August 31, 2007
Love Never Fails
What are the traits you most admire? Faithfulness, conviction, strength mixed with compassion, selflessness, passion. Those were traits that described my father.
When I was sixteen, my boyfriend broke up with me and I was devastated. I felt as if I'd lost everything in my little world and the tears wouldn't stop. My mother tried to console me telling me I was too young to be with one boy - there would be other boyfriends. But my father groaned with me. He felt my pain in a personal way and longed to fill that void. He called me from work and invited me out to dinner. He took me to a fancy restaurant all by myself. He assured me I was beautiful and cherished and loved. And though my heartache continued for a little while, I've never forgotten the assurance of my father's love for me.
How much more does our heavenly father love us. No matter what trial, what great loss, what suffering - He is always there for us -He goes before us and walks beside us. He feels our pain personally and longs to fill the void it leaves.Joshua 1:5b says "I will not fail you or forsake you". The word for "will not" in the original text is emphatic - it means never never ever ever. What a beautiful picture of our Father's great love for us.He will never never ever ever fail or forsake us! Assuredly not!
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
August 20, 2007
Steadfast
"When they hurled their insults at him,...did not retaliate....Instead, he entrusted Himself to Him Who judges justly" 1 Peter 2:23
Thank you Lord that You alone know the hearts of men. "Judge not, lest you be judged." When the accuser of the brethren comes to our door, may we be reminded of our security in You. Give us eyes to see and ears to hear what You would show us.
With humility, I raise my shield of faith and proclaim "Blessed be Your name! "
Steadfast
"When they hurled their insults at him,...did not retaliate....Instead, he entrusted Himself to Him Who judges justly" 1 Peter 2:23
Thank you Lord that You alone know the hearts of men. "Judge not, lest you be judged." When the accuser of the brethren comes to our door, may we be reminded of our security in You. Give us eyes to see and ears to hear what You would show us.
With humility, I raise my shield of faith and proclaim "Blessed be Your name! "
August 13, 2007
God's Promises
"He has given us his very great and precious promises." 2Peter 1:4
"When a shipbuilder erects a boat, does he do so only to keep it on the scaffolding? No, he builds it to sail the seas and to weather the storms. In fact, if he does not think of strong winds and hurricanes as he builds it, he is a poor shipbuilder.In the same way, when God made you a believer, He meant to test you. And when He gave you promises and asked You to trust them, He made His promises suitable for times of storms and high seas. Do you believe that some of His promises are counterfeit, similar to a life vest that looks good in the store but is of no use in the sea?We have all seen swords that are beautiful but are useless in war, or shoes made for decoration but not for walking. Yet God's shoes are made of iron and brass, and we can walk all the way to heaven in them, without ever wearing them out. And we could swim the Atlantic a thousand times in His life vest, with no fear of ever sinking. His Word is meant to be tried and tested.There is nothing Christ dislikes more than for His people to publicly profess Him and then not use Him. He loves for us to make use of Him, for His covenant blessings are not simply meant to be looked at but should be appropriated. Our Lord Jesus has been given to us for our present use. Are you making use of Him aas you should?O beloved, I plead with you not to treat God's promises as something to be displayed in a museum but to use them as everyday sources of comfort. And whenever you have time of need, trust the Lord. "------Charles H. Spurgeon
I pray that you KNOW His promises
God's Promises
"He has given us his very great and precious promises." 2Peter 1:4
"When a shipbuilder erects a boat, does he do so only to keep it on the scaffolding? No, he builds it to sail the seas and to weather the storms. In fact, if he does not think of strong winds and hurricanes as he builds it, he is a poor shipbuilder.In the same way, when God made you a believer, He meant to test you. And when He gave you promises and asked You to trust them, He made His promises suitable for times of storms and high seas. Do you believe that some of His promises are counterfeit, similar to a life vest that looks good in the store but is of no use in the sea?We have all seen swords that are beautiful but are useless in war, or shoes made for decoration but not for walking. Yet God's shoes are made of iron and brass, and we can walk all the way to heaven in them, without ever wearing them out. And we could swim the Atlantic a thousand times in His life vest, with no fear of ever sinking. His Word is meant to be tried and tested.There is nothing Christ dislikes more than for His people to publicly profess Him and then not use Him. He loves for us to make use of Him, for His covenant blessings are not simply meant to be looked at but should be appropriated. Our Lord Jesus has been given to us for our present use. Are you making use of Him aas you should?O beloved, I plead with you not to treat God's promises as something to be displayed in a museum but to use them as everyday sources of comfort. And whenever you have time of need, trust the Lord. "------Charles H. Spurgeon
I pray that you KNOW His promises
August 6, 2007
Our Job Description
"You are manifestly an epistle of Christ...written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart." 2 Corinthians 3:3
I was reminded this week-end by my son, of our need for humility. If we are to be your letters sent forth for others to read through us, we need humble hearts. If others are to see in us how to live with joy in trials, peace with our circumstances, patience as we wait upon You and hope in Your promises.....help us to set aside our own agendas and live what we believe.
