Pressing On

Daniel continues to improve. He walked a lot today and is now watering himself as opposed to me watering him. He still can´t eat or drink, just washes his mouth out with water to keep it from drying out. And he´s getting nutrients through the IV still.

He is talking more and joking around more and generally has more energy. I´ve been in touch with his mom and she got to speak with him briefly today which was another sign of improvement and something that HAS to warm your heart =). He had a fever today for a little while, but all of his blood count levels were normal. Tomorrow he will get another blood test and an X-ray to see if there are any bullet fragments left anywhere that they missed. He´s showing a desire to hasten the healing process and working through the distasteful process of getting out of bed to exercise.

The way things are going, it looks like he´ll be homeward-bound this weekend, flying Continental through Houston and back to Dallas. It looks like he will go to a hospital when he gets back and they will observe him for a day before releasing him to go home.

[the rest isn´t really about Daniel]

It´s a pretty great metaphor to see. Lying in bed is comfortable and getting up hurts, but the more he fights through the discomfort of getting up, the more healthy he will become. People too often get comfortable and refuse to do the things that are uncomfortable, even knowing that they will bring life and health to them. Come on church and get on up!! =)

I continue to have amazing opportunities to witness here. I think everyone should hang out at hospitals. Or maybe just people who want to be doctors and nurses and stuff. I got to buy dinner for a guy tonight who was working outside the hospital watching cars and helping people park. He was a really scruffy guy who confessed to me that he was addicted to drugs, but he had such a beautiful heart. He responded to my love with such joy and we´re practically best friends now. I want to put him in touch with Eduardo who used to be on drugs, but now shines with the joy of the Lord.

I also got to have lunch with my friend from the front desk. It turns out that she is another ex-Christian who is disenchanted with the modern church, but still believes in God and Jesus. I got to share with her what I have seen happening with our generation, basically a great desire to draw near to the heart of God and shed anything that detracts from fulfilling His desires in this world. When you speak Truth and Life, people respond and they want it SO bad you can see it in their eyes. If God has given you the gift of speaking, speak as if God Himself were speaking through you!!

It amazes me when I try to write down everything that´s happening. It amazes me that God is doing so much when it doesn´t feel like anything spectacular is happening. When you live moment by moment, you don´t realize the cumulative effect those moments have until you take time to reflect.