Summer’s beginning to give up her fight

Summer’s beginning to give up her fight
-mystery by Indigo Girls

This is the last week of summer for many kids across the country. Summer may not officially be giving up her fight until September according to the calendar but the attitude and carefree nature of summer vacation ends when school begins. Parents, students and teachers return to the daily routine of the school semester and trips to the beach or lake are replaced with football games and tailgates. Change is around the corner for many.

I turned 30 not to long ago. I will admit I had a slight panic attack. I really enjoyed my 20s…well my late 20s. After I made plenty of mistakes post college I learned what I really wanted in friendships, relationships, family and work and was happy to settle into many of those places and hit my stride in my late 20s. I met some of my dearest friends in the world, I found the love of my life and I think I know now what I want out of career.

I didn’t want these days to go away. I wanted to dwell forever in my independence and youth. I wanted to have time to make a few more mistakes maybe and time to really get to know myself without having to grow up. I think this past year has been one of the harder years for me. I had to grow up a bit faster than I wanted too with my parents’ accident. Yet I also realized I craved and desired my parents and the nearness of them much like I did as a little girl afraid of the dark.

I think I have finally accepted the end of my “summer” and I am eager to begin adulthood with grace and dignity. I want to continue growing and cultivating the friendships I have made in my early twenties. I want to learn more about how I can show my love and support to Blake as we navigate through this med school/rotation/residency relationship. I see my ideal career over the horizon and I am ready to work for it and achieve it.

The change that is around the corner is actually as exciting as a game day Saturday in Athens, GA among a few of your closest 80,000 or so friends.

I think the best part of this change is that no matter what I am still precious in His sight. That never changes.

I don’t think my parents ever imagined they would be dealing with any disabilities as they head towards the season of retirement. Their accident has left a few scars behind that will require some changes or adaptation to their daily routine. Yet no matter what, my parent’s are still precious in His sight.

Summer may have figuratively ended but with it brings the expectancy of autumn, cooler nights and the brilliant colors of the changing landscape declaring the handy work of God.


Isaiah 43:4a (New International Version)
4 Since you are precious and honored in my sight,
and because I love you,

"It's a thrilling tale, I wish to do it justice."

That quote may not jump out at you but it sort of hits home for all that my Mom is going through right now with her hand. If anyone is a Harry Potter fan then you'll start to figure out where I am headed. Especially since Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince opened last Wednesday. I saw it at midnight on the 14th and let me tell you that it's much harder to wake up for work the next day after a 3 hour movie.

But I digress...If you have any of Harry Potter knowledge then this will simply be a review, if you are completely in the dark then I'll try to give you the short synopsis. In book six we find Harry and his friends on the edge of a raging war between good and evil. Dumbledore is oddly absent for most of book five and when he returns his hand is blackened and withered. Harry asks Dumbledore five different times what happened to his sickly, injured hand. Most of Dumbledore's responses are simply to brush the question aside as there are more important matters to discuss. (In the movie we never really hear the answer but pick up book six to hear part of the tale!)

Needless to say finally Dumbledore tells a brief story. Some background knowledge is necessary for all you Muggles who have not yet read the series but in order to destroy Voldermort (the most evil wizard of all) we have to find all 7 Horcrux that contain a piece of his soul. In book two Harry found and destroyed one without knowing and now in book six Dumbledore found another- a ring! The passage can be found on page 503 and is as follows:

"You are forgetting...you have already destroyed one of them. And I have destroyed another."
"You have?" said Harry eagerly.
"Yes, indeed," said Dumbledore, and he raised his blackened, burned-looking hand. "The ring, Harry. Marvolo's ring. And a terrible curse there was upon it too. Had it not been -- forgive me the lack of seemly modesty -- for my own prodigious skill, and for Professor Snape's timely action when I returned to Hogwarts, desperately injured, I might not have lived to tell the tale. However, a withered hand does not seem an unreasonable exchange for a seventh of Voldemort's soul. The ring is no longer a Horcrux."

I think the part that I enjoy and relate too currently is - "However, a withered hand does not seem an unreasonable exchange for a seventh of Voldermort's soul."
If we stretch this analogy to my Mom's own hand I would say the same thing-"However, a withered hand does not seem an unreasonable exchange for the potential of possibly losing her or my Dad for good."

