Memorial Day Weekend

Memorial Day in America was designed as a day to honor those who have served, are serving, or have paid the ultimate sacrifice for our country. There are tributes, rallies, parades, cookouts, family get together's, baseball games, eating, and on the list could go. Unfortunately, many people do not take the time to remember the sacrifices that were paid so that we have the chance to live in the freest country in the world.

This weekend for me was spent in a flurry of activity. I was in Ft. Wayne (a city 45 minutes west) three times, Goshen (a city about 45 minutes north) twice, and South Bend (a city about 1 1/2 hours northwest) once! The weather included one incredibly bad storm, one tornado warning and horrible storm, and sun and heat. My car died in Ft. Wayne and is still there at the moment, I have a bad case of sun burn, and all in all, I have a weekend packed with memories and laughter that I would do all over again given the chance. Below are pictures that were snapped during this wonderful time in my life.

~In the WOWO studio with Pat Miller~

I was given the chance to be in studio with Pat on Friday afternoon during his talk show, it was great fun!

~With my friend Brandi~

We met at the mall and went out to eat at Red Lobster after the show on Friday.

~ARMAD Rally for the Troops in Ft. Wayne~

On Saturday was the rally for the troops by ARMAD, "Amature Radio Military Appreciation Day"

~Fort Wayne TinCaps Game Saturday Night~

Unfortunately we were rained out

~Sunday~

Sunday was a bit hairy because I was stuck in Wal-Mart during a tornado warning. This picture was taken in the Wal-Mart parking lot during that time.

~Monday~

I had spent the night in Goshen and went to South Bend very early on Monday morning to walk in a parade.

~TinCaps Game~

We were able to exchange our tickets for Monday's game. Unfortunately they lost after a four game winning streak. We had a lot of fun though!

From a Cousin

This has been copied (with permission) from the Facebook page of one of Greg's cousins, Matt Seftick.

"Somebody should tell us right at the start of our lives that we are dying. Then we might live life to the limit, every minute of every day. Do it! I say. Whatever you want to do, do it now! There are only so many tomorrows." ~Pope Paul VI

To my cousin, Greg Seftick, you are the one who inspired me to do great things with my life. Although I never would have made it through med school, the corps was my way of trying to be as great as you and Chris. All of this happened so fast and looking back I never took the chance to say how proud of you I am, and just how much you influenced me as a man and what I've become; a Marine.

You and Chris were the ones who gave me the courage to fight, to follow what I wanted. Even in Afghanistan on my worst days, I thought to myself, "This ain't nothing, the stuff you had to go through in E.R. was way worse, and you handled it day in and day out." That thought alone made it easier to push on.

Your passion to be free and to roam the country the way you wanted to was the most amazing thing to me. You are the smartest man I've ever known and I will forever be proud to serve in your memory, for the Seftick name. Even more, I will always be proud to call you my cousin. I love you Greg and not one day will go by without you in my thoughts and prayers.

Update #9: Visitation

This evening was the visitation for one of the greatest, most amazing, awesome, terrific, fantastic, fun, daring, cool, adventurous person, it was for my cousin, Greg Seftick. So many emotions flooded me during the evening that it's nearly impossible to put anything into words. The outpouring of love for Greg and his family was immense. He loved and was loved greatly. In the short thirty-one years of his life he packed more in than most people would in eighty years.

Greg was one of the most unique people I have ever met. He was constantly doing or planning something dangerous and adventurous. From skiing, to hiking, to rock climbing and way beyond, his life was full of never missing a chance to try something and anything new. Every time I saw him he was always full of a never-ending stories which would keep you enthralled for hours on end of his crazy adventures that most of us can only dream about, but he put into action.

Most of all I remember Greg as a wonderful example to all of his younger cousins. He was a leader by nature, he was strong, outgoing, ambitious, loving, and just totally awesome. He was my dearly loved cousin. RIP Greg.

Update #8: Obituary

Linked to this page is the obituary for Greg Seftick.

http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/twincities/obituary.aspx?n=gregory-seftick&pid=150597415&fhid=3348

Update #7: Arrangements

As copied from Chris' Facebook (Greg Seftick's brother) arrangements are as following:

Sunday, May 1: Visitation probably from 4-8 pm

Monday, May 2: Visitation probably from 10-11 am, Service at 11 am.

Lunch to follow service.

