Mike's thoughts.

I just wanted to come visit again.  I know I should probably make more of a presence here than I have, but I have a couple of things I want to say and get off my heart.


To all of you that have been such prayer warriors through this whole ordeal, until today, I didn't realize how strong you all were and how many friends I didn't even know I had.  Until I saw the photos that Lori has been using, chronicling what happened to me, I don't know what I can call it--an injury, a disease?  I look like I got nailed by an IED, but I just want to tell you all at this time of year, and believe me, this isn't really my style, but besides saving my sorry butt, God's made a lot of changes to my heart and I just want to say from the bottom of that heart, thank you and tell you how much I love each and every one of you for all you've done.


I went into surgery with the same mentality I faced all my crisis' with:  A belief in God's perfect will, and the swagger of John Wayne wandering the streets of Rio Bravo.  Some people say I'm too stupid to be scared.  I just say, "If you can keep your wits about you while everything else is falling apart, you truly have no grasp of the situation you're in.  I mean, looking at those photos with Lori today, my Lord, there was nothing but a bone left.  Literally, there was no flesh and tissue left there.  I went into that surgery, again fully expecting not to see my toes and foot, but having faith that what happens is God's will, and the aforementioned "John Wayne you're not dead till the casket's nailed" attitude.


What Dr. Taggert and Dr. Van Der Heyden and the incomparably fabulous staff of wound care nurses have done, is absolutely amazing.  I told Dr. Taggert a few days after I was coherent, still in the hospital, that she was my hero and she rocked.  She rocked harder than Heart.  She saved my butt and I was forever in her debt.  In a way, I'm forever in your debt, too, because of the prayer and good wishes.  I hope, especially at this time of the year, with what happened in Connecticut, that somewhere reading this blog, is a lost soul that is seeing the evidence of what a great and awesome God we have and that they would come to believe in His son and the sacrifice upon the cross.  It would be most humbling for me to hear from just such a person out there that saw this and the horrific nature of the photos and how I've recovered and that I'm alive and getting stronger every day that they would seek out Christ and take Him for all that He stands for, including Great Physician, even though the medical professionals that have gotten me this far have my utmost respect, love, and esteem.  It is really my Savior that took the time and the effort to use this so that whoever you are out there, if you don't know Him, you'll come find Him, and then tell me about it.  I wish you all a joyous and Merry Christmas and pray that we always keep Christ in the holiday.

Mike