I realized I hadn't done one of these in a while....so if you're curious, read on...
I'm feeling pretty good. Dialysis was rough the last couple of weeks as my base weight had increased a few pounds due to the great Thanksgivings and Christmas I took part in, but they were still pulling fluid off to my previous weight. This left me in a condition they call "dry", which means all the excess fluid is off, so the machine begins to draw water from your muscles. This causes severe cramps, which I've been fighting for a while. Tuesday, they changed the weight, and the treatment was a piece of cake.
As far as transplant goes, I'm still waiting. The first candidate made it all the way to the last test, they was eliminated for medical reasons. The second began and has already finished her 2nd layer of testing. If the results come back positive for those tests, then she will schedule the final test at IU Med Center in January. I'm hopeful, but I also know if she's not the one, there are many more waiting to be tested. I just need to be patient. It will happen, it just may take some time.
Thanks again to all of you that have been supporting me with cards, notes, and prayers. I can't tell you how much I appreciate all you do for me. Thanks for being interested, and I hope to give you better news next time!
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Blogging Year In Review...
So, here's your customary year in review of this mess...
Total Visits: 35,629 unique visitors to this site. (That's pretty cool.)
How Do They Get Here: 45% direct link to site, 45% referrals from other sites, and 10% search engines.
Top Referrers:
1. For 3 years running, it's Derry Prenkert. He sends more traffic to my site than the rest of the other sites combined. Thanks for the link love, Derry, and if you don't have him bookmarked, click over and do it now.
2. Shelley Flickinger.
3. Jon Andrews.
4. Becky Branch.
All of these are great sites well worth your time to take a look at, and all are linked on the right side of my page.
Top Ten Most Read Posts of the Year:
10. "Where's God When I'm Hurting?"
9. "Think Of What You Were..."
8. Heed The Warnings..."
7. "Homecoming For Kip"
6. "Living Out Love..."
5. "Daddy's Wisdom"
4. "Watch Your Mouth!"
3. "What A Waste! - A Lesson In Judging Others..."
2. "Don't Wait..."
1. "Stuff I Miss: Ten Toys They Need To Bring Back"
That's it for my blog...my year in review will come tomorrow!
Total Visits: 35,629 unique visitors to this site. (That's pretty cool.)
How Do They Get Here: 45% direct link to site, 45% referrals from other sites, and 10% search engines.
Top Referrers:
1. For 3 years running, it's Derry Prenkert. He sends more traffic to my site than the rest of the other sites combined. Thanks for the link love, Derry, and if you don't have him bookmarked, click over and do it now.
2. Shelley Flickinger.
3. Jon Andrews.
4. Becky Branch.
All of these are great sites well worth your time to take a look at, and all are linked on the right side of my page.
Top Ten Most Read Posts of the Year:
10. "Where's God When I'm Hurting?"
9. "Think Of What You Were..."
8. Heed The Warnings..."
7. "Homecoming For Kip"
6. "Living Out Love..."
5. "Daddy's Wisdom"
4. "Watch Your Mouth!"
3. "What A Waste! - A Lesson In Judging Others..."
2. "Don't Wait..."
1. "Stuff I Miss: Ten Toys They Need To Bring Back"
That's it for my blog...my year in review will come tomorrow!
Friday, December 25, 2009
"The Spirit Of Christmas" - Love...
(This is the final part of this series...to read them all, click here.)
I love writing series of posts like this...and if you haven't seen it yet, there is a common thread that pulls all of these posts together. It's love. Love in the small gift I got from the stranger at dialysis....love in the support all around people in hard situations, like Marin and Nick...love in the handmade card my little girl gave to me....and love in the eyes of a very sick lady.
Love is what drove Jesus to leave the comfort and safety of heaven to come to Earth in the form of a baby child. Love is what carried Mary through that pregnancy. Love is what Joseph clung to, trying to understand it all. Love is what drove Christ as He ministered, though He was persecuted. Love is why Jesus took the beatings from the Romans....and love is why He gave His life for each one of us on the cross.
