Speechless.

It turns out while we were running around the backyard squirting water guns and smashing water balloons, a completely different scenario was playing out at my mother's house.

My mom was in her office with the door closed working on her computer. My step dad was in another room assembling their new gas grill (it was too stinking hot to do it outside). My mom heard some clanging noises and assumed it was just Charlie working on the grill. I guess the noises changed or seemed weird so my mom went to check things out. When she opened the office door she found Charlie laying at her feet. He had crawled over there after suffering a major stroke.

This is the e-mail I sent out yesterday:

Dear Friends and Family,

A phone call came our way yesterday that harbored some painful news. I wanted to share it with you so that you may pray with us if possible. My step-father, Charlie, who has been a part of our family for the last 17 years, suffered a severe stroke. He was care flighted to a hospital in Waco where they are continuing to assess the damage. He currently is unable to speak at all and has no movement on the right side of his body. My mom said that yesterday he was alert and recognized her and one of his daughters, but this morning he is more "blank" and less responsive. We feared this day was coming as he has had serious heart problems in the past and suffered a minor stroke last year.

Please join us in prayer that rehabilitation will be an option, that he will receive good care, and especially for my mom who is faced with many complicated decisions regarding his care, their farmland and animals, and her full time job situation.

We appreciate you,

Kerry for the Gibsons

I am still sort of in shock over all of this and what it means for him and my dear mom. I have not seen him yet. Without going into too much detail, the relationship I have with him...especially over the last 3 years, has been strained at best.

The Lord is gracious though, and after not speaking with him at all for way too long, both my sister and I have seen and spoken with him on separate occasions just within the past two months. I am so thankful for those visits, especially now.

My last visit with him was at their new property where he was building their home (still unfinished), let's just say their new location is remote. Like travel down a gravel road kind of remote. I've always been uncomfortable with them living out in the country like that, but it is what they prefer. It's odd that we had a conversation about some new private helicopter evacuation insurance they had recently gotten. Who knew a helicopter would be touching down on their land to carry him away just a few short weeks later.

My mom is a registered nurse and a director at a home care agency, so she is well equipped to handle to the days and months ahead. More importantly she is a woman of prayer and deep faith and knows the Source of wisdom well. I still grieve about what has happened and have so many questions about how it will all turn out.

Would you join us in prayer?