Sometimes I get too overwhelmed with the negatives from this occurrence in my life but to then see that the accident could have potentially taken my parents away from me for good then I say we came out okay if we are dealing with a permanently withered hand. Of course it's not my hand it's hers and it's her decision whether or not she wants to have surgery but I love that withered hand if it's a reminder that she escaped something much worse!

I think the Bible even speaks of this a little too:
1 Corinthians 15:54-55 (New International Version)
54When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory."[a]
55"Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O death, is your sting?"[b]


And who said Harry Potter didn't have a spiritual element? Huh? That's what I thought naysayers!

Dumbledore's hand is cut off in this photo but you get the idea-see the movie if you are still struggling for a visual.

Update on My Mom

I have an update on My Mom from the orthopedic. Please pray with us as My Mom decides what to do next for her right hand. She has been wearing splints on her 3 fingers-middle, ring and pinky to straighten them out. We have seen lots of improvement on the middle finger however according to her doctor there has been only small changes to the ring and pinky and they will not get any better.

He has given my Mom the option of experimental surgery to straighten them out. The drawbacks are that my Mom would have to have yet another surgery, the surgery may not work or do anything much more, and she would have to go back to square one with her therapy.

Please pray for us as we try to decide what the best option is for her and if she is ready for another surgery. He did however give her the green light to drive so that is another prayer request for us and as the search for a new car begins.

Thank you for your prayers and I'll be doing another longer post later.

He Still Uses Us!

Today I came across a devotional that reminded me that no matter our physical impairments God still uses us. I laugh when I think about this passage below:

But Moses said to the LORD, "O my Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor even now that you have spoken to your servant; but I am slow of speech and slow of tongue." Then the LORD said to him, "Who gives speech to mortals? Who makes them mute or deaf, seeing or blind? Is it not I, the LORD? Now go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you are to speak." But he said, "O my Lord, please send someone else." Then the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses and he said, "What of your brother Aaron the Levite? I know that he can speak fluently; even now he is coming out to meet you, and when he sees you his heart will be glad. You shall speak to him and put the words in his mouth; and I will be with your mouth and with his mouth, and will teach you what you shall do. He indeed shall speak for you to the people; he shall serve as a mouth for you, and you shall serve as God for him.
-Exodus 4:10-16 (NRSV)


Moses didn't want to be used by God b/c he stuttered. He didn't like to speak in public, he got nervous and didn't know the right things to say. God wasn't taking no for an answer.

How many times do we hear God calling us to a place, ministry, person or even in the place we already are and we say-No please don't make me God. God just laughs and says-yeah okay good excuse Emily but I still have a plan for you. A plan that will change the course of history, a plan that will alter your life and others, a plan that will blow open the waters so that you can walk through them unscathed.

God used Moses and he parted the Red Sea. Not too shabby for a guy who stutters.


Just think what God can do with me and you. My Mom may not have full use of her arms but that doesn't mean God isn't calling her to greater things. I wonder what He is calling you to do today?

The Rounded Brush

The round brush! It is the brush your hairdresser uses to give you the most perfect blow-out ever. I always leave the salon with the bounciest volume, shiniest locks and a clean smooth coif.

Then I go home and I get my same round brush and attempt the feat all over again only to wind up with one side straight the other side wavy. One side fluffy and full the other side as flat as a door mat or the rounded brush stuck in my hair.

I have sworn off the rounded brush after one too many times of that same incident occurring. I have seen my reflection in the mirror with a brush stuck on the side of my head more times than I would like to admit. I have seen my sister in tears for the very same reason. And just a few months ago I had to witness the precious little 5 year old girl that I babysit in the same precarious situation, with tears streaming down her face. I had to tell her that all women learn this and luckily she learned it at an early age.

Typically yanking the brush from your own hair while trying hard not to pull too much hair out with two functioning normal arms and hands is a hard task…doing it with a half mobile arm and a crippled hand is perhaps something else that should be celebrated.

My Mom had to deal with this the other week. Like I said-she learned to wash and dry her own hair but unfortunately the love/hate affair with the rounded brush came back to haunt her. She said it took her nearly over an hour to get the brush out. She was so exhausted from the experience she sat down and cried. I think I would have too!

But you know what-I bet you that was the best occupational therapy she had all day. She probably used her arm and hands more than she had all week. I am sure that it was not the most practical method of working her fingers and arm movements but she had to do in order to get the brush out. So yet again what looks to be a horrible experience can be viewed as “beauty for ashes!”

