Funkyjimmer's Blog

Friday, August 19, 2005

HOW DO WE HANDLE LIFE?

I’ve been somewhat introspective the past few days. I think it has been an attempt to ward off a “pity-party”. I’m not so sure I’ve been successful. Karon says I’ve been an old grouch! I’d never admit to it but she’s right!

There have just been a series of things at work and church that haven’t been easy. I have become aware of two different scenarios that have caused me to be reflective.

Scenario 1: A family in our church is going through a very difficult time. The lady’s mother has had to move in with them due to her poor health; the lady’s husband had serious back surgery 4 months ago and is still off work. His disability and other compensation sources are running out and he can’t go back to work. People have threatened to break into their house to get the medication the man takes. Then an auto accident totaled their only car which was not completely paid off. The insurance company wouldn’t settle for enough money to pay off the loan. I think you are beginning to get the picture—these are the highlights or I guess you’d say “lowlights”. In the midst of this situation the lady wrote an email. I quote a part of the email here (with permission):

. We went yesterday to see about getting ____ on part time disability thru social security because we found out last week his sick pay from work runs out the middle of October. And it will take 5-6 months before we hear IF he qualifies, so from Oct - Jan/Feb. we'll only have my income. And then the insurance called us on the car & they valued the car at less than what our balance on the loan is so we're going to have to pay $1500-$2000 on that. The bank told us to just keep making payments like always until we get it paid off. And mom is coming home from the nursing home this Saturday & that does add extra costs to things: groceries, utilities, etc. so things are going to be really tight.
And I'll be honest with you, I just don't have faith anymore. I'm not coming back to church. My family may but I’m not. I'm not sure what or where I'm going. I just know that things have got to change & God sure isn't doing anything & I can't take anymore. There is so much more than anyone knows & I don't want to get into it but I'm just tired of all this & I can't take anymore. I've put up with so much for so long & God is not there for me so I’m not going to be there for him. Sorry.

This is a tough situation. Our church is ministering financially, emotionally and spiritually to this family. Hopefully we will be able to provide strength and assistance to them.

Scenario 2: A young man on a warm summer afternoon found his young daughter lying motionless at the bottom of their family swimming pool. He pulled her from the pool and frantically tried to revive her. His joy was unspeakable when she revived, gasping, coughing and crying. There was no permanent damage.

He later privately thanked God for saving his baby girl; thanked Him for His greatness and faithfulness. Then this young father said it seemed as though God said to him, “If your daughter had died would you still call me great and faithful? Am I not still Jehovah, no matter what I may do?”

This is something the lady in the first scenario I described needs to come to understand. Oswald Chambers says that faith in God exists regardless of anything that contradicts Him; faith is choosing to “…remain true to God’s character whatever He may do.”

Some of you may know that song Steven Curtis Chapman sings, “God is God and I am not. I can only see a part of the picture He’s painting.”

One of my internet friends wrote in her comment (you may have read it): “…isn't it awesome to serve a Sovereign God! … I hate to think of how non-believers do not have the hope we have when they face trials. Just keep holding His hand and know that all things happen for good for them that love Him.”

Sometimes we who are Believers need to remember the hope we have in Christ.

Thanks to all of you for being there for Karon and me.

Jim

posted by jim 4:35 PM 2 comments

Wednesday, August 17, 2005

"IN THIS WORLD YOU SHALL HAVE TROUBLE" -- Jesus

Life has taken a tumble right now. I have neither time nor the emotional energy to detail what has/is taking place. Some of the trouble are rather minor--"hairballs of life" kind of things. But some is pretty major and could have major fall-out.

A lot of my stress right now has to do with some changes we have been trying to initiate at church. Some is the natural stress of some changes at my "day job".

Most everything was good, positive and upbeat for quite awhile. Some things have taken a bit of a downward turn. But the good news is that none of these things relate to Karon and her health issues. She is in a "feeling better" period right now. That will last until just after we go for her next chemo treatment and then the day after when she gets that blasted shot! But we are taking advantage of the "feeling better" time right now. She wants to go to the State Fair so that's where we're headed this afternoon.

