The All-Inclusive Principle for All of 2009

In 1 Corinthians 10:31 the Apostle Paul states, "Whether then you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." Every day mundane, routine, matter-of-fact or matter-of-necessity things can and should be done with the prevailing attitude that the glory belongs to God. Jonathan Edwards, not long after his conversion, drew up what are now known as the RESOLUTIONS(1722-1723), in which, at the outset of his ministry, he committed himself to keeping a list of seventy guidelines to help him stay passionate in his pursuit of God and His glory. Though young when he wrote them, they reveal a mature understanding of genuine devotion and the way such devotion should be evident in all of one's life. While blog space does not permit me to list all seventy, they have been published, and if we give attention to the all-inclusive principle in 1 Corinthians 10:31 we would capture Edwards' thrust. Join me and fellow believers in 2009 to do everything we can unto our great God's glory.

On a medical note, today I completed my 18th oncology radiation treatment, and have 12 remaining treatments before I return to Nebraska and our home there.

Our Hope from Womb to Tomb

In Psalm 71, the songwriter of Israel directs the choir to sing that God is our hope and only confidence, from the womb to the tomb. The writer reviews God's involvement in his life at each stage. Since the psalmist's birth, God had sustained him. In his youth, God had trained him by (1) giving him the commandment (vs. 3b), (2) giving him confidence (vs. 5), (3) giving him life experience (vs. 20). As the psalmist gets older and grayer, God gives him an assignment: (1) to declare God's strength (vs. 17), (2) to declare God's power (vs. 18), (3) to declare God's righteousness (vs. 16-19). All of what the psalmist has said to this point recalls the hymn lyrics, "Our hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness." The psalm's impact is felt even stronger with the realization that God's inexhaustible mercies cannot be numbered. What stage are YOU in? What is your role in impacting this generation? Whatever circumstances you find yourself in presently, may God be your primary hope and confidence.

Added Years for Praise, Thanks and Service

Second Kings 20:1 relates those days when Hezekiah became mortally ill. He wept bitterly, prayed to the Lord and requested a longer life. The Lord's response was in verse 6, "I will add fifteen years to your life." You can read in chapter 20 of the sign that the Lord gave to Hezekiah in answer to his prayer. Recently I learned of the passing of a dear friend, Dave Fahrenbruch, who as early in life as 17 experienced Hodgkin's Disease and for quite a number of years, battled medical issues. It was evident in Dave's life that the added years given to him by God were well used in singing His praises, and striving to live a Christ-like life. I am uncertain why someone as Hezekiah had his life lengthened as a result of prayer, while there are many others who utter the same request and don't receive a similar answer. I continue to make the request for lengthened years, yet in a recent blog on James 4:15, stated that we must recognize that we have a will to respect, which is God's. The basis for my prayer for lengthened years is from Psalm 6:5, "For there is no mention of Thee in death; in Sheol who will give Thee thanks?" I believe that the psalmist is stating quite simply that he desires to give voice (praise, thanks and testimony to God's glory) as long as he has breath. That is simply the sentiment in which my prayer is offered. I desire lengthened years to praise Him, thank Him, serve Him and give Him glory.

Some Help in Avoiding Pride and Presumption

Between the closing door of 2008 and the opening door of 2009, the book of James, sometimes referred to as the Proverbs of the New Testament, gives us wisdom in our approach to daily living. Especially in chapter 4, verses 13-15, "Come now, you who say, today or tomorrow, we shall go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit. Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. Instead, you ought to say, If the Lord wills we shall live and also do this or that." Chuck Swindoll this morning at Stonebriar underscored James' perspective of presumption by pointing out how this man selected a location, chose his activities, and assumed he would make a profit, yet in a few words is reminded "you do not know what comes with tomorrow." Note how James does not say next week or next year, but selects the closest day. We do not know what tomorrow holds. With anyone, tomorrow may mean a setback in health, a relative chooses drugs, a member of the family falls in love, a grad student is accepted to med school, a transfer to North Dakota. The essence of James' exhortation and Pastor Swindoll's explanation is that instead of planning like you've got it all wired, there is a will that we need to respect. That is found in the verse, "...you ought to say, If the Lord wills we shall live and also do this or that." This will be a helpful antidote to those of us who live presumptuously.