We often forget we are made in His image, and that we have that same capacity for life-changing, selfless love. We've all felt that from someone, be it our parents, kids, spouse, or friends. Knowing we have that love in our lives can sometimes make all the difference. We can see it in a look, a hug, or read it in a note or email. We can see it in acts of service, or in a selfless gift. Love is the most important gift we can give or receive, and love is the real reason for the "Spirit Of Christmas".
It's so easy to get caught up in what we don't have, and in what we wish we had or were. Wrapping up in could'ves and should'ves only brings pain and heartache. If we truly look at just how blessed we are, it changes our whole perspective. So, today, I hope that we can all love a little bit better than we did before. Maybe that's giving grace to someone who needs it....maybe it's a little hug or kiss...maybe it's a note to encourage someone...just make an effort to look for ways to love on someone this season. You may brighten their day....but it's possible you could change their life, just like that little baby did so many years ago.
I love writing series of posts like this...and if you haven't seen it yet, there is a common thread that pulls all of these posts together. It's love. Love in the small gift I got from the stranger at dialysis....love in the support all around people in hard situations, like Marin and Nick...love in the handmade card my little girl gave to me....and love in the eyes of a very sick lady.
Love is what drove Jesus to leave the comfort and safety of heaven to come to Earth in the form of a baby child. Love is what carried Mary through that pregnancy. Love is what Joseph clung to, trying to understand it all. Love is what drove Christ as He ministered, though He was persecuted. Love is why Jesus took the beatings from the Romans....and love is why He gave His life for each one of us on the cross.
We often forget we are made in His image, and that we have that same capacity for life-changing, selfless love. We've all felt that from someone, be it our parents, kids, spouse, or friends. Knowing we have that love in our lives can sometimes make all the difference. We can see it in a look, a hug, or read it in a note or email. We can see it in acts of service, or in a selfless gift. Love is the most important gift we can give or receive, and love is the real reason for the "Spirit Of Christmas".
It's so easy to get caught up in what we don't have, and in what we wish we had or were. Wrapping up in could'ves and should'ves only brings pain and heartache. If we truly look at just how blessed we are, it changes our whole perspective. So, today, I hope that we can all love a little bit better than we did before. Maybe that's giving grace to someone who needs it....maybe it's a little hug or kiss...maybe it's a note to encourage someone...just make an effort to look for ways to love on someone this season. You may brighten their day....but it's possible you could change their life, just like that little baby did so many years ago.
"The Spirit of Christmas" - Giving...
(This is part four of a series...read it all by clicking here.)
When I was little, I love getting gifts. I could hardly wait to open the packages on Christmas. In fact, I had trouble even getting to sleep on Christmas Eve. The anticipation just killed me! As I got older, though, that began to change. I still enjoy getting gifts, don't get me wrong, but I've come to love the giving even more.
I'm not the best shopper, but I absolutely love when I can find a gift for someone that puts a smile on their face, makes their eyes light up, and warms their heart. It's quite possibly the most amazing feeling I've ever known. Giving touches me so much more than the getting anymore.
I remember a time a few years ago. My Sunday School class has taken up a collection to help a couple with some expenses they had. Once we had it all together, the class nominated my best friend and myself to deliver it. We both didn't want to go. We knew the lady was very sick, to the point where she was so debilitated that she couldn't even speak anymore. We both thought it would be uncomfortable, and we even stood at her door and debated just ringing the bell and leaving it there. Our plan was foiled when her daughter saw us and ushered us in.
We stood there in the living room with her and her mother. We shared about this gift, gave it to them, and wished them Merry Christmas. I then looked at the sick woman and saw a single tear roll down her cheek. I learned that though she couldn't speak, she could hear and understand everything. She was trapped inside a body that had decided to fail her, but she was the same person inside. She tried to say "Thank you", and reach out and touch us, but her muscles wouldn't let her. I normally would have pulled away from a situation like this, but this time I bent down, grabbed her hand, wiped the tear from her cheek, and said "You're welcome". I could swear I saw the smile in her eyes for a moment, then it was gone. We talked for a bit more, then we left.
As we drove away, we both talked about how wrong we were about that night. Janet, without a single word, had blessed us far beyond the gift we gave to her. I hope each of you will find that you can receive so much in the giving instead of in the getting, and see "The Spirit of Christmas" in someone like her today. Don't pass up the opportunity to give to someone...you might get more in return than you expect.
