Thursday, March 31, 2011 4:00pm

Another good day for Garren. He played football trivia again. This time they added defensive players, making it a little harder. But Garren once again blew them away with his football knowledge. It is so awesome to be able to communicate, though it can be frustrating trying to guess which yes/no question to ask next.

Garren is getting better and better at holding his head up. Today with Wren he held it up for 11 seconds. His muscles are getting stronger each day. His cough is improving as well. Swallowing is so important. He is getting close, and Wren works with him every day. So close.

Garren has been impressing the school teacher as well with his knowledge of vocabulary. Today she would tell him a word, then hold up two cards with two other words. One of the cards had the opposite word of then one she had just said. Garren was asked to look at the opposite. He did this very well. In fact there were a couple of words that I didn't even know, and Garren got them right! Cool stuff!

We are continuing to see slow but steady progress from Garren. He is intent. I ask him before we start therapy if he is ready to get to work. His eyes go up every single time. During therapy he tries, really hard. We can see the effort he is putting into it. He's determined.

Here are some very specific things to pray for - Garren's left side is the stronger side. The right side is not responding nearly as much. Pray that the right side of Garren's body will wake up. Pray that he will gain control of his right side. The same goes for the left side of his face. This is why he is having trouble blinking his left eye.

Also, continue to pray for Garren's ability to swallow. As he gains more head and shoulder control, the swallowing should become easier. Pray that he will learn to swallow soon.

And then, pray for Garren - for peace, for comfort, for understanding. Last thing he remembers he was playing around in P.E. class at school. Now he has trouble moving. Garren has become much more aware in the last several days. This has to be a frustrating reality to wake up to. Pray for his peace and comfort.

P.S. Don't forget to vote for Mike's grandson in the Cutest Baby contest! He went from #38 on Wednesday to #16 today. It won't take much to push him up to #1! Click here to vote!

Football Trivia

We have some amazing therapists working with Garren here in rehab. They are so concerned, and so interested in helping Garren get better. And they do it in a fun and creative way.

Mike is the Pediatric Rehabilitation Technician - he helps the therapists wherever and whenever they need him. He makes wheelchair adjustments, maintains equipment, posts schedules each day...and he's super cool (even though he's a Green Bay fan). Let me tell you what he did today:

Knowing that Garren is a huge Steeler's fan, Mike made a little football field, complete with yard lines, goal posts, X's, O's, and even a football. Then he had some little signs made, in three groups: players' names, players' numbers, and players' positions. Looking up for yes, and down for no, Garren was asked to answer questions about each player. For every question he got right, the ball would advance 10 yards. For each incorrect answer, he would lose 10 yards.

"Garren, are you ready to play?" Eyes up without delay.

Mike held up a player's name, then going through each number he asked Garren if that was that player's number. Garren got every one right, except the last one. Same with the positions. It was amazing to see how engaged Garren was. When the answer was obviously "no" Garren's whole head would lean forward. Sometimes we could even see his lips mouthing the word "No". Garren nailed every question, like I said, except one. The doctor, other therapists, a nurse, were all standing around cheering him on. I think they were a little surprised at how much Garren knows about the Steelers. Mike promised to make it harder tomorrow. Good luck with that Mike!

I also found out today that Mike is a proud Granddad! He told me his grandson is in a "Cutest Kid" contest. He sent me the link so I could vote. He said feel free to share it with anyone I could. So - will you help Mike's grandson win "Cutest Kid?" Click here - you can vote once a day through Friday!

"I Don't Want to Go."

As I was reading in Numbers the other day I came across a couple of verses that I don’t ever remember noticing before. Moses, through God’s direction, had just finished instructing the Israelites on how to set up and tear down the tabernacle. They were ready to travel on. As they were about to leave, Moses had a conversation with his father-in-law’s son, Hobab. Apparently, Hobab was preparing to head back to his own home.

“Moses said to Hobab, son of Moses’ father-in-law Reuel the Midianite: “We’re setting out for the place the Lord promised: ‘I will give it to you.’ Come with us, and we will treat you well, for the Lord has promised good things to Israel.”

But he replied to him. “I don’t want to go. Instead, I will go to my own land and my relatives.”

“Please don’t leave us,” Moses said, “since you know where we should camp in the wilderness, and you can serve as our eyes. If you come with us, whatever good the Lord does for us we will do for you.” - Numbers 10:29-32

It’s not clear from this passage what Hobab decided to do. I imagine he had his mind made up, that he went back to his family, to what was familiar and comfortable. Have you ever known anyone like that? Haven’t you ever looked at someone who had great skills, who had a lot to offer to the kingdom of God, but they just weren’t interested in using their gifting for God? Maybe they weren’t even saved. Maybe they were saved, but they just weren’t all in.

Churches are full of Hobab’s. Each week the pastor gets up and offers a challenge, a challenge to go deeper, to do more, to sacrifice greatly, but they just walk out the door, unmoved. “I don’t want to go, Instead, I will go to my own land and my relatives.” It’s too bad.

The journey is not easy. But the reward is great. When Nancy and I chose many years ago to follow, whatever the cost, to be a part of God’s great adventure, we had no idea what life would bring our way. But even now, when it would be easier to go home, I wouldn’t trade it for anything - because I know that God is in control, that He is using us right where we are. Traveling through the wilderness, unsure of what the day will bring, is hard. It wears on you. It’s tiring. But the reward is so great.

Moses promised Hobab that he would receive the same blessings that had been promised to all of Israel. He would be a part of the team, a part of the family. Hobab had valuable gifts, he had something to offer. He knew his way around the wilderness, he knew the good places to camp. Moses saw something in Hobab. But Hobab chose the easy, comfortable path. He went home.

What about you? You’ve been invited to join in the greatest adventure of all time. “Go into all the world and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.” You’ve been invited to join the team, to offer your gifts (we all have something to offer). God wants to use you to accomplish his mission. How have you responded? You are either on the team, doing your part, or you are in the stands, watching the time, looking for your chance to go back home. Have you said - verbally or by you actions - “I don’t want to go?”

“If you come with us, whatever good the Lord does for us we will do for you.” Don’t go home, don’t be left out of this amazing adventure.