Longing to See Each Other

In my reading today in I Thessalonians 2:17, I understood Paul's heart when he says, "We were all the more eager with great desire, to see your face." Paul has to send Timothy ahead to find out about them because of his longing to know how they were doing. There is a certain angst of heart for me to see and be with precious fellow believers in southwest Nebraska.

The love of a pastor for his people is captured as well in an episode in the life of Jonathan Edwards, arguably America's greatest theologian. A controversy arose at the church he pastored in North Hampton, Massachusetts. Of the 230 male members who could vote, a mere 23 voted to retain Edwards as pastor. Edwards maintained a calmness of soul for two reasons: First, the God whom Edwards loved and adored was a solemn Ruler in all human affairs. As Edwards notes, "We are in the hands of God and I bless Him." Second, Edwards genuinely loved his people, and though it was a difficult time in his life, he stated that "I am not anxious concerning God's disposal of us." So then, the longing and love between Paul and the Thessalonians, and Edwards and his congregation, is mirrored in my own longing to see the face of fellow believers in southwest Nebraska. When the loving and the longing is great, how sweet and pleasant must be the reuniting. (Though Edwards was dismissed, it was God's way in moving him to minister as a missionary to 250 Mohican and 60 Mohawk Indians.)

We have now reached the half-way point in radiation oncology, so our focus is now that it is downhill from here! We are counting the days until we are home, face to face.

Forgetting None of His Benefits (Psalm 103)

Today’s Issue of USA Today submitted that 2008 was an “Epic Year,” or in the words of a certain salesman, it will be “unforgettable”: Michael Phelps achievements in the China Olympics, gas over $4.00 a gallon in some places, the seismic stock market fluctuations, and the first African American elected president are among the events that most mark it as memorable. For the Atkins, obviously, the discovery, removal, and treatment of my brain tumor make this an UNUSUAL year. However, what makes it UNFORGETTABLE is the love, grace, mercy, care, and faithfulness of God who remains my pillar and anchor. Psalm 103:2 says, “Bless the Lord O my soul, and FORGET none of His benefits.” I share the Psalmist’s determination to make not only the gifts, but the Giver, my focus; not only the benefits, but the Benefactor the theme of my song. His benefits to us include the countless prayers, concerns, acts of kindness and love sent in this family’s direction from so many friends and loved ones. I am so thankful and overwhelmed. We look forward after completed treatment to ministering to those who have so ministered to us in a hundred ways!!
Love in Christ, Chris

Treasuring His Birth

Christmas is about the fulfillment of many promises: the gift of a Son Who will be called, "Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace" (Isa. 9:6), the gift of a Ruler Whose throne would be established forever (2 Sam. 7:13), the gift of a Substitute Whose righteousness would be put to the account of those who put their trust in Him (Isa. 53, Rom. 5:15).

Christmas is also about promises whose fulfillment is yet to come, because the Lord Himself will come (Titus 3:13). We trust God blessed your celebration with His joy, love, and hope-filled promises. We are so grateful for those who played a part in getting our precious daughters here to share in our celebration of Christ's birth. I am certain that the weather in Texas gave them an appreciated break from the bitter cold in western Nebraska. We, however, missed the warmth of the people that reside there. We love and miss you all.

The Quiet Appearance of the Grace of God

The acappella quartet, Glad, sings a beautiful melody concerning Christ's birth, called "In the First Light." The lyrics are something as follows:

In the first light of a new day, no one knew He had arrived.
Things continued, as they had been, while a newborn softly cried.
But the heavens, wrapped in wonder, knew the meaning of His birth,
In the weakness of a baby, they knew God had come to earth.

Titus 2:11 states the truth in this fashion: "For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men." A theologian of an earlier era named Benjamin Breckenridge Warfield stated that God's grace was His positive sovereign favor extended to those who deserved unfavor, ill favor and worse. One cannot help but be struck by the simplicity and tender way in which this grace of God appeared, for the purpose of bringing salvation to all men. But with each nativity drama re-enacted, and with each Christmas carol sung, and with each recitation of Luke 2, we are reminded of the appearance and reality of the grace of God that came with Christ Jesus our Lord. May His grace be experienced and displayed in your home, in your observance of His birth which we soon celebrate.