Guardian Angels Church, Oakdale, MN

Update #6: The End of the Search

Today the bodies of Greg Seftick and Walker Kuhl were found this afternoon. Words escape me as I write this...please just keep the family in your thoughts and prayers.

http://gtnpnews.blogspot.com/

An Easter Miracle Possibility/Update #5

I did not post last night, mainly because I was feeling overwhelmed, discouraged, and simply could not write. On top of that I did not have much new news. After spending most of the night talking to family, praying and crying I awoke on this blessed Resurrection Day struggling to find anything positive. I went to church and was blessed by the reminder that Christ rose from the dead and is alive. I was also reminded of the fact that God does do everything for a reason, and also that miracles do happen.

After arriving home from church my dad told me that he received a text message from his brother this morning. He said that yesterday afternoon a ranger picked up a faint avalanche beacon signal. It was confirmed and digging began. A few feet down another beacon was picked up! Digging was postponed due to the sunlight fading, but was being resumed today. Please, please pray that both Greg Seftick and Walker Kuhl will be found today. Miracles do happen. God does work. Anything is possible, especially on Easter.

http://www.jhnewsandguide.com/article.php?art_id=7225

http://www.tetonat.com/2011/04/19/missing-skiers-in-gtnp-randosteves-report/

Miracle Required/Update #4

Today marks one week since my cousin, Greg Seftick, and his friend, Walker Kuhl skied into the Grand Teton Mountains and were never seen again. It is with a breaking heart that I write this, because today is the final day of the search for the pair until the snow melts.

Right now the only thing that will possibly bring the two of them back to us is a miracle. We are begging God for one, and I know that if it is in His good pleasure, He can and will perform one.

http://gtnpnews.blogspot.com/

http://www.jhnewsandguide.com/article.php?art_id=7225

Update #3

Sadly this update brings no news of Greg Seftick and Walker Kuhl being found. Only that once again the search had to be postponed due to nasty weather conditions and should, weather permitting, be resumed tomorrow. Thanks to everyone for their prayers...it's been a long, rough week with many prayers said and tears shed.

http://www.jhnewsandguide.com/article.php?art_id=7223

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/04/22/us-wyoming-skiers-idUSTRE73L3OM20110422

Update #2

Not much news to report today on my cousin, Greg Seftick. There was no searching done today due to bad weather conditions. However, tomorrow the plans are to continue operation. I have a few more links for those interested in news stories.

http://gtnpnews.blogspot.com/ -- This is probably the best article so far!

http://www.islandparknews.com/atf.php?sid=9813&current_edition=2011-04-14 -- This one includes a picture of Greg.

Thoughts from a Saddened Heart

People keep asking me what my thoughts are on everything that has been going on with Greg. Honestly, I'm trying to figure those out myself. I have so many emotions coursing through my body that I find it difficult to even think. Greg is my cousin, he's young, strong, athletic, smart, has a good head on his shoulders, knows what he's doing in the wilderness, has a bright future in front of him, is an emergency room doctor, yet right now, no one is sure of anything. There are so many possibilities, and yet, no answers. People all across the nation and even the world are praying for Greg and Walter, but at this time God has chosen to keep their whereabouts a secret from us. There have been people searching for the two of them since Monday, and here it is Wednesday night, and no sign whatsoever. Not even the dogs can find any trace of them.

Humanly all seems hopeless. There doesn't seem to be any way for them to be found. And maybe they won't be. But I know a God who knows exactly where they are, and I know that He will do His good will. What that is, I don't know. I wish I did. But God in His infinite wisdom, wisdom that blows me away, has chosen to put my entire family through this. Maybe He will use it to draw people closer to Him, maybe He will use it to refine His children. Maybe He will bring the two young men back to us, maybe He won't. All I know is that whatever happens, God did it for good, not evil.

Yes, bad things do happen to good people, why, I don't know. This one thing I know, that God works everything out for good. Maybe it doesn't seem like good at the time, but someday we will see that God's way is best. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that my God makes no mistakes. He gives grace and strength.

"Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and His understanding no one can fathom.

He gives strength to the weary, and increases the power of the weak.

Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall;

but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar with wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not grow faint."

