IF YOU HAVE A WEAK STOMACH DO NOT SCROLL DOWN ANY FURTHER!!!

PICTURES OF JEFF'S EAR

If you double click on the pictures you can get a closer/more graphic view of the ear!!

Update on Jeff

Hey Everyone-

I know I have been full of ghorry photos lately and I am sorry about that. Jeff and I want to be able to document what all has happened, what God has done and is continuing to do.

We just to give you a little background of what has gone on so this may be a long post!!

A couple of days before surgery Jeff went to talk to a friend of ours that is the Youth/Worship leader at the church next door. Jeff told him he wouldn't be able to help with the area wide youth worship. This precious friend of ours just to give you a little background traveled with Leann Rhimes for years and was offered a multimillion dollar music contract and did not accept it because he knew he could not live for the Lord the way he should if accepted. So when you hear Chris you wonder why Decatur, Texas in a small church?? It is truly because of Chris' obedience to the Lord and we don't pick where God Sends us!!! So Chris proceeds to pray over Jeff and became emotional, he then said Jeff God is giving me a song to sing over you and sang this song over Jeff. Jeff asked if Chris could remember the words to record it and I am going to attempt to link it for you to listen to here!! Jeff and I listened to it the whole way to his surgery and if you listen to the entire song you will feel the power in which God used Chris as his vessel!!

When the surgeon and nurse took Jeff and I back to prep him for surgery the nurse asked if she could pray over us and the surgeon asked if I could pray over him. There is not a better way to be put under than knowing the hands that are taking you apart and putting you back together fully trust in Jesus!!

The first night after surgery was very rough for Jeff! He got very sick from the anesthesia and was in tremendous pain, but has been much better yesterday and today.

We went to the surgeons office today and had the bandages changed and were told everything looks as it should. Before I post the pictures I am warning you they are very raw and ghorry so please don't scroll down any further!!

Thank you all for the prayers, food, visits, etc. Please continue to pray for good reports on the lymphnodes and ear!!

Love,
Jeff and Nat

I look forward to the day....

* That my posts are not Debbie Downers about sickness, surgery etc..
* That we can get through this and see that God was in the middle of all of this
* That the doctor calls us and tells us the cancer is no where else to found
* That our bodies don't go through sickness

This last month has been kind of surreal. I have prayed more than ever, cried more than ever, worried more than ever, and yet seen the realness of our Savior through all of these emotions more than ever. It is so perfectly clear that Jesus' model of what a church should be is being put into practice by our friends and family.

We are so blessed and thankful for the outpouring of love shown to us. Our cellphone batteries have been dead by noon this week and it is because of the love of Jesus that has been shown to us and look forward to walking hand in hand with you through this.

Because of Him,
Jeff and Natalie Gary

NOT FOR THE WEAK STOMACHED...I REPEAT WARNING!!

I know these pictures are pretty vile but I wanted some of you guys to see just what my poor mom has been through in the past few days. We took her to the doctor today and he works ONLY on feet and said her foot is the worst he has ever seen in his practice!! That was eye opening to hear that she has been surviving and even working out on this poor hoof! She has been an incredible trooper and has not complained once...it is really amazing. Thanks for all the continued prayers as she has a long road to recovery. 6 weeks on crutches and 6 weeks of leaving these brutal looking pins in her foot.

Love,

Nat

This Boot was not made for walking!!

Today my mom had orthopedic surgery on her foot. It was first of all long overdue and in a lot worse shape than even the doctor thought. After starting surgery the doctor called in another doctor to help because he said her foot was was much much worse than he could tell from X-rays. For those that are not weak stomached Dr. Ravik had to break her 3 middle toes, shorten 2 of them by cutting down the bones, "saw off" a whole lot of a bunion and then had to correct a bone that was trying to come out of the bottom of her foot. The doctor said he really has no idea how she has walked this long and obviously living DC it is a neccesity so much less the miles oper week she walks. The doctor also told us that putting the bones back together was like putting back a complicated Jigsaw puzzle and that she cannot put any pressure on her foot at all, so needless to say if you know my mom the crutches are not her best friend and within 5 minutes of being home I caught her scooting. Thankfully the anesthesia (spelling??) did not make her sick at all and after sleeping 30 mintues we were able to bring her home and she is doing great. The doctor warned us that she would feel great today but tomorrow would be brutal!!

I have attached some pictures: the first is her foot before surgery which does not show the ping pong ball underneath that he cut out, the 2nd is her new shoe and lastly the after.

Thanks for the prayers and please continue to pray for patience as it is so difficult for her to not walk!!

-Nat

Divine Appointments

Last Saturday Jeff and I went and got massages that we received from our Youth Group for Christmas. Last week was so incredibly stressful that I have been told that I was a "monster" so needless to say I was so looking forward to one hour of total peace and rest. In a side note I have been told by my husband and close friends that I have a sign on my forehead that reads "tell me your life story" so as I lay down and the masseuse comes in I just ask her how her day is going (oh another side note we had been at a creative chruch conference the 2 days before this massage and personal evangelism was stressed quite a bit) and she proceeds to tell me within the first 5 minutes of the massage that she had an abortion a couple of months ago and had suffered 3 miscarriages this year. Enter personal evangelism!! It sure is hard to lay there as someone who is hurting so deeply is trying to take away your physical pain go away, when they are crying out to have their spiritual, mental and physical health healed. I began to talk to her about Jesus (which is awkward by the way when you are laying there practically naked) and told her of his grace, foregiveness, etc. She said she believed in his existance but he could not be close to her because of her choices. I prayed with her and left so burdened for her life. (did I mention that it was the worst massage I have ever had??) I realized though that sometimes God places people right in front of us but we don't always have a captive audience and I know the Lord gave me the opportunity to share with her his Great Love!! Later that night at the Mavericks Game a girl sat behind us that said a minimum of 300 horrendous cuss words during the duration of the game and although she was small I think she could have beat me in a fight no problem so I decided I was not with a captive audience and didnt say anything. Shame on Me! All this to say I know that God gives divine appointments and we should always seize the opportunity!!