An Indirect Way To Compliment Another - A Direct Way To Praise God

I often say to my wife, "No one can cook our favorite meals like you can." In other words, we are stating that there is something incomparable about the way that she cooks. It's a compliment that kind of comes in through the back door. But with the Lord God we give Him direct praise when we proclaim that "there is none like Thee" (Isaiah 44:7, 8b). He is the incomparable God. Furthermore, we read in Hosea 13:4b, "there is no Savior besides Me." We read this again in Isaiah 43:3 and 43:11. God is certainly glorified in our praise as we declare His majesty, excellence, glory, transcendence and incomparability to any other. We are reminded in this season that there is no Savior besides Him, to Whom all glory and praise belong. Gloria in excelsis Deo!

Paul - Merely A Positive Thinker? Not Quite!

The Scriptures clearly do not give us a Thomas Kincaid or Norman Rockwell picture of life, or a Norman Vincent Peale perspective where all is right all of the time. Some might read 2 Corinthians 4:1-17 thinking Paul is exercising positive thinking. He is more like that famous old television detective, Jack Webb, who says "Just the facts, ma'am, please." He freely admits he is perplexed, persecuted, struck down, yet he is not crushed or despairing or totally losing heart. He finds renewal each day, finds purpose in the present and anticipates, in his situation, future glory for Jesus Christ. May God give us all Paul's perspective in each of our trials, no matter their size or duration.

Plant My Feet On Solid Ground

The Hebrews, unlike the Philistines or the Phoenicians, were people of the land, not of the sea. While we have lived near the ocean before moving to Nebraska, and appreciated it's beauty, I personally never cared to be on it too much. The Jewish people must have heard many stories about the ocean deep and knew of it's power. The psalm-writer relates it's dread during storms and how experienced sailors were brought to their wits' end and their seamanship was of little use during those "perfect storms." Our God, Who hears the distressed cry out in trouble, heard the mariners' cry, stilled the storm, quieted the waves, and ultimately guided these seamen to their desired haven. The emotions of the seamen as related in Psalm 107 can match those of somebody going through a period of trials. It brings comfort as the psalmist conveys God's hearing, guiding, calming and leading to the desired haven. What a wonderful expression, "desired haven." Eunice and I continually give thanks to the Lord for demonstrating such steady love and kindness. Many individuals continue to surprise us with their own particular acts of lovingkindness. We are humbled and grateful. Love in Christ, Pastor Chris

Thursday night

One of the practical jokes I must confess to performing as a child is shaking up a can of soda real well before handing it off to an unsuspecting brother of mine. If I could paint a picture of David from Psalm 145 it would resemble this image of something bubbling forth with effervescence of praise to his God. Among those things that make him spill over joyfully are His mercy, His goodness, His awesome acts, His power, majesty, glory, sustenance, and satisfaction. The Lord does all these things so completely and comprehensively. Note that the Lord is not just righteous (in v. 17), but righteous in all His ways. Note in the same verse He is not just kind, but kind in all His deeds. Verse 18 was especially dear to me today, in affirming again, "the Lord is near to all who call upon Him." I love His close proximity. I am praying that all of us will have and maintain the fervor for praise that David exhibits in Psalm 145.

The people that Chris worked with to organize the trip to Israel (Mike and Cheri Fitzsimmons) were gracious to take us to dinner tonight and pray for us. Today being the 18th, we think of the end of radiation being somewhere close to a month from now, as a note of encouragement.

Wednesday night

One way that the Word of God frequently impacts me with it's lessons is through the use of contrast. I was reading this morning in Ezekiel 34 about negligent shepherds who had diseased flocks they had not bothered with or healed, other sheep were broken and not bound up, many were scattered and had not been brought back. Others were simply unfed, uncared for, and totally neglected. Further on in the passage, our God is recognized as the Good Shepherd Who gathers His sheep to their own land, feeds them in good pasture and grazing ground and leads them to rest. He seeks the lost, brings back the scattered, binds up the broken and strengthens the sick. You cannot help but read John chapter 10, and especially verse 11, without coming away knowing how much He cares for us and loves us. The Good Shepherd lays down His own life for the sheep. We are continually thankful for our Good Shepherd's guidance, care, nurture, and oversight even in all the details. Psalm 100:3 states that "we are His people and the sheep of His pasture" and that fills our thoughts and mouths with praise and thanksgiving. We are looking forward to having two of our own little lambs join us in a week for Christmas and we miss the flock of God in McCook, Nebraska with each passing day. Please, as you give thanks to the Lord, thank Him for Chris's sister Linda and brother-in-law Mike, who are in so many details.

