It's a Roller Coaster ride but we're hanging on!

It's a good thing we know our Lord is at the controls, or this would be a scary ride.  Last post I said we had signed papers to buy a piece of land, but when the lawyer's office typed it up they included a clause about the vender paying any HST (tax) if applicable, just to be safe.

The vender hadn't told us, but knew that there was HST applicable and had no intention of paying.

Now what were we to do.  I had already testified that God wanted us to have this property. ( See Wow! He is Leading )  It really seemed that His hand had been in it right from the start. And yet now it looked like the whole deal would fall through.

I wanted to have faith that the land would be ours, but the circumstances didn't look good.  There was no way we could pay the taxes.  Those taxes would cost as much as our down payment on the land.  We knew we couldn`t do it.  Could God still work things out?

During my morning devotions I asked the Lord to give me something to help my faith.  I told Him that I had already testified about what He was doing, and now it looked like I would have to come back to my readers ashamed and defeated.

Then I opened my Bible to let Him speak to me. Here is what He said: Isaiah 54:4 Fear not; for thou shalt not be ashamed: neither be thou confounded; for thou shalt not be put to shame. ...

I knew He had an answer.  All I had to do was wait on Him.

Today things look much better.  Because we are planning on having a market garden, we got an HST number.  The venders who are in the land business got one too.  Our bookkeeper told us, and the lawyer checked and confirmed the fact that as long as we both have a number we can self assess and don't need put anything on the HST.

Thank You Jesus!

I wonder how many more surprises await us as we proceed with this venture.  I`m so glad I know the One Who is in control.

Oh Wow! He is leading and I am overwhelmed

It was one of those moments when I could have started praising God out loud, if I hadn't been all choked up.

I had already been walking in a cloud for the last couple of days.

In the last post I referred to a piece of property that the Lord was leading us to.  We didn't know why He wanted us to have it, but even before we had seen it, the Lord told Bruce that He wanted him to have that property.

We knew very little about it at the time other than where it was located.  A sheep farmer friend had suggested we have a look.

From the day Bruce told me what the Lord had said, I considered it ours.  It helped that every time I opened my Bible, I would see verses about cultivating the land or caring for sheep.  I have always dreamed of being able to live a homesteader lifestyle, (see: our dream and even before that: a little piece of Heaven) so I was just a little awed by the fact that God was telling us He wanted us to have it.

When we looked at the property and saw the pond, the fruit trees, the sandy loam soil and the easy access, we began to see why we were directed to that particular lot, but then we couldn't seem to be able to get the financing we needed.  It could have been very discouraging had it not been for the assurance God gave us that we were going in the right direction.

When we thought we had hit a brick wall, I made a phone call to the owner.  "Would you consider holding a mortgage?" I asked.  He said, "No problem."

We signed some papers on Friday, and we take possession in March.

I thought I was happy that day, but today I am overflowing, and moved to tears by God's direction.  I saw the lady in church that I mentioned in the last post, the one that had once owned the property, and I went over to speak with her. 

We talked a bit, and then she told me something that pleased me more than the pond or the creek or the fruit trees or the sandy loam.  She said, "You know, we used to use that corner with the pond for a church camp in the summer time.  God is just taking back His property."

Talk about a blessed piece of land!  I wonder how many young lives were touched for eternity on that piece of ground.  I pray that God will continue to use it for His glory.

And I am still bawling!!


For the previous post see: Was that just a coincidence?
For the next post see: It`s a Roller Coaster Ride

Was that just coincidence?

It could be a coincidence, I suppose.  The lady did just happen to sit down beside us at the dinner table.  We knew her, but not well.

I was my usual talkative self, and lately I have had a certain piece of property on my mind.  Both Bruce and I have felt that this property is where God wanted us, and that makes it hard for me not to want to talk about it.

It is exciting.

But then, just a couple of days ago, we began getting discouraged.  It's just so hard waiting.  It's too easy to start to wonder if you really are listening to the leading of the Lord or if maybe it's just your own desires.

This was the stage we were at when we went to the Christmas dinner.

I still hadn't stopped talking about the property, though.  There were farmers sitting across from us and I was fishing for words of wisdom from them.  But it was the highly cultured teacher type lady sitting next to me whose words made an impact.

I was in the midst of explaining exactly where it was located when she asked the question.  "Is it right beside a great big white barn?"

Now I was delighted to be talking to someone who actually knew where the place was. But I was in for more of a surprise.  "We used to own that place," she stated.

Apparently, she and her husband lived there while they raised their family and taught at a school in the area.  They eventually sold it, and later it was sold again, and divided into three plots; the one facing west with the house and barn, the one facing south , and then, the one in the corner between with the pond in the middle, the piece of land we had been looking at and dreaming about.

I think God knew that He needed to boost our faith just a little, and so He chose a former owner of that very property to help us see that He was still in control.

That little incident helped us today when a farm finance company turned us down.  They said they don't know about market gardening well enough to be able to assess whether or not we would make a living off the land.  It could have been discouraging but it wasn't.  We knew God was going to provide some other way.

Within a couple of hours of being turned down, something else happened that may provide the start of the solution.  I'll let you know about it in the next post.

I just wanted to give a public thank you to the Lord for understanding our need for encouragement.  Isn't He wonderful!

For the next post see:  Oh Wow! He is leading and I am overwhelmed
For the previous post see: Still Blogging

Still blogging

When I found out that I would not be getting my laptop back I got out an old slow laptop that we had saved for the grandkids.  I tried to connect it to the net but had no success. 

Yesterday, I wanted to look at some pictures so I turned it on again, and to my surprise, it was connected.  It's slow and not as efficient but it is working. Thank You, Lord. 

I still believe I need to spend less time on the net, but now I can at least keep the blogs going and answer mail.  Thanks everyone for your concern.

