Some passengers held their breath. Not me. As the plane climbed in elevation, my breathing was excellent! The dash to the connecting flight in Denver, with eight minutes and a furiously fast wheelchair ride to the gate, left me breathless. Finally in Fairbanks (many hours later), the air was clean and crisp! There was plenty of breathing room!
Two months ago I needed oxygen. Evenings were tough so music was comforting. Although my voice was nearly gone, I tried to sing along. The first song I heard was Breathe (originally recorded by Michael W. Smith). Tears fell as I thanked God for being the air in my lungs.❣️
Thank you, family and friends, for lifting me in friendship and support. I’ve missed writing; it’s like breathing to me. My time away allowed for a breather–and today, you’re a breath of fresh air to me! Never lose hope, my friends. Let’s take a deep breath and inhale the incoming scents of a new season.
Keep the faith. 💚
“The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty give me life.”
Job 33:4
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I asked Carolyn how you were doing, and she said, “I don’t know, Alaska.”
It sounds like you’re doing well. It’s nice hearing your breath resonating out of your melodious vocal chords again. I think you did a great job. Much better than anything I could hack out.
I love the photos, also.
Thank you, Tippy! I appreciate you! It was truly a miracle that I could go. My best friend from college, and her husband, were kind enough to accompany me. 7 weeks ago I doubted I would be able to keep that trip. I didn’t over do it. My son will be deployed for 7-8 months so the timing, again, was perfect.
Thank you for your kind words about the song, too. It’s so odd. This new treatment causes “hoarseness” (better than horseness for me!). And I’m certain the 20 days of antibiotics after my respiratory crisis didn’t help.
I’m very blessed to be here! And super happy you are too!
What a nice friend you have.
The timing sounds good for your son, too. After all, he gets to be out of Alaska during its coldest months.
You didn’t sound horse to me. Nayyyyy.
☺️☺️☺️
True! But his wife and kids will “bear” I mean, bare? The brunt for him! I’m still in bear mode from C’s page. 🤭
That’s okay. I’ll bear with you.
🐻
Ooh you guys are “funnny!” Mr “Alaska” 🤦♀️🤦♀️
I was wondering if you’d catch that one.
🤭 🤪
I love that: ‘I thanked God for being the air in my lungs’ , Yes !!! Glad you’re back on board the WP train, Karla: my granddaughter has been staying with me for the last four days and is flying back this morning; I know what you mean saying goodbye to family —
Thank you, John! I’m so happy your granddaughter has been with you. I’m sorry for the goodbyes. I don’t like goodbyes! They’re NEVER easy! I’m glad to know you’re doing well, my friend. Many blessings!
“Never lose hope.” ❤️ Grateful to read about your trip and update. Sending lots of love.
Thank you, Kelley. I know you hang on to hope, too! Love you, friend. ❤️🙏
cheering you on! 🙂 slow and steady for sure. even though I would like all the health and then some to be zapped back to you, I know the journey is just as important. be blessed! Mike
Mike., thank you for such an encouraging message! I appreciate you, my friend! Be blessed, too! Karla
Karla, I have been thinking about you and always praying. I am so thrilled you had such a wonderful time with your family and especially the precious grands. Your lovely voice brought tears and it was nice to hear that song again after so many years! Sending love and prayers to you my dear friend❤️
Pam, thank you so much precious friend! I’ve thought of you and all the work you’re doing for a beautiful new season!
I had doubts (how dare I, lol) that I would make the trip…but God’s plan prevailed!
Oh, Pam. Seeing them filled my heart. The kids have grown so much since I saw them last Christmas!
I’ve been walking again! It’s not fully healed; yet, such progress. When fatigue or pain appears, I have my scooter.
Love is a healer!
Michael W. Smith and his wife/family are special! I’ve always enjoyed his gifts. When I woke up one night, unable to sleep, this song was the first I heard when I turned on my playlist. This happens to me all the time! It wasn’t him singing it, but a couple who beautifully sang it. Tears rolled down my face as the NEXT song was about God being the breath in me! I had the oxygen tube in my nose while I was crying. I took it out. God, you’re the air I breathe!
