For more on this topic, watch these videos by Inspiring Philosophy:
"Christmas Is Not Pagan: Scripture"
"Christmas Is Not Pagan: History"
Paley was wide awake between 3-4 am EST, alert and aware of me and his surroundings, looked at me when I said his name, tried to peek outside when he heard noises in the hallway. He "looked" and responded more like himself. Right now, his breathing and heart are fine, and he's in a deep sleep.
Just spoke with night attending who was confused why he's overventilated. I told her that he was switched to a cuffed trach when he has uncuffed. Apparently, the hospital vents are sensitive and alarm with uncuffed trachs. Waiting for the daytime nurse to get to my house at 8am to watch Reid so David can bring the home vent setup.
Everyone at home is doing as well as can be expected. The big boys were great helpers last night, waiting downstairs at the front door for the ambulance while David watched Reid and I continued to give Paley breaths with the Ambu. When the night nurse came yesterday, Lucian and Blaise wanted to come with David to see us in the ER. Everyone took turns kissing Paley and we all prayed together.
I haven't rested much at all. I think I dozed for 90 minutes. Too shaken up. Jumping up at every sound from Paley and rushing to his side to see if I can get him to communicate with me like he normally would.
As for me, I've entered a dark night of the soul, and it is excruciating. I'm not afraid because I've been here before, and I know that at the right time God will lead me back into the light again as he always has. In the meantime, I'm struggling, fighting against my own thoughts and emotions by reminding myself of fundamental truths. The victories are small but meaningful.
I'm thankful he is here, that CPR successfully revived him, that the emergency teams arrived at our house within minutes, that the Children's Hospital is only about ten minutes from where we live, that every EMT, fireman, doctor and nurse I've run into is kind and compassionate, that everything that happened since that awful moment has been about as good as it could be. I'm thankful for my family and neighbors, for my brothers and sisters in the Lord interceding on our behalf, for my MTM-CNM family who comprehends all of this like no one else can, and for all my friends who have sent messages of hope and love.
This is Paley about a year ago. I hope to hear him sing this again very soon even more clearly and loudly than before.
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Benjamin Franklin |
Statesmen . . . may plan and speculate for Liberty, but it is Religion and Morality alone, which can establish the Principles upon which Freedom can securely stand. The only foundation of a free Constitution is pure Virtue, and if this cannot be inspired into our People in a greater Measure than they have it now, They may change their Rulers and the forms of Government, but they will not obtain a lasting Liberty. They will only exchange Tyrants and Tyrannies.
Neither the wisest constitution nor the wisest laws will secure the liberty and happiness of a people whose manners are universally corrupt. He therefore is the truest friend to the liberty of his country who tries most to promote its virtue, and who, so far as his power and influence extend, will not suffer a man to be chosen into any office of power and trust who is not a wise and virtuous man.
We have no government, armed with power, capable of contending with human passions, unbridled by morality and religion. Avarice, ambition, revenge and licentiousness would break the strongest cords of our Constitution, as a whale goes through a net. Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.
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John Adams |
CNN—Iran has freed four prisoners from the United States, including Washington Post journalist Jason Rezaian, Iran's semi-official FARS news agency reported Saturday, citing Tehran's prosecutor.
Pastor Saeed Abedini
According to FARS, Iran freed Rezaian, Marine veteran Amir Hekmati and Christian pastor Saeed Abedini, who had been held on various charges. FARS identified the fourth prisoner freed as Nosratollah Khosrawi. Details of Khosrawi's case were not immediately known.
The release is part of a prisoner swap deal in which the United States reportedly freed seven Iranian-Americans held on charges related to sanctions against Iran, FARS said. The news agency had previously said the U.S. was to release six prisoners.
"Based on an approval of the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) and the general interests of the Islamic Republic, four Iranian prisoners with dual-nationality were freed today within the framework of a prisoner swap deal," FARS quoted the office of the Tehran prosecutor as saying. (Continue Reading.)