Posts will probably be fewer and farther between

I believe God is leading us in every aspect in our lives.  When my laptop broke down on Monday it wasn't a catastrophe, it was just a gentle nudging from my Lord, telling me to spend a lot less time on the net.  I still have access to my husband's desk top which I enjoy using about as much as he liked using my laptop. 

Now I am not nearly as tempted to spend the day with my eyes glued to a screen.  So if you see less of me these days just know that the Lord is still leading us along, and this quieter period is one that He ordained for me at this time.

I will probably still keep in touch and I hope you will, too, but more important, I hope we all keep in touch with our Saviour.  He deserves so much more of our attention than we usually find time for.

May God bless you, my wonderful friends.

The Lord prepared me for this trial

The messages last weekend were wonderful, but I had, even then, realized that God must be preparing me for something hugely uncomfortable.

I knew what trials were like. I had had plenty last year. They were not fun, not fun at all.  But then I also could affirm what the minister was saying:  "It is through trials we grow closer to God." 

"Yes! I will accept trials in my life if they draw me closer to my Savior, and I will give thanks for them."

Within a few hours of being challenged and blessed in the service, the trial began.

It had actually been coming for a while, but I had blocked out the warning signs.  I wasn't ready to handle more.

The email I received that Sunday night hit me hard.  So hard in fact that I would have been a basket case had it not been for the words of the messages I had just digested.

Our oldest daughter was sending out some strange emails, and the signs were pointing glaringly toward another break. 

She had been well now for about five years.  In my heart (a mother's heart) I couldn't believe it would ever happen again.  I wanted to believe she could go on living a normal life, maybe even find some nice God fearing man whom she could marry.  I wanted to believe she was through with mental breaks.  With all my heart I wanted to believe it.

But God knew all about it.  I can thank Him for this trial because I trust Him.  He has never failed me.  He brought us through the horror of  last year; why shouldn't I believe He can take us through this?

I have no idea how bad this will be, but I am thankful that God does.  At this point all I can do is pray.  If you feel led, please pray with me.  Thanks so much.

Help Mate, not a Mother

What a weird feeling!  Here I am alone at home again, but it's not because Bruce is in the hospital.  Those days, Lord willing, are behind us.   

Yesterday, Bruce left at 8am and didn't come home till 9pm.  Today, I am missing him again, but at the same time, I am thrilled to know he is once more able to hold a position of authority without me tagging along at his side for support.

Bruce is the Deputy Returning Officer for an advanced pole in our provincial election.  He will be working long hours for six days, running the advanced poling station and then counting ballets on voting day.  This will be the most we have been separated since he was in the hospital.

Although his dementia is gone, he has still felt the need to have me close at all times.  This week he is overcoming that, and, I think, enjoying the feeling of being the man in charge once again.

We had expected to be working together.  When we applied for the job, we applied as a team, but when we signed up for advanced poling I hadn't realized that it would involve so many days.  When we found out what was involved, Bruce still wanted to do it even though I couldn't. (I homeschool our Grandkids and didn't want to take that much time off.)

Maybe it was the Lord's way of giving him a little push.

And ...  maybe it was the Lord's way of forcing me to let go.

A man with dementia is like a child that needs mothering.  A man whose mind has been healed needs a wife; a help mate, not a mother.

Preaching again after having dementia

I can only imagine how Bruce must have felt getting back on a platform again after being so sick for so long and having had dementia.  I know there are still some memories that are elusive for him now, while in most areas his memory is, once again, better than mine.  But the Lord sent him to preach to people who had faithfully held him up in prayer while he was so sick, and they were eager to accept him as he was, and to listen as he shared the word with them.

That week in New Brunswick was a triumph:  A doctor in Toronto had said Bruce would never preach again, and I had every right to pull the plug.  The hospital had diagnosed him as having less than half his cognitive skills. The rehab center had sent him home to have some time with his family before ... His family doctor had suggested I place him in a nursing home. 

Watch this video excerpt from a day when God proved them all wrong.

Yes, his preaching in New Brunswick was a triumph, a testimony to the glory of God.

Again, I want to thank the  readers of this blog for their prayers.  I also want to send a special thanks to the church in Pennfield, New Brunswick, for being faithful to God's leading in inviting Bruce to preach for the first time after being so sick. 

Sometimes He just wants to give us a treat

Our attitude in going to New Brunswick was, "how can we serve You, Lord?"  It would seem that His thought was, "where can I send them to let them enjoy some much needed relaxation for a while?"

His answer was to send us to the Bay of Fundy where we could sit on the balcony and listen to the tide come in as we watched the sunrise, or slip down to the water's edge (me) and get feet wet in the ocean water.

He also made sure to place us near people we love dearly and who welcomed us with open arms.  He knew how much we would enjoy seeing them again, and how our hearts would knit with theirs as some of them fought their own physical battles. (we are praying for healings to take place)



I loved the sound of the waves and couldn't resist worshiping with them in the background.

But, of course, New Brunswick was not just the Lord's choice for us because of it's awesome shoreline.  Our God knew where to send Bruce to do his first preaching after his illness.  I'll include some footage of that in the next post.

For the previous post see: No, I will not doubt Him

No, I will not doubt Him

I want to be able to write and say I have absolutely no misgivings, but would I be completely honest?  What is that pestering little thought that keeps nagging at me?  Am I guilty of doubting God?

Those who follow this blog may remember that in May of 2010 we took a trip down to Kentucky and then Bruce got sick with endocarditis and was near death for the rest of 2010. God brought him out of it, and by May of this year we thought he was well enough to go to Virginia, but again, he got sick with the same thing, and I had to drive him back home.

He is well again.  Other than a need to get more sleep, he is doing better than ever, so now we are preparing to take another trip, the one we canceled because of his last bout with endocarditis.

 We will be traveling east to New Brunswick, a twenty two hour drive by car.  This time, we will be dividing the distance into three, stopping for the night twice.  And this time, I will be doing some of the driving.

