Updates:
- This week all three of our kids had fevers and an upper respiratory sickness. I have been quarantined away from them for a week. Currently, two of them are better, but the smallest remains under the weather. It has been tempting to venture out into the house, but it is imperative that I not get sick.
- The doctors are currently concerned about my port being infected. Part of the reason I must remain isolated is if I contract a fever, then it will delay treatment. The main sign to alert them to an infection is a low-grade fever.
Prayer Requests and Praises:
- The wound from my port placement is being monitored by my medical team. It has not healed fully, and has caused some concern. Earlier in the week I was told I might have to receive a replacement port in order to proceed with future treatments. We will know more on Monday, but it is a real matter of prayer that I will be infection-free. Please pray my wound heals, that I do not have to undergo another port surgery, and that my treatment will not be delayed.
- Jenny has been working around the clock to care for our sick kids and me while I’ve been tucked away in our room. I am very thankful for her, and it is a real praise that she has not gotten sick!
What I am Learning:
- The news of a potential infection and, therefore, a delay felt like a setback this week. At my stage of cancer, to delay even one week is a serious issue. The doctors do not want to delay unless absolutely necessary.
- As I have been reflecting on the potential possibility, there have been several passages of Scripture that have comforted me. One of those passages is Psalm 131. It is a short Psalm and I have found it easy to memorize.
O LORD, my heart is not lifted up; my eyes are not raised too high; I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me. But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me. O Israel, hope in the LORD from this time forth and forevermore. (Psalm 131, A Song of Ascents, Of David.)
- When you are waiting for a doctor to render a verdict, there are a lot of thoughts which can occupy your mind. What if there is an infection? What if I don’t get the treatment? What if they make a wrong decision? What if _______ happens? The questions are nearly infinite with trouble.
- Psalm 131 reminds us that God wants our minds to be occupied with hoping in him… not worrying about the future. Today has enough trouble of its own, and when our minds are filled with thoughts of the future, it is unprofitable. These verses teach us to fix our eyes, not on the problems (or potential problems) that loom large. They teach us to fix our eyes upon the Lord, who is our help.
- The Songs of Ascent frequently tell us where to place our eyes. In Psalm 121, we lift our eyes to the hills because God is going to come deliver us. In Psalm 123, our eyes look desperately to the hand of our Master until he has mercy upon us. In Psalm 131 our eyes are not raised up to dwell on things outside of our control. Instead, they are looking low and taking a posture of humility. We lower our eyes away from our problems and place them upon our loving Lord. This is how we can become calm. Our hope is in the Lord, who always does what is best and has secured for us eternal life through the death and resurrection of Jesus.
What Has Been Encouraging:
- Due to sickness, we did not have Christmas decorations up. We had several church members offer to come and put up decorations in our house and yard.
- One family came to remove all our decorations from the attic, one church member came to set up our Christmas tree, another family came to put decorations in our yard, and one family spent half a day cleaning and decorating our entire house. This has been a tremendous blessing to my family and has taken a burden off them!
- Each of these families has blessed us, and we won’t forget it. We went from zero to sixty in our Christmas décor! We are so thankful for First Baptist and their love.
Unspoken 