Gracie and Snow

As caregivers, we have so many things that hit us all the time, and we can't always nail these things down by ourselves. Who helps you?

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Hopeforthecaregiver.com. That is a wonderful Christmas song performed by my friend Hank Martin and written by another friend of mine, Archie Jordan. And I love that song.

I always tell Hank he sounds like BJ Thomas, doesn't he? Merry Christmas to you. I always love this time of year. And Gracie is here with me, my wife, now of almost 37 years. And I was talking to producer Pat, our esteemed producer of this show. And I said, Pat, what would you like to hear Gracie talk about?

And Pat said, she'd like to hear Gracie talk about things she's learned through this arduous journey. And that sounds like a weird message for Christmas, but it's not, because I think this is the time of year when we're so reflective on so many things. And you can't help but kind of look back on the previous year, on your life, you see a lot of things that remind you of days gone by. And when we do those things, sometimes we can go into some dark places and get very despairing.

But also there are other times if we allow ourselves, we can see the hand of God and his provision for us through those very painful places. So Gracie, that's what Pat wanted to hear today. She would like for you to address those issues. Do you feel up to that?

No, I never feel up to answering that question. People ask me that a lot, but I will do it anyway for Pat. And? There's an and. We're waiting. Oh my goodness.

It's radio, Gracie. I know. I'm thinking to myself, the things I've learned, it's uncomfortable to think about that question. But at this time of year at Christmas, it seems like it's even more uncomfortable to think about those things that I've learned because I've learned them through a lot of tears and a lot of heartache.

But I've also come through them. I love Christmas. It's my favorite thing. It's snowing outside right now.

That is like my Uno most favorite thing for it to snow, be flakes of snow and cover the whole ground. Uno as in numero uno? No. It's my Uno favorite thing? Or my numero Uno? It's the numero Uno number one? It's my numero Uno. Todo del Mundo?

Okay. So this is your number one thing is the snow. Well, it ranks up there because it makes me every time without fail when I see it snow and I see it covering everything with this blanket of pure white.

In Isaiah, I believe the first chapter, it says, though my sins are scarlet, they will be as white as snow. Well, it takes a whole lot of snow to cover up blood red. That's why I think of that every time it snows. I'm glad we live in a place now that it snows a lot. You grew up in Florida for Christmas and you hated it. Where I was praying, God, please have mercy on me and send some snow. You and your dad would turn on the air conditioner at full blast?

Oh yeah. We had, dad built the largest fireplace in Florida. It's masonry. I mean, this is not a fake fireplace.

This is one for up in Alaska. I loved that fireplace. Seriously.

I'll never forget. You told me that when I first met you, that you turn on the air conditioner at full blast so you could have a fire. Oh yeah. We get it down in the fifties, man. So that we can have that feeling of being cold and needing to have the fireplace. And I've had that feeling of being cold since I've known you.

Yes. Because you like it cold. I like it cold. And you love the snow. And I've told this audience that you take it personally when I get up and disturb the snow on the deck or on the driveway.

And our neighbor is so gracious to come up here sometimes and just plow it. And every time you hear his skid steer, you're just, you're cringing. I freak out. I'm like, Peter, don't let him take all of the snow because me and a skid steer will wipe it out to the dirt. And I'm like, wait a minute.

That was what we're looking. You know, Hey, it's snowing to try to cover that up. The, the dirt, you know, again, cause the, the dirt reminds me of sin.

I want to cover it up fast. Yeah. I, I appreciate that with you. And I've always have you do, you do love the snow. There are times though, when it gets a little bit out of hand, when you like the cold weather, because it'll be 20 degrees outside and you have a window open. If I ever turn the heat up past 60, you are crying. I'm like, God save me from the heat. I'm not meant for hell. And for that we are grateful that you're not going back. And, and I would like to say to all of your listeners, I was going to say viewers, but then I remembered you're not ready for television. But the pristine-ness of the snow is what you crave to see.