I must remember Jesus' promise which I used as the title to this Post. And I must remember that God is Sovereign and He is in control. I must let him be in control. One of my biggest failings is letting these "down turns" rob me of the joy I have in Christ. Satan loves it when I do that. I also must learn that I don't have to solve everything by myself. In fact, I don't have to solve everything!

Jim

posted by jim 12:24 PM 2 comments

Thursday, August 11, 2005

STUDY LEAVE HAS BEGUN

I am privileged to be allowed a study leave from my church each year at this time. Last year was the first year. I am thankful to be able to continue this. I am grateful to my church for recognizing the value and benefit of this time not only to me but to them also.

Some can leave town and be secluded or isolated for a large part, if not all, of their study leave. That is not possible for me. My full time work doesn't allow it. Also, I wouldn't want to be away from Karon at a time who she needs me.

I use this study leave time to try to get ahead on planning for Fall-Winter emphases and preparation for messages I will be presenting at church in the Fall and Winter. I try to get some reading done that I just don't seem to have time to accomplish the rest of the year.

This Fall at church we will be re-visiting the "40 Days of Purpose" emphasis. We went through this study two years ago. We are hoping to emphasize some areas we didn't highlight two years ago. It is a good spiritual experience and new people to our church in the last two years will hopefully benefit as well as those of us who experienced the study previously.

After the holidays and the first of the year I will speak on the lives of well-known, and some not-so-well known, Bible personalities. There are many lessons to be gleaned from a study of these Bible characters. And it is important to know how these Bible people fit into the timeline of Bible history and also world history. This will be a big undertaking. I'm scared just contemplating undertaking a study like this. But it will be so beneficial to the church and to me as well.

In addition to studying and at least outlining the messages for these preaching emphases, there are some books I want to read.

I want to finish a biography I began reading a few weeks ago. And I have another book in process that I started so long ago I think I may have to just begin it all over again. Karon and I have finished the book about which I posted earlier: "The Scandal of the Evangelical Conscience," by Ronald J. Sider. A book well worth reading. I plan to recommend it to several friends.

I also want to read John Ortberg's book, "If You Want To Walk On The Water, You Have To Get Out Of The Boat." This book has been highly recommended to me.

That doesn't sound like a lot of reading. But I am a slow reader and unfortunately I am also easily distracted. So reading is not the easiest thing I try to accomplish! And four weeks isn't a lot of time, considering the other things I want to accomplish.

I hope to spend more quality time with Karon. I don't realize how much I am actually gone because of the things in which I choose to be involved. Also, there are several things at church that I need my attention during this study leave. And I have some personal tasks at home that need to be accomplished. There are several things I have neglected to accomplish. I have used the stalling tactic, "I'll do that during my study leave." Well, now the study leave is here and I have to get cranking on some things.

I'm exhausted just thinking and writing about all this. Not to mention I have a stack of DVDs that I'd really like to watch. "Maybe next year!" :)

Jim

posted by jim 3:40 PM 0 comments

Wednesday, August 10, 2005

A GOOD PARTNERSHIP

Our little church has accepted the challenge to partner with a sister church in Berdyansk, Ukraine, to further the Gospel in that country. Initially our partnership will take the form of financially supporting one of our own church members in ministry in Berdyansk. This lady recently graduated from college cum laude with a degree in World Missions.

In the Ukraine, this lady will work in Vacation Bible School camps and also teach Bible studies to, and disciple, young women. A part of her mission work will also be with the college campus youth. Also she will do village ministry to the extremely poor people out in the villages. Eventually she plans to take the Gospel to one of the unreached people groups in the Ukraine, the Tatars, a Muslim people.

Our partnership involves three aspects: 1) committing to giving financially for her monthly support. Her monthly needs will be $3,100. We had set a faith goal of committing half of that monthly support, or $1,550. This is an ambitious goal for a small group of working class people. Our church numbers about 90 or 100 people--children, youth and adults.

The second aspect of our partnership with this dedicated Lady is to pray regularly for her.

And third, to commit to on-going communication with her by email, snail-mail, or whatever ways are available.

