Update 2012

Exactly one year ago yesterday, I was released from the hospital after a seven-week stint, following what was to have been a 4-day recovery from lung surgery.  It has been a challenging year in many ways.  But God, in His mercy, has supplied abundant grace and given me the strength, one day at a time, to gradually progress.  As I have spoken to many of you who read this blog, I know your prayers have been a vital part of what God has been doing.  Thank you so much for being faithful in that.

Hidden Things

During the Christmas season we often take joy in keeping secrets of the gifts we have bought for the special people in our lives.  And who doesn’t have childhood memories of trying to get a sneak peek at some highly anticipated gift that had been hidden away from them until Christmas Day?

Must We Be Pain Free?

Have we become a culture where the elimination of pain and discomfort has become a priority of our lives?  When was the last time you watched TV for any length of time without seeing a commercial for some type of pain reliever?  And when we want relief, we want it fast and easy to take.  Recently, I read a report that U. S. health care dollars spent on dealing with neck and back pain alone had exceeded $86 billion per year, and that was back in 2005.  Interestingly, the article went on to say that little improvement had resulted from this huge expenditure.

My Purpose, God's Purpose?

Do you ever stop during the day and wonder about the meaning and value of what you are doing?  I mean, do you ever think about the underlying purpose behind washing clothes, fixing meals, talking with people, balancing your checkbook, or just doing any of the countless activities that your job requires?  In the fast paced, high-pressure environment of the 21^st century, we really have (or more truthfully, are willing to take) little time for that kind of reflection, and are even less willing to change our lifestyle.

Is There Any Hope?

It’s hard to live without hope.  I even wonder if it is possible.  The poet said, “Hope springs eternal in the human breast.”  It seems that even in the darkest and most demoralizing of circumstances there remains in each one of us some ray, some vestige, of hope, however distant, that things will somehow get better. 

Painful Places of Life

Imagine for a moment that you woke up one day to find that the city where you live has been surrounded by a vast army and announcements are being broadcast that everyone must prepare to evacuate.  With nearly everything of value to you left behind, you are soon herded with everyone else into buses and transported to the nearest port where you board a ship bound for a foreign country.  You cannot believe this is happening.  But there had been a warning... 

When the Majority Is Wrong

Ancient Israel in the time of Jeremiah the prophet was not much different in many ways than our culture today.  Over the years it had been continually evolving.  From a nation that honored God and worshiped Him according to the sacrificial system He gave them through Moses they had descended into all types of idolatry and sexual sins and even practiced sacrificing their children to heathen gods.

In turning away from the one true God they had lost their moral compass, calling good evil and evil good.  Yet, they continued to have a form of religion that had the outward trappings of worshiping God and honoring the temple but without sincerely trusting Him or obeying His laws.

My First Anniversary!

It’s my anniversary!  No, not for my wedding, but for a life-changing event of another kind.  And it’s well worth celebrating…in a very thankful way. 

Don’t Just Sit There!

That’s what God was telling the Israeli exiles through the prophet Jeremiah in Jeremiah 29.  Having just been taken into captivity by the Babylonians, they were told to get a new vision for the future, get busy settling into a new life, build homes and raise kids and grand kids in this godless land.  All the while they were to be praying for their captors and the welfare of the nation where they would be living in exile for the next couple of generations.  By no means were they just to sit around waiting for the storm to pass but, rather, to become involved in the community, seeking its welfare and increasing in number.  How radical was this! 

The Pitfall of Misapplying God's Word

During the months since my amazing experience that I call The Parallel Journey I have been driven back many times to the familiar Scripture, Jeremiah 29:11.  God undoubtedly used it in obvious ways to give me peace and courage before facing major surgery for lung cancer, and even again later to encourage me on the slow path of rehabilitation.

Suffering

This week I had the opportunity to respond to some missionary friends who had written about going through a fiery trial.  A family member who had what was to have been a short surgical procedure now has a serious infection and faces a long recovery period.  Their plans for continuing in a critically needed ministry in Africa are now delayed and, possibly, significantly changed.  Our temptation is to question why God would allow this to happen, as though suffering were some foreign thing to those who strive to live an obedient Christian life.

The Day I Gave Up – Afterthoughts

When I wrote in my last post about my experience of finally giving up – not hope, but the struggle to do things my way – I can imagine some readers wondering if that was, in fact, the moment when I became a true follower of Christ…when I was saved from eternal separation from God.

The Day I Gave Up

I’ll never forget the day I gave up.  I had been struggling for weeks to work my way out of this situation.

