Cindy Signaigo...OK...UPDATE 1

Update 1 from the Hubby, Johnny Sig:


Rick,
 Thanks for hooking us up with the Prayer Group...........Cindy is doing
as good as possible but under a lot of pain.....mostly seat belt injury
but back and neck too........it was pretty high speed for a suburban
intersection.........Cindy was driving her brand new (only 2 payments
old) Lexus.........what a tank......mostly hit at a "head on but angled"
kind of thing......The other driver was at fault and got the
ticket.....The Lexus is probably totaled.............Thanks again Rick
for the prayer group help...............John boy



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dear PG...please say a quick prayer...

Rick,

I don’t know if you where in the email loop.  Cindy is OK, but involved in a car accident (not her fault) and probably totaled her car.  Spent about two days in the hospital.  Nothing broken.  Now at home, with meds, recouping.  You can put her on the prayer list for a while.

Hope all is well,

Bob Sig

UPDATE #6: The TWINS are going FULL TERM!

UPDATE 6:

From: George Bockwinkel

Date: April 12, 2011 8:07:05 AM CDT

To: Rick Bockwinkel

Subject: The MN Twins-Update

Rick, Sarah celebrated 37 weeks of pregnancy this past Sunday and had a check up on yesterday. Hard to imagine that 8 weeks ago, everyone was asked to pray to keep those twin girls "in" a little longer. Those prayers certainly were answered. Now we can say prayers of "thanks" for prayers answered and request prayers of comfort for Sarah (and James) and for a timely and safe delivery. While they did not doing any measuring of the twins on yesterday's visit, recall a few weeks ago, they were 5 lbs 4 oz. and 5 lbs. 14oz. and both in the head down position. James'  message pretty much sums it up. "Thank you for the prayers.  Sarah is pretty much uncomfortable all the time, so she's about right where she should be in the pregnancy.  Now, if this comes to a natural end sooner rather than later, we would really be beholden to all those praying for us... :-)

UPDATE 5:

On Friday, the Jr. Bockwinkels called us on our drive to Tampa. All is well. Baby A now weighs 5 lbs. 10 oz. while Baby B weighs a mere 5 lbs. 4 oz. Both are still "head down", BUT Baby B now has the fast track and pole position. While A was eating and growing, B was using all her energy and time to take over the pole position. Both babies have working organs like the stomachs, lungs. Doctor said Sarah was a 60-70% chance for a "V" delivery. He could not have been more elated with her status. This Sunday will be 35 Weeks. They have come a long wiay from the troubled days of Week 29. Growth through prayer works!

UPDATE 4:

Sarah had a routine visit with her OB on Wednesday(3/2/11). No ultrasound, no poking or probing. All seems as it is suppose to be. Doctor just reinterated, the longer they stay put, the better. 32 weeks is within sight (Sunday). I think we can all hear God saying, I'm hearing all of those prayers, "just trust in Me." George Bockwinkel

UPDATE 3:

From: George Bockwinkel

Date: February 20, 2011 12:52:28 PM CST

To: 

Subject: 2/20 Sarah's Update

Sarah returned home on Wednesday from Rochester as I believe you are aware of. The "twins" and she were all doing well. The "twins" had each grown 4 oz.since their ultrasound on Wednesday, 2/9. More importantly, the steroid injections they receeived in Rochester enhanced the developement of the organs, particularily their lungs. On Thursday, Sarah felt an increase in the frequency of contractions (15 minutes apart), so we went back to Rochester for some professional opinions. They monitored her for a couple of hours and she was released to return home. There had been no change in her dialation or effacing. Sarah is considered to be in latent labor. That is to say, the contractions are conditioning her body for the ultimate delivery. We (Ginny and I) departed Winona for J.C. on Saturday morning as Sarah's parents and youngest sister departed Rosemount for Winona at abut the same time. While Sarah's sister and dad returned to Rosemount on Saturday eveing, Lisa is staying until Monday (when hopefully, the snow will have stopped falling and the roads will have been plowed). They are forecasting 6-15" and already had 6" by noon today. Sarah continues to have irregular spaced contractions since Thursday. While her due date is May 1, full term for twins is considered 37 or 38 weeks (April 10 or 17). Today (Feb.20) she is 30 weeks. Since they weigh 3 lbs. 1 oz. and 3 lbs. even, they could stand to grow some more in order to reduce their stay in the hospital after birth.  Thanks for all the prayers. They helped get through the crisis and everything is on a more normal pace. Continued prayers will help see Sarah and the twins through to a healthy and safe delivery at God's appolinted time. The next update will be when anything significant changes.