And I don't like it when people mess it up, Peter. No, you don't, but you also like to see that because, and you've told me this, that it reminds you of things that, that are not attractive, things that are ugly, things that are marred and disfigured that are covered under a blanket of beauty. Yeah. It covers it all. It covers it all.

I love that. Is this something that, is this something that you've learned from your, your, your, is this something that, is this something that you've learned through your journey of seeing things that you've had to walk through that were very painful and very, very difficult and very disfiguring, and you've had to see yourself in a different light? All the above. Can I choose all the above? You can. You may.

You know, like when we were in the hospital this past January, and then I ended up being there three months. I, I took it as a great offense that it would be snowing in Denver and they wouldn't, they wouldn't allow me to put the bed up, you know, the whole bed so it's higher so I could see the snow. So all I could see is just like this.

Well, you are a fall risk. Yeah, I know. But I mean, I said, put the alarm thing on. I don't care, but I want to be able to see it instead of it just looking like a big cloud outside. You know, you can see it here.

I want to see it. And the, and there are different things, you know, Christmas, I mean, I know you want to hear wonderful things and there are wonderful things even when your, your children have left your house, but when your children move and they get married and they start to have children, it's wonderful. But it also reminds you of all the Christmases passed when they were at home and with you. That's a hard thing. I think more, I don't know, I haven't taken a survey, but I think it's harder for women when children leave the house.

Men are like, all right, a quieter house and we get to do anything we want. For me, you know, that's something I don't know that we'll ever, I will ever get past is that time when you have, neither of them are at home and you have to think, okay, what is Christmas about when my children or grandchildren are not near? And it's just Peter and I.

Sorry about that. Let's don't depress everybody. It's just you and me, baby. You know, there are certain hymns that I've not really given pause for that I should have. I'm sorry.

I'm a crier. I'm sorry. It irritates Peter. He's like, suck it up. He does do that. It's true. Yes, he's a caregiver and blah, blah, blah.

But he's like, suck it up. All right. But this is a hymn that I really hadn't given a lot of pause for, except in the last few years. And I think now it's on my, my most played list. And my favorite list is God rest you merry gentlemen. And I love it where it says, remember Christ, our savior was born on Christmas day to save us all from Satan's power.

Think about that. People all over the world are singing this hymn. And even people who don't know Christ as their savior and they're singing, remember Christ, our savior was born on Christmas day to save us all from Satan's power. When we were gone astray, when we were gone astray, O tidings of comfort and joy. That's a, that is a strong, strong statement to rest your Christmas on right there.

This is why we gather on Christmas this day is because of Christ and why he came. So to answer your question, Pat, out of all the mess, all the surgeries, and we're at 84 or five now, Peter, they've taught me so many things that when, when Peter said that was your question, it kind of overwhelmed me at first because there, there's so many things you, you learn over the way, but the biggest one is that I can trust him. And that snow represents just how far I can trust him. That, that someday I will be completely whole. I will be completely healed. I will be pure as snow.

And the pristine-ness will come. Even when we don't think it will, it will, because he promises it will. And I can trust him that in my darkest times, which have been many, I can trust him. And that snow reminds me of how pristine I look to him, which seems like it, an impossibility that I would look pristine to anyone. But I know from his word and, and from a relationship with him that I can trust him with all the things I don't understand and all the pain that I need out of. I can trust him even when it doesn't instantly go away.

I can know that it, it, there is a time when it will. Thank you, baby. This is Peter Rosenberger talking with my wife, Gracie.

This is Hope for the Caregiver. We'll be right back. You live on in all the better parts of me. Until I'm standing with you in the sun, I'll fight this fight and the race I'll run. Until I finally see what you can see. Oh, your scars forever, they all belong to me and you. There'll be no such thing as broken, no. And all the old will be made new. The thought that makes me smile now, even as the tears fall down. Is that the only scars in heaven, all around the hands that hold you now. Welcome back to Hope for the Caregiver.

