Saturday, April 28, 2007
UPDATE OF KARON’S CONDITION
Some readers of this Blog may not know that my wife of 37+ years, Karon, is battling the cancer disease. In 2000 breast cancer was discovered. After a lumpectomy and radiation therapy she was pronounced “cured”. Everything was good until March of 2004, when the doctors FINALLY paid attention to her symptoms and discovered bone cancer. It was in all of the skeletal structure—head to toe. It has since metastasized to the liver and lungs, where malignant tumors have been discovered. They have been growing until recently. They seem to have stopped their rapid growth lately.
As a result of the bone cancer, her left hip broke in May of 2004. This has required two surgeries and a lot of rehab. She gets around now with the aid of a three-wheel walker. She has been in nearly continuous chemotherapy since. They have tried many, many drugs and combination of drugs but none seem to be effective against her type of cancer. Every 3 weeks they do a special blood work that tells the “cancer count” or “tumor marker”. 0 to 38 is considered normal. Hers has been as high as about 170.
On March 6th the tumor marker was at 134.5 which was a drop of 30 points from the February results. At the last count April 9th, the marker was down to 84.5 which was a decrease of 50 points in four weeks. Praise God for the count going down since she started on this latest combination of chemo drugs, Cytoxan and Taxol. We are especially thankful because the doctor said there was probably only a 10% chance that these drugs would be effective. She has had four treatments of these drugs. She goes Monday and we will find out if these drugs are still effective and if the count is continuing to decrease. She will probably have another chemo treatment of these drugs Monday if it seems they are doing any good.
Last week she spent most of the week in the hospital due to the side effects of the chemo. They gave her lots of fluids, antibiotics and 2 pints of blood.
I hate it that I can’t be with her at the doctor’s appointment Monday. I don’t like to have her hear news alone. But I’ll be driving a moving truck back from Atlanta, Georgia. (See previous post.) But we have a good friend who will take her and be with her at the doctor’s appointment.
Besides, God is always with us – all the time!
JimLabels: Personal
posted by jim 11:55 AM 0 comments
TRAVELING
Work has had me traveling quite a bit this month. Not far but frequently. A few times I've spent a night or two in a hotel. Several have been day trips. I just got back from a couple of days in southwest Indiana. I was in that area couple of weeks ago also. This trip Karon was physically able to go with me. On our way back to Indy, we got to stop by the recently re-modeled French Lick Resort and Casino area. WE DIDN'T DO ANY GAMBLING! But we enjoyed spending a bit of time in the lobby of the beautiful, revamped hotel.
It looks like I'll be spending more consistent time traveling in the days ahead. I foresee that most trips will be day-trips. But there will be some "overnights" mixed in also.
Besides work travel, I'm doing a personal trip tomorrow. I fly to Atlanta, Georgia, where I will drive a moving truck back to Indianapolis. One of our daughter has been living and working in the Atlanta-area the past 5 years. She's decided to come back to the Indy area. She will continue to work for her same company. So we drive back Monday and unload the truck Tuesday. I'll drive the truck and she'll drive her car. If you get this in time, you might pray for a safe trip!
More when I get back.
JimLabels: Personal
posted by jim 11:17 AM 0 comments
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
TRAGEDY
The events at Virginia Tech College have gripped the nation. I have been quite disturbed also. I keep thinking of all my college friends in several colleges throughout Indiana and in other states as well. I also have been reflecting on all my college-graduate friends, as well as my own daughters long since graduated from their colleges.
I try to imagine my feelings and reactions if I would have heard about such a massacre on one of their college campuses. I can’t begin to imagine what it would be like. I pray I’ll never have to know what that’s like. But I need to try to imagine how I would feel because I want to be able to empathize with the parents and other loved ones, as well as the friends of those slain and injured at Virginia Tech Monday.
As I write this and contemplate Monday’s awful occurrence, in my mind’s eye I am seeing the faces of all my college friends—those already graduated and those still studying at various colleges. I try to pray about the situation but it is hard. I want to pray for the survivors but I also want to thank God that none of my college friends have been killed or injured—then I feel guilty! But I am thankful that none of my college friends have had to experience such a horrific, life-changing tragedy in their lives.
But there is no smugness in my attitude. Who knows where it could happen next? We live in a fallen world. We tend to forget that and wonder why God lets such tragedies happen. It is not God’s will that such things take place. It is because of sin entering the world in the Garden of Eden. Until Christ’s return this world will suffer the consequences of that sin. Yesterday’s tragedy was just one manifestation of that sin in the world. But I take comfort in the knowledge that Christ has overcome the world.
A lot has been said and written, placing blame for Monday’s massacre at Virginia Tech. Other than the fact that the murderous rampage occurred at all, my biggest disappointment is that so many are playing the “blame game”. Everyone points fingers and has all kinds of ideas about what should have been done. What’s that old saying? “Hindsight is 20/20”. Now everyone knows what should have been done!
