Thursday, March 29, 2007

I Think I'll Break My Leg!

You know, I was thinking. Tonight we have our first real performance of "The Ressurection And The Life." This is a classic passion play that is performed every year at Faith Baptist church in Waterford. The Lovely Mrs. Pudgeman is assisting in the sound booth again this year and yours truly will be live and on stage. That's right for the next couple of weeks I get to play the part of the disciple Simon the Zealot (aka Doug the one eyed dancing desciple)! What does Simon get to do? Well, he gets to be on stage a lot, hang out with Jesus, sing and yes he even does a little line dancing with the other desciples! He doesn't get to speak any lines or have any solos but he does get a lot of face time. Hard to believe that I can go for two hours without talking (much) and I actually do stay focused on my part.

Seriously, this is a very well done musical. I saw it last year for the first time and I was absolutely moved by the power of this story. Now, I will say that the acting and singing are quite good for a group of people who are not professionals in the theatrical arts but are all just a bunch of regular Joes! I am honored to be part of this cast. Moreover it is the story that really gets you. I can't tell you the number of times that I have seen movies & plays or have read various books on the life of Jesus and thought that they were nice, but I can tell you that this play will move you. Please go ahead and check out the preview on the link that I have provided and if you have a chance to attend please do you won't regret it. If you cannot attend because you like live in Florida or something, let me know because they do put together a DVD each year and I can make sure that you get your very own copy.

During this Easter season keep you eyes focused on Christ! He is the one that has given us the reason for pressing onward toward the goal. Live each day for Him like it was the last that you had to live. Give God the praise in all things, not just the things that make you happy and you will certainly enjoy that true peace that can only be found in the Father. Be blessed beyond belief today.

Tuesday, March 27, 2007

Getting Back To Normal

You know, I was thinking. Well it's been a few days since I have been radioactive and since I have blogged. Let me start with the update on my current condition. The disc was removed on Friday afternoon, while removing the disc the surgeon noticed that the tumor was already shrinking! This is of course great news! Also during the procedure some kind of solution got over into my right eye (the good one) which caused it to sting and burn most of the evening. After using eye wash and wetting drops several times I decided that I would just go up to bed, take a Vicadin and try to rest. I did not sleep real well until around 2 a.m. at which time the pain subsided and I was able to rest. I slept in on Saturday and got to feeling a lot better so like anybody who had been laid up for a week in the house I was ready to get out! So off I went to do some shopping with Rachel and then to play rehearsal. I said to myself that if I got too tired I would just come off stage and sit the rest out! I knew that I would never do that but it is what I said I would do. So, after participating in the entire rehearsal, I was exhausted! I had no energy left in me and my neck, back and chest were getting sore. By the time 9:00 rolled around I couldn't lift my head off of the pillow without helping it with my hand. Rachel returned home from picking up Daniel and immediately began to read the post-op instructions. We read that this kind of pain was normal and that the pain meds should help. Vicadin wasn't helping much at first but once again about the middle of the night the pain started to go away. I spent most of Sunday just laying in bed watching videos and finally got out of bed around 4:00! I was feeling better and it appeared that the worst was over.

Monday brought a great new day for me. I woke up feeling weak but good! Most of the pain had gone and I was thinking pretty clearly again. I went out and walked the dog in the early afternoon. I felt so good to get out that our walk went more than a mile. When I got home I knew that we needed more paint for the people finishing our house so I got in the car (fist time behind the wheel in a week) and went to Home Depot. Other than the fact that my left eye is still dilated and blurry, I felt pretty good behind the wheel. In fact I felt so good that I made a stop at Sam's club before I went home. All in all yesterday was a good day.

Today I am at the Waterford library where the wireless high speed internet is making short work of some things that I needed to do (like this post). I feel really good today and am planning on being back to work tomorrow morning. I can't stand just sitting around watching TV, videos or playing on the computer. I have a hard time sitting still. But I do know that I have needed to rest.

As I have said several times already God has blessed me through this process. I have learned that He really is in control. I did experience some anxiety both on Sunday afternoon before the first surgery and on Friday morning before the second. But that allowed me to lean on some people that I needed to lean on for support. One thing is for certain, I haven't had to go through this alone. God has sent me people every step of the way for encouragement and comfort. I know that many of you had been praying for a miraculous healing of my tumor but that wasn't God's plan. I am really not sure what His BIG plan is in this whole thing but I do know that He is in control. I am so blessed that I cannot even begin to explain it and I know the source of those blessings. I will leave you with this thought today, keep your eyes fixed on the Savior and don't get in His way! Be blessed beyond belief today.

Thursday, March 22, 2007

The Evil Eye

You know, I was thinking. Maybe it is a good thing that I have that patch on and that I am sleeping on the couch. I can't imagine Rachel would want to wake up to this! (insert obvious joke here). Anyway I am 20 hours and counting before this thing get removed (not the eye but the radiation disc). I probably won't blog tomorrow but who knows. Just the same be blessed beyond belief today.

P.O.D.

