We’ve Only Just Begun to Live

That was one of our favorite songs (released in 1970) by The Carpenters. The characters in the song were a just-married couple looking forward to new horizons, new roads to choose, and so much life ahead of them. We sang that song completely unaware of what lie ahead, but naïve and child-like as we were, we just knew as long as we were together, side by side, we’d make it through each and every bump in the road that we might encounter. Seems like unrealistic thinking, but it is the only way to live – believing and always hoping for the best, but just in case the worst might come, we’d be able to handle it together. And, oh, my – the bumps did come – far beyond what two kids could ever dream, but we did handle it together – that is – together with God where we placed our hope and trust -- the ONE Who had already prepared the way for us.

We’re well into our second week of this new year and this start certainly gives us those feelings -- a certain excitement about the possibilities that are out there for us. We may reflect on the past, but no longer do we dwell there, because we certainly can’t change the past. Looking through the rearview mirror is no option. I said in a blog last week that starting the year with a clean slate and a clean calendar gives us great hope for this new year. But, the best news is – come what may – we can start a clean slate every day. Or if we make a mistake in this minute, we can start a clean slate with asking God for forgiveness and cleaning up our mess right now! Whew! How good to know! Good thing I keep plenty of clean slates on hand!

Already, just ten days in – I’ve been receiving requests for prayer from a friend’s mom who was diagnosed with breast cancer yesterday. Another request was to pray for a friend whose cancer had returned. Another request was a friend’s baby who was admitted to the hospital with breathing issues and is still there – four days later. Life happened. Bumps in the road happened. It is still the same story for each of them and each of us. We can handle this because – IN GOD we trust!

We came upon those bumps in the road, too, when we rushed our own baby boy to the hospital when he started turning blue in my arms. That was truly our first major bump in the road. I was pregnant with our daughter and had to walk down the hall when they were taking his blood. My young husband was helping them hold our crying-uncontrollably-baby down, but they called me back to help them with my husband who had fainted. Then, and now, so many years later – IN GOD, we learned to trust.

The many chapters of my/our story reveal how God allowed us to go through some of the best of times and the worst of times to “thicken our skin” aka strengthen our walk and talk of faith. God brought us through each and every time. We became anchored in our trust in God and I’m still anchored each day as I seek God with my whole heart. It’s the sure foundation for whatever may come in this day. That's the fuel to our trust -- leaning into the ONE with Whom we can put our trust in -- come what may!

Psalm 9:10 "And those who know Your name put their trust in You, for You, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You."

Harvest Time Up Ahead -- Keep Doing Good!

This blog inspiration is brought to us today by our good friend and mentor, St. Paul. His words are filled with hope for those of us who have been on the "do-good" tractor -- planting and planting, and we've been wondering if it has been worth it. Oh, but then comes Paul's firey voice cheering us on: "And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up." (Galatians 6:9)

It has been a tough row to hoe (speaking in planting and reaping terms) the last few years. Maybe you've gritted your teeth to stay kind and to bear it all. Or, you shut your eyes and put ear plugs in to deafen the harshness of the loud voices of the enemy. You may read these words and relate them to stuff going on in your family, or you may relate them to what's outside. Stones have been cast and angry voices raised. Hit and run proclamations. But we are still standing, somewhat stunned, but we're still here. We must not be done. It’s in times like these that retreat sounds so safe. Let’s go home, lock the doors, bar the windows and disconnect the doorbell. Gather up our stockpiled faith and ration out just enough to survive. It seems tempting to safeguard our hearts by taking them right out and sticking them in a steel encased safe. Then forget the combination.

But, then, our tried, tested and proven faith warrior friend, St. Paul -- who suffered great physical pain, was imprisoned, shipwrecked, mocked and beaten for his faith -- speaks again as a challenge and invitation: “Let us not grow weary of doing good." These words bring tears to my eyes, a lump to my throat. It's in this deeper, invisible place that sees the best in people, that reaches out in love, that keeps believing folks can change. This sort of hope has taken a beating lately. And as I type this blog, I talk to God about it and He replies "I understand."

I realize, He does. More than I can know, more than any of us comprehend. He knows what it is to love and love. To extend yourself so far that you are....oh, stretched out on a cross. Then we hear the words of St. Paul again: "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:2) Fixing our eyes on Jesus changes everything. Consider the perfect Man who endured such opposition from sinful men. Perhaps we are so disillusioned these days because we have been looking at each other. And we, mere humans, always fall short. We disappoint. We cave. But not Jesus.

