|
| Hi everyone,
My heart is heavy tonight, because I just learned of another person battling NPC. She has suffered so much and lost the beauty of her health. She has contacted me for my experiences, so before I reply to her, I just wanted to pray for her and ask you all to pray for her as well. Her name is Jeannie, and her website is: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/jeannieyee
By God's grace, I am doing very well. My checkups have been good. Working like crazy, even putting in some overtime. I am so amazed at how normal I feel. For a week or two, I was guzzling down coke like the old days, but then I started to feel sick, so I have stopped it and feel much better. Sadly, I still think of coke cola everyday :(
I have also been asked to help give messages to the Jr High kids at church. They are supposed to be about 30-45 minutes long, but the first two times I spoke, I went overboard and talked for about an hour. I wanted to share with you guys one of the things I spoke to the youths about. I was teaching on how God makes us His beautiful masterpieces in Ephesians 2:10 even if we have problems. I thought about some scenes from the movie trilogy, "Lord of the Rings." Its about facing enimies and overwhelming odds, something that spoke to me personally. In the scene where one of the good guys (the soon to be king Aragorn) is facing a horde of demons coming at his outnumbered army, he rallies them and cries out,
•Aragorn: Hold your ground, hold your ground! Sons of Gondor, of Rohan, my brothers! I see in your eyes the same fear that would take the heart of me. A day may come when the courage of men fails, when we forsake our friends and break all bonds of fellowship, but it is not this day. An hour of woes and shattered shields, when the age of men comes crashing down! But it is not this day! This day we fight! By all that you hold dear on this good Earth, I bid you stand, Men of the West!
There is a lot of good teaching material in that movie, I wish I could tell you about all the things that came to me. In another scene, when one of the cities is surrounded by attacking demons, while one leader of the city goes to commit suicide, another leader (Theoden) is encouraged by Aragorn to face their foes:
Theoden: So much death. What can men do against such reckless hate? Aragorn: Ride out with me! Ride out and meet them!
Theoden: For death and glory!
Aragorn: For Rohan! For your people!
I wanted the youth to be encouraged to meet their fears and any bad circumstances with courage and whatever strength they had. Do not shrink away in hopelessness, rather go on despite the odds, be fighters. In the back of Aragorn's mind was the hope that something could happen and defeat could become victory. And even if there was not to be victory in battle, there would still be victory in the glory that their courage brought. As Christians, we always have hope and optimism because we believe in God. And even if God so chooses to allow us to be "defeated", we can face it with dignity, courage, and even joy because we can bring Him all the glory. Something unbroken can be beautiful, but just as beautiful if not more is something "broken" with a story behind it.
Well, its easy to say. And the movie quotes really inspire me. I just hope I can follow through if the pain and sadness ever reach such a level.
| | |
| I really like this short reading from the Oct 21 devotional: The owner of the house I have lived in for many years has notified me that he will do little or nothing to keep it in repair. He also advised me to be ready to move. At first this was not very welcome news. In many respects the surrounding area is quite pleasant, and if not for the evidence of a somewhat declining condition, the house seems rather nice. Yet a closer look reveals that even a light wind causes it to shake and sway, and its foundation is not sufficient to make it secure. Therefore I am getting read to move. As I consider the move, it is strange how quickly my interest is transferred to my prospective new home in another country. I have been consulting maps and studying accounts of its inhabitants. And someone who has come from there to visit has told me that it is beautiful beyond description and that language is inadequate to fully describe what he heard while there. He said that in order to make an investment there, he has suffered the loss of everything he owned here, yet rejoices in what others would call a sacrifice. Another person, whose love for me has been proved by the greatest possible test, now lives there. He has sent me several clusters of the most delicious grapes I have ever eaten, and after tasting them everything here tastes very bland. Several times I have gone to the edge of the river that forms the boundary between here and there and have longed to be with those singing praises to the King on the other side. Many of my friends have moved across that river, but before leaving here they spoke of my following them later. I have seen the smile on their faces as they passed from my site. So each time I am asked to make some new investment here, I now respond, “I am getting ready to move.” Now we know if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. (2 Corinthians 5:1) Streams In The Desert, Zondervan, 1997. p396. | | |
| Hi everyone, I am feeling very well. Headed off to Vegas tomorrow with Curtis for our annual vision expo. Just had a CXR (chest x ray) and a MRI. I am very happy, they both came out with good results. Below is a picture of my CXR and below that the report from the radiologist. Its so good to have these technologies to see all the otherwise invisible stuff inside of us. Did I mention that I am on staff again for teaching Sunday School? To keep the load light, we decided to combine all the English adult classes together. Here is a brief email I sent to some of my students about the class. I include it here in my blog because it has some thoughts regarding my thinking about my illness. I am reminded about the good of supernatural blessings, even though we cannot see them. Most Bible students conclude that Paul wrote the epistle to the Ephesians while held as a prisoner in Rome. With that backdrop in mind, it’s mind blowing that Paul would compose such a positive sounding letter. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ” he penned(1:3). In the midst of a difficult situation, Paul could say that he was blessed. Amazing! I have to be honest with you. I am still battling with the stigma of cancer in me. I am not depressed, but I have felt happier. I could not write what Paul wrote. Paul was in chains, unable to enjoy many of the comforts of life, and facing death. Yet he knew of something in his life that brought him joy. His spiritual blessings he called them. Read through Ephesians 1:3-14 and note how many blessings he describes. We won’t find money, health, success, or family listed. Who wouldn’t want success, health, and wealth? And who isn’t blessed by a good family. Yet these were not the things Paul puts in his list. He spoke of blessings that were with him even though he was a prisoner, blessings that he could not lose. One of those blessings is the gift of the Holy Spirit ( 1:13 -14). When we believe, we are sealed with the Holy Spirit. We cannot see Him so how do we know we have the Holy Spirit? He is like the wind, we can only feel His effects. Let me share one example. When we come to faith, it was because of the Holy Spirit. He made it possible for each of us to will to believe. Why do some people not believe and others like you and me believe? Its because we allow the Holy Spirit to work in us. When we believed, it was evidence that the Holy Spirit was there. We cannot have believed without Him. Are you a believer? Then you have the Holy Spirit! What a marvelous blessing. Here is a picture of my CXR: Its all clear!! PS - If you smoke, please stop... 
