Blooming Where He is Planted

Paul's days are much more busy for him. He works on gaining his skills in classical guitar and has to work a lot harder than before the accident. He was used to putting in a little bit of time and gaining new skills easily. That is no longer the case. He struggles to remember the new pieces assigned and it takes him a lot longer to play the songs well. I think it is due to the fact that he has so many other areas to pay attention to, he can't devote all the hours as before. I know he used to stay up very late into the night playing his guitar and more of his life was spent thinking about his music. He had a specific goal in mind - being part of a band that would propel him into the music industry, where he would make his living. While he still loves music, to be one of the best guitarists again is not the passion driving him these days. We have encouraged him to regain his skill, as he is still very gifted and that is a gift from God. We really believe that this gift is already serving a beautiful purpose. Paul is giving guitar lessons to a young man in our parish every Monday night. Austin's family has been praying for Paul all along and I told Paul about it. He was very pleased to know that prayers were being offered up for his recovery. He has a complete understanding that he will be healed according to God's will and that prayers are going to help accomplish that. He had noticed Austin before, but mostly when Austin would be an altar server at Mass. He has an angelic face and Paul had commented on how reverent this young man was during the Mass. One day, the two of them began a conversation that lead straight to music. Austin said he was trying to learn how to play the guitar and asked if Paul would give him lessons. In exchange for continued prayers, Paul teaches Austin what he knows. Austin's little sister, Mary, comes over too on Monday nights and I give her piano lessons. Mary always runs up to Paul and gives him a hug. As do her other 2 little sisters. Paul cannot believe how sweet these children are and it brings him a lot of joy that they all gather around him. I talked to him one day about how children seem to enjoy being around him so much and that maybe he could head in the direction of being a teacher in elementary or middle school. He said that was a very interesting idea and he would definitely consider it. He said that he is very confused when it comes to deciding a degree program. While he is sure he won't pursue a music degree, he remains unsure what direction he will go. There is so much to accomplish and I think it is still overwhelming for him in many ways. We are taking it one day at a time and I know God will lead us.

I was reading some scripture this past week and the readings are from the Book of Samuel. When David intends to build the Lord "a house to dwell in," God intervenes, reminding David that the initiative for such a project rests with God alone. God is the sower and He asks for our humble response. The task of helping Paul back to the life God intends seems daunting at times. As I look back over the past two year, which I have done a lot in the past weekend as we cleaned out a lot of drawers and closets, I cannot believe where we were and where we have come. I found the old containers used to mix all the foods to help Paul gain back all of his weight - 50+ lbs. He was 119 lbs at one point! We found some old medical supplies and the sweat pants and sweat shirts he lived in daily. It brought back to mind just how overwhelmed I felt back then. In looking back, I can see clearly that God walked with us. " I have been with you wherever you went......I will give you rest from all your enemies." My fear, doubts and fatigue were truly the enemies! Thanks be to God, through your prayers, we were given the grace to look to God when we felt we could not go another day watching him suffer in so much pain.

Paul's shoulder pain is gone, thanks to Dr. Tally. He is a chiropractor and he was able to help straighten out the cervical area of the spine, which caused the pain in Paul's shoulder. Paul is pretty much done with his therapy and is now able to work out in the gym 3 days a week. Jon and I have joined also. We found the weight Paul lost...............smile. It is very helpful for me to excercise some of my 'impatience' away! I keep forgetting that God is going to move 'this battleship' forward and sometimes I am only provided an oar. Steady as she goes Rebecca - stay the course!