It all began during my first term in grad school to earn a master in EE (electrical engineering).  The transition had been hard for me because I had majored in physics at a liberal arts college – two very different disciplines and worlds. 

Patterns

Whether you’re a seamstress making a dress, a carpenter cutting a counter top for a sink or a machinist making parts for a power plant, it is essential to have a pattern to guide you.  In car manufacturing a scale model or prototype is usually made of the new body design. 

We All Need It

It’s elusive.  We all need it, want it and spend time looking for it.  Because of our brokenness we look for it in the wrong places, for the wrong reasons and in the wrong ways.  We’re often blind to its very presence.  We are willing to pay for it at great cost, in time, self sacrifice, money, possessions, reputation, physical hardship and even abuse. The great paradox is that it finds those who are not searching for it and don’t deserve it, and those who have it receive more by giving it away.

Contentment and Its Enemy

In my early years as a follower of Jesus I became an avid reader of books that would help me grow in understanding the Bible and its relevance to the world around me.  One author who stood out to me because of the great impact he had on my thinking was Dr. Francis A. Schaeffer.  Even though I must admit feeling intellectually challenged by some of his writings, he had a way of cutting through the fog to the very heart of many theological issues.  My understanding of the nature of contentment I owe, in part, to his keen insight into the Scriptures.

Contentment or “Whatever…”?

Sometimes I get frustrated with the rate of physical progress I seem to be making in recovering from my long ordeal.  I can visualize myself doing all the simple things I used to do:  getting up from my chair and walking downstairs without getting winded, enjoying a meal without becoming exhausted, or hopping in the car and driving myself to Home Depot to get something for a fix-it job.  My mind says, “You can do it,” but my body says, “Whoa!  You’re not there yet!”

Beginnings and Endings

Beginnings are often adventures.  We never know how they will turn out.  Prior to Hu's surgery it was never in my wildest dreams to write a blog.  However, when our sons, who started the updates on Hu, left to return to their homes, it seemed wise to keep it going.  Not being very blog savvy, I often found myself sending emergency emails out to them for help in posting my entries.

I certainly have appreciated the support that I have received from so many while I have been submitting my entries to this blog.  Your emails, calls, cards, comments and mostly your prayers have been such a help along this difficult road for us. 

I have watched Hu go from barely able to stand alone without help to walking down the block by himself.  He will continue in pulmonary rehab for about six more weeks.  After that he will be on his own to continue to exercise in order to increase his stamina and expand his lung capacity.  Weakness and breathing issues are his limiting factors at this time.  We pray that they will continue to improve in the months ahead.

Recently, we mentioned our brother-in-law Don who had open heart surgery last week.  He did quite well until a few days ago when he developed some additional complications.  We are praying that he will have a full recovery, and we do appreciate your prayers for him as well.

Hu's progress has gotten to the point that we don't see weekly changes which makes it unnecessary for my weekly updates.  I want to thank you for sticking with me through this.  Even though I will no longer being doing updates, please know that although it is the end of this means of communication we continue to be grateful to you for your friendship and concern.  In every endeavor I have taken on I have learned through it, and this blog was no exception.

As a young girl I began my journey with the Lord when I realized that I was a sinner and accepted Jesus into my heart.  Along the way, I have made mistakes and faced challenges but through it all the Lord has been faithful to guide me.  How grateful I am for that beginning with Him, and I know that the end will be when He returns to take me to live with Him eternally.  That will be the perfect ending!

And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. -- Phil 1:6

Soul Drought

Recently, as I was thinking about the severe drought that has plagued the Mid-West of the United States, it brought to mind the dryness of the place of my Parallel Journey.  Except for my one-time water torture experience, it was a totally waterless place.  The little bird-like “Two-ers”, carrying their empty cups (see my March 18, 2012, post, “The Gallery”), were intended only to intensify the torment of the desperately thirsty residents.

Dare To Live Like Daniel

Daniel has been the focus in my Bible reading recently.  What a godly man he was making prayer the most important part of his life even when it meant that he might not only lose his prestigious position in government but even be killed.

These days you can't help but hear about the upcoming election of those aspiring to lead our country. While I'm not one of them, the Lord has called me to follow Daniel and be faithful to Him in both my responsibilities and prayer life in my own sphere of influence.  I want to dare to live like Daniel!

Hu and I got away for a time of R & R last week.  While it wasn't possible for him to attend his regular therapy sessions, he did manage to do some workouts and long walks.  It is such an encouragement to watch his stamina being built up day by day.