Tuesday night

As we come to Scripture thirsty and begin to turn it's pages, we soon find a spring or a source of refreshment that bubbles up and delivers it to the soul. One of those such fountains found in our reading this morning concerned grace and peace. Peter was praying that grace and peace might not only be experienced by his brethren scattered throughout the empire, but that this grace and peace would be theirs in fullest measure. He acknowledged that they were going through various and distressing trials, noting that their faith was being tested, but would bring praise and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ. All these things that he said were like a drink of refreshing cold water, especially the "fullest measure" part. Not that they were just to experience grace and peace, but experience it in fullest measure. We certainly needed that after two or three very difficult days dealing with difficulty breathing, pain-filled, sleepless nights, and pulmonary embolism (blood clots in both lungs). The doctors placed a filter in my chest to prevent any further blood clots from reaching the heart or lungs, and have prescribed blood thinning medication (daily shots). Today I was released from the hospital again and continue radiation and chemotherapy as scheduled.

We are looking forward to "a night out" on Thursday with the owners and operators of Morning Star Tours, who asked us out to dinner. For those who don't know, I had planned and organized a trip to Israel that will be leaving in January through them.

The other thing that got our attention in 1 Peter 1 was that he was writing to the "aliens who were scattered abroad." Sometimes we feel a bit "alien" in Dallas, Texas, separated from the people we love and regularly fellowship with. Today is one day closer to our return home.

Saturday night

We read several times in Scripture that "out of Egypt did I call my Son." Joseph and Mary were there to be protected from Herod's efforts to destroy the newborn King. Israel was also in Egypt, but called out to serve the one true God. In Hosea 11, we read that He took them in His arms and they didn't even know that He healed them, led them with the bonds of love, lifted the yoke from their jaws, bent down and fed them. You can't help in reading the passage seeing the tenderness of God as He affirms that He taught them to walk, took them up in His arms and bends down to feed His own. Though they were a prodigal people and often provoked Him, His lovingkindness could never be called into question or communicated in more tender gestures. I feel that the tenderness which He displayed to Israel is closely like the tenderness in which He ministers to me. Much of His tenderness is communicated through you. We have appreciated every kind word, card, phone call, prayer and more that you do on our behalf. Our love and Christs' love to you.

Today was a good day with suspension of radiology treatments for the weekend, and enjoyment of "The Promise," the Christmas program at Chuck Swindoll's church. We're looking forward to worship in the morning, and will be praying for all of you as you gather together to worship.

Friday night

A descriptive term from scripture of the believer's adversary is that he (Satan) is crafty. I'm convinced over a difficult trial that part of his craft is as a malevolent gardener, planting seeds of deception, doubt, and despair.
--The seeds of deception are where he outright contradicts God's Word. It may be a lie or slander on our God's character, or even on His purposes working together for our good (Romans 8).
--If deception doesn't work, he casts shadows of doubt and has been doing so ever since Eve strolled in the Garden. The adversary's tactics include attempts to destroy or weaken the faith through doubting the Father, the One Who is Faithful and True.
--The seeds of despair are utilized to focus our attention on the problems, the difficulties, the reversals, the losses. We turn inward, lose hope, and forget that we are complete in Jesus Christ, in Whom we have everything pertaining to life and godliness.

Christ, and Christ alone, remains my anchor through this storm, and He is my hope and salvation. As the hymnwriter said, "One little word shall fell him." One Word from Christ will bring ultimate doom to the believer's crafty enemy.

