Today we made a early afternoon trip to Lakewood. We met up with Christian and Bridget and the grandkids at one of our favorite Chinese food restaurants. Tomorrow we will attend Dakota Ridge Assembly and be present for the vow renewal of George and Annette Brauchler. I married George and Annette 15 years ago. Our thanks to Pastor Paul Church for his thoughtful consideration in arranging a hotel room for us and facilitating our visit to the church we pastored for almost 15 years.

Taking an overnight trip reminds Debbie and me of the times we had little children. Instead of diaper bags and playpens it is my medications, including my IV poll, antibiotics, saline, alcohol swabs, along with walker and sometimes extra wheelchair, along with all the other regular stuff. But it is worth it because these opportunities right now don’t come along that often. Debbie is a real trooper in all this because she if responsible forgetting everything in the van including me!

This morning I was reading in Psalms 107 and there is a reoccurring verse that caught attention.

Before I point out that verse this Psalm begins with the exhortation, “Give thanks to the Lord because he is good, because his mercy endures forever. Let the people the Lord defended repeat these words…” (Psalms107:1,2)

Once again we find this declaration about the goodness of the Lord and His enduring mercy. The repetitious verse that provides the lead in to the main sections of this Psalm is designed to underscore the Lord’s goodness and His consistent mercy.

Psalms 107:6  “In their distress they cried out to the Lord. He rescued them from their troubles.”

Psalms 107:13 “In their distress they cried out to the Lord. He saved them from their troubles.”

Psalms 107:19  “In their distress they cried out to the Lord. He saved them from their troubles.”

Psalms 107:28  “In their distress they cried out to the Lord. He led them from their troubles.”

The consistent connection we find is God’s people in distress, and God rescuing, saving and leading them in response to their cry out to Him. The distress God’s people found themselves in was mostly if not exclusively of their own doing. Yet God was faithful and showed His  mercy endures forever. Not for a month or a season, or a year or a decade or a millennium but forever!

This Psalm tells how God responded to the distress of His people, sometimes it was in deliverance at other times it was in discipline. Yet regardless of how God worked at a moment in time we find another consistent theme that directs the response of our heart and lives.

Psalms 107:8 “Let them give thanks to the Lord because of his mercy. He performed his miracles for Adam’s descendants.”

Psalms 107:14 “Let them give thanks to the Lord because of his mercy. He performed his miracles for Adam’s descendants.”

Psalms 107:20,21 “Let them give thanks to the Lord because of his mercy. He performed his miracles for Adam’s descendants. Let them bring songs of thanksgiving as their sacrifice. Let them tell in joyful songs what he has done.”

Psalms 107:31,32 “Let them give thanks to the Lord because of his mercy. He performed his miracles for Adam’s descendants. Let them glorify him when the people are gathered for worship.Let them praise him in the company of respected leaders.”

 The response of our hearts and our lives is to give thanks and to worship the Lord. To rejoice in His deliverance, to trust Him and honor Him even in the midst of the challenges of life. To be in awe of His mercy. No wonder this Psalm begins with the exhortation, “Give thanks to the Lord because he is good, because his mercy endures forever. Let the people the Lord defended repeat these words…”

And the Psalm ends with these verses…”But now he lifts needy people high above suffering and makes their families like flocks… Let those who think they are wise pay attention to these things so that they may understand the Lord’s blessings.” Psalms 107:41,43

I would encourage you to carefully, thoughtfully read the “in between verses” of Psalms 107 to get the entire context.

As I reflect on the fact that three weeks ago I was once again in ICU following a life threatening crisis, when I read these final verses of Psalms 107, I want to rejoice in a God who is able lift people high above suffering, to bless their families and to allow them to understand the Lord’s blessings. With the Psalmist of old I want to declare, “He is good! His mercy endures forever!”

 It seems like spring is beginning to come to the Rockies after all. This afternoon I was able to get out of the house for a little “walk.” For me that is moving my feet in front of my power wheelchair. When I was doing this at the rehab hospital one of the therapists told me it was “cheating” because I was using a power wheelchair. But I figured it wasn’t much different than being on a treadmill. At any rate I can feel the tension in my legs and believe it is good exercise and allows me to enjoy our pleasant weather.

