june 16, 2008 - "prayer is not asking for what you think you want, but asking to be changed in ways you can't imagine"

top of the evening, friends...




i trust this blog entry finds you all well. things here are progressing. i have recently been able to take a few steps without my cane. it's still pretty choppy and a bit uncomfortable, but i consider that a great victory. the therapy nazis are doing their magic and killing me! actually, i do believe it is helping a lot, but they really push the envelope. my goal is to at least walk a half marathon next year, if my leg cooperates. right now, i'm getting about a 70 degree bend on my left leg. tonight i walked just over 2 miles--i'm really slow, but getting faster by the week. i return to the orthopedic doctor in late july, so i'm hoping for another great report.



mary and i are still a bit stunned at how this ordeal has come to an end. after the funeral service, i sat down and wrote a letter to john's family. i told him that they were all in our prayers and that we certainly didn't want or ever expected john to feel that hopeless. what a tragedy.



my retirement has really given me time to reflect and has given me time to do some writing. i'm not sure what i'll do with the end product, but its been very therapeudic for me. i've also had the privilege of doing some public speaking. that too has been very rewarding. you can only do so much homework and grass mowing! lol



someone needs to hook up with elzie fish and inform him that he does not resemble brad pitt--grizzly adams, maybe....but not brad pitt. i think he's slipping a bit since retirement. poor thing.



and by the way, mark fellure....the obetz racing team does not exist. in fact, it's simply another figment of elzie's very vivid imagination!





as you go about your week, please keep the following people in your prayers, as they are all fighting some kind of battle:
junior salyers
glenda woodgeard
C.K.



i couldn't select just one quote so here are 2 quotes for the day:

"there are two primary choices in life;
to accept conditions as they exist,
or accept the responsibility for changing them"
-Denis Waitley-

"when we accept tough jobs as a challenge and wade into them with joy and enthusiasm, miracles can happen"
-Arland Gilbert-

congratulations to:

major bruce ludlow on his retirement
kaila mcgarvey and mitch errington on their graduation from high school
marla gaskill and cassie kocab on their MBA graduation

thanks to:
mike rankin for the great CD - and for your very kind words of encouragement
larry balla for your continuing support and prayers
terri west for always checking in - i stopped in to see you last week, but you were MIA!
wendy forbes for always keeping me lifted up with calls and cards...you're the best!



the attached story and video (at the bottom) is so incredible, i had to share it--it demonstrates both true love and determination.



until next time, be blessed!



lisa - 1095



A son asked his father, 'Dad, will you take part in a marathon with me?' The father, who despite having a heart condition says, 'Yes.' They went on to complete the marathon together. Father and son went on to join other marathons, the father always saying 'Yes' to his son's request of going through the race together. One day, the son asked his father, 'Dad, let's join the Ironman together.' To which, his father said 'Yes'. For those who didn't know, Ironman is the toughest triathlon ever. The race encompasses three endurance events of a 2.4 mile (3.86 kilometer) ocean swim, followed by a 112 mile (180.2 kilometer) bike ride, and ending with a 26.2 mile (42.195 kilometer) marathon along the coast of the Big Island . Father and son went on to complete the race together. Click Here to View the Video of the duo.

Father and Son