You know, I was thinking. Alright yesterday I was having a little pitty party because of a little case of post operative depression. Now, since I do have a counseling minor I am very qualified to do some self evaluation and make this determination! Well, would you at least believe it to be a good guess? Anyway I wasn't feeling well physically yesterday which appears to be directly related to not eating properly since my surgery. I was weak, tired and had a slight fever. Last night I had a high protein meal at dinner time and by 8:00 felt 100% better.

This brings me to my point today. It is really easy to allow yourself to get down from time to time. This is nothing to be ashamed of but we should admit our humanity and realize that we all have times when we are down. I was focused on not being able to be close to those that I love instead of rejoicing that it wasn't 20 years ago where the only treatment for this type of cancer was to remove the eye. I am just thrilled to still have two! In about 26 hours I leave the house to go back and have this disc removed, after that I won't need to avoid people anymore.

That brings me to another point! Who are you close to in your life? If you had to live for a few days without physical contact with people would it affect you life? If not then why not? We are creatures that need to be loved, appreciated and held by others. It should be our nature. Now, granted some of us are much more physical than others in our relationships but we all need to be needed on some level. Anyway, the words are all running together on the screen right now and I am having to re-type way too many lines. Be blessed beyond belief today.

Wednesday, March 21, 2007

ARRRRRRRRGH!


You know, I was thinking. Ahoy mateys! Well here I am recooperating at home in Waterford! Oh yes I am indeed bored out of my skull. Here stuck at home with TV, videos and dial up internet! I am blessed though. The surgery went well and as you can see by the picture I have my pirate gear on. The surgery went like clockwork, I was back home by noon on Monday. So here I sit around at home and have to determine if I am pirate Doug or radioactive man. I think the hardest part right now is the limited contact that I can have with my family. I can only sit by my wife for short periods of time and my step son can't sit next to me at all. The dog thinks I am mad at her because I cannot even let her get within three feet of me. This is for their own protection and is only going to last until Friday afternoon.
I hate to cut this so short right now but trying to look at a computer screen with only one eye is tough. I love all of you who have been holding me up in prayer. Removal of the disc is scheduled for Friday at noon. Until I have a chance to blog again, be blessed beyond belief.

Friday, March 16, 2007

NO TIME

You know, I was thinking. I just have absolutely no time today to get a decent post together. Just look for something over the weekend. Keep me in prayer, Monday is my surgery. Be blessed beyond belief today.

Wednesday, March 14, 2007

And The Walls Came Tumbling Down

You know, I was thinking. You ever wonder what it was like being inside the walls of Jerico as the children of Isreal were marching around on that last day? You ever stop to think of what it would have been like to just be sitting around and witness the walls falling down and seeing the children of Isreal rushing in to kill you? Have you ever been in a place where everything was just crumbling around you and to spite your best efforts there was nothing you could do to stop it?

WELCOME TO AUTOFORM!

I know that I am taking some risks by writing this type of article today because there really is no telling who might read it but I have to vent. I have been here for nearly seven years and I have seen a lot of stupid stuff happen here but lately the patients have control of the asylum! Over the past year we have lost or fired one VP, four managers, three supervisors and lost five major accounts. Our current plant manager is on medical, our QC manager just walked out last week, our HR manager left two weeks ago, our administrative assistant's last day was last Friday, we have laid off about 50% of our hourly workers, our president is clueless as to what to do next to stop the bleeding and I have surgery scheduled for next week. Other than that things are running pretty smooth around here.

Now for the positive stuff. I am reassured everyday who is really in control of things. I have a job that although at times can be difficult, still pays the bills. I go home every night and fall asleep in the arms of the most wonderful wife any man could ever ask to have. I have a great family (church and biological), fantastic friends and a brand new great niece. Over all life is good!

So why do I share this stuff today. First of all I needed to vent and that is a healthy thing to do. Secondly, my job is not my life. There are things that are a much higher priority for me. God loves me no matter what is happening around me. He is where I find my peace, my security and my hope. I might not have a company to come back to after I recover from my surgery but I will always have God controling things in the world that I live in. That's enough for me. Be blessed beyond belief today.

Tuesday, March 13, 2007

Victoria Grace Fraley

You know, I was thinking. Well the big day came for Jamie and Ronda. Victoria Grace was born on 3/12/07 at 3:28 a.m. I know this because I got the call at 4:01 a.m. That's what I get for telling Jamie "let me know when it happens!" He takes me so literal sometimes. But I held off a day just to be fair to my nephew. He tried to put this picture on his blog but the link doesn't work for some reason. So here is Victoria Grace Fraley, be blessed beyond belief today.