This is Peter Rosenberger. That is my wife, Gracie. And she did a special cover of that song that I'm sure many of you all know very well. And she sang that in honor of her mother, who she lost last year. And I just love listening to her sing. I've heard her voice for a lifetime and I get to hear it every day. And there are times when I hear her singing and that's how she gets through some of the hard times is she just sings. And then the other time she's just singing because like I'm listening to my absolute favorite song while we're driving in the car and then Gracie overpowers it.

Well, I can't say anything because she actually sounds not only as good as most of the artists, but better. And it's so I'm torn because I have this beautiful voice of this angel next to me. And then I still wanted to hear the song.

Yeah, you're digging yourself in real deep over here. But I love that voice. Gracie, you love Christmas music. This is the most wonderful time of the year for you. And you love the music of Christmas. I love to hear you sing. I love what you do with Mary Did You Know. One of my favorite songs that you've sung over the years, you introduced me to this song was Emmanuel.

Okay, how can you not know that song? You were just a heathen. I wasn't a heathen.

It sounds like it. You don't know Emmanuel? Wait a minute. Which one of us, if we had to take a test, which one of us know more of the hymns?

Okay, no. I know the hymns. I just didn't tell you the titles. You can hum the hymns.

You can la la la the hymns, but you can't tell me the lyrics of the hymns. It's true. I've had a lot of head trauma and I've had a lot of pharmaceuticals. Well, okay. But I was not a heathen. I just knew a different set of church music than you did. I don't know.

I heard that confirmed from your parents. Well, let me ask you this. Sing that song for me. Sing Emmanuel for me.

I love that. His name is called Emmanuel. God with us.

Revealed in us. His name. His name is called Emmanuel. This is wonderful. I love listening to you sing. It's one time. Oh, I got to tell you all this. One time we were doing a Christmas event concert or something. I don't remember what it was. I might remember if you give me a clue.

Well, I'm getting ready to if you'll wait for it. Yeah, but there's two of us on the radio now. A fact of which I am not unfamiliar. We were up there somewhere. I don't know where we were, but oh yeah, we were out in outside of Nashville and Gracie's up there and we're doing the song. And then all of a sudden she looks at me and she said, and she just had her kind of her hand over her heart and she was, her eyes were closed. And she said, would you finish this song for me, Peter?

And I thought, well, Gracie's obviously feeling something very powerful in her heart or spirit. And she wanted me to sing it and I don't sing. And I struggled through it, got through it. We finished it. And then she came back in and we, you know, did her thing. And, you know, later that night we're driving home and, and I said, what was that all about? You know, were you just overcome by the song?

She said, I don't know. I forgot the lyrics. Thank you for sharing that with millions and millions. Well, I appreciate the fact you think I have millions that listen to me, Gracie. Of course, I've always said when my parents listen, my audience doubles. Mom and dad are always very gracious to listen to. They listen to me every Saturday morning and I'm very grateful for that. Gracie, I have enjoyed this time. Mostly. Enjoy is a strong word, but it's endured.

I think that was the word. How about have yourself a merry little Christmas. Well, you know what, by the way, you're going to love what I got you for Christmas this year.

Better be good. It's great. It's actually the ribbon only cost me about $4.95. It's a big ribbon. I'm just wearing it on me.

I'm just wearing it on me and I'm going to light it on fire. We're going to have a great time. We're looking forward to seeing our grandchildren are going to be with us. We wanted to end with this.

I've done this pretty much every Christmas Eve for some time. And we wanted to end with this song of Gracie and I performing silent night. I love her voice on this. I love being able to play this for her.

I love being able to spend time with you all. I know that Christmas for some is not a very easy time. I know that some of you may be in the hospital.

Some of your loved ones may be in a nursing home, rehab center, and some of you may have an empty chair. And we recognize that. We know that it's very, very painful. We've been in the hospital many, many, many Christmases.