So, we suit up and we keep doing good -- like Jesus. He is the reason we can stay in the race. Take the next step. Keep going. Keep believing. Most of all, keep loving. Not locked away, but the safest place for our hearts is entrusting them to the One who for the joy set before Him endured the cross. The One who does not grow weary. The One who, in the middle of all the noise and chaos and even danger, will never allow our hearts to be lost. So what do we do? We keep doing good -- harvest time is up ahead. I'm getting the biggest John Deere tractor I can find -- I'll need it because I'm not quitting. I'm going to love even more and expecting to reap a mammoth harvest! Care to borrow my tractor?

Whole Lotta Infusion Goin' On!!

Infusion -- To fill or cause to be filled with something; Injection; Instill. That's a word that we've encountered many times in the last several weeks. My Honey has had more than his share of I.V. infusions for hydration, nutrition, medication, blood transfusions, and then on Friday, August 13th, he was infused with the first targeted therapy treatment (chemo). The chemo treatment went well -- no side effects for which we are so grateful.

The next week, went quite well as I continued to give him the antibiotic via I.V. for the staph infection. We also were able to get his pain better managed as we figured out the necessary meds to bring about comfort. He grew stronger as he began physical therapy three times a week. Now we were ready for our next chemo treatment on Friday, August 20th.

All was going well until Friday morning at 5:30 a.m. when I was awakened by Ron violently shaking with chills and rigors. I quickly checked his temperature and it was over 102. We've been directed to call the medical on-call line if that happens. We were quickly urged to go to the Emergency Room as soon as possible. Fortunately, our son had come into town the night before to see us before going to Asia for nine days, so he was able to help me get Ron into the car and to the hospital, as he was very lethargic and unable to communicate. Once determining that there was another type of infection in his body, and his blood pressure being extremely low, we were moved to the intensive care unit for the next 36 hours. Today, Saturday evening, we were moved to a regular room since they've been able to get the infection under control and the blood pressure stabilized.

Another exciting ride on the roller coaster! Many keep asking me, "How do you cope with the ups and downs of your faith journey?" I'll tell you how we continue to believe we are "winning" no matter what we face. Back to how I started this blog…..with the word, "Infusion". When Ron and I first talked about this word, we looked at it two-fold: one, in the medical sense, but then we started saying….."We are also being 'infused' by God's Word as we continue to trust in the many promises of God." Psalms 119:130 says "The entrance (infusion) of Your words gives light." When we meditate on God's Word, it brings light and life. As everyone must know by now, that has been the source of our strength, as we meditate, trust in, and place our hope upon the infallible Word of God. We believe it is crucial for our success. Another verse comes to mind. It says "If your law had not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction" -- Psalm 119:92. That is so true. It has been our lifeline. It has been our strength. Yes, we have been literally squeezed during this faith journey, but that's why we want to be so filled with the Word of God that when we are squeezed -- when we are in trouble, or when we are at a loss for human understanding, or when we are faced with situations in life over which we have no control, we must be so filled with the Word of God that we pour out faith and hope and trust in the midst of the storm. That is what has been our "shelter in the time of storm".

In our church, when we are about to hear a Gospel reading (a reading from one of the four Gospels -- Matthew, Mark, Luke or John), we do the sign of the cross on our foreheads (indicating "May this Word be in my mind"), on our lips (indicating "May this Word be in my mouth") and in my heart (indicating "May the Word be in my heart"). How do we actually get those words into our minds, our mouths and our spirits? We meditate on those words 24/7 -- we read them consistently -- we've placed them on the walls of our home -- we speak them consistently over circumstances in our lives. It’s in the music that’s being played in our home. We're surrounding and saturating our lives with the Word of God. Being as intentional with believing, trusting and speaking -- taking in God's words like medicine, as much as we are taking the prescribed medications given to us by our medical team.

Tomorrow a CT scan will be done on Ron to determine the source of the infection. Whatever the outcome, we still believe that "with God all things are possible"! We are INFUSED with those words from Matthew 19:26. That scripture is in a picture frame in our bedroom. We read it daily -- it's in our mind, our mouths and in our heart!!! WE WIN!!