When I was little, I love getting gifts. I could hardly wait to open the packages on Christmas. In fact, I had trouble even getting to sleep on Christmas Eve. The anticipation just killed me! As I got older, though, that began to change. I still enjoy getting gifts, don't get me wrong, but I've come to love the giving even more.
I'm not the best shopper, but I absolutely love when I can find a gift for someone that puts a smile on their face, makes their eyes light up, and warms their heart. It's quite possibly the most amazing feeling I've ever known. Giving touches me so much more than the getting anymore.
I remember a time a few years ago. My Sunday School class has taken up a collection to help a couple with some expenses they had. Once we had it all together, the class nominated my best friend and myself to deliver it. We both didn't want to go. We knew the lady was very sick, to the point where she was so debilitated that she couldn't even speak anymore. We both thought it would be uncomfortable, and we even stood at her door and debated just ringing the bell and leaving it there. Our plan was foiled when her daughter saw us and ushered us in.
We stood there in the living room with her and her mother. We shared about this gift, gave it to them, and wished them Merry Christmas. I then looked at the sick woman and saw a single tear roll down her cheek. I learned that though she couldn't speak, she could hear and understand everything. She was trapped inside a body that had decided to fail her, but she was the same person inside. She tried to say "Thank you", and reach out and touch us, but her muscles wouldn't let her. I normally would have pulled away from a situation like this, but this time I bent down, grabbed her hand, wiped the tear from her cheek, and said "You're welcome". I could swear I saw the smile in her eyes for a moment, then it was gone. We talked for a bit more, then we left.
As we drove away, we both talked about how wrong we were about that night. Janet, without a single word, had blessed us far beyond the gift we gave to her. I hope each of you will find that you can receive so much in the giving instead of in the getting, and see "The Spirit of Christmas" in someone like her today. Don't pass up the opportunity to give to someone...you might get more in return than you expect.
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
"The Spirit Of Christmas" - A Few Words
(This is part three of a series...if you want the read the rest of them, click here.)
Yesterday I had dialysis. For those of you who don't know what that is, here's a short explanation. Since my kidneys don't work, I need to go to a dialysis center 3 times a week for four hours to be hooked up to a machine that cleans my blood and takes the excess fluid out of me. Sometimes it's a pretty restful and boring time, but sometimes it really doesn't feel good and makes you sore and crampy all over.
Yesterday was one of the latter days. They took off 5 kg of fluid, which is almost 11 pounds. My blood pressure was very low when I left, and I really didn't feel very good at all. As I was trudging toward the door, I could see my little girl's face pressed against the glass. That make me smile to begin with...and then she opened the door.
With a huge grin, she presented me with a tray of treats made of Play-Doh. There were cutout cookies, pretzels, mints, and all kinds of other goodies. She and her brother had been working that afternoon to have these ready for me when I came home. If that wasn't enough, on top of the treats was a handmade card from Paige. Here is what it said, exactly as she wrote it:
"I love you Dad! PS: Don't eat the snack. Becus it is play-doe! If you eat the Play-Doe it will tasts graws!"
If you didn't get the "taste gross" part, she was kind enough to draw a stick person throwing up to really bring the point home. Now, tell me, how can you be in a funk after something like that? I was smiling about the card and the treats the rest of the night, and forgot about feeling sorry for myself about how I felt.
I'm a big believer in the power of the written word. I love to write, but I also know how meaningful a well-timed note can be. Even if you think it's nothing, it could mean the world to someone, like Sarah's note did for me so many years ago. My daughter had no idea that I was feeling badly and down about my condition when she made the card....she just wanted to do something for me, and it was exactly what I needed.
If a seven year old girl can get that a few words can make her the "Spirit of Christmas" to someone, then we can, too. Take the time to put pen to paper and send a little note of encouragement to someone you know really needs it right now. Instances of suicide are higher around the holidays as it seems to intensify feelings of loneliness, loss, and low self-worth. I pray that we can take our eyes off the presents and trees to see those who need us to be God's hands and feet all around us. Here's hoping we can share a few words with someone who needs to hear them today.