I can't say that the thought hasn't crossed my mind that Bruce could get sick again.  But do we hunker down in our little space here in Owen Sound and refuse to do the Lords bidding for fear He can't look after us while we are on His business?

Of course not!  Bruce will be the first to tell you that he was granted more years because his work on earth isn't finished yet.

He is going to New Brunswick to preach to a group of people we love dearly.  The Lord must have a reason for sending him there. The devil will try to discourage us, but that is only a sign that he is afraid of what the Lord might be going to accomplish.  We are in the Master's hands; I would be insulting my Lord to doubt Him. 

As Bruce prepares to preach again for the first time since his illness, please pray that the Lord will anoint and use him to fulfill His purpose.   Thanks.

For the previous post, see: can a former dementia sufferer really look this good?
For the next post see: Sometimes He just wants to give us a treat

Can a Former Dementia Sufferer really look this Good?

A few weeks ago, we treated our grandchildren to a day at a riding camp.  Bruce suggested I take the video camera and tripod and set it up for him to do an update while I watched the grandkids.  The last video he did was six months ago, just about a month after I had started him on coconut oil.

His brain has continued to clear since then and he is back to his old self except maybe for being a little bit wiser, and gentler and better.  I continue to thank God for the blessing of having my husband back.




Incidentally, I don't really have a zillion things for him to do.  He thinks up quite a few things for himself, but he does know enough to take it slow and easy this time.  We do not want him to have any more bouts of endocarditis.  So we do our part, and believe that God is in control, and we rest in that.

For the previous post see: Good News from the Doctor

Good News from the Doctor

We headed to the heart doctor's office with mixed emotions today.  We were hoping that he would say, "you're fine, go on home," but that was not the way it happened the last time Bruce finished his six weeks of  I.V. antibiotics.

The last time we went to see this doctor in his office it was to be told that Bruce's valve had been destroyed in spite of all the antibiotics.  It was all part of last year's nightmare.  

But today was different.  Bruce was able to drive himself to the appointment.  He wasn't in pain.  He wasn't all swollen up.  And the doctor did not have bad news.  There is no damage to Bruce's heart valve, and the endocarditis (infection in his heart) appears to be gone. He was given a clean bill of health!

Bruce was ready to run the mile after we left, but we went to the market instead. Tomorrow he gets to be separated from his constant companion, the penicillin  pump, and the picc line (the tube that feeds the medication directly to his heart) will be removed. 

We know that we take one day at a time.  We know that there are no guarantees in this life other than the ones God has given us in His word.   But it sure feels good to know that the doctor doesn't need to see Bruce again for six months.



Thanks everyone for all your prayers on Bruce's behalf.  We are still listening for His leading on the next stage of our journey. 

For the previous post see:   The best dads

For the next post see:  Can a former dementia sufferer really look this good?

The Best Dads

First place for dads on earth goes to a man who has always had a whole lot of love for his kids:

My Husband 

Bruce Flett

 

The runners up are the terrific guys who are the dads of our grandchildren:  

Hank Snow

and Noe Reyes

Of course, there is one dad that is in a category all by itself as anyone who knew my Dad will agree. The very best of fathers:

My Dad, Henry Peters

But none of these earthly fathers would have been anything were it not for the fact that they have a Heavenly Father whose love flowed through them.  This is what makes a man a real dad.

I can understand the love of God because I saw it manifested in my father.  And what a heritage that is!

For the next post see: Good News
For the previous post see:  God's Protecting Hand on a Stormy Morning 

God's Protecting Hand on a Stormy Morning

I was just getting dressed when the lights went out.  The lighting was flashing and the storm was raging, but it was market day.  I needed to get my farm fresh organic eggs to last me through the coming week.  I waited until the rain lost some of its force before venturing outside. 

The traffic lights were out all along the way, but I knew enough to treat the intersection like a four way stop.  I got my eggs and headed home.  I reached the corner of 10th st. and 4th ave. E.  A busy corner.  I stopped and waited for the cars on 10th street to go before cautiously proceeding through the intersection.

Suddenly I was being slammed across to the 10th street curb.  The small blue bomb that had rammed me pulled up, and an agitated young man came over to my car.  "Why did you pull out when I was already crossing? Why didn't you wait your turn?"

I was confused.  "I, I didn't see your car," I stammered.

About that time another driver came up to the car.  "I called the police." he told us.  He turned to me.  "You were in the right, mam.  I explained what happened to the police."

I later learned that two independent witnesses had confirmed my statement and had added that the blue car had raced through the intersection without stopping.  The one thing that was confusing was that they both said I had turned.

I never turn at that intersection.  I always go straight through.  I started arguing with the officer even though he told me that I had done nothing wrong.  He explained to me that, not only were there two witnesses that said I turned, he could tell by the way I was hit.  If I was going straight through I would have been broad sided.

We finally came to the conclusion that I must have swerved to miss the car when I saw it coming at me.  I don't remember, but that's what must have happened.  Had I not swerved, I would probably been in the hospital now.

Our new car is a mess.  The passenger side doors won't open and the front wheels are splayed out. The car wouldn't start again and the gears were stuck. The whole front is shifted out of whack, but I was unhurt other than a headache which disappeared while I was waiting in the hospital.

I was thankful Bruce wasn't with me.  I was thankful that I had been able to swerve.  I was thankful for two eye witnesses which were, according to the officer, a rare blessing.

The twenty eight year old owner of the blue car is being charged.

The officer called me to make sure I was OK. 

Now we wait to find out what happens with the insurance.  Whatever happens, God is still in control.  What a blessing to rest in that knowledge!

To read the next post see:  Best Dads

To read the previous post see:  God leads us back to the Hospital

God leads us back to the Hospital on a Path we had not Planned

Sometimes the path we travel gets a little scary.  That's how it's been for us this past week.  We thought we knew God's plan for us: Go to the student convention in Virginia, connect with students and educators from around the world, judge the competitions in monologues and preaching, and be a light.