Thank you for your prayers for him and also our brother-in-law Don as he recovers from open heart surgery.  He faced some life threatening complications but the Lord brought him through the surgery, and he is stable and making slow progress.  Although due to his sedation Don doesn't always acknowledge people in the room, Hu continues to remind me that from his own experience that Don has some sense of what is happening in the room and he can hear. 

During a visit I read the 23rd Psalm as part of a devotional.  There was another gentleman in the room, and his wife was visiting him while I was there.  I tried to read to Don and not disturb them.  As I was leaving the room the wife was going down the hall and said, "My husband said that you were reading from the Bible but he couldn't hear all you were reading.  Next time, read a little louder and he would enjoy it."  I assured her that I would be happy to do that.  Later, I realized that God had given me an area of influence that I hadn't even considered!  Thank you, Jesus.

The Lord our God be with us, as he was with our fathers.  May he not leave us or forsake us, that he may incline our hearts to him, to walk in all His ways and to keep His commandments, his statutes, and his rules, which he commanded our fathers. -- 1 Kings 8:57-58







  

Famous Last Words

That phrase has come to be used frequently as a cynical response when someone boasts about what they plan to accomplish.  But when a person actually knows that their words will be the last they will ever speak to someone on this earth, they can carry enormous weight.  Could there be any greater example of this than the last words Jesus spoke to His disciples before ascending to Heaven?

God's Love on Display

Hu has been a motivator in many phases of my life.  One of them has been exercise, and he is very disciplined about it.  Now that we walk at different speeds I usually try to take a walk early in the day and then walk with him at his pace later. 

One day earlier this week I put off my morning walk and finally started late in the afternoon.  Although I was feeling a little sorry for myself, having to walk all alone, as I walked I looked up and realized that there was a lovely sunset.  That was a confirmation to me of God's love for me and reminded me to be thankful to Him for creating this beautiful world for us.  It was also an opportunity to recall His goodness to our family, allowing Hu to progress to this stage of recovery.  What a special gift from the Lord: to witness His handiwork!

In addition to eating a wholesome diet, Hu continues to attend rehab where he exercises for an hour twice a week.  While it is key to his recovery, he gets very tired and has to rest several times during the day.  I told him today, though, I've seem some glimmers of the "real Hu" coming back! 

During the past week I was gone for a few hours, and when I came home, I found that Hu had taken his hand clippers and worked on some of the bushes in the yard "that had been driving him nuts."  We are thankful that he has had times when he had enough strength to do some of the outside work that he used to do so well.  Thank you for your continued prayers for him.  

Urgent!  Please also pray for our brother-in-law Don, who is undergoing emergency bypass surgery within the next few days for three severe blockages.  Health-wise, Don has had a difficult seven months since his wife Barbara (Hu's sister) passed away.

The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. -- Psa. 19:1

Girded With Truth

During the past week I have been reading and meditating on a New Testament passage from the letter to the Christians in Ephesus written by the Apostle Paul while he was in a Roman prison (Ephesians 6:10-20).  This Scripture passage has become especially meaningful to me because of its relevance to my Parallel Journey experience.

No longer do I have a vague, nebulous concept of the forces of darkness but understand that they are real and active in our world.  Paul makes it clear that we as believers in Jesus are being opposed not by “flesh and blood” but by powers, authorities and forces.  In my post, “Open Your Eyes,” I related how my attitude toward the people who seemed to be my tormentors changed and I began to pray for them, realizing they were merely captive tools of the evil one, in bondage to his power and were destined to an eternity of horror.

Who Am I Imitating?

During the broadcast of the Summer Olympics story after story was told of different athletes who, as a child, saw someone that inspired them, and became determined to achieve the same goals as that person.  Because of someone that we knew and admired as a child many of us can recall wanting to grow up and become like them.  

This past weekend one of our pastors was preaching from Ephesians 5 and reminded me that as a beloved child of God I should be an imitator of Him.  What a great challenge and opportunity I have to share Christ's love by imitating Him.

Hu still finds his therapy sessions challenging.  Each visit they raise the bar of intensity and/or repetitions. Daily activities continue to be difficult due to his breathing limitations.  We are looking forward to that improving in the days ahead.

Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known.  But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. -- 1John 3:1c

Can the Dead Hear?

Probably not…at least not from Earth!  But when is a person really dead? 

I’ve thought a lot about that since my own Parallel Journey.  During at least four days of that experience I was in a clinically induced virtual coma.  Yet, during that time I was continually conscious of a different reality into which sounds and conversations from the physical world around me, at times, penetrated. 

God Is Good All the Time

Rehab following Hu's hospitalization was a learning curve for me.  It was filled with new medical procedures and special exercises that would become a new part of our routine when we were discharged.  We also met folks whose prognosis didn't seem very promising.

