WOW! I’m Elated

Two weeks ago at the recommendation of the Oncologist I had a Petscan to determine how much of the cancer mass was still living in my lung. As you know, during the last 22 months there has been considerable shrinkage, but the mass was stll there.

Your prayers have made such a difference! And God is so good!

Today this is what the Oncologist told me: The Petscan showed no Pet positive (that means there were no live cancer cells detected) . There was a small Pet positive noted in  a lymph node.

The Oncologist has now referred me to a surgeon because she believes that the mass and the lymph node can be removed pending the surgeons decision.

So….there are some tests in the future to see if I can handle the surgery. Pulmonary, cardiac, a biopsy and then surgery.

I asked her what the prognosis was and she said, if you do the surgery you could be “cancer free” and that puts you in a real small group of success stories.

Wow! I am elated….and thankful for your prayers and for God’s response.

Keep praying and God will get ALL the glory1

In the Bonds of Calvary,

Three Things Every Husband Wants His Wife To Say

 

I believe that  every husband wants to hear his wife say.
 
“You’re the man.”
 Men and women get married with certain expectations.

She believes she can change her husband, He believes she won’t change.

Both are WRONG!
 

“Yes we can.”
 ”It takes two to tango.” It only takes one not to tango.

“Honey, I was wrong, will you forgive me?”

A newspaper classified caught my eye recently,
FOR SALE BY OWNER: Complete set of Encyclopedia Brittannica. Excellent condition. No longer needed. Wife knows everything.

Every good marriage is made up of two good forgivers.”
You get what you pay for. Healthy marriages take a lot of work.

Why not try to say one of these things to your husband this week.
These are things you husband loves to hear.

In the Bonds of Calvary,

Three Things Every Wife Wants To Hear Her Husband Say

“Here’s the credit card.”
“Let’s go out for supper. Which restaurant do you want to go to?”
“That outfit is very slimming!”
“I’d love to go to your parents house for the weekend.”

 A woman was cleaning out her closet and she came up on her wedding dress and for chuckles and grins….she tried it on. Over the years she had put on a little weight and the old dress didn’t fit. She began to weep. Her husband came to see what was wrong and saw that the dress was snug. And without  thinking he said, “Honey, don’t cry. We’ll go buy you a bigger one.”
*Sometimes, guys say the dandiest things.

 I believe that there are three things that every wife wants to hear her husband say.
“No man is luckier than I am.”  The husband of a noble wife is blessed.

“Hon, is there anything I can do for you?”  So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.
“Sweetheart, I was wrong. Will you forgive me?” I did a brief survey…… “I was wrong. Will you forgive me?” was the hands down winner.

Valentines Day is coming up.

In the Bonds of Calvary,

I Will Keep Trusting!

Every time I want to do something for God I  face formidable opposition to all that I am trying  to accomplish.

The enemies try to knock me down but they can’t  knock me out. I can be sure of the certainty of opposition so I must be sure of  the nature of God’s will.

  The  Opposition will  attack with….  Anger ……Ridicule …….Questioning…… Criticism…… Sarcasm ….

My response is prayer and perseverance…

I will stay at the task and work with all my heart….I will encourage….I will expect difficulties to intensify.

When I rise up to build, endeavoring to do God’s will and bring Him glory, Satan will do all within his power to defeat and discourage me. The harder I serve and the more I purpose to achieve, the more I can expect opposition in all its ugly forms. Through prayer and perseverance, God emboldens me and empowers me to keep going, keep trusting and keep building.

I am going to keep trusting and building!

In the Bonds of Calvary

I Want A Life

I want  a life.  A real life, not a manic pursuit of the next promotion, the bigger paycheck, the larger house. I want  a life in which I notice a cardinal as he stops to feed  or the way a baby scowls with concentration when she tries to pick up a cheerio with her thumb and first finger.

I want a life.  A life that will have me pick up the phone. Send an e-mail. Write a letter. Kiss  Mom. Hug  Dad.  A life in which I am generous. I want to look around at the flowers; look at a full moon hanging silver in a black, black sky on a cold night and realize that life is the best thing ever, and that I have no business taking it for granted.

