Addie and Her Fans

Family Photo, originally uploaded by dustkunkel.

Many of you know that our niece little Adeline Hope has been fighting for her life on this earth for that last two weeks. She has a disorder that the doctors are still trying to figure out. Her blood is being attacked by her system, and she is now in the ICU. Things look grim, and all of us who love her would give anything to see her pull through. Many prayers are going up for her, and in this time of hurting, it is hard to know what to do or say. Each of us expresses sorrow and struggle, hope and faith, in our own way. The following is my Dad's way of doing that. . . .

Whose Child Is This Whose Savior’s Near?
October 28, 2005
Melody: Greensleeves

Whose child is this, who lies so ill,
On mother’s lap is resting!
Whose father greets with words so sweet,
While tubes and wires are beeping.
She’s, she’s our Addie Hope
Fighting fierce with her upmost.
She’s, she’s our Addie Hope
The babe we want to carry.

What child is this but Addie dear,
On all our hearts is staying,
With mother’s tears and father’s fears
For whom the Spirit is pleading.
She’s, she’s our Addie dear
Fighting fierce with her upmost.
She’s, she’s our Addie dear
The babe we pray will tarry.

Whose child is this whose Savior’s near,
His life for her ever flowing.
Whose child is this whose Savior’s near,
Who’ll ne’er leave or forsake her.
He’s, He’s our Savior true
Reviving her, and me, and you.
He’s, He’s our Savior true,
The Sun for us always rising.

(By Dan Kunkel)

Prayers for Precious People

We are so thankful to our faithful family and friends who are praying for us as we are on this adventure!

If you would lift prayers up for the following two people we would appreciate it!

Adeline Hope Kunkel-(our niece)-Kris & Sara's girl--she's 9 months old. She has been in the hospital for over a week now and there seems to be no answers as of yet. She has had numerous blood/platelet and now plasma transfustions in the last week and her levels are still dangerously low. Prayer for answers and for healing. Pray for Kris & Sara to have strength and trust.

Jason Montoya--husband of Bre Montoya(Johnson)-good friend from Camp Lutherwood. He is having heart troubles and it has been recomended that he have open heart surgery.

Pray for both of these families! It's hard for us to be so far away from our family in times like this. We love you and are praying for you!

Thanks!

Artsy Photo

STA60002, originally uploaded by dustkunkel.

"Mother and Daughters with Evening Flowers"

The 1000 Words the Pictures Cannot Say. . .

Its easy to look at the pictures on this site and the flickr site and stop there, thinking (maybe) that you've seen what we're about.

Here are some things that pictures can't say:

Sitting on the late-night steps of the university's outdoor center in the Highlands and faced with the question from a fellow student, "What IS Grace?" Pictures don't show the hour-long conversation in the dark that led up to that question. Pictures can't show my trembling heart as I prayed, "Spirit, I'll say what I can, but I know its up to You." I think I began with something like, "Grace is God taking it on the chin for me. . . ."

The strength and loneliness of a wife who holds on and works hard and mothers well while her husband is gone for days at a time.

The look in her eyes when she gets a call, or email, or letter that reminds her of all the people who love us.

The little-girl squeals of joy I get when I walk through the door from a trip.

Waking up each morning wondering how our needs will be met today, praying over breakfast in thanks for what we have, and waiting in expectation to see how He comes through.

How true it is that so much can be stripped away, and you're still family, still whole, still full of life, and love, and all the 1000 things that pictures can't say.

By the way, how would you answer the question, "What is Grace?"

May you be open to the joy of living--and answering, if called upon--Grace-fully.

Dust at the End of the Spey Trip

STA60112, originally uploaded by dustkunkel.

Highlights: 67 miles down the world-renowned Spey River in a canoe. . . .
Learning all the skills you need to pull that off on a river flooded the highest its been in 10 years. . . .
ending in sunshine . . . .


Lowlights: Rain and weather-nastiness the first few days. . . .
having to watch fish jump and not being allowed to catch them. . . .
missing Jan and the girls each moment. . . .


Spey Poem:
When the yellowing willow
leaves
fell in a stormcloud of
flashes and ripples,
breeze at our backs,
boats slammed sideways by
the stormwind,
and the peat-brown river lapped
my fingers
in rain
and sun
you were there
with me.

PS. PICTURES OF THE SPEY CANOE TRIP ARE ON THE FLICKR SITE.