Following those weeks, Hu had home therapy.  I think that perhaps the Lord let us have the home therapy to give us a chance to process what we had learned and seen.  Now that he is back in out-patient pulmonary therapy we see other patients who are struggling in life.

Recently, I had been thinking about how thankful we are that Hu is in this recovery period.  This week we attended a lecture at rehab where we heard the story of a double lung and heart transplant survivor.  It reinforced gratefulness in me, especially when she went around the room and asked each patient to tell their story thus far.

The chorus to one of Don Moen's songs sums up my thoughts this week:

God is good all the time
He put a song of praise in this heart of mine
God is good all the time
Through the darkest night, His light will shine
God is good, God is good all the time

God of Small Things

One principle that we all understand well is that small things are often extremely important.  In the Olympics to win the gold it’s not necessary to win by a wide margin over one’s opponents.  All the hard work, pain and sacrifice in preparation for the contest may come down to a one hundredth of a second advantage to win the title of champion.

From science we know that the submicroscopic atom is the fundamental building block of the universe and that from a single cell a human being develops.  Even a child knows that the mighty oak tree grows from a small acorn.  It seems that God has designed creation with abundant examples to make a strong statement about His attention to small things.

Life's Olympics

We have been focused on the summer Olympics this past week.  It is amazing to think that many of these athletes have been training since elementary school age for these events.  Their focus all their lives has been on winning a gold medal. 

I have never aspired to being in the Olympics.  However, one of our pastors recently pointed out that we are all in a race during our lives.  How we train and live determines the outcome.  If we follow our coach, Christ, and give our lives to Him to mold and encourage us along the way, we will one day obtain the crown that God has for us and our reward in heaven will be great.  What better prize is there?

Tonight we took a family walk, my mother, Hu and the dog.   Honorable mention for the walk goes to Hu since he outpaced us (especially since we stopped for a rest along the way).  Mornings continue to be tough for him but by late afternoon and evening he is ready to move and enjoys getting out.  We are so thankful for good weather that allows us to do that.

I press on toward the goal unto the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. - Phil 3:14

Called Out of Darkness

If there was one overarching theme throughout my near-death journey that stood out to me, it would be the nature of darkness.  Is there anything more fearful than to stumble around in the dark where you could fall down a deep hole, step on a poisonous snake, or encounter some kind of unknown evil?

Not only is darkness a place of fear, confusion and hopelessness, but also it is a place where the truth is hard, if not impossible, to discern.  During my parallel journey many of those people and activities that were in reality working to help me medically I interpreted to be for my harm and torture.  Until the very end I was confused about my son James’ involvement when he became the instrument through which I was rescued by an overpowering light.

The Scriptures are full of comparisons of light and darkness, where they are used as metaphors for truth and falsehood, respectively, and ultimately for God and the devil.  I think there is a popular misconception about our world, today, that it is a good place with some bad mixed-in, here and there, that we just need to work on to overcome. 

But the Bible would have us understand otherwise.  Followers of Jesus know that we live in a fallen and broken world where evil has dominion.  Take for example 1John 5:19, which says that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.  Consider, also, the book of Job which reveals that the devil had great power to harm Job, a man of God.  He caused a great windstorm that killed all of Job’s children, motivated thieves to steal his property and kill his employees and afflicted him with a terrible, painful disease.  Yes, he had to have God’s permission, but he got it and was limited only in not having power to take Job’s life.

The Apostle Paul in Ephesians 6:12 said, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”  So, if this world is so influenced by the forces of darkness, from where does any light come?  Any wonder there is so much confusion, violence, senseless killing and hopelessness! 

Jesus said, “I am the light of the world.”  But, He is not here now to be that light but is in heaven.  That is why He also taught His disciples, “You are the light of the world,” (Matthew 5:15).  All who are His disciples, then, are the only true source of light in the world today.

For us, who have been called out of darkness and who claim to know and follow Jesus, our assignment, our responsibility, is to be light in the darkness and to make more disciples to become light bearers.  At the same time, we are not to be ignorant of the world and its ways, knowing that broken people will never fix a broken world.  The only hope is Jesus, the Light, both for every individual right now to save them from eternal darkness and for the whole world when He returns in glory to restore creation to its perfect order, as God intended it.

The people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light, and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death, on them a light has dawned. – Matthew 4:16

Who Knew But God...

...that one of our sons would arrive hours before a another son and his family were due to depart and would fill the need for a driver to help transport them and their luggage to the airport?