Monday, March 12, 2007

Stop The Ride Already

You know, I was thinking. Friday was Daniel's 11th birthday. To celebrate we let him have a sleep over on Friday night followed by a roller skating party on Saturday. Now, I don't know what planet any of these kids really come from but they invaded the planet Pudge on Friday night. I never new that six pre-teens could sustain that much high pitched noise for that length of time. The straw that broke the camels back was when they were right outside our bedroom door playing and laughing and yes still screaming in that pre-adolescent high pitched tone they have! Rachel got up to have them settle down! About ten minutes later here they go again. I wispered to my lovely wife "I thought you told them to settle down" to which she replied "I told them they had a half hour, do you want me to tell them to stop now?" My brain was saying "why did you give them a half hour? Why are they still alive? Why are we having this conversation right now?" But my mouth simply said "whatever you think dear!" Rachel immediately got up and took care of the situation. We did not hear another peep out of them............... until 6:30! I cannot believe that they even had any voice left after a full night of screaming, but they did. They were up playing video games in the living room when I came down at about 9:10. Now here are six boys that know they are going roller skating and that we need to leave by 9:30. They are still in pajamas, cloths and sleeping bags everywhere, cups & plates scattered, and there is my lovely wife in the kitchen fixing her mother some breakfast. I look at the boys and with the voice of a drill sargent begin with the words "alright boys lets move it! You've got 20 minutes and we need to get all of this junk picked up and put away before you leave." The boys immediately began to do as I had requested without as much as a "why" or an "in a minute"! Rachel looks at me with amazement and says "how did you do that? I have been trying to get them going for the last 15 minutes." I simply replied "I'm a guy, I speak their language!"

I share all of this to ask this question: Why do kids (especially boys) often respond more quickly to a man giving them orders than to a woman. I know without a doubt that when I was younger that I would respond much faster to dad than I would mom. Is it the gender that makes the difference or is it that I (knowingly) have a much louder presence than my wife. Is it pure volumn or is there something that is more authoritative about a male giving these types of instructions than a female! I guess that's why parenting is best played as a team sport! I believe that there are some absolute qualities that women bring to the lives of children that most men never will figure out. Maybe I am off base here but how are things in your house? Who wheels the most authority with the kids dad or mom? How was it in your home when you grew up? I am just curious. All in all we survived both the sleep over and the party. Believe it or not we even had the energy to go out for a quiet dinner together on Saturday night. Children are a blessing........................... especially when they are sleeping! Be blessed beyond belief today.

Wednesday, March 07, 2007

The Life That Keeps On Living

You know, I was thinking. Lately things have been pretty busy in the Mollette home. We are finally getting the place finished and ready to put on the market this spring. We are also involved in a local church production called "The Resurrection And The Life". It is a classic Easter passion play. Rachel is helping run sound and yours truly has the part of one of Jesus' deciples Simon the Zealot! You can't keep a ham off of the stage too long! This is a lot of work and a lot of fun and it is funny how the Spirit will work on you during the course of something like this.

Over the past couple of weeks during rehearsals I have been reminded of the life and ministry of Jesus. You would think that after spending the last 29 years in church (most of the time at least) that I would get tired of these teachings. But it's funny! The more that I experience things with this play the more I want more! Think about the ministry of Jesus for a minute. Here was this Son Of God who came to this earth and had to deal with people like me. People that just don't get it sometimes (actually most of the time)! People who are trying to figure it all out and even though they are learning at the feet of God made flesh they just don't get it. There is a scene in the play that we have gone over a few times already that is just an excerpt from the sermon on the mount. Jesus is teaching about how God will take care of us if we only believe that He will! You just have to believe that God will take care of you and that is it? Well, yes that is it. You see God is a loving and caring creator who REALLY knows what is best for us. What does that mean anyway "what is best for us"? Sometimes what IS best for us isn't always pleasant. Sometimes we get so caught up in the here and now that we forget that God is an eternal being! He is looking at the biggest of the big pictures! He is looking out for our real future, not just our mere existance on this earth.

I am convinced more and more every day that the things that happen to us on this earth don't amount to a hill of beans compared to what is waiting for us on the other side. We (I) get so caught up in what is going on at home, at work, at church at............ that I forget what it is really all about. On the Semper Fi blog post yesterday Pastor Tom wrote about his vision statement for NewSong Community Church. It is very simply: "To be a community of faith that is introducing people to Jesus and helping them fall in love with Him.” That really is what it is all about. If I am not introducing people to Jesus and helping them fall in love with Him then what the heck am I here for? What possible meaning could my life have without that. I will admit, I can do better! I will admit that I have gotten side tracked from time to time! I will also admit that when I see these kinds of short comings in my life that I do something about them. Pastor I am with you in this endeavor! I have bought in to this whole concept hook, line and sinker if you will and I am dedicated to the mission of your vision. Give someone a little hug today and tell them it's from Jesus! Be blessed beyond belief today.

Friday, March 02, 2007

Month Number Two & All Is Well

You know, I was thinking. Well, I guess you guys are getting pretty tired of hearing me go on and on and on and on about Rachel and me. Too bad 'cause you're about to get a little more of it right now. You see today is our second month aniversary. Two months of wedded bliss. Life is very busy but good and we are rolling with all of the punches as they come. I could bore you with how much we are in love or how God brought us together or even how we make the other person a priority in our lives but I have already done that in other postings. Let me just say this if I may, I love my wife.

Some of you have no clue as to what it took to bring this relationship together and some of you do. Many years, prayers and lonely days went by for the Pudgeman before he found the right woman. So all of you who read this blog on a regular basis will just have to put up with this kind of stuff. God has blessed me beyond belief and I hope he does the same for you today.