Speaking of exercise Pastor Steve Harris came by with coffee this morning to check up on me. I didn’t let him get away without helping me with some of my shoulder exercises. He visited me at rehab hospital during one of my therapy sessions so I am trying to make a therapy technician out of him. Also, it was good to have Cindy Luzinski stop by and bring me lunch, and review some of my medical records. How about that, a visit from a physical therapy technician and a community health nurse in one day! It is great to have friends who journey with you through challenging times. Both Pastor Steve and Cindy paid visits to me early in my hospitalization last summer.

Those who have journeyed with me through this illness and setbacks and recovery include some doctors and medical people who are not actively involved in my care but still express interest in my progress. One of those is Dr. Pierson who was the hospitalist at McKee Medical Center that was instrumental in making the dual diagnosis of West Nile Virus and Myasthenia Gravis. This proved to be critical in my early treatment. He was also the doctor that was interviewed by news reporters when my case drew some media coverage. Dr. Pierson was at NCRH when I was there last week and caught me during one of my workouts, just to say hello and check on my progress. (Picture above me and Dr. Pierson)

It is also encouraging having many throughout the country who are following my progress and showing their support. Robert and Patricia Polvado from Owasso, Oklahoma have been consistently following my progress, praying for me and demonstrating their support of my full recovery. Robert was a District Youth Director for the Assemblies of God in Colorado and Utah when Debbie and I were finishing college and first married. While most of their ministry ended up in Oklahoma the timing of their involvement in our lives was instrumental and always appreciated. I’m not sure if I ever told Robert that several people over the years mentioned that the two of us resembled each other, including my sister!

Robert and Patricia sent me a card that contained by following from well know inspirational writer Roy Lessin.

Ten Things God Wants You to Remember…

I am for you
I love you
I believe in you
I will not fail you
I will be with you
I will provide for you
I will bless you
I will give you rest
I will strength you
I will answer you

These were encouraging reminders for me and I trust they will be for you as well.

BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY…

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?  He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?  Romans8:31, 32

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I read the Book of Ruth this morning as part of my daily Bible reading. This brief book is somewhat of an interlude in the historic account of Israel moving into the Promise land.

It is significant at the end of the story because Ruth from a foreign country (Moab) becomes the great grandmother of King David.

The story could be named after Naomi, because much of the story focuses around her and her being instrumental in the life of Ruth, after Ruth leaves her own country to follow Naomi back to Bethlehem.

Briefly, Naomi and her husband and two sons go to Moab during a time of famine in Israel. In Moab her husband dies. He sons marry and ten years later they die. Naomi is alone without husband or sons. She decides to return to Israel hearing the famine has come to an end. Her daughter-in-laws decide to leave their country and stay with Naomi. Naomi implores them to go back to their own country. After an emotional time of decision Orpah returns home but Ruth is determined to stake her future with Naomi and a new home in Israel.

Ruth is sent out by Naomi to glean wheat and barley in the fields of wealthy landowner by the name of Boaz. The ensuing events find Boaz, a relative to Naomi’s husband, marrying Ruth to preserve the family name in Israel and Ruth has son named Obed who has a son named Jesse who has a son named David.

That is the quick male summary of an otherwise Biblical love story. What caught my attention during this reading was Naomi’s perspective of her life and what she went through. When Naomi returned to Bethlehem, she did so without husband, sons and only her daughter-in-law. She had endured great loss after thinking she and her husband years ago had made a good decision for their family.

