Help Justine Go To Camp

http://helpjustine.weebly.com/


My sister-in-law made this site to help us out. We are too proud to ask but she took the ball and ran with it. Thanks Nichole!

Thanks to all of you for your love!

DP

Help A Family Adopt A Baby From Ethiopia

Our great friends, the Courter family, are adopting a baby from Ethiopia! They need help with processing fees, etc. There is a way you can help! If you got to this site: http://www.justlovecoffee.com/thecourters and order coffe or whatever off of it, a portion will go towards this!

Please be part of this journey with them, whether you know them or not! This is a call from God they have answered and we should help!

You can also click on the link to the right of this page.

Bango- The Milwaukee Bucks mascot and the Best Dunk EVER!

What is your limit?

Wow... kind of let the blogging go, haven't I? Guess Facebook keeps me busy enough with my "updates."

My biggest thing that has been going through my head is this: It is said that we are not given more than we can bear; but I wonder, what about those that do break? Look at what has been going on: A guy in China starts hacking at a elementary school, we have students shooting each other, suicides... so much in this world that so many cannot take.

Lately I have been having a problem with dealing with stuff going on. No, I am not going psycho, don't worry. But I fear a depression has hit within myself. I won't go into details but it has derailed my faith and my perspective in life lately... not to the point where I don't believe in God but to the point of where I ask "when is enough... enough?!"

I know I am blessed with a great family, a great job and tons of friends and family that love me. But sometimes I hate it when things happen with Justine medically, stupid finances, cut hours at work... I know it is part of life but we all know it starts wearing. Like a river that cuts through a mountain. Eventually, the mountain starts wearing away.

I just don't want to be that mountain.

Some Halloween Fun

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QUEST

What is Quest? Quest is a class that after completed allows any 8th-12th grade student either become a member or if they chose so, not become a member.

This course has been beautifully orchestrated in a "study book" that intertwines the scripture, prayer, discussion and small groups to help these young adults on their path to understanding many things with the most important being what it is to be a disciple of Jesus and having an authentic relationship with our God and Savior.

Here are topics that we cover through out this 18 week course:

Being a disciple
The Bible
God
Death and Eternity
Salvation
Prayer
Worship
Bible Study
Biblical community
Single-mindedness
Self-Sacrifice/Stewardship
Spiritual Gifts
Evangelism
Church- Who, what, when, where, why and how?
Mission Trip
Living it out

There is homework, discussions and applications that help scratch the surface of what it really means to be a disciple of Jesus and how to serve Him in the utmost love that we possibly can... and not just behind the walls of a church.

Someone asked me the a while back as to why I teach this class and what my passion is about it. I really did not have an answer right away. So I gave my churchy answer and said "I love working with the youth and feel this is my call at this time."

How generic is that! I probably had "DORK" all over my forehead at that time. I didn't lie or was unreal about my answer... it probably was just not authentic.

So here is my real reason why:

I remember going through a few years of catechism class and remember all the memorizing and homework. It was a chore... it stunk. I hated it. We were taking God's Word and learning someone else's thoughts and applications and pushing it upon ourselves. Don't get me wrong, I am not trying to knock it or offend someone... it just was not for me. I had no problem reading the Bible or memorizing but no one ever taught me how to apply it to my life; I was taught that there was only one way to apply it to my life... and that what was said in the catechism was just a notch below God's breathed Word, the Bible.

Confirmation wasn't a choice, it was expected of me. There was no way that I could go to the school/church and not take catechism. I had to. No questions asked. After I sat in front of the church like a frozen robot trying to recite Martin Luther's explanation for certain things and some passages here and there for almost an hour I was accepted as a new member in the church. Then I was able to take communion for the first time as if this light bulb went off and all of a sudden I was "worthy".

I understand the logic and reasoning. The church wanted to make sure I understood what communion was and what the church meant before I could become a member. Here is the kicker though: I was 28 years old before I really started to realize what God meant to me and what the church meant. 14 years later...

So that leads me to this long drawn out explanation of why I am so passionate about our Quest program; because it is just that: a Quest. I believe it starts in our mother's womb, from the time of conception our Quest begins. After our delivery from that dark, warm womb into the brightness and darkness of our world here on earth our Quest heard from our parent's voices; the humming, the "I Love You" that whispers from their lips to the hands propped under ours learning to walk. From the first time we go to Sunday School, the first time in real school to our first field trip and seeing someone begging on the street corner. From seeing the brokenness of divorce, the hurt of getting the heck kicked out of you for sticking up for your friends. That first love to the first broken heart. The injury that caused temporary paralysis for a short time that felt like hours to the broken noses playing basketball. Leaving home at 15 to go to a school 300 miles away, then going to college 500 miles away and then joining the military and living 1000 miles away. Falling away from God and church because they were not needed; then becoming a father and husband with a new baby girl that just might not make it a day and then watching your daughter make the honor roll her 3rd grade year. Watching your son look, act and want to be just like you and know you are in his spot light everyday. Learning to see God in ALL of this.