Today, our verse was in Ezekiel. Yep! Dead bones came to life with HIS breath! Pam, this is no coincidence on this day. It almost took my breath away! (Pun intended!). I can’t stop praising Him for the total envelopment of his Spirit in me! The true Christ life! This is what it’s about.
I know that you and Butch grasp this and live it too~ despite our circumstances. It’s all about Christ living in us and through us! I die to myself daily. Hourly. It’s not easy and I fail sometimes~ and then, I surrender and his breath blows through my soul to renew the life in Him. The whole reason why this particular song had to be my choice. I was a squeaky squirrel for many weeks. I sound like one right now~ but it’s ok because Christ is my song and life!
I love you dearly and appreciate you so much! Give Butch my regards, too, ♥️🙏❤️💚💕🎵🎵🎵
Keeping you in my prayers, this post is beautiful.
Thank you, JK! I appreciate you my friend. You’re so kind. 🙏
Glad you had a great time with family Karla, that in itself is a breath of fresh air. As was the ‘Breathe’ song little lady, if I could but sing a tenth like that 🤣 And you said it was done a ‘little out of breath’. At this rate you’ll be on a record 🤗🤣
And a lovely range of photo’s…reindeer, sled races and Santa Clause. They must start early up there…but it is his home town I suppose 😂 And I am intrigued by the huge crystal ball. Well, I saw the word Aurora on the board so is it some type of display showing them? They did say because of the sun spot activity it was going to be quite a show up that way 🤗
And you will have your boots back on my friend, even if its doing the trails by skeeter power 🤣 I do hope the rest with family has brightened your journey and things are going well with all the ‘testing’ of so much healing happening 🤗🥰
And yes, Jesus will give you many breaths on this journey kind lady. With many more to come. Big hugs from across the blue, many fins (dolphin one’s 😂😀), waving excitedly from over here as our weather has begun to warm beautifully. And much love to you an Finn. Take care, glad to hear the love in your heart beating nicely 🤗🥰🤣😀😎🛵🥾🐾🦓🎶🦋🕊️🐬❤️🙏
This Finn (fin) and I are waving at you! I always love reading your responses!
I’m grateful I was able to keep the trip. Faith grows from continued complete dependence on Christ~ HE never fails!
Thank you for your kind words about the song. It’s my testimony of my summer~ well, my entire adulthood when all I COULD do was accept his breath of life! It’s a life Christ died for us to experience. He never promised it would be easy~ and told us it would be challenging and uncomfortable. This has led to great adventures (as Tim would say, we are living in the Great Adventure when HE is our only pursuit)!
It’s always Christmas at the North Pole, Mark~tee hee! The kids sure love it, too.
At Pike’s Landing in Fairbanks (it was a neat place by the Chena River), they had a wonderful room to investigate our world, the sun, and the “why’s” and “when’s” of the Aurora Borealis. It was proud of how kids love hands-on learning, the big globe donated by the University of Fairbanks. My friends were able to visit the museum on campus and shared it was fascinating!
Finn and I send our love and hugs to you! With Halloween candy filling the aisles here there’s a lot of chocolate nearby! Take care! God bless you! 💚🎵🙌🏻🤗🍂 🐬 🦓 🛵 🥾
Chocolate…where? 🤣 I have no doubt I would be lost in Halloween over there, I wouldn’t know which way to turn 😂 And I’m glad to receive both your waves Karla, a cheer from shared hearts gladly received. And I can feel your joy kind lady, I think that family gathering was just what the doctor ordered. And just being in His love in those moments too. It sounds like you covered lots of adventures up there and stirred that beating heart Karla 🤗🥰
My celestial event is a full lunar eclipse Sunday night down here. They said a nice blood moon would be great to watch and I have a telescope to view it…I’ve just got to try to not fall asleep at 2.30am 🤗🥱
And you’ve now had a taste of the Chiefs preseason, stretched your cheering muscles ready for a good year I hope 🤣🏈
Big hugs to you both, lots of love and healing breath kind lady. May your heart keep on singing His love and praises my friend. Take care 🤗🥰🤣😂😎🛵🥾🐾🦓🎶🦋🕊️🐬❤️🙏
I knew chocolate would get your attention! Tee hee! Chiefs tonight and I’ll be looking at that SAME BIG BEAUTIFUL MOON! Yay!