That was our take on what the week would entail, and that made a whole lot more sense to us than just going, getting sick and coming back home.

Bruce had been doing so well, from the second day after starting the coconut oil he had just been getting better and better until we believed he was completely well. He seemed to need quite a bit more sleep than normal but in everything else he was better than he had been for a long long time.

But he did need the extra rest, and on the long trip from Canada to Virginia the rest didn't happen.  He wanted to do the driving and I was more than happy to let him, even though I knew it was not entirely wise.

I would have driven when I saw he was tiring, but by then we were in the mountains with sharp curves and steep inclines and drops, and Bruce wouldn't hear of me taking the wheel.

He wouldn't hear of stopping either, not even to eat supper. (A typical man thing) But even though his need for insulin has steadily been decreasing, he is diabetic,  and going without food is not very wise.

The drive that day took us eleven hours. It was late when we got there, and then we got lost trying to find Walmart and a place to buy food.  Finally, at about 10:30, he ate a packaged sandwich from a gas station. Yuck!

That night he started shaking.  I hadn't seen that, at least  not that bad, since he started the coconut oil.  Then I checked his forehead and realized he was burning up.

Talk about fear!  It was right there waiting to swallow me up.  Here we were in another country, away from our own doctor and Canada's total coverage medical plan, and it looked like Bruce was having a relapse. I had believed we were done with sickness; what was going on? Had we missed God's plan? Should we have listened to our neighbors who shook their heads when we talked of traveling? 

We prayed together, and although I continued to struggle occasionally with questions, I was able to place them in God's hand.  Whatever God's purpose was in all this, He was there with us.  The road He was taking us on had twists and turns, it had steep inclines and scary slops, but He was driving and He knew exactly where He was taking us.

We are home now.  I drove all the way.  Bruce went to see the doctor, who figured it could be just an infection  caused by sitting in the car for so long without taking the time to stop and stretch.  But we just got a call from the hospital. The blood cultures came back positive. There is infection running through the blood again.

Here we go again!

Please pray!



Am I scared again?

We watched the convention rallies online.  They were wonderful. The speakers talked about full surrender.  We were listening.  We heard the question the Lord was asking us.

Our answer?  Even if God wants to use us as the man in the ditch that the good Samaritan helped, we will say "Yes, Lord, yes." Whatever works to further your kingdom through us!

For the previous post see:  Heading South to Virginia
For the next post see: God's protecting Hand 
For the continuation of Bruce's endocarditis story see: Good News

Heading south to Virginia

In three more days we head down south to Virginia for ACE's International Student Convention. It was at this Convention, held last year in Kentucky, that Bruce started feeling under the weather.

It was the last major activity we shared together before his brush with death.  I expected it to be our last.  Even when Bruce began taking coconut oil and his dementia started going away, I still couldn't see us taking such a long trip, at least not so soon.

But there is just something about ISC that draws us.  Maybe it's the wonderful people from all over the world that we love getting to know, maybe it's the high quality of the performances we judge, or maybe, and I think this is the biggest part, maybe it is the rallies and the lasting impact they have on so many young people who make commitments there every evening.

Whatever the reason, a few months ago I would have said the trip was impossible.  Not only would Bruce have to be able to drive for several hours over a couple of days, but he would also have to be mentally capable of judging a high degree of excellence.  And even if he chose a less strenuous category, it would still be beyond him.

But God has healed his mind.  He will be judging young preachers again this year just as he did last year, and he is looking forward to doing it.

We would appreciate your prayers as we travel, and then follow a very full schedule at ISC, and then travel back again. It will certainly test the completeness of Bruce's healing. I know God has plans for us in the future.  And somehow I believe this trip is a part of His overall plan for our lives.

For the previous post see:  Without God the roles could have been reversed 

Yes this was part of His plan but not the way we expected. Read: God leads us back to the hospital

Without God the roles could have been reversed

Though to many of my American friends, May 2 is marked as the day they were told 0sama Bin Ladin was dead, to us, Monday was election day.  On the Elections Canada team was a man who, five months ago, had dementia so bad he couldn't even read the names on a ballot.

Bruce did a great job as deputy returning officer at the mobile pole yesterday. We were given one of the busiest poles they had, but it was God who put us in the place He wanted us: Two retirement homes, one that we have been visiting with our grandchildren, and one with a large nursing home facility included.

Bruce understood the needs of the older people.  He knew how hard this process could be for some of them.  He had all the patience in the world for these dear folks.

He also had the experience, dating back to Post Master days,  to handle the hordes of paper work the government attaches to everything it does. And he had the ability. It was not something a person with dementia could do.

He was amazing. He read the 70 page instruction book before hand and retained way more of it than I did.   He handled a hectic, 15 hour work day with no problems.  As a pole clerk, I was worn out, but Bruce, in his role as DRO, seemed to be enjoying every minute right to the end when we finished at midnight.

If I gained nothing else from that long, long day, I would have to say how blessed I was just to watch my husband as the man in authority, giving patient instruction in a place where, without God's intervention through the use of coconut oil, he could have been the confused resident, unable to figure out the simple job of marking an x on a ballot.

For the previous post see: God has a use for my Arbor Seat.
For the video testimony of Bruce's healing (done a month after he started coconut oil) see: Bruce's Video

God has a use for my Arbor Seat

I sat down at my arbor bench this afternoon.  The weather was beautiful, a perfect Resurrection Sunday.  But that's not the reason I chose to sit there.

The neighborhood kids were outside too.  The girl across the lane had sprained her ankle a couple of days before, but that didn't keep her inside. Between her deck chair and her crutches she was still keeping her friend well entertained with her lively creativity.

When I seated myself on my arbor bench she noticed.  "Story! Story! Tell us a story again, please, please!"

