You Are Special

Tonight at our Family Dinner I had the “God thinks you are Special Today” plate. It’s something we started a while ago with our boys to let them know that God thinks they’re special and so do we.  The rule is simple, whoever has the plate gets to hear from every member of the family one thing that that family member likes about them and what make them so special. Both boys had the plate earlier in the week. It’s been a lot of fun and encouraging to our boys; it’s something we do that causes them to glow for the rest of the night. Well tonight, it was my turn.  When it got to Josiah turn to share, I’ll never forget what he said. After some thought He said, “I like that you read the Bible with me and pray with me.”

Wow, what do you say to that? I wish I could say that we read the Bible together every night, but that’s not always the case.  However it is something we are trying to get back into the habit of doing nightly, especially now that he has said this tonight.  The first time around I read to him, but this time around,  Josiah is reading from his own Bible. Yes, it takes much longer, but it gives him an opportunity to develop reading skills and comprehension skills as we read through it and then talk about what he has just read. We just finished our reading for tonight and I have to say, it was very humbling and awesome to know that my son has a great desire to read the Bible. I am praying that it begins a hunger in him for Gods Word that will guide the rest of His life and become something that he continues to do on a daily basis.

It’s just another reminder that intentional times with your kids are important. These small things turn into big things that forever impact your child’s Character.

Jackson Update – 12.13.11

Many of you have been asking how our youngest son Jackson has been doing.  I have tried to keep everyone in the know through twitter … but, 140 characters can only keep you so informed. So here is whats been happening over the last 4 months.

In March my family and I moved from Texas back to Missouri where I serve as the Community Pastor at First Baptist Church Harvester.  With Jackson seizures we knew we needed a good Neurologist that could take on the care that he received in Texas.  We found a great Neurologist and started to see him in June.

On August 8th, Jackson had two back-to-back seizure within an hour.  This had never happened before so he was taken to the hospital via ambulance. He was released after a couple of hours with an anti-seizure prescription and appointment with our Neurologist.

When meeting with our Neuro, He recommended putting Jackson on a new medication since his currents ones were at pretty high levels.  We began that process mid August and were seizure free till November as we made the transition from Depakote to Lamictal leaving his dose of Keppra the same.

On Monday, November 7th, Jackson had three seizures within an hour.  On his third seizure we called the ambulance as each seizure seemed to intensify.  He was given an anti-seizure medication and watched for a couple of hours.  We were released with a 3 day anti-seizure prescription (a form of Valium) and instructed to call our neurologist.

The very next day, Jackson had two seizures and a third one in the ambulance outside the house.  This was 6 seizures in a 24 hour period.  After the third seizure had stopped, the Ambulance took Jackson to Children’s STL where our Neurologist and team of Dr. could make sure nothing else was going on.  Jackson was admitted and kept on a pretty high dose of clonazepam for 24 hours and then a lower dose the next day.  We were released on that Thursday after spending 2 nights there for monitoring, with instructions to increase his new medication and a 3 day prescription of clonazepam.

I wish I could say it stopped there but, it didn’t.  Early the Friday morning after Thanksgiving, Jackson had a seizure while he was sleeping.  Thankfully it was just one seizure this time but it was a seizure none the less. Our neurologist made a final increase to his medication to get him at the level that he wanted him to be on in hopes that Jackson would have less seizures. However, that has not been our experience with this new medication yet.

In the last week, Jackson has had 7 seizures.  We believe be had one this morning while he was watching TV because of the way he is sleeping as I type this post. His Neurologist has made another adjustment and  increased his medication again.  From what we are told, it takes about 4 days for any changes in medication to take full effect.  Jackson is on a very low dose of this new medication and has room to be increased on it quiet a bit. We are prayerful that this is just a transition in medicine that will eventually, once we have the right levels and dosage, have better long-term results and allow Jackson to not have seizures.

Please continue to pray for Jackson.  We believe God has a great plan for him and us through this journey and we are trusting Him even when we have more questions right now than answers.