...that we would have out-of-town company coming for a visit on short notice and our neighbors would bring over a plate of cookies that were gratefully accepted and enjoyed?

...that today our son would discover that our sump pump was not working and water was squirting all over the air conditioning unit (I wouldn't have been going under the house!)?

I am finding so often it is the little things that God does that make me realize how good He is to me.  Often Bible verses come to my mind when I am troubled by something and I am encouraged by His Word.

Having family with us recently has helped to motivate Hu to be more active, sometimes pushing the limits of endurance a bit.  However, he has fared well and enjoyed the opportunity to visit.  He continues with rehab twice a week.

Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.  -- James 4:8

Grandchildren Are a Blessing From the Lord

It is rewarding to be able to spend time with our grandchildren.  They bring a special spark to our lives.  We've had the opportunity of enjoying two of our three families recently.  Since our family is spread over three different continents it is a rare occasion for us to all get together.  We are thankful to have had this brief time with some of them.  The elementary age grandchildren have prayed for Hu and followed his progress.  How blessed I feel that he is able to share his godly influence as a grandpa with them.

I took an evening stroll with Hu last night and noticed that his pace has picked up considerably from the time we first started the walks to the corner in our neighborhood.  That seems to be his limit for now but I have noticed that his endurance has increased since starting rehab.

Behold, children are a gift of the LORD, The fruit of the womb is a reward. -- Psalm 127:2-4

Just Be Patient!

How often have you heard that admonition?  How often have you said it to someone else?  In either case, chances are that it didn’t accomplish much.

For much of my life I have often been credited with having a lot of patience.   But since my ordeal with this recent illness, I have come to realize that I knew very little about true patience.  Having a phlegmatic personality and a tendency to sometimes allow my mind to wander, I have had a natural ability to deal with waiting for things to happen.  Thus, the apparent quality of patience has been a part of my inherited temperament and nothing in the way of personal accomplishment or cause to boast.

What Has God Been Teaching You?

One of our prayer warrior friends visited us last week.  During the course of our chat together he directed a question to me asking what the Lord has been teaching me.  My first thought was “thankfulness,” which is what I told him.  I have realized how thankful I should be for life itself and for God’s sparing Hu’s life.  Two days later I was doing a job that usually doesn’t fall under “my job description” and I was feeling stretched and grumpy about it.  Then I remembered my reply to our friend on the lesson I had been learning.  It helped me focus on why I was doing the job and that I could be thankful even though I was working outside my comfort zone.

Hu and I have a joke about people telling him he looks good because that is what is often said to the “mature” generation.  However, recently he was with some folks that hadn’t seen him for several months.  When they told him he looked good, we felt that they were actually assessing the improvement in his health.  We are blessed that he continues to improve.

It is amazing how the body reacts to stress.  This week Hu showed me lines in his fingertips and nails from when his body was going through the worst of his illness.  That is a visual reminder to be thankful for the ongoing healing of his body.

The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.  He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.  He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. -- Isa 41:28b -29

Not In Vain

Hours of labor did not result in the birth of our first son David, and the doctors said that they were going to perform a Caesarean section.  That was never a remote possibility during my pregnancy, nor did I know anyone (at the time) that had experienced the surgery since it wasn't very common in the early 70's.

Was Jesus’ Death Enough?

As a young believer, I had many deep questions about my faith in Christ.  It wasn’t so much that I had doubts, although to be honest, I certainly had those times, too.  But there were for me various unanswered issues that I had accepted by faith but had an earnest desire to understand and to be able to explain to others, especially to those who were skeptical of the truth.

Praise to the Lord

Pulmonary therapy continues to go well although after each session and the next day it leaves Hu exhausted.  At each session he has a regimen of working out on several machines.  The bar is raised a little each time, either by increasing the resistance or increasing the repetitions to help him increase his stamina.  In addition, we have been attending a seminar once a week on a topic pertinent to his condition.

Is There a Realm of the Near-Dead?

What is the near-death condition really all about?  Is there some kind of realm of the near-dead? 

As I have explained earlier, I believe that what I experienced was a reality in its own right.  I quickly want to add a warning, though, that my comprehension of everything that was going on remains very limited, and I find that I am still learning from the experience and growing in understanding as time goes on.  

Continued Blessings

Hu has been writing his Sunday blog for a few months now.  This past Sunday night after a tiring day he sat down to put the finishing touches on his writing for the week and was too exhausted to finish and finally decided to go to bed and submit it on Monday.  Much to his surprise he found that our sons had contributed to the blog in honor of him on Father’s Day which was a great encouragement to him.  Thus he decided to wait until next Sunday to post his next article.

