August 5, 2012

Hey everyone, we have had a busy week.  I think we went to Tupelo or somewhere everyday last week.  We had an eye Dr. appointment on Mon. They did the eye test on Dale we had tried to do earlier and weren't able to.  He was able to do it this time and it showed that when he had the stroke he lost the vision on the right side of both eyes.  While he was doing the test Dr. Powell was talking to me about what he thought the problem was from the way Dale described his vision to us.  When he finished the test it was exactly like the picture the Dr. had shown me.  Basically you could take a ruler and draw a straight line down the middle of Dale's eye and that would show you exactly how much of the vision he has lost on both eyes on the right side of the eye.  The good part is that the sight can come back to the eye, it just takes time.  On the right there was a small patch in the blackened out area that was lighter than the rest, so we can hope that it might be improving.  The other thing Dr. Powell told us is that people who have a stroke as severe as Dale's can be left blind.  So, we are counting our blessings for the sight he has. 

Dr. Rice the orthopedic surgeon called and talked to the neurologist and between them they decided it would not be safe to do surgery on Dale's shoulder.  Dr. Rice told me he did not realize how bad a stroke Dale had.  They are all seeing that by human standards Dale should not be here.  I want you to pray that as we meet up with all these Doctors that we will be able to point them to Christ.  We know that God has a purpose for Dale still being and He is not through with him yet.

I went for my first oncologist visit this week and really like my Dr.  I will go next week to have a PET scan done and then the week after that I go back to see Dr. Crook and we will decide which kind of treatment I will need.  There is one more test they are running on the tissue sample and that is to determine if the cancer is aggressive.  If it is the aggressive kind, I will have to take chemo.  If it isn't, I will take radiation and a pill for 5 yrs.

Dale is doing great in all his therapies.  His walking is getting better & better and he can walk further.  In OT they are using e-stim on his hand to get the fingers moving.  He is still having a lot of pain with that arm, so, make that matter of prayer.  He is learning to write with his left hand and is trying hard.  In speech he is doing great.  Neva is his speech teacher and she is so good.  She sends him home with homework on the weekend.  He still won't just start saying words to you when you're together, but in speech she will hand him a card and he will read it and you can hear him saying the word.  So, he is making great progress with his speech.

Today was a very emotional day for us and for the members of Vardaman,FBC.  Dale has been preaching for 50yrs. this year and he has decided it's time to retire.  He had planned to do this before he had the stroke but I think it would have been a little further down the road.  So, this morning we announced his retiring and resigned as Pastor of Vardaman, FBC.  We need your prayers as we adjust to this.  We have been at Vardaman for 26yrs.  It will still be our home church.  As we told them this morning, we are just moving from the role of Shepherd to being part of the flock.  Words can't express the love we have felt all these years.  It has been a wonderful ministry.  Thank you, Vardaman for 26 plus great years. 

We love you all,
Dale &Doug

There's no doubt in my mind that even though God has retired Bro. Dale from pastoring, God has given Bro. Dale a testimony and a ministry to share his hope with those around him.  To God be the glory and may God continue to use Bro. Dale and Mrs. Doug to bring souls into the Kingdom of God.


¹⁵ But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.  
1 Peter 3:15




"5 Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. ² Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, ³ because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. ⁴ For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. ⁵ Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.
⁶ Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. ⁷ We live by faith, not by sight....

 ¹⁷ Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! ¹⁸ All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: ¹⁹ that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. ²⁰ We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. ²¹ God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."  2 Corinthians 5:5-7, 17-21