Yesterday I had dialysis. For those of you who don't know what that is, here's a short explanation. Since my kidneys don't work, I need to go to a dialysis center 3 times a week for four hours to be hooked up to a machine that cleans my blood and takes the excess fluid out of me. Sometimes it's a pretty restful and boring time, but sometimes it really doesn't feel good and makes you sore and crampy all over.
Yesterday was one of the latter days. They took off 5 kg of fluid, which is almost 11 pounds. My blood pressure was very low when I left, and I really didn't feel very good at all. As I was trudging toward the door, I could see my little girl's face pressed against the glass. That make me smile to begin with...and then she opened the door.
With a huge grin, she presented me with a tray of treats made of Play-Doh. There were cutout cookies, pretzels, mints, and all kinds of other goodies. She and her brother had been working that afternoon to have these ready for me when I came home. If that wasn't enough, on top of the treats was a handmade card from Paige. Here is what it said, exactly as she wrote it:
"I love you Dad! PS: Don't eat the snack. Becus it is play-doe! If you eat the Play-Doe it will tasts graws!"
If you didn't get the "taste gross" part, she was kind enough to draw a stick person throwing up to really bring the point home. Now, tell me, how can you be in a funk after something like that? I was smiling about the card and the treats the rest of the night, and forgot about feeling sorry for myself about how I felt.
I'm a big believer in the power of the written word. I love to write, but I also know how meaningful a well-timed note can be. Even if you think it's nothing, it could mean the world to someone, like Sarah's note did for me so many years ago. My daughter had no idea that I was feeling badly and down about my condition when she made the card....she just wanted to do something for me, and it was exactly what I needed.
If a seven year old girl can get that a few words can make her the "Spirit of Christmas" to someone, then we can, too. Take the time to put pen to paper and send a little note of encouragement to someone you know really needs it right now. Instances of suicide are higher around the holidays as it seems to intensify feelings of loneliness, loss, and low self-worth. I pray that we can take our eyes off the presents and trees to see those who need us to be God's hands and feet all around us. Here's hoping we can share a few words with someone who needs to hear them today.
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
"The Spirit Of Christmas": Press On...
(This is part two of a series...click here to read the rest of them.)
I love Sports Illustrated. I've had a subscription for as long as I can remember. I read it cover to cover every single week. Sometimes, it's a quick read and off to the trash can...but other times, the great writing and stories stick with me for a long, long time. Two weeks ago, there was a great article on Marin Morrison and Nick Scandone. If you don't recognize those names, don't worry...you won't forget them after reading that article.
According to popular opinion, they never made it in the sporting world. Marin loved the water from the day she was born, effortlessly swimming faster and faster than all those around her. She was well on her way to a spot on the Olympic team in 2008. Nick was a sailor, and quickly rose through the ranks to be rated one of the top sailors in the world in the two man boats. They were on top of the world, well on their way to fame and fortune in their respective sports...but life got in the way.
Marin was diagnosed with an plum-sized, aggressively growing tumor wrapped around the left temporal lobe of her brain. She underwent surgery to remove it, and in the process, some nerves were damaged, paralyzing her right side and garbling her speech. As she struggled to speak again, her first words were "Can I still swim?"
Nick found out he had Lou Gehrig's disease, beginning a slow but steady decline in his body that would probably take his life in less than two years. Instead of wallowing in self-pity, with the blessing of his wife, he went out and bought a new boat and restarted his training.
Though only 15 years old, Marin began to fight as hard as she could. The tumor was malignant, and doctors just wanted to make her comfortable. Marin got back in the pool and worked tirelessly, her strong left side pulling her immobile right side through the water awkwardly, yet never thinking of quitting. Her dreams of Olympic glory gone, she focused on another dream...the 2008 Paralympics in Beijing. She qualified on time despite her setbacks, and though she was very sick from the cancer, the family made the trip halfway around the world for her race...
Nick's body continued to fail him, leaving him without nearly any movement in his arms and legs. He qualified for the Paralympics like Marin, but as the day approached, his health worsened. His wife and family began to worry that he wouldn't make it to the race, but he fought through the disease and persevered and kept training.
