Perfect Peace

Sorry, I wasn't able to update you sooner.  Jeff's surgery went well....really well!!  Praise God!!  He ended up only needing a quadruple bypass instead of quintuple.  Apparently, since we had our heart broken by the #5 on December 8th when a certain person left for the Angels in California, God didn't want Jeff to have to be burdened by that number.  ;)


Jeff's vent had to be kept on longer than expected.  He had trouble with bleeding (this was one of the complications we had be warned about due to his blood thinners).  They called the surgeon who completed his stent surgeries as a precaution and they needed to leave him on the vent in case he was to need to return to surgery.  Many, many prayers were lifted up and the bleeding has slowed and Jeff is now off the vent.  It will still be awhile before Jeff can have any visitors.


I am being patient and letting the nurses do their job.  Jeff opens his eyes every once in awhile for a brief moment and it gives me butterflies each time.  He has muttered a few words but it is difficult for him to talk at this point.   One of the times in the night when I checked on him, he pointed toward the TV and mumbled "Blues" before falling back asleep.  I told him this morning that his St. Louis Blues won last night and are in 1st place since the first time since January 2000 and I received the most beautiful half crooked smile from him.  


Today's prayer request is for Jeff's pain and bleeding to be controlled.  He is having difficulty with the breathing which is just part the normal surface on this road we are traveling along.   I was telling a friend of mine that I just want to hit the fast forward button and speed up to the part where I get to have my jovial, jokester back at home with me.  I hate watching him in the ICU just shaking in pain, crying out for ice and being told by the nurse that I'm not allowed to give him any.  It is pure torture.  But if I was able to fast forward, I would miss out on the opportunity to see what God is teaching me.  So I have to learn to embrace this day, this trial and make the most of every moment, whether easy or hard, good or bad.  


In the night, when Jeff was having his trouble and the possibility of returning to surgery was mentioned, I felt amazing peace.  Early this morning a friend pointed me toward the song by Matt Redman, "Never Once".  This song is a perfect anthem for this trial:

Click Here for Jeff's Anthem... "Never Once" Matt Redman

Standing on this mountaintop
Looking just how far we’ve come
Knowing that for every step
You were with us

Kneeling on this battle ground
Seeing just how much You’ve done
Knowing every victory
Was Your power in us

Scars and struggles on the way
But with joy our hearts can say
Yes, our hearts can say

Never once did we ever walk alone
Never once did You leave us on our own
You are faithful, God, You are faithful

Carried by Your constant grace
Held within Your perfect peace
Never once, no, we never walk alone

Never once did we ever walk alone
Never once did You leave us on our own
You are faithful, God, You are faithful

Every step we are breathing in Your grace
Evermore we’ll be breathing out Your praise




God is Good!!!!!  All the time!!!!!


-Stacy