UPDATE 2: Babies stayed put, that's good. The longer they stay put, the better for all concerned. While Sarah's contractions resumed after she was taken off meds that slowed down or stopped her contractions, that was not unexpected. They performed through ultrasounds on Wednesday morning. All is very good. Babies have grown 4 oz. each since last Wednesday. They are now 3 lbs. 1 oz. and 3 lbs even. More importantly, the steroids has aided in the developement of organs and their diaphrams/lungs are both functioning. Doctor felt comfortable in releasing Sarah to go home as they could do nothing more at the hospital. She is NOT on bed rest, BUT she can not drive, nor return to classes or her job duties, nor do much of anything around the apartment other than take it easy. Sarah got home Wednesday afternoon. She does not feel contractions when napping (as demonstrated in the ride home or another short nap once settled in), but when awake, has a contraction about once an hour, but they are not all that strong.  Unfortunately, the future is not very predictable.  Continue prayers so that the twins stay put for a time longer. This weekend they will be 30 weeks. UPDATE 1

We are in Rochester.  After a couple days (Sunday around2:30 until Tuesday at 2:00) Sarah has had drugs to slow down the labor and the twins have had two rounds of steriods to help develop their organs.  The drugs worked well at first then contractions started in again and we thought the little girls were going make an appearance.  We got out the word for the need of prayer and we headed to Rochester.  The prayers have been working, thanks to all of you and all the others who have "stormed" the heavens.  The girls have remained in womb and each day they will become stornger.  As of 2:00 p.m. today (Tuesday) Sarah had her last round of drugs to slow down the labor.  Her contractions are virtually non-existant.  The Dr. said her labor has been slowed down, she is now in latent labor.  We will see what tonight brings. If tonight proves to pass with non-existant labor, she may be able to return to Winona.  The Dr. will visit with James and Sarah in the morning and go over a plan. We appreciate all of your prayers and ask for continued prayers hopefully for another couple weeks when they will be 31 plus weeks and be much more ready to meet the challenges of the outside world. Thanks again for all your prayers and support we have felt God's loving hand in our journey.

James (my cousin, the youngest of our generation) took Sarah to the hospital this afternoon (Sunday) as she was experiencing pre-mature labor with the twins. Sarah is 29 weeks along, but obviously they would like her to get to 36 weeks, but that may not happen. Medical people have checked Sarah and the twins at the hospital today and all are doing well (except for the pre-mature labor). They are trying to slow down the contractions to put off the delivery. They have given twins some steroids to help speed their development. Unfortunately, the hospital in LaCross WS does not have room in their neo-natal ward, so, for safety they are transporting Sarah to hospital (Mayo) in Rochester MN this evening. FYI, just last week, the extensive check up showed both babies doing well with one weighing 2 lbs. 12 oz. and the other 2 lbs. 13 oz. Thanks for the prayers.

Please Pray for Mickie Boyle...updates GOOD NEWS

GOOD NEWS update!!!!

From: james boyle [mailto:jbigcanoe@hotmail.com]
Sent: Thursday, April 07, 2011 9:30 PM
Subject: Mick takes a giant step forward

 

The doctors told us today that Mick, if nothing changes by tomorrow, will be released from the hospital tomorrow - the day before her birthday - Happy Birthday.  She has been hospitalized 19 days, on a heart pump, ventilator with many advances and a good number of stumbles.  The Lord has given us another chance at a good life and she is determined to make it a good 'new lease on life'.  She will have a lot of rehab and is not forcasted to reach her 'potential' for aboout 9 months. 
There is no doubt in our minds that our prayers and her determination to stay with us are the reasons she is here.  The doc's obviously did a magnificent job, but it was the Man upstairs that called this shot.  Several doc's have told us they did not expect her to pull thru - see what a determined Irishman can do when challenged.
Again thank you, keep up your prayers for Mick and rejoice with us on her birthday, Saturday.
Jim