"It is a sobering thought to picture myself as the only communication of Your truth they might receive today. It makes me wonder what kind of example I am. Further, I don't really have a choice. If people know I believe in You, they will take their readings about how faith works in the down-to-earth application in everyday living." L. J. Ogilvie
Lord, make us sensitive to Your still small voice this week and mindful that we ARE Your "letter" to those You put in our paths this week.
Our Job Description
"You are manifestly an epistle of Christ...written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart." 2 Corinthians 3:3
I was reminded this week-end by my son, of our need for humility. If we are to be your letters sent forth for others to read through us, we need humble hearts. If others are to see in us how to live with joy in trials, peace with our circumstances, patience as we wait upon You and hope in Your promises.....help us to set aside our own agendas and live what we believe.
"It is a sobering thought to picture myself as the only communication of Your truth they might receive today. It makes me wonder what kind of example I am. Further, I don't really have a choice. If people know I believe in You, they will take their readings about how faith works in the down-to-earth application in everyday living." L. J. Ogilvie
Lord, make us sensitive to Your still small voice this week and mindful that we ARE Your "letter" to those You put in our paths this week.
July 28, 2007
A Challenge
"What if some did not have faith? Will their lack of faith nullify God's faithfulness?" Romans 3:3
Unbelief continually asks, "How can this be possible?" It is always full of "how's," yet faith needs only one great answer--GOD! No one accomplishes so much in so little time as when he or she is praying. (From 'Streams...')
Lord, forgive us our unbelief! Increase our faith and empower our prayers to align with Your will. We ask for a glimpse of Your divine hand upon our lives as we submit every area of our lives to You. Protect us from false teachings and strengthen our discernment of Your Truth in this misguided world.
A Challenge
"What if some did not have faith? Will their lack of faith nullify God's faithfulness?" Romans 3:3
Unbelief continually asks, "How can this be possible?" It is always full of "how's," yet faith needs only one great answer--GOD! No one accomplishes so much in so little time as when he or she is praying. (From 'Streams...')
Lord, forgive us our unbelief! Increase our faith and empower our prayers to align with Your will. We ask for a glimpse of Your divine hand upon our lives as we submit every area of our lives to You. Protect us from false teachings and strengthen our discernment of Your Truth in this misguided world.
December 26th 2008, Merry Christmas
What a thought! How desolate a life without the hope of Christ! How hopeless the ways of men left to their own design! The further this nation, this world, drifts from Christ as our pillar - the clearer the picture of what a Christ-less world would look like. Does Allah redeem us from our sin? Will Buddha save us from ourselves?But rejoice! He did come! He came and instructed us on how to live in humility and love, with forgiving hearts, doing good and proclaiming The Way! Praise His Name! Wonderful, Counsellor, Prince of Peace, Almighty God!
I love the story of a Christ-converted Buddhist who was asked to explain his change of heart. "I was drowning," he said. "Buddha stood at the water's edge and instructed me on how to swim. Then he walked away saying it was my own journey. Then Christ swam out, rescued me, taught me how to swim, then sent me out to help save others."Oh happy day, when Jesus came! Merry merry Christ-mas!
What a thought! How desolate a life without the hope of Christ! How hopeless the ways of men left to their own design! The further this nation, this world, drifts from Christ as our pillar - the clearer the picture of what a Christ-less world would look like. Does Allah redeem us from our sin? Will Buddha save us from ourselves?But rejoice! He did come! He came and instructed us on how to live in humility and love, with forgiving hearts, doing good and proclaiming The Way! Praise His Name! Wonderful, Counsellor, Prince of Peace, Almighty God!
I love the story of a Christ-converted Buddhist who was asked to explain his change of heart. "I was drowning," he said. "Buddha stood at the water's edge and instructed me on how to swim. Then he walked away saying it was my own journey. Then Christ swam out, rescued me, taught me how to swim, then sent me out to help save others."Oh happy day, when Jesus came! Merry merry Christ-mas!
January 15th 2009, Perspectives
It's been 14 weeks since my last chemo and I feel like a novice. How quickly the memory of prior chemos has flown. How did I feel afterwards? I'm in the chair getting started.
New location, unfamiliar surroundings. The room I'm in is huge with high ceilings and 7' high 10' long partitions creating "areas", each with 2 to 3 chairs. At first I miss the other location where all chairs faced one direction. Here the patients face one another. Some are chattering away seemingly full of energy and encouragement for each other. Others smile tired sympathetic smiles.
So much has happened in the past 14 weeks - two surgeries, a Presidential election, Christmas and a New Year. (My energy returned in full the week after Christmas.) The whole earth seems to be groaning with wars and rumors of wars, fears of financial disaster.
So here I sit, receiving the first of my last 3 chemos. I don't remember much probably because there wasn't much to remember. Only the 1" growth of hair on my head is left to mark the treatments past. I expect to lose it though.
