January 22, 2003

SENT: Wednesday January 22, 2003 10:35 pm

Greetings my good friends!

I hope this email finds you well!

Today is Wednesday and here is the latest on my dad's condition:
Most of this day was spent in emergency at the hospital with my dad. He is becoming more immobile by the day. Today he was suffering from severe lower back pain. When my dad was not able to move due to this pain, the doctor instructed to call 911. Once my dad arrived at the emergency, they gave him a quick "once" over and decided on a cat-scan to get a more clear understanding on what is causing this pain. The results came back with nothing out of the ordinary. They released dad to go home, but he is to check in with the doctor on Thursday.
Remember, Friday is his next MRI to confirm or deny the tumor in his brain.

Getting my dad from the car into his house was a difficult task this evening. He has weakened a great deal since the stroke and has difficulty walking. I am not sure how this will work with my mom unless he gets a walker or a wheel chair.

Again, this is difficult as it was only Christmas that he seemed OK. His status has changed so quickly. Sometimes it is just hard to get your feet back on the ground. You feel like your wind has been taken from your sails.

But I know that the Holy Spirit is the wind in my sails. It is only from the peace and strength I find in Christ that keeps me walking. You know, I really love Psalm 112.

Please allow me to highlight a few parts of it for you:

Psalm 112:1 "Praise the Lord! Happy are those who fear the Lord. Yes, happy are those who delight in doing what He commands."

Psalm 112:4 "When darkness overtakes the godly, light will come bursting in."

Psalm 112:7-8 "They do not fear bad news; they confidently trust the Lord to care for them. They are confident and fearless and can face their foes triumphantly."

This also reminds me of another great verse from the book of James:

James 1:2-4 "…whenever trouble comes your way, let it be an opportunity for joy. For when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything."

You know, God's word is amazing. I find with each passing day how essential a consistent daily intake can be toward your personal peace. (what am I, a doctor. Intake?) Seriously, if you are not already, please find the time each day to spend with Him in His word. It will be the best spent time you have each day.

In Psalm 119 when translated in the NLT, the following request is made: …encourage me by Your word."

Valued friends, my prayer for you today is that God would encourage you by His word. I know this…He has for me.

In James it also says to draw near to God and God will draw near to you. So, draw near to Him through His word and He…

Thank you for your prayers! God Bless you! You are valued!