I had sat there once before while she and the other two neighborhood children had clustered around listening to a story. Now, when they saw me there they began begging for another one.  This was exactly what I wanted to do with this special Sunday afternoon.

The neighbor on crutches claimed the seat beside me and the other sat down on her coat on the stone patio in front of me.

I started with one of the stories about my mother, Susie, and they shared plenty of their own experiences too, but gradually we got onto the subject of  death and resurrection. I realized that no made up bunny story could be as fascinating to children as the true story of Jesus dying on the cross and raising from the dead and conquering death and the grave.

Those children are hungry for something more than chocolate eggs.  Is this why God placed my husband and me here? 

For the next post see: Without God the roles could have been reversed
For the previous post see: Three Score and Ten

Three Score and Ten

They say the body completely renews itself every seven years, and if that is the case Bruce has had that happen ten times.  I don't know about that, but I can vouch for the fact that he has entered a whole new faze in his life.

Bruce just turned seventy.  We had a birthday party for him on Saturday to celebrate the fact that, through Christ, he overcame the odds and made it to three score and ten. 

He was in his glory.  He had friends and family all around him, and he was visiting nonstop throughout the day.  He told everyone how God had answered his prayer and mine.  Where once I had to start a conversation before he would speak up, now he will talk to anyone who will listen. 

This is the start of a whole new era in our lives.  Last year was a time of dying, but life sprang forth instead.  Bruce will be preaching again in a few weeks, and I am waiting to see how God will move through him.  But even now his testimony is reaching thousands via his YouTube video.

He has changed; he has mellowed and softened.  The impatience is gone, but I don't morn it's passing.  I love this new Bruce that God has given me with all my heart.

Every day in our lives from now on is a special gift from God to be used, moment by moment, for His glory.

For the previous post see: Rehab and a Chance to Witness.

Rehab and a chance to witness

Yesterday was so neat.  We took a trip to Rehab to visit the staff there.  Bruce had spent the last few weeks of his hospital stay there and he wanted to go back and let them see what God can do.

We walked up to the front desk and one of the nurses asked, "Can I help you?"  None of them recognized him at first.  The only thing that clued them in was seeing me standing beside him.  They recognized me but could hardly believe it was him.

Bruce told them how he had just kept getting worse after he left, and how we are Christians, and how God had answered my prayer when I had asked for wisdom in knowing what to do for him.  They took it well.  They couldn't help but be excited to see him looking so good.

They told us something they hadn't said when Bruce was discharged.  Bruce told them that one of our case workers had figured he only had three months to live, and that didn't surprise them. They agreed.  They told us they had decided to send him home so he could spend his final days with his family.

They hadn't known they were sending him home so that God could dirrect his wife to start feeding him coconut oil.  But that was God's plan.  Every step of the way God was leading us along.

Even now as we testify, we have no idea who it will touch.  We know that his video has gone around the world, and as of today has over 2100 hits.  He is speaking to people he never would have reached had the trial not come.

With your prayers, I know that many lives will be touched. Once again, I thank all of you who have kept us in your prayers.  It means so much!

 For the next post see: Three Score and Ten
For the previous post see: As I Extended the Life of Hezekiah

As I Extended the Life of Hezekiah

"Read me the story of Hezekiah."  It was June 2010, some time near the start of my husband's sickness, but already, he was finding it difficult to read for himself.  At that time the doctors still hadn't found out what his trouble was, but we both knew that, whatever it was, he was near death's door.

 I knew the story of Hezekiah.  He had been sick, and first the Lord said get ready to die, but then, because of his faithfulness and earnest prayer, his life was extended.  I figured Bruce was going to tell me that he wanted to claim the same thing, but that's not what he said.

"God gave me a promise,"  he told me.  "I asked Him if I was going to die, and he told me that as He had extended the life of Hezekiah so He would extend my life."

I read the passage to him, but all the while I was skeptical.  Bruce had been displaying symptoms of dementia even back then.  The poisons from the endocarditis were in his blood and his liver was not able to block them any more.  They were getting past it and traveling to his brain.  I didn't know exactly what was happening, but I could tell that all was not well.

Could this just be a hallucination?  I would have loved to believe it was a true revelation from the Lord, but I just couldn't.  So many times when he was so close to death this would have comforted me, but always there was the nagging suspicion that it was only a figment of his deluded imagination.

It has only been these last few days that I became 100% covinced that God did give Bruce that promise.  How do I know now? I saw the comparison in the story of Hezekiah in II Kings 20. 

Bruce and I looked at the Biblical account again a few days ago and read about the part where, through the prophet Isaiah, God told Hezekiah to place a lump of figs on his sore and he would be healed. He didn't just say be healed.  No, he was told to use a part of God's creation to initiate the healing process.  It seemed a strange thing to do, but it worked.

We compared. I had been told that I had better prepare for the worst.  Bruce was just going to continue going down hill until he died.  But when I cried to God, His answer was to tell me to give Bruce coconut oil. (read the story of how it happened)

  God extended Bruce's life in the same way that he extended Hezekiah's.  He used a part of His creation to work the healing.  In Bruce's case it just happened to be coconut oil.


Note: Many of my readers have been asking questions about coconut oil and where to get it.  I do not  normally do advertisements on this blog, but I am going to recommend Tropical traditions as a great place to buy it, not just because the oil is natural and organic, but because the company was started and run by Christians who have impressed me with their desire to serve the Lord.  

We have been given samples of their various products and prefer their organic Tropical Traditions Green Label Virgin Coconut Oil.  If you would like them to send you a free copy of the Virgin Coconut Oil book with your order you can get it by including this number on the order:  7119831


If you are looking for instructions on how to take the oil  please see: How to treat Dementia and Alzheimer's with Coconut Oil  
Or, check the Tropical Traditions web site for lots of great info.