I skipped my daily dose of antioxidents this morning. I must give them up until after my final chemo. Every cell in my body is left unprotected and I picture the innocent cells standing like little soldiers, helplessly, bravely, as the attack begins. What is to me a tranquil 3 hour drip of Taxotere is a fearsome battle for my body. Unfortunately many healthy happy cells will die alongside the destructive life-sapping ones. It's a necessary sacrifice I tell them, for the good of the body. Hair cells die with cancer cells. I think of our soldiers at war and realize once again the small price of baldness.
A small feisty woman I guess to be in her seventies joins us. A patient I cannot see comments he hasn't seen her in a while. "I quit," she said, "I gave my body a break, but they called and said it was time to get started again, so here I am. What do you think of the new place?" she asks then answers her own question before he has a chance, "I think it's terrible!" "Helen, are you behaving yourself?" asks the nurse. "No!" she answers offering chocolates from a large box to the patients. She shoves the box at the nurse. "You ask the others," she says, "I'm too tired." She plomps into the only vacant chair. "I was hoping the chairs would be full and they'd send me home." "You keeping busy?" A man's voice behind the partition asks her. "I've got a busy week," Helen says, "I see the dentist on Monday and the priest on Tuesday. I haven't been to confession for a while. Don't have much to tell him. You gonna give me a DVD player to shut me up?" She asks the nurse hooking her up to an IV. "There's a movie I want to see that'll give me something to tell the priest." The nurse giggles, sets her up and Helen quiets down.
The Benedryl is making me sleepy but I'm too nosey to sleep. There are too many lives to observe. These partitions almost make eavesdropping legal. My nutritionist told me to drink lots of water to flush the poison out of my system so I'm making numerous trips to the restroom dragging my IV tubes, infusion bags and the pole they're suspended from behind me like an unwelcome pest.
The Taxotere bag is almost empty - maybe 20 more minutes worth and then only two chemos left! Yeah! It's not so bad really. I heard cancer clinics in Nevada were closed and patients were having to go outside their state. I'm grateful for the opportunity to have this treatment.
It's been 14 weeks since my last chemo and I feel like a novice. How quickly the memory of prior chemos has flown. How did I feel afterwards? I'm in the chair getting started.
New location, unfamiliar surroundings. The room I'm in is huge with high ceilings and 7' high 10' long partitions creating "areas", each with 2 to 3 chairs. At first I miss the other location where all chairs faced one direction. Here the patients face one another. Some are chattering away seemingly full of energy and encouragement for each other. Others smile tired sympathetic smiles.
So much has happened in the past 14 weeks - two surgeries, a Presidential election, Christmas and a New Year. (My energy returned in full the week after Christmas.) The whole earth seems to be groaning with wars and rumors of wars, fears of financial disaster.
So here I sit, receiving the first of my last 3 chemos. I don't remember much probably because there wasn't much to remember. Only the 1" growth of hair on my head is left to mark the treatments past. I expect to lose it though.
I skipped my daily dose of antioxidents this morning. I must give them up until after my final chemo. Every cell in my body is left unprotected and I picture the innocent cells standing like little soldiers, helplessly, bravely, as the attack begins. What is to me a tranquil 3 hour drip of Taxotere is a fearsome battle for my body. Unfortunately many healthy happy cells will die alongside the destructive life-sapping ones. It's a necessary sacrifice I tell them, for the good of the body. Hair cells die with cancer cells. I think of our soldiers at war and realize once again the small price of baldness.
A small feisty woman I guess to be in her seventies joins us. A patient I cannot see comments he hasn't seen her in a while. "I quit," she said, "I gave my body a break, but they called and said it was time to get started again, so here I am. What do you think of the new place?" she asks then answers her own question before he has a chance, "I think it's terrible!" "Helen, are you behaving yourself?" asks the nurse. "No!" she answers offering chocolates from a large box to the patients. She shoves the box at the nurse. "You ask the others," she says, "I'm too tired." She plomps into the only vacant chair. "I was hoping the chairs would be full and they'd send me home." "You keeping busy?" A man's voice behind the partition asks her. "I've got a busy week," Helen says, "I see the dentist on Monday and the priest on Tuesday. I haven't been to confession for a while. Don't have much to tell him. You gonna give me a DVD player to shut me up?" She asks the nurse hooking her up to an IV. "There's a movie I want to see that'll give me something to tell the priest." The nurse giggles, sets her up and Helen quiets down.
The Benedryl is making me sleepy but I'm too nosey to sleep. There are too many lives to observe. These partitions almost make eavesdropping legal. My nutritionist told me to drink lots of water to flush the poison out of my system so I'm making numerous trips to the restroom dragging my IV tubes, infusion bags and the pole they're suspended from behind me like an unwelcome pest.
The Taxotere bag is almost empty - maybe 20 more minutes worth and then only two chemos left! Yeah! It's not so bad really. I heard cancer clinics in Nevada were closed and patients were having to go outside their state. I'm grateful for the opportunity to have this treatment.
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