Paul works every day, comes home and practices his guitar, helps get dinner ready sometimes (he defintely will not become a chef.........absolutely no interest in the preparation of food, just the eating). As Paul got better, his brothers took him shopping for clothes and James gave him a lot of his T-shirts that Paul liked. So, he has an overabundance of clothes which means he does not have to do his laundry as frequently as we do! But he does it when necessary. He knows how to do everything for himself, but it is the short term memory that is the stumbling block. He is getting better, but it is a bit like molasses in January. We are not telling him what to do and are watching to see how much he will do on his own. His watch goes off frequently throughout the day, with the reminders to drink plenty of water, take his vitamins, feed his dog, get her medications, remember doctor appointments, get up and showered, to name a few. But we have light at the end of the tunnel. Yesterday, as he was going through some of his old things as we cleaned out the garage, he called out to Jon and me, "Hey! I remembered to feed Abby BEFORE my alarm went off!" He was extremely happy about it. So were we. He loves his dog so much, but she would have died from neglect a long time ago had we not been in charge of her care! Even before the accident, he thought he tended to all her needs when he taught her tricks and took her with him in his car! Jon and I always tended to her daily care. We talked to Paul about taking full charge of her care and with the help of his watch alarm, has done a pretty good job. It was another goal for him. One more mission accomplished, in a long line of many. That is what I dwell on when I feel like the battleship is just turning in circles - how far he has come. All it takes is a walk down memory lane, reading the early entries in the blog and I lose my impatience. God must have known I would need that visual aid 323 postings ago!

Paul is now planning a Gamefest at Jerry's house. Jerry has turned his basement into great place for Mike, Paul, Dylan (his nephew) and Frank (his dad). There is an air hockey table, bumper pool table, foosball and dart board - along with a lreally arge popcorn machine! We go over on Friday nights and watch movies and listen to the noise down below. I have talked before about how competitive my sons are, but they have met their match with the Hufford men! These games are a great help for Paul in eye/hand coordination and also for helping him gain very quick reflexes. Last Friday, Paul brought Austin and Mary over for the movie/game night. They really enjoyed watching the popcorn machine. We had so much fun watching them and apparently Mary is great at air hockey! Paul will have to put in some real practice time to beat her. There are 7 children in Austin/Mary's family and I am sure that is where they have gained their competitive skills! Paul had so much fun he asked Jerry if he could plan an evening with his friends. It was great hearing him talk about who he was going to call and what all they would do. It will be a fun goal for him. He may want to continue to play against Austin and Mary before then so that he can continue to improve his skills!

We received a portable micro current machine from Dr. Matthews. His assistant was coming to Atlanta from Charlotte and she brought it to Jon at work last week. Each evening, for 2 hours before Paul does the treatment, he has to drink 64 oz of water. Then he places the electrodes on his forehead and at the back of the neck and lets the machine do it's work. Now that he is doing it nightly, he said he can feel tingling all the way down his cheek - from the inside corner of his eye to the top of his lip. He hopes and prays that the paralysis will be cured, and we pray daily for that to happen. We know there is always the major surgery to replace that nerve, but it is not going to happen before we try everything else. Paul works hard on the instructions that Shephard gave hiim for his eye coordination. Paul wants his eye function back more than anything else. He also keeps asking about getting more repair work done on his lid and eyebrow area. We have to wait to see if the nerve function comes back as that is what controls the muscles on the left side of his face. Any other reconstructive surgery might over correct the level of his eyebrow if the nerve works again, so they are waiting to do further surgery at this time. Patience - there's that word again.

Paul also takes Abby on walks now and she is losing some of her weight! We are all on the road to recovering healthy bodies! Paul gets up by himself each day very early and is ready for Mass or work on time. He makes his own lunches and only occasionally might forget it. He tends to his eye all day long (that is another alarm that goes off - once an hour to put liquid tears in his eye) and only needs to tape it down at night. We are using only 2 thin strips to help keep the skin from stretching any worse around the eye. Paul has another opthamologist appointment at the end of February. We need to make sure that he doesn't need corrective lenses for his left eye. He is able to focus much more quicly each week after doing his excercises, but he said that it is still a little blurry in his left eye. We had been told he had 20/20 vision and it might be that over time the left eye has lost some of that sharpness. Or, with more excercise, it will be okay. I don't know the first thing about optometry, so will let it go and let God guide the doctor.

As you can see - progress is being made. Your prayers are moving this battleship forward through stormy and calm waters.

"By waiting and by calm you shall be saved,
in quiet and in trust your strength lies. (IS 30:15)

Inner peace can only come from surrendering to the Lord in trust and then living by His love.
When we are asked how we are doing, then we can respond by saying joyfully, "'I AM BLESSED!"

We pray you are too.
Love,
Jon and Rebecca