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
From: james boyle [mailto:jbigcanoe@hotmail.com] Sent: Wednesday, March 23, 2011 5:11 AMSubject: Mick

  Thank the Lord Mick survived another night.  It was relatively good evening.  The internal heart pump moved and had to be repositioned around 2am. Other than that it was peaceful  She remains on the vent and of course the supplemental heart assist pump.  Today they will attempt to lower it's output rate to see if she is able to pick up the slack and start to sustain her organs.  She has acute pneumonia - treatment of which is being somewhat hampered because the specific anti biotics are interfering with kidney function.  Her kidneys had ceased functioning but with the heart pump have now starting again.  She has made a series of mini steps forward, but is still unstable and in very critical condition.  She is touch and go and it can go either way at this time.  The only forecast from the doctors is "We are doing everythig we can".  There is one thing that will bring Mick thru this that is prayer. She needs all she can get --- PLEASE pray for her.
We set up a website under www.caringbridge.org/MicheleBoyle and hope to be updating it frequently with her progress
Thank you for all your calls, emails and prayers.  She will get thru this with your intercessions.
Thanks to everyone.

Subject: PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR MICKIE

With God's help, Mickie made it thru the night.  She is unstable and in extremely critical condition.  She is on a respirator and suffered from, among other things respitory arrest.  She has developed pneumonia.  She has not had a heart attack or stroke, but is suffering from a condition the Doc's call Stress Induced Cardiac Myopathy.  Simply all the grief and stress in her life lately has destroyed her hearts ability to pump blood.  Her ejection factor - yesterday was 15 which is 20 % of the normal heart and not enough to sustain the organs.  They had put a pump in to assist her heart in pumping blood, that did not do the job so last evening they put in a bigger heart pump.  She is slightly better, but there is no prognosis and we ask for your prayers.  That is the only thing that will save our Mick.

Just a thought, if you don't believe stress can kill - think again.
Jim

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From our colleague in prayer, Reagan M, this request from his friend...

Please say a prayer for Mickie Boyle, wife of a good friend and former rep of mine.  They have had their challenges lately.   Jim has had two cancer operations, then Mickie’s mother died two weeks ago and now this.  She just collapsed yesterday.  They did a heart cath and couldn’t find any aterial problems, yet her heart is only pumping 20%.  Gave her last rites at 4 am today.  

Please help.

Thanks

OB

If the Bible were your cell phone...

What would happen if we treated our Bible like we treat our cell phone? 

What if we carried it around in our purses or pockets? 

What if we flipped through it several times a day? 

What if we turned back to go get it if we forgot it? 

What if we used it to receive messages from the text? 

What if we treated it like we couldn't live without it? 

What if we gave it to Kids as gifts? 

What if we used it when we traveled? 

What if we used it in case of emergency? 

This is something to make you go....hmm...where is my Bible? 

Oh, and two more things. 

You never have to worry about the battery dying, it has eternal life.

And unlike our cell  phone, we don't have to worry about our Bible being 

Disconnected because Jesus already paid the  bill. 

Makes you stop and think 'where are my priorities? And no dropped calls!
When Jesus died on the cross, he was thinking of you! 

ProLife...pretty basic stuff...

A worried woman went to her gynecologist and  said: 'Doctor, I have a serious problem and desperately need your help!  My baby is not even 1 year old and I'm pregnant again.  I don't want  kids so close together.

So the doctor said: 'Ok and what do you want me to do?' 

She said: 'I want you to end my pregnancy, and I'm  counting on your help with this.' 

The doctor thought for a little,  and after some silence he said to the lady: 'I think I have a better  solution for your problem. It's less dangerous for you too.' 

She  smiled. Then he continued: 'You see, in order for you not to have to take  care 2 babies at the same time, let's kill the one in your arms.