Here is a report about my CXR: THE LUNG FIELDS ARE FREE OF INFILTRATES AND PLEURAL EFFUSIONS. THE MEDIASTINUM AND CARDIAC SILHOUETTE ARE NORMAL.
IMPRESSION: NORMAL STUDY. Here is a report of my recent MRI: MRI OF THE NECK WITH AND WITHOUT CONTRAST
TECHNIQUE: Sagittal T1, axial FSET2 with fat saturation, axial and coronal T1 pre and post contrast images were obtained through the neck.
COMPARISON: COMPARISON IS MADE TO PREVIOUS MRI STUDIES FROM
01/22/2008 AND 03/27/2007.
FINDINGS: There is fatty marrow signal changes identified within the cervical cord compatible with prior radiation therapy. The mass and enhancement seen within the left side of the nasopharynx identified on prior studies have resolved. There is no residual recurrent mass identified at this time. The paranasal sinuses and mastoid air cells are clear. No enlarged nodes are found within the internal jugular chain as well as the posterior triangle. The parotid and submandibular salivary glands appear unremarkable.
IMPRESSION:
1. NEGATIVE, NO RESIDUAL OR RECURRENT MASS IDENTIFIED. NO
ADENOPATHY IS SEEN WITHIN THE NECK.
2. FATTY MARROW SIGNAL CHANGES ARE IDENTIFIED WITHIN THE
CERVICAL SPINE COMPATIBLE WITH PRIOR RADIATION THERAPY. | | |
| Last week my family went to Hawaii. We had talked about going on a family vacation to Hawaii about two years ago, and finally put it together. Twenty of us were able to go for this six day excursion into paradise. We went to two islands, Oahu and Maui. In Oahu, we stayed in Honolulu at the Merriot in Waikiki Beach. In Maui, we stayed in Lahaina at the Kaanapali Beach Hotel. We were fortunate to book it thru United Airlines, because one of my friends had booked thru another airline which went out of business and their trip got canceled. Was able to visit my good friend Margo and saw her beautiful condo with the fabulous city view. It was my first time, and something that I have been wanting to do for a long time. A wonderful vacation and I was glad that my health was good enough to enjoy it. Wish I could have went into the waters more but just didn't feel like I should, but I felt that I should at least snorkle a bit. So we did the usual tourist stuff: eat, shop, visit sites, go to the beach. Went to a luau, which was top notch, and I would post a picture of the dancers, but they are just too scantily clad for me to publish. I wouldn't mind going again, still so much that we didn't see. But anyway, I am glad that I could create one more memory for my children, Jean, me and the extended family. Here are two pictures from our vacation: 
The twenty (minus me taking the pic) of us at Pearl Harbor. Can you see the USS Arizona memorial in the background? Hard to believe this serene bay was the site of an ugly war. 
The three kids about ready to dive into Hanauma Bay. The waters weren't as clear and pristine as I tought they would be, nor were there as many sealife as I anticipated, but it was still pretty good. And my brother said he got bit by a fish with an attitude. | | |
| Hi everyone,
No news is good news. I saw the doctor yesterday and got a clean bill. I have gained back most of my weight and people comment that I look healthy. I can eat a lot of foods now. My family went to the Hilton at Universal City and ate their all you can eat Asian buffet. The draw for the Chinese is their Sharks Fin Soup and Ginger Sauce Steamed Crab. There were over 20 of us and we just pigged out. Cost about $42.00 for each of us and it was just as good as any Vegas buffet. I was even able to drink a couple of glasses of coke. I still have the dry mouth and tire easily, but I am very much thankful for being where I am. Last year at this time, I didn't even want to think about July 2008.
I have been studying the book of Job in the Bible. Its a classic on the topic of "bad things happening to good people." Allow me to share just a bit about what I have learned from a commentary by theologian Bruce Waltke. He discusses how this guy Job had four options in how to respond to his suffering state. (1) Stoicism, where he could suppress any emotions and bravely "grin and bear it." Or (2) Denial - pretend it doesn't exist and proclaim, "All is well." Or (3) False optimism - think that everything will be fine on its own, saying "I will be happy." While all these responses I think have some element of helpfulness, Waltke points out a different path that Job followed. Job responded with (4) Honest perseverance - seeing the evil for what it was and calling out to God for help.
I want to leave you with two well known quotes that I think are inspiring:
"We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand."
--Randy Pausch
"There is no pit so deep that God's love is not deeper still."
-- Corrie Ten Boom
Randy Pausch is battling terminal cancer and is well known for "The Last Lecture."
http://www.thelastlecture.com/
Corrie Ten Boom was imprisoned for hiding Jews and others from the Nazis during WWII.
http://chi.gospelcom.net/DAILYF/2001/02/daily-02-28-2001.shtml
| | |
|