For the next post see:  Rehab and a Chance to Witness
For the previous post, see: His Dream Came True
For Bruce's video testimony see: Bruce's Video Thank You

His Dream Came True on Saturday

Throughout all the near death experiences Bruce had this past year, there was an important goal that kept him from giving up.  He wanted to be at the wedding of our grandson.  It was the first grandchild to get married and he wanted, so badly, to be there, and even to taking part in the ceremony.

But at times that goal seemed like nothing more than an idle dream, an impossibility.  Even when his body started to heal, his mind kept going down hill.  I didn't know how we would get him to the wedding, and I certainly didn't expect him to be able to take part.
He couldn't even remember simple words.  And he couldn't read.

It would take a miracle!  And that is precisely what happened!  A miracle took place!  See My Husband's Letter of Thanks, and Bruce's video talking about how the healing happened with coconut oil

Bruce was not only at his grandson's wedding, but he also took part in the ceremony, giving the introduction.  By the grace of God, a dream come true! 
Here is a short video clip of him praying at the wedding.



My tears started when Bruce walked up the isle with the pastor and the groom.  God has been so good!

For the previous post see: The Encouragement of a FaceBook Friend

The encouragement of a FB friend

God blessed me with encouragement from a FaceBook friend.  She didn't know I had been up during the night; She didn't know about our concern or the discussion my husband and I had at 5AM.  She wrote at 5:42.

When you've just gone through a series of trials, and your body is tired, and everyone is saying you need to take time out now for you, it is like the sight of an ice cream cone on a hot day, very tempting.  You could even say it was necessary to help prevent your body from becoming overheated.

But what if taking time out for myself meant sacrificing the spiritual health of someone else?  Could I not keep going in His strength, if that was His will for me?

I was battling this issue during the night.  I knew it made logical sense to take a break.  But my heart said 'no'.  I poured my heart out to God.  I talked to my husband who was also having trouble sleeping.  I knew that two little lives would be affected by my decision.  And I knew I couldn't slack off.

Then I got the message from the friend I had never met.  It told of how my life had been an encouragement to her, and had helped her see what being a woman is all about.

It broke me up. The Lord used her when I was at my weakest to encourage and give me renewed vigor to keep going. 

This is a thank you to all of you who comment, not only on my blog or FB wall, but wherever you feel led to lend a word of encouragement.  You never know when your word will be used to bless someone.

For the next post see: His Dream Came True
For the previous post see: Wow! He Still Wants to Use Us
For more about the battle I faced see my grandparent post: Do grandparents have responsibilities to their grandchildren

Wow! He still wants to use us!

"We can't do it." I argued halfheartedly. "Even if by some miracle God sent us that much money, we are committed to paying off all our debts."


Bruce wouldn't let it drop that easily.  He wanted so very much to be at the ACE International Student Convention again.  We had been going and judging competitions for the last five years and had been blessed every time we went.  We knew that God had used us to bless others there, too, and I guess I was still hoping He could use us again, but I tried not to let it show too much.

Bruce was more openly optimistic, or maybe he just had more faith.  "Well, what if we got money that was specifically designated?  God could do that, you know."  I had to laugh.  I loved his optimism even if I didn't show it myself. He prayed that if it was God's will He would provide the needed funds.

The next day, on our 44th anniversary, the PSW worker was here, and she offered to go to the mailbox for us.  Bruce looked over my shoulder as I opened a small envelop.  "Is it a check for $2,500?" he joked.  It wasn't, but it did have a totally unexpected check in it which someone had blessed us with.  We were thrilled to see how God was providing for our needs, but this check wasn't specifically designated for travel or ministry.  Bruce took the rest of the less interesting mail and sat down to glance through it. 

Bruce had just started getting interested in the mail again.  A year ago he had handled everything, but when he got sick  eight months ago, I took over.  It had been a bit confusing at first because of a  charitable organization Bruce and a minister friend had set up back when they needed to give out receipts. There was money in it, but it wasn't for us.  I learned to ignore any bank statements except our own personal joint account.

There were two bank statements in the mail that day.  One was the personal account, and the other was the one I had presumed was the charitable organization.  When Bruce opened the statement he started getting excited.  "Hey! It says we have over two thousand dollars in this account!"

"But that's not ours," I reminded him. "That's the ministry account."

"No, you're thinking of a different account," he explained.  "This is my own personal account that I kept for ministry.  I had completely forgotten about it."  All this time, when I saw those bank statements I ignored them, not realizing that God had planned for us to use the money when He was ready to send us out again.

The bank statement did more than tell us we had money to go to ISC.  It told us that God still had a work for us to do, and that He knew we would be strong enough for a trip to Harrisburg Virginia. 

But that's not all.  You'll love this part too!

Just a couple of days earlier I had mentioned to Bruce that I wondered if the Lord was going to use us to do speaking engagements again.  I have always loved testifying of what God has done, and Bruce loves to give his testimony, too.

I told Bruce in the morning that I was wondering if God would give us that kind of ministry, and in the evening I received an email from someone I don't think I have ever met, asking if I would consider doing a talk for a ladies event at a church a few miles from here.  We used to live near there and attended there for a while but she didn't know that. I don't even know how she connected with me.  I just know that God directed the timing of her email to coincide with our discussion.

Praise the Lord! He is not through with us yet!

For the next post see Encouragement from a FaceBook Friend

For the previous post see: Our 44th Anniversary that we didn't expect to celebrate

Our 44th anniversary that we didn't expect to happen

Two months ago I wasn't expecting a joyful celebration on this day.  And less than two weeks ago Bruce didn't know if I would even remember that we had an anniversary.
Bruce had been progressing so well, doing everything for himself again even to the point of giving himself his own insulin.  The signs of dementia have been disappearing daily since he started taking the coconut oil and about the only thing left is his shaking hands, and we are watching that gradually lessen day by day.

The strain on me was gone.  Everything should have been fine.  I could relax again.  I guess that's what my subconsciousness was thinking when it decided to take a time out.  At least that's what I've been told.