One More For Jesus is Baptized

A couple of years ago I had the privilege of leading my oldest son to Christ.  It’s a night I’ll never forget!!!!  Thankfully I was an active blogger and captured the story.  Here is a recap of how the night went:

Josiah and I have been reading the Bible together before he goes to bed each night for quite sometime now. We have made it through the Old Testament and just started the New Testament. The last couple of nights have been on the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. Tonight, the passage was from Acts 1 when Jesus ascends to Heaven. As Josiah and I talked about the lesson, we talked about Heaven and who gets to go to Heaven. We talked about what keeps people from heaven. He knows that sin keeps people from Heaven (We’ve talked about sin for awhile and he knows what sin is). So when I told him that sin keeps us from God and if we don’t have Jesus in our heart we can’t go to Heaven, He understood it. He asked if I (me) died would I go to Heaven and I said yes because I have asked Jesus into my heart and He forgave me of my sin. And because I have done that, when I die, I get to go to Heaven. After I said this, I asked him, “What happens to people that don’t ask Jesus into their heart?” He said with a gulp, “they go to Hell.” I asked, “Why do they go to Hell?” He said, “Because Jesus hasn’t taken away their sins.”

At this point my heart began to race. I asked Josiah, “Have you ever asked Jesus to come into your heart and forgive you of your sins? He said, “I want too but I don’t know how!” So innocent. I said, “All you have to do is pray and ask Jesus to come into your heart and to forgive you of your sins. If I pray with you, do you want to pray and ask Jesus to come into your heart and forgive you of your sins?” He said, “Yes!” So needless to say, we called Stephanie into the room, of coarse Jackson followed, and as a family we prayed together and Josiah asked Jesus to come into his heart and forgive him for his sins. As a dad, this is the moment you pray for and as a pastor/dad you try not to rush, but tonight, I am proud to proclaim we have one more for Jesus in the Gould Family! Josiah asked Jesus into his heart!

But the story doesn’t end there.  This last weekend I had the privilege of Baptizing Josiah.  What a special day is he publicly professed Christ.  Another moment that will forever be etched in my heart as a dad!  Here is Josiah’s profession of faith in Christ and Baptism.

The Proposal

Leaving a Legacy

Today, I attended a memorial service to celebrate the life of a man I never met! However, after hearing the testimony of the life he lived, I wish I would have had the opportunity.  Story after story, people shared of his life, his commitment to Christ, his love for his wife, kids & grand-kids, his generosity, his integrity, and his knowledge of scripture. I quickly realized that this wasn’t just a man who said he was a Christ-Follower, this was a man who lived every day for Jesus! The evidence of his relationship with Christ was seen and heard by the testimony of the people in the room.

As I listened I was challenged, convicted, & encouraged to think about my own life & the legacy I would leave behind.  Would my boys be able to stand as his sons & daughters did today to tell about how their dad lived everyday for Jesus & challenged them to also? Would people be able to see evidence that I loved my wife as Christ loved the Church, & would others be impacted for Jesus by my influence?

These are all questions that we need to ask ourselves from time to time.  These are the very things that will define who we are, who we live for, and who we touch with our life. It is the legacy that we will someday leave behind.  We don’t know how or when that may be, but lets live with no regret, taking advantage of the day and living it as if it were our last!

Family Update 1.17.11

I am in the process of rethinking my blog & noticed that its been over a year since I posted something about the family.  So here’s an update!

This past weekend we had the privilege of hosting the 7th grade boys during Fusions ONE Retreat! Our boy’s loved is maybe more than the 7th graders.  Jackson definitely gave them a run for the money when it came to energy and Josiah just hung out like he was in 7th grade.  I’m sure that going to come back to haunt us later when he actually is in 7th grade.  It was a fun weekend, but it wasn’t a seizure free weekend.

While I was at the church, Steph was home with the boys playing Wii “Just Dance 2” when Jackson had a seizure.  No matter how prepared we feel we are, seizures are still VERY frightening! Steph knew just what to do and by the time I had gotten the message and called, Jackson was sleeping from exhaustion which is normal after a seizure.  When I got home later Saturday Night with the boys, Jackson seemed to be back to himself.

Jackson seems to have 1 seizure every month in a half.  At first it was something we were told he would grow out of, but now his seizures have taken a different spin leaving doctors a little puzzled so it seems.  I’ve learned from his birth this seems to be the way Jackson likes to roll!  He is a miracle child that keeps his mom and dad on edge but trusting God with the details.