When she returned to her friends and home town people were excited to see her but this is what she said, “Don’t call me Naomi [Sweet]. Call me Mara[Bitter] because the Almighty has made my life very bitter. I went away full, but the Lord has brought me back empty. Why do you call me Naomi when the Lord has tormented me and the Almighty has done evil to me?” (Ruth 1:20,21)

Later when Naomi found out that Ruth had been gathering grain in the field of Boaz, her perspective changed.  She said, “May the Lord bless him. The Lord hasn’t stopped being kind to people—living or dead…That man is a relative of ours. He is a close relative, one of those responsible for taking care of us.” (Ruth 2:20)

 What a changed in attitude and perspective! As the story unfolds you can see Naomi’s faith and confidence in God’s care and provision begins to rekindle. At the end of the story with the birth of Obed the Bible says, “Naomi took the child, held him in her lap and became his guardian.”      (Ruth 4:16)

What a turnaround for Naomi; from blaming God to blessing God; to having no family to being the guardian of the ancestor of King David.

Based on this story I would challenge you to keep the following in mind…

1 – Don’t make hasty conclusions about your life, or God

2 – Regardless of how you may view the events of your life, God will not abandon you or stop working for your good

3 – Don’t write the conclusion of your story while God is still writing your story

We consider those who endure to be blessed. You have heard about Job’s endurance. You saw that the Lord ended Job’s suffering because the Lord is compassionate and merciful.  (James 5:11)

 Today was the first full day back at home. Debbie was off early to work and back in time for my late afternoon doctor’s appointment. The visiting nurse came by to change my PIC dressing and to draw blood. She will do this on each Monday over the next few weeks. My infectious disease doctors will get this report on a regular basis to stay on top of my progress.

I anticipate appointments this week with both at-home physical and occupational therapy. This will provide a continuation of care from this past week of in-patient therapy. (Pictured above is me and Misty one of the PT’s at NCRH who helped me get on my feet – literally) My primary care physician today thought he saw some significant improvement in my arms range of motion. He also gave us a referral for a cardiologist that I will need to see sometime over the next two months.

I have had several individuals who have expressed appreciation for my daily posts. Many have said they have shared some of my posts with family, friends or co-workers and have received positive feedback from the devotional thoughts and messages of encouragement. Many (besides my mother) have suggested I consider writing a book. I’m not sure about that venture, but in the mean time I have established this website as a convenient place for people to check out my blogs, follow my progress and connect with my writings. If you have been sharing some of my blogs with others please refer them to www.kensummers.org If they want to find past posts and learn more about my illness and road back to recovery the can checkout

www.caringbridge.org/visit/kensummers

Bible Verses for Today…I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms  far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. (Eph. 1:18-21)

I love the Apostle Paul’s prayers and benedictions recorded in the New Testament. I think of the ones in Romans and in Ephesians especially. The verses above point to the need for revelation in our hearts and minds to truly understand what Christ has done for us, the resources of His strength and the power  for our life.

I have talked a lot about hope, so I want to focus on the statement “incomparably great power for us who believe.” It is amazing to me what is available to us and in us based on our faith in Christ and His Word. There are many who “work” to attain a level of spiritual or supernatural power. There are those who believe that being used by God requires some kind of veteran status or superior insight into the ways of God.

However, Jesus said simple faith can result in “mountains” being removed. (Mark 11:25) Paul says that unleashing resurrection power in and through our life is a matter of faith; available to those who believe; to those who understanding that the Holy Spirit dwells in them and works through them to bring God glory and work out His plan for our life.

 I arrived home right after 10 a.m. this morning. We were able to get out of the hospital a little earlier than anticipated. The exit from the hospital was not the send off on December 10th which was okay. Sunday’s are pretty laid back days, so we did all of our goodbyes on a personal basis.

Jim one of the nurses we connected with during our first hospitalization was on duty today. He was my nurse a couple of days during this brief stay, so we took advantage of the opportunity to take a departure picture.

After we arrived home we had a visit from the home health care agency nurse who went over the IV infusion instructions. This time around the process is a little different. The antibiotic is administered in the same way as in the hospital (except without the IV pump). This will be a three times a day routine until March.

It is nice to have more sunshine at the end of the day, but this spring time change is always a difficult one to get adjusted to. I took a couple of naps today. I wasn’t sure if it was the time change or the end of seven straight days of therapy or a combination of the two.

I am looking forward to reconnecting with my home physical therapist. I believe he will find that my level of strength and mobility is as good or as better than when I was hospitalized two weeks ago. I return home at a weight close to when I began this journey last July. So now I am back to my normal eating habits and trying to watch the eat-whatever-you-want,as much-as-you-want diet. I now face the challenge of turning weight gain into muscle mass.

