Thoughts about Easter Weekend- by Flora

I waited a year, but I finally got the picture I wanted, a picture of Dad wearing the Easter bunny ears! Last year we took the ears to the hospital but it just wasn't a "put the bunny ears on Poppa kinda day." He was too out of it and just returning to Drake after a long ICU stay. We packed them away with hope and a prayer that next Easter would be different. This year, he was a good sport and wore the ears for us all afternoon. 

When Becky Facetimed in from California she said "Dad, you've got the bunny ears on!!" He dryly replied, "I can't move my hands to take them off!" ;)

Saturday night was such a sweetly emotional night -- seeing the chapel filled with friends and family that have carried us through this last year was very heart-filling. And hearing them sing acapella "There's a sweet sweet spirit in this place" was just about enough to do us all in. So true. 

I was a bit worried that when it was Dad's time to talk that no one would be able to hear him. Tim scurried around asking about a microphone but the chaplain didn't have access to it. Turns out we didn't need it -- Dad's voice was so strong it could even be heard by those in the very back! 

Here is a transcript of what he shared:

"My voice has changed some...but I'm thanking all of you for coming to this today. I really had thoughts about doing this...I've been thinking about re-baptism for many years but I never really thought about it like I have in the last 6 months. I was baptized when I was in the 4th grade. In our church we had a class, at the end of the class you were baptized...and I remember it was also in alphabetical order that we were baptized. The need to be baptized again has come to me as I've meditated and thought about this. And in the last 6 months I've never felt the devil working harder to talk me out of it. He bridges questions like "You've already been baptized, why do you need to do this again?" He raises questions like  "Are you going to really be baptized or just sprinkled? What's the difference?"  And I've faced so many questions and doubts but all of them I just took to God in prayer and the thing that God told me was "Don't be afraid to ask Jesus to be close to you". That's why I'm here today. I encourage all of you to think about this if you have any thoughts at all about doing it. Don't let the devil back you out. It's not a requirement [since he has already been baptized] but it's something that was brought to me through prayer and 6 months meditation on the whole issue. Thank you again for coming."

Last night at dinner we were talking to our boys about the fact that even playing baseball that they can do it for the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31) and it struck us that that is exactly what Poppa is doing -- he is lying in bed for the glory of God. Any action can become an act of worship if you do it enthusiastically for God. And, Poppa, we see that you are doing just that! Thank you for setting that example for all of us! 

Click on this link to see Dad move his forearm!!

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10206465340697638