And I wanted to have somebody who has walked through enough credible pain in her life, who has found God to be faithful still, deeper than that, deeper than that, to share with you just her life, her joys, her sorrows, her tears, her laughter, her music, as a testament to God's faithfulness in these very difficult times that so many of us face. And we ask that you hang on to that. Take a leap of faith and trust Him. And don't just take our word for it. Go see what His word has to say.

Study what He has to say about it. If you look through Scripture, you see so many instances of people who are going through brutal realities, and yet their faith was strong. And when I listen to Gracie sing, I cannot help but think about Paul and Silas. They were in prison around midnight, beaten. They were in pain. It was dark.

They were cut off. I live with somebody who has been in so much pain and still is, and even at midnight will sing herself to sleep or sing to comfort her own heart. She's never been out of pain since Reagan's first term, and she has found God to be faithful in that as well. So that's my Christmas present to you all. It's just for you to hear one of the finest voices and one of the finest hearts that I've ever known, and that is my wife, Gracie. Again, I thank you for this time with you, and we hope that you have a wonderful Christmas. So from Gracie and me, Merry Christmas.

Merry Christmas. All is calm, all is bright, Round yon virgin, mother and child, Holy infant, so tender and mild, Sleep in heavenly peace, Sleep in heavenly peace. Silent night, holy night, Son of God, love's pure light, Radiant beams from thy holy face, With the dawn of redeeming grace, Jesus, Lord, at thy birth. Jesus, Lord, Jesus, Lord, Jesus, Lord, at thy birth.

Jesus, Lord, at thy birth. You've heard me talk about Standing with Hope over the years. This is the prosthetic limb ministry that Gracie envisioned after losing both of her legs. Part of that outreach is our prosthetic limb recycling program. Did you know that prosthetic limbs can be recycled?

No kidding. There is a correctional facility in Arizona that helps us recycle prosthetic limbs, and this facility is run by a group out of Nashville called Core Civic. We met them over 11 years ago, and they stepped in to help us with this recycling program of taking prostheses and you disassemble them. You take the knee, the foot, the pylon, the tube clamps, the adapters, the screws, the liners, the prosthetic socks, all these things we can reuse, and inmates help us do it. Before Core Civic came along, I was sitting on the floor at our house or out in the garage when we lived in Nashville, and I had tools everywhere, limbs everywhere, and feet, boxes of them, so forth.

I was doing all this myself, and I'd make the kids help me, and it got to be too much for me. I was very grateful that Core Civic stepped up and said, look, we are always looking for faith-based programs that are interesting and that give inmates a sense of satisfaction. We'd love to be a part of this, and that's what they're doing. And you can see more about that at standingwithhope.com slash recycle. So please help us get the word out that we do recycle prosthetic limbs. We do arms as well, but the majority of amputations are lower limb, and that's where the focus of Standing With Hope is. That's where Gracie's life is with her lower limb prostheses. And she's used some of her own limbs in this outreach that she's recycled. I mean, she's been an amputee for over 30 years. So you go through a lot of legs and parts and other types of materials, and you can reuse prosthetic socks and liners if they're in good shape. All of this helps give the gift that keeps on walking, and it goes to this prison in Arizona where it's such an extraordinary ministry.

Think with that. Inmates volunteering for this. They want to do it, and they've had amazing times with it, and I've had very moving conversation with the inmates that work in this program. And you can see, again, all of that at standingwithhope.com slash recycle. They're putting together a big shipment right now for us to ship over. We do this pretty regularly throughout the year as inventory rises, and they need it badly in Ghana. So please go out to standingwithhope.com slash recycle and get the word out and help us do more. If you want to offset some of the shipping, you can always go to the giving page and be a part of what we're doing there.

We're purchasing material in Ghana that they have to use that can't be recycled. We're shipping over stuff that can be, and we're doing all of this to lift others up and to point them to Christ. And that's the whole purpose of everything that we do, and that is why Gracie and I continue to be standing with hope. standingwithhope.com.