 I have learned to love the journey, not the destination. I learned that it is not a dress rehearsal, and that today is the only guarantee I get. I learned to look at all the good in the world and to try to give some of it back because I believe in it completely and utterly. And I try to do that, in part, by telling others what I have learned.

By telling them this:

Consider the lilies of the field. Look at the fuzz on a baby’s ear. Read in the backyard with the sun on your face. Learn to be happy. And think of life as a terminal illness because if you do you will live it with joy and passion, as it ought to be lived. Just keep your eyes and ears open, the classroom is everywhere. The exam comes at the very end.

No man ever said on his deathbed, “I wish I had spent more time at the office.”

 

In the Bonds of Calvary,

 

 

 

 

 

What About My Testimony?

While attending the Winter Campmeeting on Tuesday evening I listened interntly as Dr. Hill, the night Evangelist, spoke of testimony services in our churches.

He’s right! We don’t do those so much anymore. Perhaps for good reason, maybe not.  He mentioned some reasons…….. but you get the idea.

And then I thought,….What about my testimony? Shouldn’t someone get to hear that? Could it make a difference? Sure…somebody needs to hear it because….OF  THE VALUE OF MY TESTIMONY:

It is unique – there are no others just like it.

It is personal and easy to understand.

I am the authority on it, so it is difficult to argue with.

People love a personal story – and remember it.

People can relate to it, so it builds a relational bridge.

In a skeptical world, it is the most effective witness.

Well, don’t be surprised if you come by and I share MY testimony.

And, I would like to hear yours!

In the Bonds of Calvary,

What is Courage?

When I think of courage, I usually think of death defying acts or great heroic sacrifices…a fireman rushing into a burning building to save trapped children…a soldier dashing across a mine field to rescue trapped comrades…a policeman putting himself in harm’s way to protect innocent people. I think of the astronauts on Apollo 13 or the survivors of the Holocaust.

The truth is, it takes a great deal of courage to face some of the ordinary challenges of life. It takes a lot to live and to do the right thing without wimping out. Our every day choices reveal courage or cowardice.

I can’t make a difference in the world by imitating it. If I want to make a difference, I’ve got to be different, and that takes courage. It is doing what is right in spite of it.

An then I remember the end of the story. WE WIN!

In the Bonds of Calvary,

I Try to Be a Blessing

It takes hard work to provide the blessing to another person. 

It takes time to meaningfully touch and hug our children when they come home from school or before they go to bed. 

It takes courage to offer people positive words of encouragement. 

It takes time and effort to help people achieve their blessing.
 But one day, perhaps years later, that blessing will return.  The time will come when your  children and grandchildren will rise up and bless you. 

Additionally, you will experience great  joy at seeing another person’s life bloom and grow because of your blessing.

In the Bonds of Calvary,

A Thought on Obedience

I have spoiled so much of my obedience by criticizing the things I was called to do…or give….or bear.

Then Iwould  hesitate…question…doubt…and then finally, without enthusiasm I  do what I was called upon.

 If I know what God’s will is…that should always be enough.

I have learned that I have very little to do with the how or why.

In the Bonds of Calvary,

“What Shall it Profit Me…..?”

There was the time when, wealth, reputation, or the worlds friendship, or certain habits, and opinions, were of supreme importance in my eyes.

By and by there arose things which means a choice must be made between them and salvation of the soul.

There was a struggle at first, but the things of God rose in immensity in my eyes and it became clear that the sacrifice must be made.

Paul said, What things were gain for him, he counts but dung that he may win Christ. “What shall it profit me if I shall gain the whole world and lose  my own soul.”

But, the whole sacrifice was not made at once. Some lighter loss at first….then the soul moved on her spiritual way for a while….

 But then, new danger….  This time some part of the mans very being has to be sacrificed.

The right hand has to be cut off…The right eye has to be plucked out…if I am to enter into life.

There is nothing I can give in exchange for my soul.  

The suffering now is not worthy to be compared to the glory then.

In the Bonds of Calvary,