Keep loving and providing light, dear friend! I’ll save some chocolate for you too!! 😆😁💚🥾🐾🦓🍫
Haha, me? Predictable? 🤣 Enjoy the game, and the moon. Indeed His light shines on us all kind lady, you share it well ❤️ I look forward to that chocolate Karla, I’ll send the ‘finned’ courier service over for it. Take care, and not too much excitement with the game 🤗🥰🤣😂😎🛵🥾🐾🦓🎶🦋🕊️🐬❤️🙏
Sooo very glad you were able to be with your son and his family before he deployed! Lovely pics! And oooh the song. Michael W Smith was one of the first cassette tapes I ever bought. 🙂Love his music! “Friends are friends forever” 🧡
Praising God for the oxygen in your lungs and continued prayers that you keep singing and blessing us all with your inspiring words. Love ya, my wonderful friend! ❤️
Happy Friday sweet C! Thank you for being “here” and walking this journey with me!
I thought you might bring up that song 🎶! Those were precious years at that time it was recorded.
I always appreciate your joyful spirit, C! Love you too, my dear friend!♥️💕🎵🦄🙏🙏
Happy Friday, Karla!
I am privileged to be “here”, my friend! 💛💛
Yes, precious years for me, too. How can time go sooo fast?? How did we get older! 🤪
Love you! Have a wonderful day! 🌈 🌈
You too, sweet C!! Older? We’re at the perfect age now! 🙂 LOVE YOU! Have an amazing day! 💖😀❤️🦄
Yes, we are, you are right!! 🥰
Karla, I am so happy to hear from you! I have been wondering how you are, and praying for you. You always encourage me to be strong. And I’m grateful for that. I know you encourage many others, too. That is your gift and you use it to bless others! Glory to God! God bless you today and every day! 🙏💕🐾
How precious to write, Cindy. I pray for God to use me in this way. To bless and encourage others! You are a blessing and encouragement to me, sweet sister. I’m so thankful for you!
I give all glory to God! He’s given me such incredible life experiences that have all been teachers to me. Life is lessons! HE has been there in, through, and out of all of them. What an incredible Savior we serve!
Much love to you and Henry! God bless you! 🐾❤️🙏
Im glad you enjoyed your trip to Alaska. Lots of love to you
Thank you, sweet Sadje! Much love to you!
You’re most welcome
❤️🤗
🥰🥰🥰
I find joy when you find what you need, Karla. Breathe it all in, indeed.
Thank you, dear friend! I appreciate your friendship and support! SO kind!
My dear Karla! I am so glad you got to go to Alaska to see your family there. You are a pillar of strength and inspiration. I am so sorry for you struggles with breathing and treatment! I pray you will continue to persevere.
Your music is a beautiful expression of your Faith!
I am sending you one of my favorite songs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLTrtDTj7TY
(Uncle) Dwight
Thank you Uncle Dwight! I’ve been trying to catch up on reading and I saw you posted last night so I’ll make it to your place today!
Your words lift me! Thank you for always praying for me and supporting my journey! I’m so happy you enjoyed the praise song! I can’t wait to hear the song you sent.
Many blessings to you and yours!!
You are so very welcome, Karla. Take care and look out for your self first these days! Wishing you blessings as well!
Thank you, Dwight. I will do that! You too! 🤗❤️🙏🏻
Oh, this song moved me! There is a place where hope remains and lives it’s at the place where joy and sorrow meet. It’s so true! Her voice. I want to learn this song. Thank you for sharing it. It’s very inspiring….and true! 🎶🙏
I am so glad you enjoyed it. It always moves me when I listen to it. I thought it is right where you are at this point in your life.
It truly is, Dwight!!