Last Sunday was our commitment Sunday. We are very pleased with the response. I don't know yet how many people made commitments. But the commitments totaled $1,093.00 each month for the support of our missionary in the Ukraine. This is in addition to our support of local expenses and other mission works in which we are involved.

There were some regular members absent Sunday. I am sure more commitments will be received. I think it is likely we will achieve our goal of $1,550 per month.

I am also sure that next summer we will have several more people on short-term mission trips. And I am confident one team will go to the Ukraine!

Jim

posted by jim 2:00 PM 2 comments

Wednesday, August 03, 2005

"GOOFED" AGAIN!

Karon and I saw the doctor this morning. Nothing startling new to report. He just confirmed some things we suspected--like the fact that her continued weight-loss is due to the cancer working in her body, not anything she is doing wrong regarding eating or anything. He just encouraged her to continue to eat as well as she can. That if often very difficult because of the mouth sores (and other side effects) caused by the chemotherapy treatments.

They tell us so many things. As time goes on and the information increases, it seems to become easier to forget some of it. They gave us a prescription last time and said she was to take these pills as prescribed a day before her chemotherapy treatments; the day of the treatments and one dose the day after treatments.

I (we) forgot. Managing medication is supposed to be one of my areas of responsibility in this "adventure". I forgot about the need to take this particular medication before the treatment today. For some unknown reason, at 2 a. m. this morning Karon realized she was supposed to have taken those pills and she hadn't done so! She took some then and a dose this morning before treatment. They went ahead with the treatments anyway.

I declare, my forgetfulness will be the death of her yet. I forget stuff a lot. That's why I try to write stuff down. (I've written in my datebook about taking the pills before the next treatment!) I am so easily distracted. I get up from one spot to go do something or get something and I see things on the way that I need to do or get so I get distracted by what drew my attention that needed done and I never do get what I started after in the first lace. *SIGH*

I like my life organized and orderly. I am a "list-maker". But even in making lists I get distracted because writing the list reminds me of other stuff I need to do and I write that down and forget the original task I intended to put on my list. *SIGH*

Oh well, 'nuf whining. God is good and He is still on His Throne and in control.

Sunday our little church makes a commitment to financially support one of our own young people in full time mission work in the Ukraine. I am excited to see what God will do through our church. I'll write more about that later and will let you-all know how it turns out after Sunday.

Jim

posted by jim 1:45 PM 3 comments

Monday, August 01, 2005

ANOTHER STEP IN THE JOURNEY

Saturday Karon and I took another step in this "cancer journey". Friday we took her wig (hair piece, whatever you want to call it) to the Beautician to have her work on it--shape, style, fit it, etc. Saturday Karon and I went to pick it up.

Karon had decided by then that she was ready to have the rest of her hair cut off. To anyone looking at first glance it appeared that Karon still had lots of hair because her hair was thick. But it had been coming out a lot since last Tuesday. Looking closely you could tell it was getting a lot thinner. There were spots with no hair at all. And it really bugged Karon to have lots and lots of hair falling out all the time, going everywhere. It all would have been gone in a day or so anyway. It was falling out rapidly. So by Saturday she had decided it was time to have it all removed.

Karon asked if I was going to the Beautician with her. Of course I was. We are making this journey together, every step of the way we possibly can. And I wasn't about to let her experience that part of the journey alone.

It was tough but not as bad as I had thought it might be. I tried to be calm and steady for her sake. Karon and I did better than her beautician, who cried as she was cutting the hair. That made it hard for us but we managed okay.

Karon really looks good in her wig. It is as near her natural hair as I guess you could get, considering the cost of it. And the Beautician did a great job of styling it.

Then we went to a beautician supply store and bought Karon some turbans and caps. None of the caps fit but the turbans are fine and I think she looks good in them, too.

It is hard getting used to seeing Karon around the house without hair, wig, turban or any kind of covering. But it's okay. I'm glad we went through that together.

Wednesday Karon has her second chemotherapy intravenous treatment. Hopefully she and I will be more careful of her immune system this time so she won't end up in the hospital again!

Thanks to all for the prayers and love expressed.

Regards,

Jim

posted by jim 4:30 PM 3 comments