We shared coffee this morning with a Christian brother who also had a brain tumor almost five years ago, and has gone through nearly the exact treatment I am currently undergoing. It was an encouragement to meet somebody who faced a similar situation and has had success in overcoming it. I am looking forward to two days off from radiation treatments, but will resume on Monday, and have 22 left. That's good news! "Great is Thy faithfulness - all I have needed Thy hand hath provided - Great is Thy faithfulness Lord unto me!"

Thursday night

My mind was occupied today with the hymn "All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name," in which angels prostrate fall. I wondered if Colossians 1:16 might have been the hymn writer's inspiration, because there it states that "all things were created by Him and for Him, and He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together." Such power, immensity, authority, and purpose in His creation. So when we read the words at Christmas, "Thou shalt call His name Jesus" let's remember from Colossians 1that He is Lord and to have first place in everything. Every day that passes should bring fresh awareness of the One by whom and for whom all things have been created.

I had three appointments today, one with each of my doctors. Blood work showed that the chemo is not having a negative effect on my blood. Radiation continues to go well, and we met with a nutritionist who encouraged us to continue eating well and maintaining this weight. (I did lose 20 pounds.) The neurosurgeon is very happy with my progress, and gave some encouraging words about my vision. He helped us understand that the problem is not with my eyes; I am seeing about as I did before, with the exception of the lost peripheral vision. The problem is that my brain is unable to interpret what it is seeing, so I feel that I cannot see as well. We ask you to keep praying for healing in respect to this difficulty.

We continue to get such wonderful reports about your faithfulness, maturity, love and desire to bear fruit. Thank you for being such a great blessing to us even while we are apart.

Wednesday night

Invitations are the one of the most delightful forms of communication a person can receive, through a phone call or cute card. To know that somebody wants to share our company over a meal, or dessert, or special event, warms the heart. The invitations of our God and of His Son in Scripture are among the most uplifting words on which we can focus. One that specifically comes to mind during these days is found in Matthew 11:28 - "Come to me, all who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Sometimes a single day's circumstances or events are enough to leave us with significant weight. We have the promise from the gentle Savior that He will provide sweet rest for our hearts and souls. He is able and willing and desiring to shoulder those things that we find weighing us down, sapping our strength, and draining us of physical and spiritual vitality. Along with rest comes His refreshment, which we are dearly invited to in Isaiah 55:1ff - "Every one who thirsts, come to the waters; and you who have no money come, buy and eat. Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost...Listen carefully to Me and eat what is good, and delight yourself in abundance. Incline your ear and come to Me." As we respond to the Lord's invitations, he promises us rest and refreshment and abundance and at His expense and with His presence. That is an invitation I always want to accept. His gracious invitations and His abundant supply overwhelm me with thanksgiving. The invitation that my wife and I responded to early in our marriage, and which we earnestly desire to maintain, is found in Psalm 34:3 - "O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together." We invite your participation along with us.

Tuesday night

I thought long today about Martin Luther's song: "A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing." I'm not sure I understand the concept of "bulwark" but I do readily embrace the idea of never failing! The next line brings great peace and satisfaction, as He is our helper "amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing." I want to extol Him for being my constant helper through lengthy hours of lengthy days and thank Him for giving the Holy Spirit, especially sent to comfort and help. Psalm 46:1b affirms Luther's words, that "God is a very present help in trouble." Thank you, God, for Your absolute presence.

We received good news of five more chemotherapy pills, a wonderful gift in light of the fact that they are over $350 each. I am now able to continue treatment through next Wednesday. We began work on several possibilities for obtaining more, since our insurance is definitely not going to cover it. I completed the 5th day of radiation, with just 25 treatments to go. Praise the Lord for those He is using to help us obtain medication, and sort through insurance complexity.

Our prayer is that you will be "rooted and grounded in the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge...filled up to all the fullness of God." (Eph. 3:17-19)

Monday night

We are all familiar with the optimist's observation that the cup is half full or the pessimist's observation that the cup is half empty. Our perspective is from the psalmist who confesses that his cup is completely running over. Our cup today has spilled over repeatedly. It spills over in praise and thanksgiving and adoration to the tender mercies and blessings from our God. So many send a specific verse, a select prayer request or the most fitting words of encouragement that our souls are simply refreshed and inspired and thankful. Offers of help and consideration and genuine love cause us to thank God continually. We worship Him, we miss you, we love and long to see you...our family.