Freedom and Jeff

Freedom and I have been together 11 years this summer.
She came in as a baby in 1998 with two broken
wings. Her left wing doesn't open all the way
even after surgery, it was broken in 4
places.  She's my baby.
When Freedom came in she could not stand
and both wings were broken. She was
emaciated and covered in lice. We made the
decision to give her a chance at life, so I took
her to the vets office.  From then
on, I was always around her. We had her in a
huge dog carrier with the top off,  and it
was loaded up with shredded newspaper for her to
lay in.  I used to sit and talk to her,
urging her to live, to fight; and she would lay
there looking at me with those big brown eyes.
We also had to tube feed her for weeks.
This went on for 4-6 weeks, and by then she still
couldn't stand. It got to the point where the
decision was made to euthanize her if she
couldn't stand in a week. You know you don't
want to cross that line between torture and
rehab, and it looked like death was
winning.  She was going to be put
down that Friday, and I was supposed to come in
on that Thursday afternoon. I didn't want to go
to the center that Thursday, because I couldn't
bear the thought of her being euthanized; 
but I went anyway, and when I walked in everyone
was grinning from ear to ear. I went
immediately back to her cage; and there she was,
standing on her own, a big beautiful
eagle.  She was ready to live.  I was
just about in tears by then.  That
was a very good day. 
We knew she could never fly,  so the director
asked me to glove train her. I got her used to
the glove, and then to jesses,  and we
started doing education programs for schools in
western Washington. 
   We wound up in the newspapers,
radio (believe it or not) and some
TV.   Miracle Pets even did a show
about us.
In the spring of 2000, I was diagnosed with
non-Hodgkins lymphoma. I had stage 3,
which is not good (one major organ plus
everywhere), so I wound up doing 8 months of
chemo.  Lost the hair - the whole
bit.  I missed a lot of work. When I
felt good enough, I would go to Sarvey
and take Freedom out for walks. Freedom would
also come to me in my dreams and help me fight
the cancer. This happened time and time again.
Fast forward to November 2000, the day after
Thanksgiving.  I went in for my last
checkup. I was told that if the cancer was not
all gone after 8 rounds of chemo, then my last
option was a stem cell transplant. Anyway, they
did the tests; and I had to come back Monday for
the results.  I went in Monday, and I was
told that all the cancer was gone.

So the first thing I did was get up to Sarvey and
take the big girl out for a walk. It was misty
and cold. I went to her flight and jessed her
up, and we went out front to the top of the
hill.  I hadn't said a word to
Freedom, but somehow she knew. She looked at me
and wrapped both her wings around me to where I
could feel them pressing in on my back 
(I was engulfed in eagle wings), and she
touched my nose with her beak and stared into my
eyes, and we just stood there like that
for I don't know how long.  That was a
magic moment.  We have been soul mates ever
since she came in.  This is a very special bird.
On a side note:  I have had people who
were sick come up to us when we are out, and
Freedom has some kind of hold on
them.  I once had a guy who was
terminal come up to us and I let him hold
her.  His knees just about buckled and he
swore he could feel her power course through his
body. I have so many stories like that..
I never forget the honor I have of being so close
to such a magnificent spirit as
Freedom.
Hope you  enjoy this.
Jeff

 

Please Pray for Georgette's Elderly Mom...

Dear faithful...I just was speaking to a business associate who just returned from helping her 78 year old mother deal with being burglarized.  Fortunately her mother, who lives at home alone, was not home when the teenagers...seeking pharmaceuticals and money raided her home.

Please say a prayer for this elderly person...and for the elderly we all know...that they live a peaceful life going forward.

Thanks,
RGB

St. Martin of Tours

The Episode of the Cloak

The Charity of St. Martin, by Jean Fouquet

While Martin was still a soldier at Samarobriva (modern Amiens) he experienced the vision that became the most-repeated story about his life. He was at the gates of the city of Samarobriva with his soldiers when he met a scantily dressed beggar. He impulsively cut his own military cloak in half and shared it with the beggar. That night Martin dreamed of Jesus wearing the half-cloak he had given away. He heard Jesus say to the angels: "Here is Martin, the Roman soldier who is not baptised; he has clad me." (Sulpicius, ch 2). In another story, when Martin woke his cloak was restored, and the miraculous cloak was preserved among the relic collection of the Merovingian kings of the Franks.

