get back to my room and fall asleep for hours.

I make daily progress with physical and occupational therapy. Pray for me as I strive to get stronger.

There have been some who have told me they couldn’t have gone through this at all. I feel very blessed. God has continued to use me in special ways. I have served as a shepherd for many years at Mountainside Church of Christ and am amazed that God has put shepherding opportunities before me while I have been hospitalized.

A few days ago my daughter in law asked me about us taking a family trip, anywhere in the world. Where would I like to go? I looked at Kimber and lovingly said, If I could go anywhere in the world, I would want to go home. That wish appears to be coming to fruition as we will be discussing when I’ll be headed home. It appears that it will be soon.

I can’t wait to be back at church and be able to stand before the congregation and resume my public role as an elder. I can’t wait to get back to work at Western Assurance. Chris Williams, the owner of the company, has been so good to me and my family. The office called me on my birthday and sang happy birthday to me. It meant so much to me.

I love all of you. Please let me know if there is ever anything I can do for you.

Gotta love Muppet humor. Especially when John Cleese is involved!

What if facebook were around during the first century church and people talked about the Gospels like we talk about movies?  I’m betting/hoping Tim Hawkins finds this as funny as I did when I thought of it. :D