Good news!

We got a letter in the mail from the VA today saying that we have been approved for the adaptive vehicle grant. We did a happy dance in the driveway when we read it. This will really help us out in purchasing a lift van. The one that our friend found for us did not work out for us when we put the sample chair in it. It was too wide for the space it had to sit. We were pretty bummed b ecause it was a really nice van. We will continue to look especially now that the grant is properly approved.

I had my wheelchair assessment on Tuesday this week and my electric chair has been ordered. It is a Permobil C300 and it is quite the machine. This is being proactive for me to keep me safe from falling and for fatigue. It will help me to get out more and do the things I want to do.

We had a few comments on our blog about my activity outside of the house. I realize that some of you who read this blog don't actually know me and my family or you just cannot relate to our lives. Those of you who know me well know that I love to be doing something and am not one to sit at home all day, every day. While there are many days that I am home all day, me and my family love to go on trips together, big and small. We have created some of our best memories in this last year and really enjoy taking trips. There are also things I have always wanted to do like go to the Grand Canyon and Disney with the kids. I know others with ALS and everyone is different on how they live their life. The important thing is that they are spending time with those they love and feel that they still have purpose in life. I feel that God still has so much purpose for my life and I love being with people I love, meeting new people and forming relationships. There will be a time when I may be confined to our house and I am alright with that, but while I still can get out and do the things I love, we will continue to do as much as we can. The nice thing is our vacations are always based on how I am feeling and we never have a schedule. We spend time talking, praying and just having a great time together. A quick note too. It was completely my idea to do the roller coasters. I love them and had to say my farewell!

We are looking forward to going to our friends cottage next week with another family up North to just hang out and relax. This will be a nice break from appointments, paperwork, bills, etc. relaxing by the lake with nowhere to go. We have been looking forward to this all summer.

Lori has been having problems with her eye and had an appt today to find out that she has a corneal ulcer and needs to keep her contact out for 1o days and use antibiotic drops to take care of the problem. Pray that this heals and no further damage is done.

We want to express our thanks for all of the help we had this week. Thanks for the meals, the rides, the prayers and for my Pastor and the guys who came over this week to just hang out and watch guy movies with me. A special thanks to my friend Joe S. for being there for me & my family. We feel loved! Know that we love you too!
Have a wonderful weekend!

Something I read this week:

More Than Conquerors

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written:"For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Roman 8:28-39

Thriving not Surviving

You're not a survivor. You are more than a conqueror.
It's easy to get into a survival mode. When times get tough and things aren't going our way, it's tempting to just settle where we are, not believe for increase and not believe to go any further. It's tempting to think, "If I can just hold on a little while longer. If I can just make it through another year." If we're not careful, we'll develop a survival mentality to where we're not releasing our faith. We're not believing to rise any higher. We're just hoping to maintain. We'd be satisfied if we could just break even. But we're not supposed to break even. We're supposed to break through to a new level, to more of God's favor, increase and promotion.
God can prosper us even in the desert if we'll just be bold enough to believe. We were created to keep our focus on Christ! So be more than a conqueror today...

Your brother in Christ,

Eric