~Isaiah 40: 28-31~

Update of Sorts

I wanted to write a quick update on my cousin, Greg Seftick and his friend Walter Kuhl who went missing on Sunday in the Grand Teton Mountains in Yellow Stone National Park. Sadly, I have no good news. Only that the search continued today and still no sign of the two men have been found. I am including a few links of news stories for anyone who is interested.

http://www.tetonat.com/2011/04/19/missing-skiers-in-gtnp-randosteves-report/

http://www.twincities.com/news/ci_17893756?source=rss

http://www.fox13now.com/news/local/kstu-missing-skiers-rescue-teams-resume-search-for-missing-skiers-20110420,0,1270742.story

Please, PLEASE pray for my cousin Greg Seftick. He and a friend went hiking into the Grand Tetons of Wyoming on Saturday and were scheduled to come out Sunday. Saturday night they got ten inches of snow. They never came out. Search and rescue efforts began Monday night with helicopters, and helicopters and skiers searched all day today and are planning on going out tomorrow as well. There has been no sign of them at all. There have been many avalanches.

http://m.missoulian.com/news/state-and-regional/article_d0ecb548-6aa7-11e0-9014-001cc4c03286.html

Update 1/18/2011

Mom went to the doctor yesterday. He is very pleased with her progress so far and said that there is no sign of infection. Praise the Lord! Her wound is still about 1 centimeter deep, and he said that will be still be several weeks before it is completely closed. They checked her hemoglobin (red blood cell count) (which soon after her surgery was down around 5 (normal is around 15 to 18)) she is up to 10.1, yet another answer to prayer. She will be going back to the doctor in two weeks (personally, I am hoping that by that time her wound will have closed enough by then so that no more dressing changes will have to be done).

As to the rest of the family, dad hurt his knee at work soon before Mom's surgery. He is supposed to have a MRI this week, but the doctor thinks the meniscus (which is in the knee cap) is torn and surgery may have to be done to repair that!

Work is going well, I don't have many hours, but each week I seem to be picking up a few more which is a blessing. I am taking a total of 4 classes, 11 credits this semester. I'm working on them one at a time. Currently I am over half way through "The History of Israel" and the next class will be "Educational Psychology."

Sam is doing well, keeping up with school and music practice. He is also enjoying the snow that we've had. Sadly, it is starting to melt...oh well, by the end of the month we'll probably have more.

Day 15: A Person I Admire

This post involves not one, but two people I admire greatly. To have one without the other would be practically impossible. These two people are my parents.

Growing up my parents encouraged me as I grew both physically and spiritually. Were it not for them I would not be the person that I am today. Throughout the years they have shown me through their lives how to live in a godly way and how to demonstrate love to others -- even the unlovable. I could go on and on about them and their love for each other, their family, God, and the world. They are my heroes and I love them very much.

Shall We Not Accept?

Some of you know that I am taking a semester off from school while my mom recovers from her surgery (here is the post I wrote on that decision). I made the offer to drop out willingly and am very happy to be able to help out. However, yesterday was a bit rough for me because it was the first day of classes and I was not there. It felt really weird and I was somewhat sad. Then this morning I was reading in Job when a phrase jumped out at me:

"Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?"

(Job 2:10b)

It is so easy to take the blessings and good that God bring, accept it, be happy about it, and move on. But when He, in His sovereign way, chooses to bring adversity I react in sorrow. Yes, it is understandable to not always be the happiest when life throws a curve ball at me, but instead of fighting against it and asking God why He allowed something in my life, it is much better to accept His all knowing way, learn from the experience, and grow more in His image.

My heart's desire is to be more like Christ, and only by obediently following Him without question and complaint can I grow in Him. It is not an easy task, and often I fail, but He is always there to forgive and encourage me. He has promised to never leave or forsake me, and that is all I need.

Thirty Day Challenge: Day 10: A Photo that was Taken of Me Over 10 Years Ago

Finding pictures that are already on my computer from ten years ago is quite difficult. I did find a few, but most of them are well over ten years old and were used for a slide show my mom did for my high school graduation.

*****This is probably at least 18 years old*****

*****Always a Daddy's girl! Approx. 16 or 17 years ago*****

*****For those of you who know my brother this picture probably makes you laugh! He now towers over me at a whopping 6 ft. 4 in.! Approx. 14 years ago*****

*****This is probably the closest to 10 years ago*****

I am doing a 30 day challenge click here to see the posts that I have to do.

