baby steps

Sorry for the delay...but yesterday we made the great escape from the hospital to our friends condo near diamond head. I have been in a state of such awe over the last 24 hours I can't find words to express myself...I am walking around kissing flowers and just saying wow to everything God has created. The contrast of living in a 12x12 hospital room, mostly in isolation for 2 and a half months, to being free to walk in Diamond Head Park (albeit slowly)...let's just say there is a lot of crying for happy and thank you God's going on! And in the midst of all that wonder is thanks for you! Your love, your prayers, your support...I love each of you so much. In the physical world it seems as if there was a whole lot of suffering for nothing because we didn't knock out the cancer, but when Shelly and I were checking out of the hospital, the nurses, the aides, even some of our doctors were all crying with us as we said goodbye. You know why? God's goodness...we formed bonds...as they prayed for us we prayed for them. We got to know their families, their struggles, their needs through these months...we all fell in love with each other...they witnessed the power of God's love shinning in the midst of some real darkness...it wasn't contrived or fake...it just was squeezed out of what had been stored up in years of relationship with the source of all strength...Jesus Christ the living God. Shelly and I were constantly telling God's hospital servants what wonderful, special gifts they are...how much we appreciate their gifts of compassion day in and day out as they minister to the suffering...and there is a lot of suffering going on in there. The whole staff was in awe of your support and love...they had never seen anything like it...we even had nurses and doctors following the blog, the run for kit, the constant barrage of letters, cards, calls...all of us knew...in the physical nothings really happening...he isn't being cured, but in the spiritual everything was happening...not only was I being cured but all of us were receiving healings in every area of our lives. We left a couple big boxes of all kinds of goodies at the nurses station for 2nd floor oncology staff as a symbol of thanks. We said goodbye to room 223, my window and a whole myriad of emotions, lessons, pain and joy...as I walked out of the hospital and Shelly drove me to the condo I was experiencing an overwhelming sense of God's love which has flown so freely and naturally from you...I flashed back on times where your love & support just held me when I couldn't hold up any longer. I think, how wonderful it is to have loved ones. I want you to know how pleased God is with your heart...how do I know? He told me so! The Lord is with you today and a ready help regardless of how big the problem is...because He is always bigger. So, I wanted to let you know...we have successfully made the half step from the hospital to the big, open, world here at the Petulla's condo near Diamond Head. Next stop...home to Maui June 1. My blood counts are holding strong...I have to go real slow, but I really feel God's hand and your prayers protecting me. I really do "cry for happy" and I can't wait to touch the ground of my beloved Maui home. Shelly and I are doing good right now and we are holding you close to our hearts.

God isn't done yet...I am still here! So we continue to pray for His miracle and it feels so good to know you are praying right along side of us. The Lord will guide and lead us at each step from here on out. That's the thing about Abba, He is just full of all kinds of miraculous stuff!! May He richly bless you today.

love,
kit & Shelly