In Beijing, Marin could barely move. She was confined to a wheelchair, and wore an eye patch to keep her equilibrium after her fourth surgery. Nick was down under 100 pounds, and needed to be carried in and out of the boat, but his resolve to compete never waned. They both got their chance to compete, despite the odds against them.
Nick won gold in the Paralympics, his last race in a boat. Marin, with a cheering crowd rooting her on....well, she just finished, which was an amazing victory in itself. I wish I could say there is a happy ending to this story, but Marin and Nick both died on January 2nd, 2009.
I share this story with you to remind you of another "Spirit of Christmas": the willingness to press on. Not all of us face situations like Marin's or Nick's, but all of us face what seem to be insurmountable odds in our lives from time to time. Often, it's easy to give up and give in, to let the pressure overwhelm you, and to lose hope. I love stories like these because the remind me of two things: 1. A little perspective is always good. You think you have it bad until you realize someone has it worse. 2. People have faced far harder problems and sickness than I can imagine and have worked and fought through it with an attitude that lifts up and inspires those around them. I not only learned that through this article, but in my time this past summer at the Joni and Friends Retreat Camp. Their strength despite their disabilities was inspiring to me, and prepared my heart for what I faced in my own life later that summer.
I'm so thankful for my relationship with God, the love of my family and my friends, and for chances like this to be reminded that I can make it, no matter what I'm facing. Here's hoping you can press on in your life today.
Here's a great piece on Marin...watch and be inspired to press on yourself.
I love Sports Illustrated. I've had a subscription for as long as I can remember. I read it cover to cover every single week. Sometimes, it's a quick read and off to the trash can...but other times, the great writing and stories stick with me for a long, long time. Two weeks ago, there was a great article on Marin Morrison and Nick Scandone. If you don't recognize those names, don't worry...you won't forget them after reading that article.
According to popular opinion, they never made it in the sporting world. Marin loved the water from the day she was born, effortlessly swimming faster and faster than all those around her. She was well on her way to a spot on the Olympic team in 2008. Nick was a sailor, and quickly rose through the ranks to be rated one of the top sailors in the world in the two man boats. They were on top of the world, well on their way to fame and fortune in their respective sports...but life got in the way.
Marin was diagnosed with an plum-sized, aggressively growing tumor wrapped around the left temporal lobe of her brain. She underwent surgery to remove it, and in the process, some nerves were damaged, paralyzing her right side and garbling her speech. As she struggled to speak again, her first words were "Can I still swim?"
Nick found out he had Lou Gehrig's disease, beginning a slow but steady decline in his body that would probably take his life in less than two years. Instead of wallowing in self-pity, with the blessing of his wife, he went out and bought a new boat and restarted his training.
Though only 15 years old, Marin began to fight as hard as she could. The tumor was malignant, and doctors just wanted to make her comfortable. Marin got back in the pool and worked tirelessly, her strong left side pulling her immobile right side through the water awkwardly, yet never thinking of quitting. Her dreams of Olympic glory gone, she focused on another dream...the 2008 Paralympics in Beijing. She qualified on time despite her setbacks, and though she was very sick from the cancer, the family made the trip halfway around the world for her race...
Nick's body continued to fail him, leaving him without nearly any movement in his arms and legs. He qualified for the Paralympics like Marin, but as the day approached, his health worsened. His wife and family began to worry that he wouldn't make it to the race, but he fought through the disease and persevered and kept training.
In Beijing, Marin could barely move. She was confined to a wheelchair, and wore an eye patch to keep her equilibrium after her fourth surgery. Nick was down under 100 pounds, and needed to be carried in and out of the boat, but his resolve to compete never waned. They both got their chance to compete, despite the odds against them.
Nick won gold in the Paralympics, his last race in a boat. Marin, with a cheering crowd rooting her on....well, she just finished, which was an amazing victory in itself. I wish I could say there is a happy ending to this story, but Marin and Nick both died on January 2nd, 2009.
