What is your favorite day of the year?

For me, it’s the first day of Daylight Savings Time, year after year!!!!  The notion of experiencing LONGER EVENINGS of daylight for the next several months is invigorating to my soul …. !!!!!

So, today is my favorite day of the year!!!

Irene had a relatively good day.  She and JoAnna were able to spend more time together before we ushered JoAnna back to SJC for her flight to Ontario.  Irene is fatigued and nauseated, but she was able to get several things done around the house and enjoyed being outside in the garden for part of the afternoon …. and she loved the longer evening with sunlight!!!

We’ve got a trip to UCSF coming up this Thursday which includes a consultation with the vascular surgical team for replacement of Irene’s “Tesio” (currently the port in her chest) with a more permanent dialysis port referred to as a fistula.  The fistula will be in her arm and will not be functional for about three months following the procedure. This allows time for the vein and artery to graft together.  It appears that the fistula procedure is necessary because the “Tesio” has a “crimp” in its line and won’t last forever.  UCSF will probably recommend a date for the procedure when we meet with them on Thursday.

Easter is in two weeks and some people might be surprised to learn that Easter is not my favorite day of the year.  And so, you ask, why isn’t it?  It’s because, in my humble opinion, we should celebrate Easter and Christmas, EVERY DAY of the year.  We should celebrate Christ’s birth, death and resurrection everyday.  We should celebrate and worship the source of our breath, the source of our purpose and the source of our eternal security 24/7.  According to Jesus, He should remain first in all that we do.

Seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness ….
Matthew 6:33a

Every day of LIFE is more than we deserve.  Consider this …. whether your favorite day of the year is this one or not, and whether or not we have long or short

Continue reading

On Friday, March 7, 2008, we wrote on the theme of ENCOURAGEMENT and share the following email received on Saturday, March 8, 2008. We hope you enjoy it as much as we did…

Hello Dave, Irene, and Family,

I am Annie Foyle who works at the Calif. School for the Blind and have been organizing our UCSF direct donation blood drives – the last few in honor of Irene.

Many months ago, I called Jean at UCSF blood center and asked if there was someone we could do the blood drives in honor of. She gave me Irene’s first name. At that time, “Irene” was just a name and I was thankful that there was someone who could benefit from our blood drives. That has all changed since Jean gave me a copy of Irene’s Journey of Faith!! Irene – you are now more than a name to me – you are an amazing woman who loves the Lord and lives for Him – and gives Him glory throughout your challenges and struggles. You are my Sister in Christ. Wow and Praise the Lord!!! Thank you for your example and thank you to your family for writing and publishing this book. I thoroughly enjoyed it and just passed in on to one of my Sisters who is going through a challenging medical situation with her daughter. Reading this book I kept thanking the Lord that he has allowed me to help you – not even knowing who you were or that you were a believer and follower of Christ. I feel that I “know” your family after reading this book and have continued learning of your journey from the website. It would be an honor to meet you if the opportunity allowed itself.

We are doing another blood drive in honor of Irene on April 18th at the school in Fremont. If you have any friends and/or family that would like to come donate, please let them know they are more than welcome. They can call or email me (510) 794-3842 afoyle@csb-cde.ca.gov, and I’ll sign them up.

I will continue to keep you all in

Continue reading