Update

My sister, Priscilla, left early this morning. My house has never been so clean. I'll bet your house has never been so clean. In fact, no house on earth has ever been so clean. Every corner, every knick-knack, every cushion... on and on. No speck of dust escaped the Priscilla whirlwind. This morning Wayne said, "The Tornado has left the building!"

Besides cleaning, she gave Wayne one of her world-famous (now) foot massages every night. She made us laugh ourselves silly. She and Wayne have always been good buddies. So, once again, a fun interlude. You notice we have a constant stream of sisters in and out?

No real news on the health front. Wayne is still doing well. He had a day or so this week when he seemed to lose his left side again, in spite of all the progress he has made these last few weeks. That was a little unsettling. It happened suddenly and unexpectedly. But this morning, he seems to have most of the use of his leg back again. He is not where he was a few days ago in terms of progress, but he is not back to square one, as it looked like he was yesterday. Don't know what to make of that.

We might hear news this upcoming week about starting treatments. We think that every week, though.

We were told that the Blue Springs High School football program, where Stinson played, will award a Wayne Dean Scholarship this year. They have invited us to present it. That was very moving to Wayne, of course. We will present that scholarship on Dec. 3 at the football banquet.

It is our gift and our challenge to live each day as it comes. Even before we had our lives turned upside down by a terminal diagnosis, the minute we were living was the only minute assured us. But back then (it all seems so long ago!), we weren't so aware of that reality. It feels like a luxury in some ways to live with a hyper-awareness of each day's blessings. I hope to learn the lesson well and let it permeate the rest of my life. I hope that part of Wayne's legacy is to pass that awareness on to those of us whose health is not threatened.

Here is what I am considering today. The One who holds us in His hands is the One whose words spoke cells and molecules into being and then ordered them and aligned them into a perfect rhythm. The One in whose care we rest is the One who owns and rules over all created order. This One keeps us as the apple of His eye. This One cares for us as tenderly and as attentively as shepherd cares for his sheep. At the same time, He rules all creation and He cares individually for us.

For the LORD is the great God, the great King above all gods. In his
hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land.

Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker; for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture,the flock under his care.

Psalm 95:3-7