Jackson Update 12-9-09

Just a quick update from our scare today that included a trip to the ER by ambulance.  From what we can tell, Jackson had a seizure today while in class at preschool. Thankfully he goes to preschool at the church and Stephanie and I are just down the hallway.  However, this seizure wasn’t like most of the ones from the past.  This seizure took place without the rhythmic convulsions like seizures of the past. This is  probably what scared us more than anything.  His eyes were open, but he just had a blank stare on his face.  It was like he wanted to respond, but couldn’t respond to us so just stared. Very scary!

The school had already called 911 when I got there.  The paramedic weren’t any real help.  It was almost as if they did’t know what to do, or how to deal with a little kid.  Once we got to the hospital, the waiting game began.  After some Tylenol and Motrin, a long hard nap, and 3 hours in the ER, Jackson returned to his normal self.  Praise Jesus!

We are now home, watching Sesame Street and keeping Tylenol and Motrin in his system to keep another fever from spiking causing another seizure. Please continue to pray for our little guy.  We believe that one day, God is going to use his story in a powerful way.

Thanks to all that prayed, came by, text, or left messages on my Facebook.  We are so thankful for your friendship and feel loved and blessed to have you in our lives!

Jackson will go to the Dr. tomorrow to make sure it is just a cold and not the onset of an infection before we make the trek to Missouri this weekend.

Don’t be hate’n the video may be old but the words are true and so powerful!

One More for Jesus!

Josiah and I have been reading the Bible together before he goes to bed each night for quite sometime now. We have made it through the Old Testament and just started the New Testament. The last couple of nights have been on the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. Tonight, the passage was from Acts 1 when Jesus ascends to Heaven. As Josiah and I talked about the lesson, we talked about Heaven and who gets to go to Heaven. We talked about what keeps people from heaven. He knows that sin keeps people from Heaven (We’ve talked about sin for awhile and he knows what sin is). So when I told him that sin keeps us from God and if we don’t have Jesus in our heart we can’t go to Heaven, He understood it. He asked if I (me) died would I go to Heaven and I said yes because I have asked Jesus into my heart and He forgave me of my sin. And because I have done that, when I die, I get to go to Heaven. After I said this, I asked him, “What happens to people that don’t ask Jesus into their heart?” He said with a gulp, “they go to Hell.” I asked, “Why do they go to Hell?” He said, “Because Jesus hasn’t taken away their sins.”

At this point my heart began to race. I asked Josiah, “Have you ever asked Jesus to come into your heart and forgive you of your sins? He said, “I want too but I don’t know how!” So innocent. I said, “All you have to do is pray and ask Jesus to come into your heart and to forgive you of your sins. If I pray with you, do you want to pray and ask Jesus to come into your heart and forgive you of your sins?” He said, “Yes!” So needless to say, we called Stephanie into the room, of coarse Jackson followed, and as a family we prayed together and Josiah asked Jesus to come into his heart and forgive him for his sins. As a dad, this the moment you pray for and as a pastor/dad you try not to rush, but tonight I am proud to proclaim we have one more for Jesus in the Gould Family! Josiah asked Jesus into his heart!

Oh To Be A Kid

Today I took Josiah to the dentist! In between appointments we grabbed a quick bite to eat at McDonald’s. Watching Joe play with a huge smile on his face was the highlight of the morning!

As I sat at the dentist office, that mental picture of Joe looking down at me saying, “Daddy” with a huge smile on his face will forever be etched in my memory and on my heart!

It made me think back to when I was a kid. Life was much easier. As a kid the biggest stress-or in my life were rainy days that kept me from playing outside or my friends not being able to play outside with me!

Life is much different now! Even though kids are expensive (if it’s not the hospital with one, it’s the dentist with the other) they are well worth it. Everyday my boys remind me of the important things in life. They seem to always find something to make themselves happy or make us laugh. They trust and give so much not expecting anything in return. They get excited by the small things that many times are overlooked! They don’t know a stranger and are so accepting of others!

Oh to be a kid again! Wouldn’t it be nice?

Praying Hands

For the last couple of weeks we have been letting, (should say begging) Josiah to pray and thank God for our meal each night as we sit together as a family.  Typically Jackson is already way ahead of us and has to stop eating to pray.  This past week as we were waiting for Josiah to make it to the table Jackson said “we pray” and put his hands together and started praying.  The only thing I could understand was Amen at the end! Ever since then, now when we sit down to eat, both boys pray.  Jackson prays in tongues and Joe prays in English, but God know what both of them are saying, and Stephanie and I delight that the boys are eager to talk with God! What a blessing!!!