Tomorrow begins a new work week. I look forward to the days ahead and to see the progress that will come my way. The changing weather will help me get outside and provide a change of environment from time to time.

BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY…

Come,let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker;  for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care. Psa. 95:6,7

I am thankful that we are under the Lord’s care whether strong and healthy or sick and weak or somewhere in between. The reality of being under that watch eye and care of the Lord our shepherd is something that should give comfort and assurance to us each day of our lives.

I recently receive a wonderful handwritten note from our friend Chris Coleman.Eli and Chris attend our church when we first returned to Lakewood in 1992. Eli passed away 16 years ago of Lou Gehrig’s disease. She reminded me that Eli had once told me, “I may have Lou Gehrig’s disease but Lour Gehrig’s disease does not have me!” It is that type of focus and confidence in the Lord’s sovereignty over our life that allows us to not be defined by a sickness or disease regardless of how serious. Our hope and identity is in the Lord as we fix our eyes on the eternal. The fact remains He is the Lord, our Maker, we are the people of His pasture, under His care! And that calls us to bow and worship before our great God!

Please Prayer for…

The effectiveness of antibiotics and the process of home administration

Strength for muscles and effectiveness of therapy

Debbie as she handles a challenging patient load

Wisdom for doctors in the medications that I am on (What I need and how much)

 I am looking forward to going home tomorrow morning. I will get home in time for a visiting nurse to come and give us the orientation in time for the 1 p.m. antibiotic dose.

Today Debbie was here for the day and Christian and Bridget and grand-kids came up for a visit and lunch. I enjoyed a rousing game of Uno with Riley and Caedmon, They left me to work on the 100 piece puzzle by myself. I’m not sure what it means when your seven and five year old grandson’s encourage you on by telling you that you are doing a good job!

I did have two therapy sessions today. I was a little tired at the end of the week. However, it was good to get in the final therapy sessions before returning home. I received some additional ideas from Kim the occupational therapist on how to strengthen my shoulder muscles. As I have mentioned the last two days this will be a key area for me moving forward.

This evening David Holden, from Greeley came to have dinner with me and hang out a little. David has been a great support and was a regular visitor on Saturday evenings when I was in rehab hospital back in October and November. (See picture above)

It is almost hard to believe that is has been two weeks ago today that I was in intensive care at Poudre Valley Hospital. I am pleased that I have recovered as well and as fast as I have. Thank you for your prayers. I feel prepared for the days ahead as I continue my at-home therapy.

BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY…

What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death?  Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature a slave to the law of sin. (Rom. 7:24-25)

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. (Rom. 8:1-4)

I have been reading through Romans in my daily Bible reading. I wanted to lay out these verses to point out the connection from the end of chapter 7 to the beginning of chapter 8. Paul addresses the struggle and conflict between our minds being committed to obedience to Christ but our actions manifesting a tendency to sin. What Paul says is that Christ and His grace is bigger than our failures. As a result (therefore) we are free from condemnation because of the law of Christ’s grace. Our standing with God is not based on our perfection before God, but our faith in His grace and reliance on the work of the Holy Spirit in our life. That is something we can all be grateful for.

One a closing but somewhat related note, the dichotomy between our mind and our physical body is something that I experience in my rehab work.I at times find myself thinking that I can do something based on my previous level of strength and ability and am not dealing with the reality of my current physical limitations. I was made aware of this in working with my occupational therapist few days ago. I was on a mat trying to get back into my wheelchair. I was tired and it wasn’t going well. I was thinking for some reason that it would be easier for me to get into a side chair from the cafeteria the OT had brought onto the mat. I realized my mind wasn’t working well and mentioned that to the therapist. She said, “I think your brain checked out about 10 minutes ago.” I realized then that I don’t like honest people!

PRAY FOR…

• Smooth transition home
• Adjustment to self administration of antibiotics
• Muscle strength for shoulders
• Progress in at-home therapy