Yes, we need to evaluate and improve where possible. But what good does just blaming somebody do? I also have empathy for the University of Virginia Tech officials and the Campus and local law enforcement personnel.
It was a terrible situation. I wish we wouldn’t make it worse by everybody blaming everybody else. Work together to do what you can for this situation. Then work together to find ways to better guard against something like that happening in the future—as much as is possible.
God be with the grieving survivors.
JimLabels: TRAGEDY
posted by jim 12:04 AM 0 comments
Saturday, April 14, 2007
WEDDINGS
I won’t try to write about everything that was significant (or even insignificant) to me during the hiatus in entries in this Journal. But two events occurred almost simultaneously that have had a sustained, positive impact on my life. These events were both weddings at which two of my very dear friends were married. These weddings took place on the same day (New Years Eve Day) very close to the same time—but thousands of miles apart.
In one wedding I was privileged to be personally involved by studying and counseling with the couple. Then I was so privileged and honored to be able to perform the wedding ceremony for them. For the other wedding I had to be content to pray about and hear details of it later. One wedding took place in Indiana in a beautiful chapel on a college campus. The other wedding took place in Western Canada in a small church.
Both couples are committed Christians who demonstrate Christ in their talk and in their walk. From what I have been told about the “far away” wedding, and what I experienced at the Indiana wedding, they were occasions where Christ was honored and of which He was proud to be a part.
I am sure that I have never been a part of any wedding anywhere, anytime that was more God-honoring and Christ-exalting than the wedding in which I was privileged to participate. Every detail exuded Christ-likeness. Every piece of music that was played glorified and praised the Savior. You could tell that not only was there a lot of thought and planning involved, but that everything was considered from a desire to please and honor God. And it did!
It was such a blessing that I still bask in the blessings that came to me from being a participant. Even the reception was a blessed, God-honoring event. It was also such a blessing for me to be re-united with several of my friends from that college whom I have known through Inter Varsity Christian fellowship. Many of them have graduated and are in the work force. But it is so good to see them continuing faithful to Christ and His church in worship and in service.
How refreshing, in this day when the marriage of one man to one woman is being called into question and even ridiculed, to find Christian couples so desirous of honoring Christ with their lives. Both couples exemplified the Biblical standard of moral purity before marriage. And they are demonstrating Christian marriage to the world around them.
What a blessing for me to know these two couples. God be with each of you in your marriage.
Jim
posted by jim 5:43 PM 0 comments
Thursday, April 12, 2007
RESURRECTION!
We have just had Easter when we have thought, taught and sung about the resurrection of Christ from the grave. So this seems like a good time to “resurrect” this Blog-Journal. I have not made any entries since last October 26, 2006—as those who used to read it are very much aware.
Last Sunday—Easter Sunday—was my last Sunday as the Pastor of my little church, Countryside Christian Fellowship. They have been searching for a full time Pastor since last June. I had originally thought I would continue as their Pastor until a replacement was on the field. Then I thought that I might work with the new person for a while to insure a “smooth landing” transition.
But a combination of circumstances made that not the best plan. Things are incredibly busy at my “day job”. There are more responsibilities that require more and more time. Some of those responsibilities will require more travel. Also, I need to be more available to assist Karon in the evenings. All my “spare” time was taken up with sermon preparation or other responsibilities of ministry. Add to this the fact that I find I tire out more quickly now. So when I get home at night from work I am quickly very tired and not physically or mentally able to apply myself to study and preparation, as I should.
Another factor that makes this a good time to transition from the church is that they are at a place of completing one phase and are ready to go to another phase. We completed a successful Capital Stewardship Campaign—the church’s first attempt at anything like that. Money was committed and is being given regularly toward a new church building addition. Yet they have not begun the actual building phase yet. They are at a point to decide exactly what they can and should build, given the amount of money committed. So this seems a good time to step aside and let a new Pastor lead from this point.
The church needs a full time Pastor to grow beyond their current level in attendance and commitment to ministry. By getting out of the way, I am hoping that will bring about new leadership more quickly.
I feel like I’ve gotten my life back again. While I will miss the church people very much (they are a terrific, loving group of people) and while I will miss presenting God’s Word on a weekly basis, I am glad not to have to be thinking of something more to do regarding the ministry every minute. I am hoping soon to get some rest that I haven’t gotten for the last four years or so. And I hope to keep this Journal more active. And I definitely want to communicate better with my friends. I have friends that I have sadly neglected to communicate with via email, etc., just for lack of both time and physical energy to do so. I want to correct that. I love my friends dearly but I am afraid they will think I don’t care and have just “dumped” them. Nothing could be further from the truth but I am afraid it looks that way. I hope I’m not too late with some of my friends.
So there will be more from me on a more regular basis. Until next time,
Regards,
Jim
posted by jim 10:50 PM 1 comments