You know the more I think about this situation the more I see a silver lining. I haven’t been much of a Pollyanna these days but I am seeing this experience with a little more of an eternal perspective. Often times God sends things our way that seem like a darn rounded brush stuck in our head. We started out trying to achieve glossy, “Jermack bounce-back beautiful hair” with our life and instead all we got was a brush twisted around in a tangled web of hair and bristles. Then ultimately the knotted up mess becomes untangled and we are free of the brush. So we may not look like we just stepped out of the salon but we don’t have a brush stuck in our head anymore and we had to go through quite an educating ordeal.

Sort of like when we think we know where our path is going and we hit an unexpected detour and instead of that taking us in the wrong direction it really allows us to either avoid more damage or obstacles ahead. We come up better in the end. I need to remember that God’s timing is perfect, he has a plan that is far greater than my own agenda and I don’t need to despise the detour but rather take delight in the fact that I have a new road open for me.

No one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him.
-Isaiah 64:4 (NIV)

Happy Birthday Mom!

Happy Birthday Mom!
This is such a special day and I am so happy you are able to celebrate it with friends and family. I love you to the moon and back.

Mom also celebrated washing her own hair yesterday. She said that she may have made a bit of a mess but she was able to use the kitchen sink and wash and dry her own hair. It's the little things that we need to celebrate.

Voyage of the Dawn Treader

I have a love affair with young adult literature. I have read all the Harry Potters, all the Chronicles of Narnia, the Twilight saga, and too many Newberry Award winners to count.

My dear friend Amy D. is the daughter of an Alabama award winning middle school teacher. We usually ask her for summer reading lists and new titles when we’ve hit a slump or are still waiting for the hope that one more Harry Potter book will come out.

I remember being in Barnes and Noble one night with Mrs. D. and she asked me, “What book did you read as I child that brought reading to life?” It took me 2.1 seconds to respond, “The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe.”

Narnia is the place where reading came alive to me. Narnia is the reason I want a walk-in closet. Narnia is the reason I still think Kitty Lynn can talk. Narnia is the reason I visualize Christ as a majestic, powerful and loving lion. And ultimately, Narnia is the reason I grow as a Christian by learning life lessons in a world of make believe.

One of my favorite books of the series is “Voyage of the Dawn Treader.” If you haven’t read it, please do yourself a favor and go to the library, bookstore, or amazon.com and pick up a copy. Hurry before it’s a movie! (You have time it doesn’t come out until December 2010)

In the story there is a sour little boy named, Eustace Scrubb. He is really quite the annoyance and very unkind. He is selfish, always wanting to control things, boastful and constantly complaining. (I realize that I have just described my own self the more I type, which is why I absolutely love this story). One day, while they have stopped on an island during their voyage, Eustace stumbles into a dragon liar filled with treasure. His own greed causes him to actually turn into a dragon. I won’t go into detail but his sinful nature has become personified in the actual form of a dragon.

For six days he wanders the island in the form of a dragon. He is miserable. However, he slowly changes his heart and begins to help the others-once they know its Eustace and not an actual dragon. He catches food, warms his friends on cold nights and flies them around the island.

Finally Aslan appears and tells Eustace to follow him. He tells Eustace to “scrubb” off the dragon scales and get in the water. Eustace does this 3 times but each time the scales grow back. Finally Aslan must claw and tear the scales off for him. This piercing hurts Eustace but finally he is a boy again. Glowing, shiny and new.


Have you figured out the allegory yet? Have I figured it out, is the better question? I have to finally let go of my selfishness, control, anger, sin and allow God to claw away at my sin and wash me so I can become whole again. What a beautiful image of our Savior. He is a lion tearing away our dirty scales to reveal the glowing beauty that is hidden beneath. It is him and him alone that can reveal our true glory.

This has been a constant lesson for me these past few weeks. All things control and surrender related. I think the first time I read that story again as an adult I began crying, knowing all too well that I was the dragon. Luckily, my own Savior will tear away those scales-only if I let go and let Him.

An update on My Mom-She has actual physical pain to deal with though in the meantime. Her right hand received a good report yesterday at the doctor. He said to continue wearing those splints to stretch out the tendons in her 3 fingers. The doctor did see some progress and we now have the official order for Mom to begin outpatient therapy. Thank you for the prayers and your continued support of our family. I can’t wait till Mom’s accident related “scales” are finally washed away and she is her old/new self!

Ephesians 4:20-24 (New International Version)
20You, however, did not come to know Christ that way. 21Surely you heard of him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. 22You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.