Monday morning I awakened and mentally ran through my day.  In my mind I said, “Ugh,” I wasn’t exactly anxious to get up and move on with the day’s activities.  At that moment the Lord brought to my mind, “This is the day the Lord hath made...rejoice and be glad in it.”  As the day went on that verse kept repeating in my mind.  I felt like the Lord enabled me to tackle my projects with a better attitude than I would have had otherwise.

Hu continues to work hard at his pulmonary rehab.  In addition, to walking he works out on several machines each time he goes but the focus is on reconditioning his whole body thus they closely monitor his stats during each session.

This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.  Psalms 118:24

Thank You, Sons

To my beloved sons:  David, John and James

I am so thankful for each of you and was completely blown away by your kind and loving Fathers’ Day postings dedicated to me.   I am both humbled and proud at the same time to have you as sons, godly men who are seeking as fathers to bring up your own children to become godly men and women following your example.  Aside from His gift to me of salvation through Jesus Christ and your mom as my beloved wife and friend, seeing you walk with the Lord by faith is the greatest blessing and joy I could ever ask for.

I remember so well how you closed ranks before my surgery, though separated by thousands of miles, to come together for a family prayer time over the Internet, surrounding me and Mom with your love and earnest prayers.   And then, you traveled those many miles to rally to my bedside and to support Mom during those dark days when my recovery hung in the balance.

I will be forever grateful for each of you and look forward to spending eternity with you!

Love always,

Dad

Happy Fathers Day!

Thank you for your Godly example over the years.  The journey you have been on over the last 9 months or so has been an incredible testimony to us and to many others of your firm belief in God and the trust that you have put in Him.  
 
One of the greatest memories I have of you from my childhood is seeing you sitting on the couch early in the morning as I would walk down the stairs in our house for breakfast.  You had been sitting on the couch spending time with God, reading and praying, long before I was even awake.  With your Bible opened up on your lap, you would greet me every morning.  Thank you for setting that example, and more importantly, thank you for living it out - showing me what it means to be a Christ follower.  
 
We thank God for your life and that He continues to use you to share the hope that we have in Christ.  We continue to pray for your healing, and we thank God for sparing your life and for using you to encourage us in our walk with Christ.


Love,
David

Happy Father's Day!

 We love you and are so thankful we get to celebrate this day with you.  We are blessed to have such a godly, strong, courageous, loving, and selfless role model as a father.  You truly are my hero!  We miss you and look forward to seeing you soon. 

Love,

James

A Father's Day Prayer

Dear God,

Thank you for giving my brothers and me another year to celebrate our dad (Hu)! Thank you for blessing me with a dad, who has been the greatest example of godliness and manliness in my life. As I celebrate this special day today with my own kids, I am reminded of the tremendous privilege and responsibility I have to carry on that legacy with them. Lord, thank you for a dad, while imperfect like all earthly fathers, earnestly strived to lead me down the path of righteousness - teaching me the difference between right and wrong and ultimately leading me into a relationship with You. Amen!

"A righteous man who walks in his integrity - How blessed are his sons after him." (Proverbs 20:7 NASB)

I love you, Dad! Happy Father's Day!

Love,
John

God's Provisions

Our family could write a book about God's provisions since Hu went into the hospital November 9, 2011.  We have seen His hand at work all along the way.

Did God Give Us a Message Beforehand?

Does God speak to us directly from the Bible?  I mean, does He outright tell us specifically what to do or what He’s going to do in an actual situation?

"Snickers Satisfies"

I have a "sweet tooth" and always enjoy candy or a dessert.  However, when I recently saw the advertisement on the candy bar, "Snickers Satisfies," it really made me think about what satisfies my deepest needs.  It isn't a candy bar or dessert, but Jesus is the one that can truly satisfy.  All these other things that I spend my time doing and thinking about will never give me the full satisfaction that my heart and soul need.

Last week, I heard Hu say to someone who was asking about his progress that he is improving inch by inch.  We continue to be thankful for the incremental progress.  Sometimes being with him most of the time it is difficult to realize it, but I have noticed that his stamina has been increasing.

Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said,  I will never leave you or forsake you. --  Heb. 13:5   

Jesus Satisfies!

The Parallel Journey Unveils a Parallel Reality (cont'd from May 27 post)

Physically, I was still far from out of the woods at this point and would go through more trauma, including bouts with pneumonia, ”afib” (atrial fibrillation) and other issues.  I would be in critical care for a total of 4 weeks and rehab for another 3 weeks before being discharged.