I’m so happy that your trip was wonderful! Karla the prayer warriors are still praying and I’ve put your name and an intention for healing into the prayer box going again to Lourdes on September 8th – this coming Monday. 🙏🏻💖🙏🏻
Thank you, Val! I appreciate you and your prayer warriors so much. How wonderful it’s headed to Lourdes soon! That touches my heart! 🙏💖
🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻💗💓💖
I’m breathing in your words my dear sister Karla and so happy you were with you family. You are a breath of fresh air with your faith so strong and I am breathing more love and healing into you now, I remember that struggle with pregnancy induced asthma. Love you so much! xxoxoxoxoxo Continued prayers. ❤️
C, it’s so good to see you and “hear” your beautiful expressions! Thank you, big sis! I appreciate your kindness and support so much. I miss being at your place and hope all is well with you and your precious family, too! I hope and pray you all stay safe and healthy! I love you so much too! XOXOXOXOXO ❣️❤️🤗🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
❤️
❣️🤗❣️🐾🐾❤️
Your posts are always a big breath of fresh air for us, Karla. Now we know where you go to get it❣
Aww, thank you, Mitch! I appreciate you so much ♥️🤗
Breathe deep lovely – so good to hear from you X
Hello sweet Kate~it’s so good to see you, dear friend. Thank you for being here. Much love ❤️ X
I’m so glad you were able to go to Alaska and see family and that your friends were able to accompany you!
Years ago I stretched myself and made several “Mind Movies” using Windows movie maker. I combined photos, music, various slides with words on them and used several transition techniques between slides. It was a lot of fun and the results were very uplifting. A song I used on several of them was “All my days” a song by the wonderful songwriter Alexi Murdoch. The last lines were “And even breathing is alright”. Given my lifelong Asthma, that line was a great affirmation for me.
Here’s to the cure for you and the world!!!
love, katelon
Katelon, this is beautiful my friend. What an amazing project and product outcome! Those types of activities are soulful and inspiring! Thank you for sharing this!
I’ve thought of you when I’m taking deep breaths. As I type this I’m “cheating”‘with my oxygen tank lol!
Each breath is a miracle!
Your support and friendship are a treasure. Love you! ♥️
Praying for you little sister. WOnderful you could go to Alaska. So much scenery and nature there for you my outdoorsy little sister 🙂
Thank you big brother! It was a Godsend. How are you??
This trip was all about playing with the grandkids and being there for her birthday~ the grand adventure and they are the best views there!
Alaska is a beautiful state!
I’m slowly and surely putting one step in front of the other. Today was another miracle I’ll have to write about in the future.
God bless you, Matt! I’m praying for you too!
How wonderful! Karla, I’m big smiles, here. 😍
Beautiful my friend ❤️❤️❤️. We have hope. I remember a climber friend telling me about Everest. How when you can’t get air into your lungs, just how much you appreciate and treasure it when you can. Every breath is a gift ❤️❤️❤️❤️
I’m so glad you got to go to Alaska! The air really is much cleaner up there. Thanks for sharing, and as always, you are in my prayers!
Thank you, dear Ann. It truly was a miracle. I spent most days indoors with the little grands. It’s such an amazing state. I miss them all so much! Thank you for your prayers and support. I pray you are all doing your best.
love the rendition of that great song, Karla and the post esp that phrase: ‘God is the air in my lungs’; inspirational 🙂
Thank you, John! Your support and friendship mean so much to me! I hope you’re well, dear friend. 🙏🏻🤗
I’m so thankful you had this opportunity to fly to Alaska! And so thankful for His breath in your lungs and for the praise you share! I searched for Michael W. Smith’s song and added it to my playlist. Speaking of him, I found a photo within the last year of Michael W. Smith and me. I was 14 or 15 and in Missouri that summer at Kamp Kanakomo. He performed for us and patiently posed for photos afterwards.
❤️❤️❤️#nevercease🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
I love the photos you shared, my Dear Sister, and hearing you sing “Breathe” was so beautiful and angelic. I truly felt like I was at church, worshipping right along with you. 🙏💚
Praying for your complete healing and strength in Jesus’ Name. May His Spirit fill your lungs with life and His peace cover you each day.
You Are Dearly Loved and you are in my thoughts and prayers…