WELCOME!!!!!

WELCOME!!!!!
Hope you enjoy the blog; may it bless and encourage you!

Murphy Geer Toerner

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Austin TX and Baton Rouge, LA, United States
I enjoy helping people. I am an encourager and I can see the good in others. I want people to understand what it means to be an authentic Christian and not just a religious "nut." I believe if Christians lived and loved others as Jesus lived and loved others, we would experience more of heaven on earth than hell on earth. These thoughts and writings are intended to encourage you to be who God originally designed you to be. They are also intended to challenge you and make you think. Also, I want you to know that I'm praying for you every day. Blessings, Murphy Blessings to you, Murphy

Sunday, January 31, 2010

My Mom's Condition ...

Dear Friends,

My mom, Betty, has been in the hospital in Lake Charles for about a week and a half. She is to be released tomorrow (Monday) from St. Patrick's. She is going to a facility called the Cove in an effort to rehab her legs and arms.

My mom fell about three weeks ago and subsequently developed excruciating back pain. She was taken to the emergency room and was told that all they could do was give her pain meds to manage the effects of her injuries. During the fall, she sustained three hairline fractures in her back and a compressed disk. We were incensed because the pain medicine would only increase her likelihood of falling again and my mom has severe osteoporosis.

Prior to this event, she has had 24 hour care at her home (my sister, Karen; niece, Lori; cousin, Leslie; nephew, James; have been taking turns staying with her.) I stayed in the hospital last weekend with her and got about 5 hours of sleep.

Another problem arose when my mom started hallucinating and becoming noticeably more demented than her previous baseline symptoms. We were unsure if she had suffered a stroke or had become dehydrated. That's why she went into the hospital most recently.

She was in so much pain in the hospital that when two different aids on two different occasions came to help her move/roll over or sit up to "potty", she was screaming and moaning so much that the aids started crying because of her pain level.

She is being fitted for a back brace. This should help significantly with her back pain. (Please pray that it does so.)

The pain medicine makes her sleep all day and therefore she has lost her appetite. She is barely eating anything. Also, by sleeping all day, she has not used her arms and legs hardly at all. I think through Medicare, she can stay at the Cove for about 28 days (inpatient) to help her regain her strength.

Betty is almost 84. I had a sweet time with her last weekend. Stroking her hair and telling her I love her. She is so weak that she is pretty soft. It was a very kind thing of God to hear my mom say, "I love you too, Murph." I think she actually meant it.

Please pray for Mom, Karen and her family, and me and my family as we go through this process.

Much, much love to you all, m

Monday, January 11, 2010

Pay It Forward

Have you ever had a friend drive 500 miles to help you convalesce after a medical procedure?

Have you ever had a friend bring an ice chest of food to your house because she knew that after being away for two weeks, there would be no milk, bread, eggs or lunch meat in the refrigerator?

Have you ever had the cashier in a fast-food drive-thru tell you that the driver of the car pulling away donated five dollars toward your meal?

Have you ever had friends give you an intimate birthday dinner party and said you could invite 14-16 special people to share the evening?

Have you ever had folks from church come to your home after hearing about your house fire? Or have you ever had (over a three day period) about 50 people come and help you account for everything in your home that was decimated by a fire; accomplishing in three days what a couple could do in several weeks?

If anyone has ever been sweet or kind or thoughtful to you, try today to "pay it forward."


Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Intentions

In chapter 2 of the Gospel of Mark, Jesus and his disciples were walking along in a wheat field. The disciples were hungry and thought nothing of picking the heads of grain and eating them. Their perception was (1) we are on a road trip with the Master; (2) we are hungry and need a little snack; (3) God provided this beautiful wheat field with harvest-ready wheat; and so, (4) we can eat some grain now and it will tide us over until we are able to get a proper meal.

Sounds pretty innocuous, doesn't it? Oh, by the way, did I tell you this event took place on the Sabbath.

Some Pharisees, noted for being lovers and keepers of the Law, observed the disciples snacking. The Pharisees were offended and indignant. Picking the heads of wheat and eating the grain was considered work and good, religious people don't work on the Sabbath. The Sabbath was regarded as a holy day and a day of rest.

In your opinion, what were the intentions of the disciples? What were the intentions of the Pharisees?

What is more important: keeping the letter of the Law or the intent of the Law?

Can someone keep almost all of the Law and still be far away from God? Can someone look unworthy and undeserving and be close to God?

I'd love to hear your thoughts ...

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