Additional good news today is the backing down of the steroid dose, completion of four days of radiation (with only 26 to go!), safe arrival of family members to their destinations, and the gift of enough chemotherapy to last five more days. We had a wonderful walk enjoying the mild seasonal temperatures in Dallas, the fountains, ducks and squirrels. I was able to do a whole mile and a half!

With God's unending grace we are looking to enter the Christmas season with fulness of joy and this overflowing cup of praise and gratitude for the gift of His Son, our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. One of the songs that has ministered to me most during these days has been Ricky Skaggs "Somebody's Praying For You." Please go to YouTube when you have the chance and view it. Love you, Pastor Chris

Sunday night

Time spent in worship and with the family today brings comfort and refreshment to the soul. Chuck Swindoll spoke of Gabriel's announcement to Mary about all things being possible with God. Truly those possibilities must be as infinite as He. The choir sang these words:
All is well, all is well. Angels and men rejoice! For tonight darkness fell into the dawn of love's light. Sing alleluia!

All is well, all is well, Let there be peace on earth. Christ is come, go and tell that He is in the manger. Sing alleluia!

Born is now Emmanuel. Born is our Lord and Savior. Sing alleluia! All is Well.

There is a beautiful rendering of this song by Michael W. Smith on YouTube. I found it difficult to listen to the song, with the knowledge that all is not completely well in our circumstances. However, this song takes us beyond circumstances, to the knowledge that all is well in our relationship with Him for all eternity and that He is working for our good in the midst of perplexing questions. Please pray for us tomorrow as we have a busy day with appointments and travel, getting the girls back home. Our prayer for you is that each day brings you closer to full joy during the Christmas season as we celebrate our Savior's advent. We miss you all and love you.

Saturday morning update

Chris says: we are to rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say, rejoice! Therefore, I try to find reasons every moment of every day for rejoicing, and I don't have to look far. I am rejoicing in the Lord's nearness this morning and His unfailing lovingkindness. I thank Him for such peaceful sleep, so few side effects from the chemotherapy, a two-day break from radiation oncology and some wonderful hours spent with our daughters last evening. I felt well enough to even risk a visit to a burger place called the Purple Cow, where I had food my doctors might have second guessed, such as a patty melt, onion rings, and a chocolate shake. Now you can see that the anti-nausea medicine really does it's work. The Purple Cow doesn't come close to Macs, but it was the nearest substitute! We came back to our temporary apartment and nestled in, and Lauren and I exchanged some musical favorites off of YouTube to each other. One of those I would like for you to hear is Faith Hill's "A Baby Changes Everything" from her new Christmas CD, especially as she sings the last lines that show how that special Baby changes our lives. Lauren has sweetly told me she would like to watch some college football on television with me today. We are making plans to attend Stonebriar tomorrow morning for worship (Chuck Swindoll's church), but again, we'll wish we were with cherished friends in McCook to worship and express our love too. Words continually fail me to express how grateful I am for you.

Please continue to pray that insurance issues are resolved quickly, and for safety as we drive a borrowed vehicle. Thank you to all of you who have had a part in loving and caring for our precious daughters. They are beginning to see why we are so in love with you all. Continue to thank God for Mike and Linda Hemp (my sister and brother-in-law), who seem so devoted to our family's well-being and my health. They made wonderful arrangements for us to stay in Dallas for treatment.

My life verse is Romans 8:31, "What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?" What shall we say to hearing the shocking words, "You have a brain tumor," especially words fraught with such severity as glioblastoma multiforme? Words that tell us we'll be in treatment with radiation and chemotherapy, future uncertainties, present limitations, financial challenges and questions, time away from family, loved ones and ministry. What we can say is, "If God be for us, who can be against us!" It is not a question, is God for us? He categorically states He is, and asks rhetorically, "who can be against us?" He proved that as stated in the following verse, "He...did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?" Amen to God's promises.

