Doug’s story doesn’t end, it never will, because it is actually the story of Eternal God living in and through one of His servants communicating His eternal truth of the power of forgiveness and thanksgiving. Indeed His strength is made perfect in weakness (Ist Corinthians 1:27; 2^nd Corinthians 12:9.)

          Not only did God use Doug to bring me to salvation but over the years He has used Doug (the man with a partial brain) with all his “limitations” to continually teach and remind me (the man with the fully functioning brain) of these truths, something of which I should not have to be reminded.

           When I pick him up on Saturday morning I’m always greeted with his warm smile. He’s so grateful for “loafering day.” When we go outside, no matter what the weather, he says “It’s a beautiful day.” Not too long after leaving the group home he says “I get to go to church tomorrow!” During a recent hospital stay he was diagnosed with a mild stroke. When his doctor asked him how he felt he said “I feel good, nothin’s ailin me.”  No matter what you give Doug to eat, when he chews his last bite his response is “Delicccccious.”

          Doug loves to celebrate his birthday. After we have his cake, give him his gifts, and sing happy birthday to him he always gives us that great smile of his and claps with such an infectious joy that it brings a smile to all around him. He is so grateful for such simple things.

          One birthday in particular that has been etched into our memory forever Doug told us “I want to thank Jesus for giving me another year.” We all got teary-eyed after that statement but there was not a dry eye in the house when he got up, went out on the back porch, looked up into the night sky and said, “Thank you Jesus for giving me another year!”