And all I wanted, NEEDED, was someone, anyone to help me apply something to my life. At age 28 that happened for me. It could have been too late though... if I would have died before then can I say I would have been in heaven? Not with any good amount of confidence.

That is why Quest... that is why my passion.

(Thanks to Russ Martin for the picture)

Justine Going to Camp

It has been a couple months. The busy-ness of life and kids and my job have really caught up to me this year. I feel so bad as I love to blog. Some people asked if I gave it up... I said no, just no time. Anyways...

Justine is on her way to Camp Victory which hosts Camp Spifida (short of Spina Bifida) that Justine is now on her way to. Tracy and her sister will be driving Jusitne 8 hours to the camp and then come back Sunday late. Originally they were going to take Christian and stay the night at some friends about 3 hours away but some family medical problems altered our plans (which is ok for me as I won't be without my family for the whole week). After the camp the plan was for them to pick her up next Friday and head down to Myrtle Beach for 5 days and then come home. That is still the plan... just altered. I still do not get to go to Myrtle Beach either... :(

So I won't see my girl for 2 weeks...

Here is what I would like, if you know Justine and want to drop her a letter of encouragement do so at this address:

Justine Porath, Camp Spifida
Camp Victory
P.o. Box 810
Milleville, PA 17846

Make Monday the latest to drop it off at the Post Office so she gets it! She is only there until Friday 10 am so her last day to get mail is Thursday.

If you want to see the website of the camp ground go to:
http://www.campvictory.org/index.html

Here is the website of the organization for her weekend:
http://www.campspifida.org/index.html

Thanks and God's blessings to all!

David

PS. Pics will be coming in the next week as I get them!

Restless

My posting seems to have gone down hill lately. Kind of crazy times really...

In the past 2 months my supervisor/friend was let go from where I work and subsequently I took over the position. That was really odd at first but I know there are no ill feelings between him and I. So now I am a supervisor/senior tech of the service center. Some things have changed, some have not. It has been an adjusting period but I think I have adapted and am doing well. I really need to thank all my friends and pastors out there that have helped me "learn" how to lead or "unlearn" and re-evaluate what I knew. "Love your neighbor as yourself"- when I go into work with that attitude (which is most days) it seems to always go more smoothly.

Then there was Justine's surgery. Wow. That was crazy in itself. Number 17. That is how many surgeries that girl has endured and the number of times she has amazed me afterwards. Resiliency... that about describes every facet of her life.

Hands of Hope. Our wonderful mission. I have had volunteers for 10 out of the last 11 weeks bring and serve food. People are seeing the need and just wanting to love and serve each other.

Even with these hard but yet fully blessed times that my life has had lately I still feel restless... and I don't know why. I don't feel unsatisfied. I don't feel like something is left undone. The thing that kind of freaks me out the most is I don't feel or "hear" anything within myself pointing one direction or another. The calm before the storm? If it is supposed to be calm then why am I so restless?

For me it seems that everything has to have a purpose... really it does. God has a purpose for everything but maybe my need of control is blinding me with the purpose of restlessness...

Ugh... I don't know... just needed to vent. Maybe I will go and try and get some sleep.

Justine Update #3

Happy Easter!! It is such a wonderful day to celebrate our Savior's conquer over death. Though we are hanging here in Cincy we know that rings true not just for us but for all the other families spending the day here with their kids as well.

Justine is doing well. She ate a great dinner last night (mac N cheese, etc) and a good breakfast this morning. So we know here appetite is back!! Yeah!

The Dr. just visited us and unfortunately he is not let Justine go home until tomorrow; but for good reasons. There may be a chance that there is an infection in her spinal fluid. If that is the case then we are looking at another surgery. They would have to take the new shunt out and drain the fluid into a bag until the infection is gone and then replace it again. He does not think that there is one but since there is a chance with one of the tests done we have to take all precautions. Plus they want to do a CT of her stomach area to make sure there is nothing wrong with what we originally came here for.

Is it bad news? I don't think so. More disappointing news right now. We really wanted to be able to go home today but it is better that we know nice and early and not later in the day.

Right now the plan is for Christian and I to go home today so we can go to work and school tomorrow and come back down if needed. Hopefully Justine will be able to come home tomorrow and we can all just be at home.

We ask that you pray for healing, for the doctors, nurses and all the families here at Children's today.

Happy Easter! We love you all.

Justine Update

Well, the surgery is complete and seems to be a success. They had to do it the long way. They had a problem with both the mechanism and the tube. They replaced the shunt in her head and then had to pull the old tube and replace it with a new one. This time, they did put the tube down her chest instead of through the intestines.

She is in some pain and uncomfortable right now. Some in the stomach where they took the old tube out, some in the upper part of the chest just below the shoulder and some in the head. The Dr said she would be uncomfortable in her chest for a little time but will go away eventually.

Tonight we have another CT done and see where we are at with what here ventricles in her head looks like... if they are good there is a very good chance we could be home tomorrow.

Thank you everyone for your concerns and prayers. Our family appreciates each and every one of them and you. We ask for you to keep praying for a speedy recovery and for all the other kids in the hospital today too!

More updates will be coming!!!