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Iam Tongi, Monsters, and Fatherhood
Why am I feeling so emotional? I am watching a video of Iam Tongi’s duet with James Blunt from American Idol, singing Blunt’s song “Monsters.” Watching it live brought me to tears along with everyone else . . . and it is bringing me to tears again. Three months ago, I never knew of English…
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Isolation Kills, Stay Connected
Jasmine was first admitted to the hospital at the height of the COVID pandemic and placed in isolation, which meant no visitors allowed. I had been recovering at home from my bout with COVID. Four days later, I drove an hour to the hospital to be re-examined (I had COVID pneumonia). After my exam, I requested permission…
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Moving Forward: Overcoming Regrets
The first line in the song “Scars in Heaven” by Casting Crowns cuts me to the core. It is, “If I had only known, the last time would be the last time.” Despite being in ICU for three weeks, I fully expected Jasmine to recover. I envisioned when we would once again talk, laugh, hold…
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WSN: Moving Forward
Many of us in the WSN are familiar with Nora McInerny’s Ted Talk on moving forward vs. moving on. Her theme is we do not move on from grief but move forward with it. (If you have not seen it, you can view It on YouTube).This theme framed how I moved forward in this unwelcomed…
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A Fourth Way to Raise Your Hand to God
In my previous post, I discussed three ways to raise your hand to God when going through painful circumstances, such as losing your wife: I admit I may have done the first; I am sure I have done the second. However, as I walked through the painful process of accepting the reality of losing my…
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Three Ways to Raise Your Hand to God
Jasmine was in the ICU for three weeks when I was told she would never regain consciousness. This was a total shock, and I needed time to process it. I was not ready to “let her go.” Standing beside her the next night, I witnessed her oxygen absorption drop from 92% (which is okay) to…
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Part 3: What Now, God?
One morning, as I was getting ready to visit Jasmine, one of her doctors called and said, “Mr. Isara, the results of the MRI revealed that Jasmine has had several strokes resulting in damage to both sides of her brain.” After a brief discussion to clarify what that meant, the doctor said, “She will never…
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Part 2: The Challenge
In an intimate relationship, and there is none more intimate than marriage, whatever is hidden will come to the surface. Jasmine and I had a solid relationship built upon the foundation of our faith in Jesus Christ. But we are all uniquely different from one another, and if we are not careful, our differences can…
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Part 1: Like The Road To Hana
Driving the Road to Hana on the northeast coastline of Maui, Hawaii, can be treacherous. There are 617 hairpin turns and fifty-nine one-lane bridges. Carefully navigating this narrow winding road for sixty-four miles creates constant tension for the driver. It is hard to enjoy the tropical scenery while being transfixed on survival. The Road to…
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