So, what lessons and insights have I gained from the whole Parallel Journey experience?   Truly, there are many to share, but one stands out as the greatest.  If I forget all the rest, it will undoubtedly remain permanently impressed upon me. 

What a Gift!

Prayer is an amazing gift from God.  We can pray anytime, anywhere, no matter what the circumstances are.  Many of you have prayed consistently for Hu and our other family members.  We have experienced peace and encouragement as a result of your prayers.

I was thinking back today of times and places I have been when I have prayed.  Driving my car, at the hospital, taking a walk, with friends, with family, in my devotion time with the Lord and of course, endless other places.  Intercession for others is a real privilege.  Actually, probably the miracle of prayer is not where or how we pray but that the Lord hears each one.  That is such a blessing.

The Great Awakening (cont'd from May 20 post)

Disguised by its pleasant sounding recording, that announcement, “We will now begin making connections,” sounded much more ominous as it was played the second time.  After my outburst earlier when the giant wheel I was on had backed away from the darker one, the electrodes that were attached to me had popped off.

What Is Your Calling?

In my daily Bible reading this morning I was in the book of Ezra.  The chapter began with a list of names of the people whom Nebuchadnezzar had taken captive.  As I was going through the list, I thought, "What value does this have for me?"

Then, as I kept reading I noticed that certain names had particular responsibilities.  I began to think about that and was thankful that I am living in a time when I just follow the Lord's leading for my responsibilities and that all the Harrill descendents aren't singers or priests or gatekeepers of the temple.  Although some families have a vocation which is handed down to succeeding generations, I'm thankful for the variety that we can experience today.

Tour of the Ages (cont'd from May 13 post)

Once more, I found myself watching as an observer and saw my body lying at the edge of what appeared to be a very large wheel or turntable that could possibly have encompassed the entire pit area.  My head was toward the wall along which the wheel moved and my body lay straight out from the wall, unlike in the past when I had been lying parallel to it. 

Strength?

As I was reading in 2 Chronicles this morning about Jehoshaphat, King of Judah, the phrase, "His heart was devoted to the ways of the Lord," stood out to me.  It made me think about Hu's comment yesterday when he was having a particularly difficult day.  At lunch when he thanked the Lord for the food he also thanked Him for the strength that He had given us for the day.  When he finished, I said, "Strength?"  (implying, "What strength?")  His reply was, "Well, I was able to come downstairs to eat," which he had not been able to do just a couple of months ago.  He continues to be thankful even during the hard days.

Extreme Love (cont'd from May 6 post)

Soon, I saw the familiar labyrinth of air supply channels and chambers again.  But this time I noticed a kind of meter in the pathway that was measuring the rate of air flow that I was receiving.  I sensed that I was no longer getting an adequate amount to breathe normally.  As I recall, it was now at about 3.5 (whatever that meant) and I did not know what it had been.

Wake Up and Listen

Today started a little earlier than normal for me.  As I awakened I could see Hu deep in sleep and hear him breathing.  What a refreshing sound.  The confirmation that the Lord allowed us both to see another day made me grateful for the gift of life.

As the day passed the devil worked hard to take away that special joy the Lord had given me early this morning.  Everyday frustrations were beginning to wear me down until I realized that the Lord has power over those feelings and I needed to trust Him to work through them.

Yesterday while the PT therapist was here Hu did some exercises and then took him for a walk.  She was exuberant when they returned and he had made the goal that she had set for him to walk for 20 minutes without stopping.  Some times I tend to forget the details of the heart wrenching days we went through while the Lord was performing the miracle that we experienced in Hu's life.  But thankfully now it is times like these that remind us that the Lord is continuing to strengthen him each day.

In my Bible reading this week I was reminded of how good God has been to us through David's words:
Praise be to you, Lord,
    the God of our father Israel,
    from everlasting to everlasting.
 Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power
    and the glory and the majesty and the splendor,
    for everything in heaven and earth is yours.
Yours, Lord, is the kingdom;
    you are exalted as head over all.
 Wealth and honor come from you;
    you are the ruler of all things.
In your hands are strength and power
    to exalt and give strength to all.
 Now, our God, we give you thanks,
    and praise your glorious name.
1 Chron. 19:10b - 13

“Open Your Eyes!” (cont'd from Apr 29 post)

With teeth still tightly clinched on the visor extension I came under attack by an agent of the pit to open my mouth.  I could hear something like a suction or spraying kind of sound and a voice commanding me, “Open your mouth!” as I felt something nasty-tasting being squirted into my mouth.  I didn’t dare relax my grip because the symbol test might begin again and I also knew that this was helping to keep my outer eyes closed.  Then it started…a barrage of verbal and physical assaults to get me to open my eyes.  I knew I had to guard against this at all cost.