I have no recollection of the incident.  The last thing I can remember from that day is giving my husband and grandchildren breakfast. And then, vaguely, seeing my doctor in the hall of the hospital. From that point on the memory is a bit foggy but I can recall bits and pieces for the next few hours. 

Later I was told that I started crying and had a memory loss, still recognizing my immediate family but forgetting almost everything else.  I didn't remember Bruce's heart valve operation.  The Personal Support Worker was in that day, but I didn't recognize her. I didn't remember that my grandson was getting married in a couple of weeks, but when I started coming out of it I wondered if he was already married.

All of this was horribly frightening to my poor husband who had been clinging tightly to me for emotional support.  Still weak from his own ordeal, I can only imagine what he must have been going through.

Our family rallied round.  My granddaughter took me to the hospital while others came to stay with Bruce. I kept on saying, "I think I had a stroke," over and over.  I couldn't remember what I had said from one minute to the next.  But I knew my memory was gone.

They did some tests on me in the hospital, which I have no memory of, and decided that, no, I had not had a stroke.  Gradually my memory of the past returned and I was able to retain my short term memory again, but they tell me I will never remember those scary hours.

What I had is called temporal global amnesia, and can be triggered by stress or headache or a fall.  I didn't have a headache or a fall so the stress of the passed seven months must have finally caught up with me.

Today, on our forty fourth anniversary we are both doing well.  We went out yesterday and bought a new suit for Bruce for the wedding because he had lost so much weight.  But the real anniversary gift we have been given this year is each other.  I think we appreciate one another more than we ever have before, and that, in itself, is a precious gift from God.

Just before I was ready to hit publish we got another special blessing from God but I will have to let that wait for the next post.

For the next post see: Wow! He still wants to use us! 
For the previous post see: Bruce's video thank you

Bruce's Video Thank You

The same day Bruce wrote the letter he also made a video telling about his dementia, the coconut oil, and his subsequent recovery.  I have had to edit this down to get it on YouTube but it is well worth watching, a living miracle of Divine intervention.

Thank you all for your prayer support.

Several people have asked how to use the coconut oil so I have written a detailed how to: How to treat dementia and Alzheimer's with coconut oil

For the next post see:  Our 44th anniversary that we didn't expect to see
For the previous post see: A letter from Bruce

A letter of thanks from my husband to you

This letter was written and sent to me  by my husband for distribution. Other than  some spelling changes, the writing and thoughts are all his.  A huge accomplishment!!

THANK YOU

I am now at home. It has been a long hard journey with my health deteriorating. First an infection on my heart valve called endocarditis did at least two major damages: it destroyed my heart valve which had to be replaced with a bovine heart valve and the poison from the fungous infected my brain leaving me with dementia. There are also other infected organs: my spleen, my gall bladder and my liver. I was near death on two or three occasions.

I want to thank people around the world that prayed for me. I thank you by means of this email. I thank you for your support and constantly holding me up to God in prayer. I believe you are one of the reasons I am still alive. I also believe God is not finished with me yet and has a purpose in extending my life and ministry.

I want you to know that when my wife was worn out and the doctor recommend putting me in a nursing home, she prayed to God and asked Him for wisdom. The next day she checking her face-book contacts and was checking out a new person that listed a You Tube Video dealing with dementia and using Coconut Oil to treat it. The doctor telling the events was having very good success. In the hospital I was tested to identify my cognitive skills. I was at a level of 11 out of 30. This was worse than Dr. Newbury's, husband as related in the You Tube, he was at 14 out of 30 prior to the Coconut Oil.

M wife had bought some Coconut Oil on a whim at the grocer store. God gave her wisdom, after watching the video. She decided, “I'm going to try it on Bruce”. There were many things I couldn't do, such as dial a telephone, use my computer, speak words to convey my thoughts. I was delirious and wandered at night. She knew that DR. New bury said initially results took about three hours. Within three hours I began to speak sentences clearly. After that my wandering and delirium ceased

My doctor visited me one Sunday night. My questions and answers were clearly spoken and thoughtful. He was so impressed by my change that he arranged another cognitive skills test at his office. I took the test the next Friday. Later the doctor called and told my wife I scored 24 out of 30. Clearly God had given my wife, Carol wisdom. I am thankful to my faithful wife of the forty three years. 

I continue to improve every day. I can now dial the telephone and my use of my computer is also returning. I have written this email on my computer and thought out what I was going to say. I just built a set of six shelves and mounted them against the wall. They will hold extra DVD 's and books that I cannot currently store properly. God in His wisdom has seen fit to resort me to a useful life. I look forward to see how God uses me in the ministry that he called me to while I was yet a child.

There are many challenge to overcome ahead of me yet.

Don't stop reading thinking well that is over. The journey continues, I still need your prayer support.

Once again, I thank you for your prayer support and interest in my journey.

Yours in His Service.

Bruce A. Flett.


For the next post see: Bruce's video thank you
Also see previous post: The Builder

The Builder

January is half gone and Bruce is doing well.  It has been over a month since I started him on the coconut oil, and his dementia has not returned.  The cognitive skills test done January 7 was 24 out of 30, quite a jump from the 11 out of 30 he was before.  About the only thing he was still having problems with on the test was math, something which is coming back gradually.
Last week he started getting ambitious.  He figured that we needed more shelving for our videos, so he decided to build a set of shelfs.  I cut the boards, since his hands still are rather shaky, but he did everything else.  It's a huge accomplishment for someone who, a few weeks ago, couldn't even dress himself.
The past year has taken us on quite an emotional ride, and I thank all of you who stuck with us and prayed us through each dip and turn.
I hope that this year I will be able to get back to the series I was trying to write about past experiences we have had while following God's leading, but if I can't resist throwing in a note of praise for what God is doing right now in the present, I'm sure you will understand.

