Coming to the Still Waters

     Round 2 is down and I am feeling more like myself.  This Saturday and Sunday look like perfect weather for Steph and I to get some fall work done around the house.  God is good.  We have been blessed with a great garden this year even though we sure didn't spend the time needed at it to keep it like it should have been.  My Thursday was spent almost exclusively on the couch.  Sometimes you just have to stop and do nothing to get this stuff out of you.  Round 3 will be on a Tuesday instead of a Monday so I will get one more good day.  I told Steph that even though I know what is coming it still doesn't make it easier going through it.  I guess it is one of those things that you think you can prepare for but you are never totally prepared.  Well, onto just enjoying some energy and great days.      We are almost through 1 John.  This Sunday is communion Sunday so the sermon is usually shorter to have amble time to focus on that time.  We will focus on the words "overc

     I will start off with the video about our latest visit to the oncologist.  For those on dial-up, I went in hoping to do just the infusion and not the take home the pump but found out that was not possible unless I changed chemos.  The doctor was concerned about how I handled the first round.  My numbers were all good and so he asked if I would take another full shot to see if I responded the same way.  If I do, then another regiment of different chemos would be tried.  If I respond okay this time, he suggested that instead of 8 treatments (4 months) that we would only do 6 treatments (3 months).  So as I type this I can say that I don't feel as bad as I did the last round but I will let you know more on Wednesday.  I am keeping myself busy in the Word and prayer.      The first run through 1 John 5 has resolved to me that I can't do this all in one session.  Too many big concepts to cover in one setting and especially this Sunday with communion to be served.  So we

      The Lord gave us a great day to be together as a church family.  To hear the congregation lift up its voice and bow its knee and open its eyes and ears to the gospel message and be active in prayer is such a wonderful to witness and be a part of.  One of the highlights of my day was the offering of a family devotional book to help families with church at home and seeing to books disperse within minutes and having to order more.  We are watching the church family grow deeper in our relationship with the Lord, Steph and I included.  I needed to be right here when I hit this patch of cancer in my life.  God put me right where I needed to be to handle all of this.      God came through the sermon this morning.  I plan a lot of what I say but it is what I don't plan that blows me away.  The concept about talking about God's love and that God is love and we are to love and be in love with Him came to a head this morning with the concept that God not only loved us first but h

     Each day is a little better when it comes to the effects of chemo.  My mind is clearer and my body functions are better and more normal.  Up to this point, I have done everything that has been asked of me but I need your prayers as I go in next Monday.  I am asking God to reveal to me what I should or should not proceed with or by how much.  I am trusting He will answer through a means that will let me know He is directing my actions.        1 John 4:7-21 is our passage this week.  We will look at the big phrases, "God is love" and "perfect love casts out fear".  Here is a starter outline for me.  Why are we to love? 1.  because love is the essence of God, v.7, 8 - and God lives in us 2.  because love was manifested by Christ, v.9, 10 - He set our example 3.  because love is our testimony of Him, v.11, 12 - others see God when they see love in action 4.  because love is the assurance of our salvation, v.13-16 - Spirit-filled living 5.  because

     So after you see the video I made and another post that seems that I am on the upswing, the reality sets in on what chemo does to me.  My digestive system stopped up, nausea set it, my mind went all weepy by Wednesday, and I couldn't function for a couple of days.  I was trying to think of anyway not to do this anymore.  I hope to be a little better prepared for the second round in a couple of weeks.      What a couple of days will do to you.  As I write this, I am up in the U.P. with the guys from the church, 20 of them!!!  These times mean so much to the life of the church and especially to the life of the families represented here.  It took a lot of planning to get here but it has already been so worth it.  The brotherhood in the church is so important and some of the testimonies shared tonight let me see and hear that it is alive and well.        Sunday's sermon will be more of a story that I hope to get a chance to go over tomorrow.  It has been a while since I