PROGRESS

This afternoon my parents and I went to mom's doctor for her one week check up. The doctor was very happy with how the wound has been healing -- in fact it is about two-thirds of the way healed! Praise the Lord! I have been the primary "wound packer" (for lack of a better term) and Dr. Simon jokingly told me that once all of this ordeal is over I should take my state boards (the test that nurses take after completing nursing school). I laughed, but uh, yeah, the answer is NO! God called me to work with teens, NOT to be a nurse! :) The point remains, Mom is doing much better!

The other exciting news of the day is that dad took his level two testing for his job. And once again he passed the first time! (He has now passed both levels the first time and was told before the first one that a very low percentage pass the first time on either one of them.) The Lord has blessed him for all the hard work and studying he has been doing.

God truly protects those He loves. Dad's test was in Ft. Wayne, which is about a 45 minute drive from home. He had to at the testing center at 7:30 this morning. About 7:50 I was reading my Bible when my cell phone beeped telling me I had a text message. I grabbed my phone and saw it was an alert from a radio station, it said that a part of US 30 (the road dad would have taken) was closed due to an accident! I jumped out of bed, and ran to ask Mom if dad was ok. It turns out that he had driven through there only a few minutes before the accident -- in fact he was less than 20 miles down the road when the radio station began to cover the accident. Wow. God is good!

In other news of the day, since mom's doctor was in Goshen, of course we had to stop at the Dunkin Donuts there! Mmm....I love that place! :) And even more exciting, DAD GOT A FACEBOOK ACCOUNT! Wow...shocking, huh? :)

The Plans He Has

"'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'"

~Jeremiah 29:11~

My life has taken a very dramatic twist in the past several days. Mom's surgery on Thursday did not go as well as had originally been hoped, and she has been having a lot of complications - in fact she is still in the hospital and will be for at least two or three more days, maybe longer! She has not been able to keep food down and as a result of the vomiting she has been doing, her incision is coming open - not good at all. They had to put a tube down her nose today in order to pump her stomach.

In light of all of these problems on Monday I offered to my parents to come home for good. Mom is going to need a lot of help once she gets out of the hospital and dad has to go back to work. My parents were very hesitant to agree with me because they did not want me to give up my schooling. However, with the turn of events today, they finally realized that this was probably for the better. I was originally planning on working the rest of this week and next week before moving back home. When I told my general manager about that she offered to try to find people to cover the rest of my shifts for the week and then take me off the schedule next week. She was able to do that so now I am in the process of packing my belongings and planning on leaving tomorrow morning for home.

Wow...crazy twist, and not exactly an easy one to deal with. I had to say good-bye to a lot of dear friends and co-workers today, but it is worth it, family is so important. I am planning on trying to get my job back at Wendy's, or even better, finding a job waitressing, working nights so that I will be home with mom while dad is at work. Lord willing I will be returning to Shawnee for the Fall semester.

While I do not know why this had to happen, I am not angry, or bitter, or even hesitant about it. I know that this is the next step that God wants me to take. A friend once told me, "Life isn't what we dream, but we're not the ones in charge." God has this all under control, and I am resting completely in Him. Please continue to pray for my mom as she struggles to recover from her surgery.

Not Exactly the Merriest

As I write this I am sitting in the hospital with mom, she was supposed to come home today, but that did not happen. I am not going to lie, it has been a pretty bleak Christmas - after all, who in their right mind wants to be at the hospital on Christmas? We are supposed to be home, opening presents, eating food, laughing, and spending time with family.

It is really easy to have a pity party and moan and complain - in fact I keep catching myself doing that. However, I try to remind myself that really, things could be a lot worse, so I made a list of things I am thankful for throughout this time.

• We are together as a family.
• We are warm and dry.
• Mom will eventually be fine.
• There are a lot of good nurses who are taking good care of mom.
• Mom's doctor, Dr. Simon, is really good, and a Christian.
• We have lots of friends who keep checking up on us.
• God has a reason for this - even though we do not see it at the moment.
• We have a white Christmas.
• I made it home safely, even though I drove through the wee hours of the night.
• No matter what happens, God is still on the Throne.

That was not a long or exhaustive list, but it is a start. Life happens and you have the choice of either becoming depressed and bitter about it or choosing to find the positive somewhere. Honestly, it is somewhat difficult at times to look on the bright side, but when I choose to see the good life looks brighter. I hope and pray that all of you had a very merry and blessed Christmas with friends and loved ones gathered around.