For the next post see: Letter from my husband, Bruce
For the last blog see: What a way to start a new year - no dementia!

What a Glorious Way to Start a New Year - no Dementia

What a way to start the new year!  From watching my husband's mental health get worse and worse, to seeing a sudden wonderful change taking place, it is all so hard to fathom.  I was resigned to having lost my husband; it was more like having to look after a small child, but now, praise the Lord, I have my husband back.
He is doing all the things he couldn't do a month ago.  He is taking care of all his personal needs; he is using the telephone, operating his computer on his own, and reading short books; he is even starting to talk about building a bookshelf, (with a little bit of help from a son-in-law) all things that he couldn't even attempt a month ago.
The Lord has been answering prayer, and I am overwhelmed.
The changes started happening quite suddenly after I prayed for wisdom to know what I should be doing.  You can check my Everyday Christian Blog for more about how it happened.
Bruce is now thinking logically.  I can run things by him like I used to, and I appreciate that fact more than I ever did before.
It's been almost a month now since the improvements started, and I still Thank God for each new day that Bruce wakes up and talks to me without getting all confused.  Today he went to the doctor's office and did the same cognitive test that he had done before, the one that convinced the doctor that he was beyond hope.  This time I think he aced the test.
But the most beautiful thing to see happened this evening.  We were at a music night at friends and someone asked for prayer.  Bruce led in prayer for her, and the same anointing was there when he prayed, just like it used to be.  God's not finished with him yet!!
A doctor in Toronto told me once that he would never preach again.  I can't wait to see God prove her
wrong! Thank You Lord.

Note: If you compare the picture taken today with ones from before he started getting better you will see a huge difference.

For the previous post see: 2010 The Year of Challenges

2010 The Year of Challenges

2010 brought huge challenges into our lives, and many blessings as well.  This blog was started in 2010.  It was designed to be a testimony of how God had lead us in the past.  Little did I know when I started it, how much the present would take over, and make the past look mild by comparison. 
But of this one thing I am certain.  The God that brought us through the challenges of the past, is the same one that has kept us in the hollow of his hand throughout this wild ride of 2010.  When Bruce was so desperately sick and we didn't know what the problem was, Trusting God and My Husband, when he had the heart valve open heart surgery, God can use even our week moments and the shocks that followed In everything give thanks and  Going to get easier as I go and then the day the Doctor Called , all these moments of crisis were just times of leaning a little harder on our Lord.
I have been blessed beyond measure in the year 2010, for Christ has been near.  Please read my "Everyday Christian" blog post:

2010 Peace Of Mind Didn’t Depend Upon Circumstances

Posted: 8:30 am on December 29, 2010

Did 2010 bring you the unexpected? It did for us. One month we were roaming the countryside, taking our grandchildren to a homeschool convention in Ottawa and then judging at an international student convention in Kentucky. The next month I was riding in the front seat of an ambulance while my husband was on his back, just behind me, fighting for his life.   read more

Lord willing, I will be bring you happy news about Bruce in my next post.  After that I will try and get back to posting the past series of events that I have been trying to record here.

For the last post in that series, see: Entering the unfamiliar world of Northern Reservations

Entering the Unfamiliar World of Northern Reservations

Life is full of new experiences, some we welcome, some we struggle with, but all meant to bless us in some way, and help us grow, even as we strive to serve.

Our trip to Northern Manitoba, see Called to the Reserve was like entering a whole new world.  Was this really still Canada? 
We couldn't get there by car, not unless we went in the middle of winter over ice roads.  The plane that took us to the Reservation was aptly referred to as a vibrating tube.  We thought it was a joke when they handed the seven or eight passengers earplugs before starting.  We realized fairly quickly it was not.  We watched in fascination as a young Native couple brought their infant onto the plane in a tikinagen.  All of this was new and exciting.  We had only anticipation as we entered this new faze of our lives, anticipation and the thrill of adventure.

It wasn't until after we landed and met the people at the airport that we understood that here on this reservation we were considered missionaries. My lifelong dream was finally being fulfilled.

As we were driven through the streets of the reservation to the home where we would be staying, our excitement and anticipation mingled with shock.  Did people actually live in those shacks we were passing? And were those piles of garbage beside each home? 

It didn't help when we were told we would be privaleged to be staying in a home that had running water. That had to mean that most homes didn't, and if the other homes didn't have running water, where were the out houses?  We didn't see any.

We were taken to a fairly modern prefab bungalow with its rubbish pile situated a little farther away than most of the homes. When we entered I was surprised at how clean it was inside.  (This was something that I noticed where ever we went there.  The outside might be strewn with garbage but the inside was always clean.)

The home belonged to the pastor's daughter and her husband and their three little boys.  They had done some restructuring to the house so that we could have a room to ourselves.  The adults were fairly fluent in English but spoke mostly Oji-cree, and this became an unexpected trial for us.  We quickly began to feel very much alone, - alone, except for the children!

Although each child struggled with the English language, they all spoke the universal language of love.  They were the ones that reached out to us, their eager faces aglow with curiosity and genuine interest.  They were our ministry, the reason God had sent us.  

We were told that there would be a supper for us at the church/school.  We had to guess when and where exactly, but we watched them and found our way along the muddy path and were greeted by parents and children, the school board, and the Chief.

While Bruce talked to the chief and some of the parents, I found a spot with the children. As they chatted, and asked questions, and told tales on each other, I felt a love welling up inside me that made me wish I could place my arms around each one of them, and draw them to my heart. I knew that I was called to these adorable fun-loving kids, and I couldn't wait to see what God had in store.

What happened with the children during the short time we were on that reserve was a joy I shall always remember.  It will be the subject of my next post in this series.

This reserve, Garden Hill, was the setting for my book, Gang Trouble written from an outline created by kids on the reserve.  It turned out to be a very exciting but emotional  adventure depicting life just as we saw it there.