"Bloom Where You are Planted"

Two surprises awaited me as I set out for an early morning walk today.  The first was my newspaper which was placed closer to our home by one of our thoughtful neighbors.  The other was a lone white azalea blossom on a very small azalea bush.  All of the azaleas in our yard have come and gone so I was intrigued by this one.

I remember seeing a book entitled, Bloom Where You are Planted.  I've been thinking about that thought lately.  Often we find ourselves doing things quite different than we had envisioned for our lives.  Obviously, with such a supportive husband as Hu, it didn't occur to me that I might be his caregiver.  However, I am confident that the Lord has a special plan for each of us, and we should "bloom where we are planted" and do that task well.

The Furrowed Brow (cont'd from Apr 22 post)

As I prepared to write this next segment of the Parallel Journey today, the Lord drew my attention to a familiar Scripture passage.  James, Chapter 1, verses 2-3 says, “Consider it all joy, my brothers, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.”  The passage goes on to say that persevering under trial eventually earns a “crown of life” from the Lord.  Please note that it does not say that the trials are a joy, but the end result.  We just saw in the last segment that Jesus “endured the cross, despising the shame,” for the extreme joy that would be his in the end (Heb. 12:2). 

Caring for the Caregiver

The fact that the caregiver needs tender loving care was something that hadn't occurred to me before Hu's hospitalization.  It was a revelation to me for so many to ask specifically about how I was doing and offered opportunities of relief and relaxation for me.  This week I was impacted by how blessed I have been to have had good health throughout this time.  I'm normally pretty healthy but given the numerous hours spent in the hospital, irregular sleeping times and places and varied meal schedule, I know it is a direct result of the prayers of so many of you that my health has been sustained so I could provide the care that Hu has needed.

Testing the Inner and Outer Eyes (cont'd from Apr 16 post)

During this new phase of the journey I was sitting back in the track car – alone.  What had happened to Sherril?  I had been told earlier when I asked about how she was doing, that I didn’t want to know, implying that she was having a hard time and being tortured.  But this time someone said, “Oh, she’s miles ahead of you!”  I took that to mean she was finishing well (implying that I was not), but then I also remembered again that nothing heard in this place can be trusted and often meant the opposite.

I Need a Thankful Heart

An article on thankfulness in the Reader's Digest caught my eye.  I was struck by the author's comment which was:  "Until you learn to be grateful for the things you have you will not receive the things you want."

Later in the day I received an email from a dear friend about a message she had heard by a TV evangelist and in her notes from the message quoted a statement he had made  "Until you can be thankful for something that is not enough, then what you have cannot be multiplied into what is more than enough."  I realized it was the lesson that the Lord had for me for the day.  It is always amazing the way the Lord can speak to me in the most unique circumstances.

More Breathing Trials (cont'd from Apr 8 post)

As my journey continued, inching along the wall of the great pit, suddenly, a series of popping sounds erupted off to the right again.  I knew another pipe was growing toward me and dreaded to see what form of torture it would bring.  Fear of the unknown…certainty of greater suffering…this was the sinister strategy of this place, as I had learned already, using mind games to intensify pain.  Quickly, the second pipe appeared, extending parallel to and below the first one, which was no longer growing to follow my progress along the track.  As soon as it was overhead, it could see and hear it begin to pour out its contents…

Grace

Grace, the unmerited favor of God, was our topic in our ladies' Bible study this morning.  How amazing it is to realize that Jesus paid the price for my sins and as a result I have the gift of eternal life just by accepting His free gift.  Often I have heard the statement, "by the grace of God...," but many times I don't really think about what God's grace has done for me.  Not only has it shaped my life here on earth but for eternity.  He continues to shower His grace on me even though I don't deserve it.

Breathing Challenges Begin (cont'd from Apr 1 post)

For much of the journey from here on I sensed being flat on my back.  I’m not sure what kind of conveyance I was on, but it resumed the spiraling circular type of course we had traveled in the track car. As before, I was moving slowly backwards, seemingly descending along the outer edge of a very large pit.   I was unable to change positions or move my limbs, totally at the mercy of the forces in charge.  Interspersed throughout the journey, however, were moments when I was able to view my body as an observer looking on to the scene.  These would become more frequent toward the end.

Not surprisingly, many of the trials I was about to experience were related to breathing.  I had suffered early on from the cutting away of my air line during the descent to the in-processing station, but that was just a minor irritation in comparison to what lay ahead.