Update Thursday

Today was a whirlwind of activity, but important things were accomplished, including the first meeting with our oncologist, a second treatment of radiation, securing important medicine for chemotherapy, and settling in to our new accomodations that puts us closer to the center for treatment, Presbyterian Hospital. We were pleased to find out that Chris's oncologist is a Christian, who takes her faith seriously, and provided solid words of encouragement in relation to winning the fight in which others have also won. Since today is the first day to take chemotherapy, your prayers are particularly invited, that there would not be adverse reactions. We are amazed at your continuous indications of love, support, concern, prayer, and more. Pray for the safe journey of our daughters tomorrow as they come visit. We are indebted to Karen Nix for making this possible. I am asking you to frequently thank God for Chris's sister, Linda Hemp, and her husband Michael, for sacrificial efforts, countless hours of running us around, waiting through appointments, gathering information, and countless errands, while feeding us and housing us the whole time. We owe them a debt we could never repay, so we ask you to pray the Lord's blessing be richly upon them.

We miss terribly each one of our church family. We have received much encouragement from Bruce and marvel that a medical fund is being set up to offset the many expenses that will not be covered by our insurance program, which we thought was supposed to be a good one. God was faithful and full of surprises today, providing the chemotherapy for four days, in spite of insurance glitches. It was also Eunice's first day driving in Dallas, and we didn't get lost! The Lord's mercies are many and manifold and each day we discover new ones for which we are so, so thankful to Him.

Update Tuesday, December 2

Be Thou my vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art.
Thou my best thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.

Be Thou my Wisdom, Thou my true Word;
I ever with Thee, Thou with me, Lord;
Thou my great Father, I thy true son;
Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.

Be Thou my battle-shield, sword for my fight,
Be Thou my dignity, Thou my delight.
Thou my soul's shelter, Thou my high tower.
Raise Thou me heavenward, O Power of my power.

Riches I heed not, nor man's empty praise,
Thou mine inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of heaven, my Treasure Thou art.

High King of heaven, my victory won,
May I reach heaven's joys, O bright heav'ns Son!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my vision, O ruler of all.

As I have spent the day listening to God and contemplating some personal circumstances, as my reduced vision, these lyrics are where I want my life to be maintained. Specifically, I want a greater vision of His glorious Person and of His ways, so that I can communicate that to others. You might personally enjoy going to YouTube and hearing Fernando Ortega sing this song. Continually, we are appreciating your prayers and your love and looking forward to our times of fellowship and worship.

Update Monday, December 1st

Message from Chris:
I was officially released from Presbyterian Hospital Sunday morning, but with cords that still attach me to continued treatment here. I have various important appointments this week with my neurosurgeon, my oncologist/radiologist, and chemotherapist/oncologist. Staples will be removed from my head on Wednesday, so that the "zipper" look I've had since surgery will be gone! Oncology radiation starts on the same day, and lasts for almost seven weeks. We are waiting to see if chemo will be in conjunction with radiation.

Gracious living arrangements have been made by my sister and brother-in-law at the Cooper Aerobics Center in Dallas. This will put us much closer to the hospital and enable us to do less city driving, which stresses Eunice out, since I have always done all the driving. Your continued prayers are urged, not only for us, but for our children, who have had to manage much of this apart from us. Our love and Christ's love to you!

Friday, November 28th

Message from Chris:

Eunice and I had visitors from Oklahoma today (Marven and Vera Janzen). They have been our 'Barnabas' couple for 30 years, and were visiting children in Ft. Worth. What a great surprise and blessing when they walked in! Yesterday we were so pleased to visit with Janice and Larry Ganje from our home church. We were able to go outside for a while and enjoy the warm Texas weather. There are baby steps of progress still being made daily, including reduced brain swelling, occupational and physical therapy, and many reminders of God's faithfulness and goodness to us. We were supplied with a dose of Christmas cheer today as we learned of our two daughters putting up decorations and we hope to share Christmas with them, either here or at home, as the Lord wills.

My sister and brother-in-law are trying to make the most suitable arrangements for my oncology radiation treatments over the next 6 weeks. It may involve an apartment or commute from their home, we don't know what. Please pray for guidance as we make many decisions in coming days regarding treatment, location, family, etc. Each and every prayer, card, phone call and expression of love has truly ministered to our hearts and softened a difficult time. We agree with Paul's expression to the Philippians, "I thank my God in all my remembrance of you." (Phil. 1:3)

Update, Thanksgiving Day

This will be a brief update to just say that after a good night's sleep in their private room on the 8th floor, Chris and Eunice had a terrific Thanksgiving Day. Chris continues to recuperate from his surgery, and is doing quite well.