St Martin and the Beggar, by El Greco, ca. 1597-99 (National Gallery of Art, Washington)

The dream confirmed Martin in his piety and he was baptized at the age of 18.^[3] He served in the military for another two years until, just before a battle with the Gauls at Borbetomagus (nowWorms, Germany) in 336, Martin determined that his faith prohibited him from fighting, saying, "I am a soldier of Christ. I cannot fight." He was charged with cowardice and jailed, but in response to the charge, he volunteered to go unarmed to the front of the troops. His superiors planned to take him up on the offer, but before they could, the invaders sued for peace, the battle never occurred, and Martin was released from military service.^[4]

Martin declared his vocation and made his way to the city of Caesarodunum (now Tours), where he became a disciple of Hilary of Poitiers, a chief proponent of Trinitarian Christianity, opposing theArianism of the Imperial Court. When Hilary was forced into exile from Pictavium (now Poitiers), Martin returned to Italy, converting an Alpine brigand on the way, according to his biographerSulpicius Severus, and confronting the Devil himself. Returning from Illyria, he was confronted by the Arian archbishop of Milan Auxentius, who expelled him from the city. According to the early sources, he decided to seek shelter on the island then called Gallinaria, now Isola d'Albenga, in the Ligurian Sea, where he lived the solitary life of a hermit.

UNEMPLOYED GRADUATE...a message for all of us

An unemployed graduate woke up one morning and checked his pocket. All he had left was $10. He decided to use it to buy food and then wait for death as he was too proud to go begging. He was frustrated as he could find no job, and nobody was ready to help him.

He bought food and as he sat down to eat, an old man and two little children came along and asked him to help them with food as they had not eaten for almost a week. He looked at them. They were so lean that he could see their bones coming out. Their eyes had gone into the socket. With the last bit of compassion he had, he gave them the food. The old man and children prayed that God would bless and prosper him and then gave him a very old coin .  The young graduate said to them "you need prayer more than I do". 

With no money, no job, no food, the young graduate went under the bridge to rest and wait for death.  As he was about to sleep, he saw a newspaper on the ground.  He picked it up, and suddenly he saw an advertisement for people with old coins to come to a certain address.

He decided to go there with the old coin the old man gave him. On getting to the place, he gave the proprietor the coin. The proprietor screamed, brought out a big book and showed the young graduate a photograph. This same old coin was worth 3 million dollars. The young graduate was overjoyed as the proprietor gave him a bank draft for 3 million dollars within an hour.  He collected the Bank Draft and went in search of the old man and little children.

By the time he got to where he left them eating, they had gone.  He asked the owner of the canteen if he knew them.  He said no but they left a note for you.  He quickly opened the note thinking it would lead him to find them.

This is what the note said: "You gave us your all and we have rewarded you back with the coin," signed God the Father , The Son and The Holy Ghost . 1 Kings 17:10 -16; Matthew 11:28 -30 

PRAYER: 

Heavenly Father, most Gracious and Loving God,
I pray to you that You abundantly Bless my family and me. I know that You recognize, that a family is more than just a mother, father, sister, brother husband and wife, but all who believe and trust in You.

Father, I send up a prayer request for financial blessing for not only the person who sent this to me, but for me and all that I have forwarded this message on to.  And that the power of joined prayer by those who believe and trust in You is more powerful than anything.

I thank You in advance for your blessings.
Father God, deliver the person reading this right now and those who will read it in the near future from debt and debt burdens. Release your Godly wisdom that I may be a good steward over all that You have given me Father, for I know how wonderful and mighty You are and how if we just obey You and walk in Your word and have the faith of a mustard seed that You will pour out blessings.
I thank You now Lord for the recent blessings I have received and for the blessings yet to come Because I know You are not done with me yet.
In Jesus name, I pray,
Amen