Big brudder

I've been praying alot for my brother, Randy, these days because he is in so much pain from this facial nerve problem. Many of my friends around the world have rallied with us in prayer and he is feeling better - thank You, Lord!
Thinking about my brother I was looking at some old photos... we look pretty angelic here but certainly weren't... yet we survived childhood, made some lasting memories and forged lifelong friendships with one another. Many siblings can't say the same thing but knowing God has made all the difference in the world with the three of us.
I'm so glad I have a big brother and I wouldn't trade him for anything in the world!

Please pray for my brother

Hello friends, You're right, I don't talk much about my brother, Randy, but here he is and he needs prayer. For a couple months now he's been in alot of pain and unable to sleep at night. The pain comes from his cheek bone. Several years ago he fell and broke his cheekbone and for some reason it's been hurting more and more and more. He thought it was a bad tooth, so he had a root canal; then another root canal and it hurt more and more. I think most of us know what tooth pain is like but this is like 10x worse and now to the point that he is having pain seizures (like your body doesn't know what to do with so much pain so it short-circuits into a seizure). The pain medications have given little relief unless he takes so much that he is like a drug addict... so this is obviously not a solution. He went to a good doctor yesterday who is alarmed and taking action with different pain meds but has also made an appointment with a surgeon. Apparently they have a couple options in surgery like to remove the damaged nerve (could cause partial face paralysis?) or to coat it with teflon (?!) to prevent the pain signals being sent to his brain and body. Anyhow, at this point Randy is unable to function at all... I mean, it's hard for him to even walk stairs in his home alone. He can't work, can't think straight, and he and his wife, Darlene are feeling pretty hopeless. Randy is a believer, as is Darlene... and we need other believers to believe with us for an answer. Would you please take some minutes now to pray and to keep praying as the Lord leads you? Let me know if you want an update to this email and I'll keep in touch. I don't want to keep interupting you with prayer updates on Randy, but I did want to let you know initially what his situation is right now. So let me know if you want to hear more later. Thanks SO MUCH for praying with us! Blessings, Belinda       ********************************* Belinda van de Loo Bosbesstraat 7 8162 VL Epe, HOLLAND belindaloo@ gmail.com

Silver skates on Holland canal

Enjoy this video clip of the skating activities on the Apeldoorn canal, near my home in Epe, Holland. Notice this old gent's skates - they're the old-fashioned, tie-on, wood+silver "Hans Brinker" skates.

Everyone in Holland is enjoying a "real Dutch winter" with freezing temps and skating on all the canals.

Blessings, Belinda

p.s. No, I didn't go skating myself - I don't trust my ankles!