I share this story with you to remind you of another "Spirit of Christmas": the willingness to press on. Not all of us face situations like Marin's or Nick's, but all of us face what seem to be insurmountable odds in our lives from time to time. Often, it's easy to give up and give in, to let the pressure overwhelm you, and to lose hope. I love stories like these because the remind me of two things: 1. A little perspective is always good. You think you have it bad until you realize someone has it worse. 2. People have faced far harder problems and sickness than I can imagine and have worked and fought through it with an attitude that lifts up and inspires those around them. I not only learned that through this article, but in my time this past summer at the Joni and Friends Retreat Camp. Their strength despite their disabilities was inspiring to me, and prepared my heart for what I faced in my own life later that summer.
I'm so thankful for my relationship with God, the love of my family and my friends, and for chances like this to be reminded that I can make it, no matter what I'm facing. Here's hoping you can press on in your life today.
Here's a great piece on Marin...watch and be inspired to press on yourself.
Monday, December 21, 2009
The Spirit of Christmas: Give A Little...
Wow...two weeks without a post?! That's got to be a record for me! It's been a little crazy in my world lately, but I'm going to try to get back into the swing of writing here again...so bear with me.
I'm going to try a new little series of posts leading up to Christmas this week called "The Spirit Of Christmas". It'll just be me reflecting on some people, places, events, or things that embody the true spirit of the season to me. Off we go...
A week ago on Saturday I went in for my dialysis treatment. I normally dialize from 12 noon to four p.m., but since we had a family Christmas for lunch, they switched me to any early morning chair from 6:30 to 10:30 a.m. I was in a new section, with new nurses, and all new patients. I didn't know any of them, but that's not a big deal. They hooked me up, and I lost myself in my Ipod and my books.
Near the end of my treatment, I was reading when I saw a hand come in front of the pages holding a small handmade stocking with a pack of microwave popcorn in it. I took of my headphones and looked up to see an older gentleman with a big smile saying, "Merry Christmas, brother....God bless you!" He then shuffled over to the next patient beside me, and did the same thing. Over and over, this man covered the entire center with little gifts for each of us, greeting each one the same way: "Merry Christmas, brother, and God bless you!"
I looked at that little stocking and it lifted my spirits and broke my heart simultaneously. I was so encouraged that this man, whom I've never met, thought enough of me to give me this little gift, to bring a little sunshine into a usually gloomy place. I know many others were as shocked as I was to receive it, but he left each of us with a smile knowing that someone cared enough to give us something. I asked my nurse later about this man. His name is William, and he's been there for years getting treatment. He's not well off, but he does this every Christmas. That really touched me...
...but it also broke me. Here I am, probably in much better shape physically, financially, and emotionally than many of the people that share the dialysis center with me, and I never gave a thought to a gesture of love like that. William didn't give alot in terms of what most of us think, but he gave his best to all of us, many of us people he's never met. He didn't care who was who....he loved and encouraged us all equally. For that day, William was Jesus with skin on, and I know I needed that reminder that day.
So, if you want to live out the "Spirit of Christmas", just give a little. Not just to your family and friends, but give a little to someone who least expects it. It may be a neighbor you rarely talk to....the shut in no one ever visits...the person you've been fighting with...or maybe someone you've never met. We get "Godly appointments" like this every day, but too often we're so caught up in ourselves we miss them all the time. Here's hoping we can all give a little today.
Monday, December 07, 2009
"He Is Enough For Me..."
Reading online this morning, I found this clip on the blog of Tim Stevens, executive pastor at Granger Community Church. It's a video of a guy named Matt Chandler, pastor of The Village Church in Dallas, Texas. Matt had suffered a few seizures and went in to be checked out. He found out he had a 2 inch brain tumor and emergency surgery was scheduled. There was a chance he may not make it out of surgery, so he taped a message to his congregation. His perspective is pretty amazing.
My favorite quote of the piece is this:
Think about it: This guy has a loving wife, a family, a church that is growing explosively, and is gaining a national following with his messages. He's got everything going for him until he gets this news. He's got every reason to be bitter and mad, but instead he's thankful and wise.
Honestly, I needed this so much today. I got some news today that the first donor for my kidney transplant didn't qualify medically so the process begins anew with another prospective donor, adding at least another 2-3 months to staying on dialysis. I was feeling pretty sorry for myself until I watched Matt speak and listened to his words. I need to remember and be thankful that so many have offered to be tested to donate their kidney to me, while so many I know at the dialysis center have no one willing to do so.