     The memories return of starting this process back on Valentine's Day, Feb. 14th of this year.  I am back to tons of water, fiber supplements, stool softeners, anti-nausea medicine, and fatigue (mentally and physically).  Wednesdays become freedom days when the pack comes off.  On one hand I hope I am not putting my body through more than it needs to be and on the other hand I am doing something that the doctors admit they can't guarantee that they got it all.  In the end I am still praying for healing and leaving that ultimate in God's hand because after 4 months of this I will be actually glad that this part will be done so pray and faith will have even more space in my life.  So much time is spent with appointments and travel and schedules of medicine.      1 John 4's hallmark is "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world."  And in verses 2 and 3 J

      Here is a video from the infusion center in Gaylord.  I am hooked up for the 1st of 8 sessions, every other week.  I hope to have my last the week of Christmas.  My numbers were good enough for this so pray this will not slow down the wound healing too much.  I will be back to cold sensitivity and food tasting like nothing but I know what to do.  Thanks again for all the prayers.      We are in 1 John 4 this week.  This is the passage about testing the spirits.  I will be going to an Old Testament story found in 2 Chronicles 18 to show some of the points of how we do this.  I am hoping to use some of this up at the men's retreat. Thanks again for all the prayers.  Heavy on our hearts are Steve and Kaleb. Adam

     Sometimes I wonder if I am going to get better.  My days are pretty much the same with wound care and stoma care and soon to be added chemo sessions.  I am into this since January and 2 months from surgery.  I still can't sit down properly and haven't driven the car yet.  My days revolve around when I take my pain medications and when I have my dressing changed.  I guess I am throwing myself a pity party.  Life feels so much on hold right now.  Even when I plan something, it is so much up in the air depending on my physical condition.  When will I be normal again?  I get so many different answers from doctors and nurses.  I sometimes wonder.      Tomorrow signifies the most normal thing in my life, Sunday morning worship.  I notice myself singing harder and louder now and not so winded when I get up to preach.  I am going through this in front of the congregation and I wonder why?  If there is one thing that has kept me sane it is the drive to complete the task of that

     Sometimes I think I am done with the sermon but as I go through it again God brings out more.  At times I have to go back and change the bulletin outlines and sermon slides.  Sometimes it is just one phrase in the passage that jumps out at me.  Today is was "our heart condemns us."      After reading so far through 1 John, John has given us plenty of things that could condemn our hearts, mainly the tests if you are a "real" Christian.  If you are faking being a Christian by Biblical standards then your heart is going to condemn you.  What about the Christian who has a heart condemning them?  The Bible gives us some common areas.  Matthew 5:23, 24 says our heart will condemn us if we are not right with our brother and are told to go now, not later.  1 Peter 3:7 says our heart will condemn us if we are not right with our spouse and our prayers will be hindered because of it.  Psalm 66:18, 19 says our heart will condemn us if we have sin sitting in our lives an

     Even though Jason, our youngest, has been at college for 2 weeks and the house has been empty, yesterday was the day for parent/freshmen orientation and the official goodbye at the college.  Tears flowed as we prayed and hugged before leaving the campus.  I am so thankful for the emotions that let each of us know how much love there is between us.  Now it is a quiet day at home after many road trips over the last couple of weeks.  God is healing and I am preparing for the chemo days ahead.  I need to take advantage of these days to accomplish some book work and study of upcoming events.      My run through 1 John 3:11-24 brought me full circle on John's main points.  I am going to take the 4 tests and give them a number and the 5 things we receive from God and give them a letter and then go through this verse by verse and list number and letter the references.  John, I think, has given us all the material and now he is going to circle back around to it again and again.  

     Our trip to the wound nurse gave us some more procedures to try to promote healing but I must admit that the initial applications have been very painful.  I am thankful to be a little more useful around the house and at the church.  I am getting out in public a little more and how I am humbled at so many people who have told me that they have been praying for me and Stephanie.  Our prayer is that my body would recover to handle the chemo in little more than a week.  The chemo will slow everything down again but God took me through the first 4 rounds and I will lean on Him for the last 8.      Tomorrow, the Lord's Day, is the day to bring all my thoughts and study together for our congregation.  Our study of 1 John is about half way through.  I am so thankful for God working within our congregation to dig deeper in the Word.  Our practice is to take a book of the Bible and tear it apart and apply it to our lives.  Our view of the Scripture has risen to a new level, a level t