Hertzler Doings~July 4-10, 2011

Mon.-Fourth of July! Did very little today. Susan slept until 2:45 this afternoon. I woke her up. Phil and I were headed to the Timma party but it was storming so badly and we heard that it was down pouring there, so we turned around when we were halfway there and came back and watched a movie with Susan and ate our side dishes of watermelon, chocolate cheesecake cupcakes, and the first sweet corn from our garden. Phil got out his guitar after the movie and sang while Susan talked with Michael on the phone and Philip hung out with a friend somewhere. Thinking about many things, especially freedom. /// I am thankful for this day in which we celebrate our freedoms. I am thankful that true freedom is internal and that my spirit cannot be imprisoned unless I allow it to be. I am thankful that Susan is home and is so happy for every little thing about being home. I am thankful that she whipped up a cheesecake because she wanted to make something.

Tues.-Woke up thinking about the differences between being consistent and being 'back to business as usual.' The neighbors offered us green beans free for the picking and I picked a 5 gallon bucket full while Susan slept. Her sleep patterns are so messed up. I am just going to let her sleep when she wants to. Susan and I snapped the beans while we watched the A-Team. I love that movie. Phil and the guys came home early. They were finished with their work. Susan and I went down to the river for a short time with Roxy, Angel, and Sheriff. They kept making their rounds between Susan, who was laying on the beach, and myself, who was sitting on my chair in the river. Came back and made a huge Asian stir-fry with brown rice. Erin came over for supper and I adjusted her dress straps. We all sat around and watched an old Pink Panther movie and ate popcorn.///I am thankful for friends who feel like family. I am thankful for our neighbors, Laura and Bob, and their sweet steady quiet witness of God's grace and love in our community. I am thankful that Susan is so thankful for every little thing about home.

Wed.-Song-"How long, how long...till we awake in Your Likeness..." Thinking about 'divide and conquer' and 'us and them' mentalities. Judy called to tell me that she took Sammy Jo with her to visit a friend and when they left there SJ said, "I'm mad! I thought we were going to Annettes!" I love it. Made gluten free brown rice bread today. Delicious. Worked on Susan's sundress and she does not like it. We may have to use it for a night gown. Or a hoe down. Went out to church in the eve. and visited a sweet friend in the eve. and had a wild time with her two little sons when they came home. They were roaring and I was doing my 'Aborigine's yell' and chasing them around their house. Talked with Michael late at night. He was contacted by the head of the aeronautics program at Liberty and he is IN! He was so excited. All of his classes are lined up and his dorm has been picked. He will come home from college on weekends and we will see him again! Phil told me about Philip around 11. Why do I find out these things late at night? Philip thought there was more room on the roof and took a step and began falling. He hung on to the edge with his left hand but then dropped and hit a ladder and was swung around and he hit the dirt with his face and just that quickly, Phil came down from the roof and Freeman came up from the basement and they slowly straightened him out and took off his tool belt so he could breathe better. He was in terrible pain but suddenly felt peaceful and wanted to sleep and had no pain and he wondered if he was dying. They roused him a bit and he's still with us. (I heard more about this from his angle Thurs. morn.) ///I am thankful for the gift of life and that God protected Philip once again and saved us from this sorrow. I am thankful that He made His presence evident to Philip after his accident in a tangible way. I am thankful to have found out what Susan was hiding from me. Philip didn't want me to know until later because he didn't want to spoil my evening. He had told Susan and told her not to tell and I kept thinking she was hiding something from me so I kept asking her questions. I had prayed specifically today for God to do something wonderful for Phil and I realized that He did-He gave him his son again.

Thurs.-Philip is up and about. Went to a job meeting and then out to the prison to do some measuring. He is so aware that he is a walking miracle. God protects us from falling every day. It is when we fall and He protects us that we are more aware of His protection. Mom called and it was nice to hear her voice. We went to Michelle's in the evening along with the Banton's and Erin. We had a lovely evening, eating, talking, and singing. Gil and Phil played the guitar and we sang hymns and other worship songs. It was a precious time. I'll not forget it. It is so nice to be with people who completely take us in and believe the best of us. We feel the same way about all of them as well.///I am thankful for our refreshing evening. I am thankful for friends like these. I am thankful for God's protection and the way He watches over us body, soul, and spirit.

Fri.-Sewed a bit. Adapting Susan's sundress to fit Lindsay by adding 5 inches to the strap. We won't use this pattern again. Phil called and asked for the Drs. number. I gave it to him, and hung up. My denial kicked in overtime. He called back to tell me what had happened and asked me to call the Dr. since they were on hold and were going through a bad area. I got through and made an appt. Philip had been working with a grinder. He had been working with it earlier and a spark had flown under his sunglasses so Phil made him put on sturdy safety glasses. The grinder hit something and flew up into his face, glancing off the safety glasses and gauging into his cheek. Blood spurted everywhere and he used his shirt to soak it up. To make a long story short, the Dr. didn't want to touch it. She sent us to a plastic surgeon who took us in immediately. He had a deep gash basically to the bone 3 cms long. They said he was fortunate that it hadn't gone through into his bone. About 20 stitches later, he looked pretty good. Susan and I watched the whole procedure. They numbed him and used the scapul to cut off the rough edges and then cauterized the edges to make them stop bleeding. He has 10 stitches to hold the outside skin together and just that many inside. It was amazing to see but both Susan and I felt sick in our stomachs. We knew the receptionist and she was the first person we saw and that was a comfort too. We came home and ate some corn and wound ourselves down and went to bed.///I am thankful that Philip still has his sight. I am really thankful about that. I am thankful for the kind doctor who had us in her office for 40 min, cleaning up his wound and setting up another appt. and refused to charge us for her time. I am thankful that the plastic surgeon was still open and stayed after hours to fix Philip up.

Sat.-Alli came over today and us three girls went for a walk and then did some baking and cooking for tomorrow. We watched a bit of 'Get Smart' before she and Freeman left. Freeman was working with Phil this morning. We needed to skip a party in the afternoon since we missed most of yesterday and I need to get the house in order and Phil also has work to catch up on. ///I am thankful for a full refrigerator and a clean house. I am thankful for the fun we had cooking together. I am thankful for the song I can't stop singing this week, "Till the storm Passes over..."

Sun.-I am thankful for the Sunday School lesson on God's abundant grace and our confidence to reign with Him because of His grace and the gift of righteousness He has imputed on to us. I also loved this truth-that Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith. Peter, stepped out of the boat onto the water in faith. He lost sight of Christ in the midst of the waves and Jesus reached down and got him. Jesus, the author of Peter's faith, "Come" and the Perfecter of it, as He reached down and saved him. I am thankful for PAlvin's good sermon, especially the idea that Eve was not frightened by the serpent. He looked harmless and she must have been familiar with him. And these are the reasons we say, "I didn't see that coming." The temptation was in a familiar form and looked harmless enough. I am thankful for my nap in the afternoon. I am thankful that Alli's family came over to help celebrate Freeman's birthday. Free made up the ribs from the Pig Roast pigs along with some chicken, and we had the coleslaw, baked potato salad, and carrot cake that we made yesterday, as well as watermelon and ice cream. We had a nice time playing 'Imaginiff.' Later on, Phil, Philip, Erin, Susan, and I sat out on the front porch and heard many interesting thing about Chinese culture, language, etc. Erin's just about to set out for another adventure in that part of the world. After three weeks there, and three weeks back in the states, she will head to England for a year of study, and we will miss her very much.