I need to remember that that God has counted me worthy enough to have this disease so that I can show that He is enough for me, too.
Thanks, Matt...I needed that.
(If you want to view the clip in its entirety, it's below...and at last post, Matt has come through the surgery well with full function to his brain, and they are awaiting the pathology reports.)
My favorite quote of the piece is this:
"I've been so blessed in my life, but I'm glad that God counted me worthy enough to have this tumor so that I can show to everyone that He is enough for me."
Think about it: This guy has a loving wife, a family, a church that is growing explosively, and is gaining a national following with his messages. He's got everything going for him until he gets this news. He's got every reason to be bitter and mad, but instead he's thankful and wise.
Honestly, I needed this so much today. I got some news today that the first donor for my kidney transplant didn't qualify medically so the process begins anew with another prospective donor, adding at least another 2-3 months to staying on dialysis. I was feeling pretty sorry for myself until I watched Matt speak and listened to his words. I need to remember and be thankful that so many have offered to be tested to donate their kidney to me, while so many I know at the dialysis center have no one willing to do so.
I need to remember that that God has counted me worthy enough to have this disease so that I can show that He is enough for me, too.
Thanks, Matt...I needed that.
(If you want to view the clip in its entirety, it's below...and at last post, Matt has come through the surgery well with full function to his brain, and they are awaiting the pathology reports.)
Friday, December 04, 2009
Hope In The Midst Of Grief...
I shared a little while back about my friend Sarah Damaska and the loss of her baby girl and the impact she had in my life as a high school freshman in the youth group I sponsored. Sarah has posted a few times since little Annie went home to be with Jesus, but this one really got me. As she reflects on her 30th birthday and how life has changed for her, she finds hope in the words of her son.
It's heartbreaking and hopeful all at the same time.
Click here to read Sarah's post...hope it breaks, then encourages you just as it did me....and if you have the chance, pray for Sarah and her family today.
Thanks.
Wednesday, December 02, 2009
Taking The Bad With The Good...
While he was still speaking, yet another messenger came and said, “Your sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother's house,when suddenly a mighty wind swept in from the desert and struck the four corners of the house. It collapsed on them and they are dead, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”
At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship and said:
“Naked I came from my mother's womb,
and naked I will depart.
The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away;
may the name of the Lord be praised.”
In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.
...So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord and afflicted Job with painful sores from the soles of his feet to the top of his head. Then Job took a piece of broken pottery and scraped himself with it as he sat among the ashes.
His wife said to him, “Are you still holding on to your integrity? Curse God and die!”
He replied, “You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?” In all this, Job did not sin in what he said.
(Job 1:19-22, 2:7-10, NIV)
Job had it all. He had children that loved him, possessions that no one could fathom, and more money than he knew what to do with. In addition to that, Job was a very Godly man. He was probably revered and loved by all those who were around him, and I'm sure he really enjoyed this great life he had...but little did he know what lay ahead for him.
While Job was unaware, God and Satan were talking. God was telling Satan how great of a man Job is. Satan insisted that he is only that way because of how He blessed them, and if that was taken away, he would curse God. God said, "OK, take his stuff and his family, but don't touch him." Satan took it and ran with it, destroying his home, killing his children, and taking away everything he had. This would break most men, but Job said this: "I came into this world with nothing, and that's how I'll go out. God is still good."
This ticked Satan off. He told God that if only Job didn't have his health, he would turn his back on God. God told Satan he could try, but he couldn't kill Job. Instead, Satan just made him wish he was dead, covering him with painful boils. As he sat curled in a ball, hurting with every breath, his wife said, "Is this what God does for you? Curse Him! He doesn't care about you!"
Job answered with a small phrase that rocked my world today:
"Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?"
Ouch. How bad are we at thanking God for our blessings, yet so good at blaming Him for our problems? How quick are we to soak up the glory when things are great, and yet so quick to blame others when it all falls apart? God is there in both the good and the bad times....He's just alot easier to see when it's good.
Here's hoping that we can accept His plans, no matter if they seem good or bad to us at the time.
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