Saturday, June 4, 2011

Special Days

A brief time off from Mission Project planning at Cumberland Falls State Park, KY,  It is the only place in the world, I am told, where, when the full moon is just right, you can see a "Moonbow." We have a team going from our fellowship in July to serve with Cornerstone Community Church.

It has been quite a while since my last post. Yes, I know, once every three months is really not very “I-have-a-blog” like. I will try to do better. Since my last post, there have been several special days.

In the days just before my first “Stem Cell Birthday,” March 19, I celebrated with numerous tests including the ever popular bone marrow aspiration. I’ll spare you the details, but I will say that an adequate amount of anesthesia makes it far more tolerable. A couple of weeks later I somewhat anxiously returned for the report and got a great one. Anxiety relieved. Things were good. I was able to reduce some of my medication. I could travel beyond our borders again! According to the doctors, I am neither cured nor in remission, but I do feel good. I greatly appreciate my team of physicians, PAs, NPs, RNs, and Technicians, but I credit your prayers more than anything.

A couple of other days of note, at least for me, are birthday number sixty-one in May, and the completion of my thirty-third year at the fellowship I serve. Birthdays are more significant now. Serving in one place for this long is amazing; and possible I think only because of God’s grace the grace of those whom I serve.

Most days I am positive, planning into the future and staying busy. Some days, though,  I have a deep sense of foreboding. I know there is  something—nearly imperceptible—lurking in my body that would kill me. These are reality-check days. I hope these times help me to “number my days that I may have a heart of wisdom.” (See Psalm 90:12) There are days when I echo Paul’s question in Romans 7, “Who will separate me from this body of death?” Now, Paul’s context was spiritual, whereas mine is physical.  But the Answer is the same, “Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord.” He is my hope.

Keep praying. Thanks.