We are in contact with the oncologist who will be treating Chris, and he has scheduled his first radiation therapy for next Wednesday. Please pray that the radiation treatments will be successful and that the additional chemotherapy will be just what is needed to eradicate the remaining bits of tumor from Chris' brain. Further, please pray that both treatments will be tolerated well by Chriss with minimal side effects.

All of us wish everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving. We have much to be thankful for, most importantly our Savior Jesus Christ.

Happy Thanksgiving Mom & Dad!!

I snuck on here and posted a little slideshow I put together for you. I love you!!

Wednesday 11/26

A note from Chris:

Today, Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving, I'm grateful to receive positive results from an early morning CT scan that the decadron has reduced much of the brain swelling that was a result of removing the tumor. I also got to meet my radiologist/oncologist, Dr. Barker, who will be giving precise radiation in the affected areas for the next 6 and1/2 weeks. Our goal was to be home in McCook for Christmas but hopefully our kids can join us in Dallas. Eunice was able to secure permission to stay with me in ICU at the hospital last night which was rough with a poor chair, night monitors and nursing visits. Snoring took its toll also, so pray that she will sleep much better in my private room this evening.

A note from Mike:

How about that? Chris was so delighted with the results of today that he wanted to write the above comments all by himself!

Just to fill in some of the comments, Chris' radiation therapy will begin next Tuesday. In the meantime, he is on the 8th floor of the hospital in a great room with a very nice room. He will be working daily with different physical therapists over the next month, which will get him back in fighting form (if that is what you call a pastor!)

This evening I was able to bring his mother to see him and right now they are just enjoying being with each other. It's wonderful to see them together, and of course we will be spending some time together tomorrow on Thanksgiving Day. We truly have much to be thankful for!

Tonight thankfully Eunice will be able to stay in Chris' room in a bed they brought in for her, so both of them are looking forward to that. We all thank you for your prayers, and ask that we continue asking for Chris' healing, the doctor's wisdom,and strength for Eunice.

"I will give thanks to the Lord with all my heart; I will tell of all Thy wonders. I will be glad and exult in Thee; I will sing praise to Thy name, O Most High." Psalm 9:1,2. Let us all thank the Lord for all of his blessings!

Update Tuesday 11/25

We have all come to realize that the process of medical treatment is never a straight line, but a series of zigs and zags. Some good news, and some not so good news.

The good news is that this morning we learned that Chris' swelling in the brain has reduced since Monday morning's CAT scan. In the words of the doctor, Chris' CAT scan looked "wonderful" this morning. This means that the possibility of another surgery to remove the fluid build up in the brain is reduced, and this evening the doctor told us that if the CAT scan tomorrow morning continues to improve, he will move Chris to a private room where Eunice can stay with him overnight.

Another piece of good news is that this evening's nurse (they work 7:00 to 7:00 shifts, and need our prayers) is a Christian who upon learning that Chris is a pastor specifically asked to be his nurse. And, she agreed to let Eunice stay with Chris this evening in the ICU!

All of this is so important because one of the not so good news we are experiencing is that the steroids that Chris is given to reduce the swelling in his brain cause him to have some severe anxiety attacks. We all know that this is abnormal for Chris, but they are real and they prevent him from getting any deep rest at night. Eunice's presence will, we pray, make a big difference this evening and from here on.

Another piece of not so good news is that the pathology report on the tumor came back this afternoon and confirmed that Chris is suffering from a grade 4 glioblastoma tumor. We know that this is serious but our plan is to proceed with radiation therapy and chemotherapy which we pray will restore Chris to a full life and get him back to McCook soon. Much progress has been made in the treatment of these tumors, and fortunately we will be working with a neuro oncologist who is nationally known to be a leading doctor in fighting this disease.

Chris will be beginning some serious physical therapy (three hours a day) on Wednesday, and he really likes the therapists who are working with him.

Our prayer request this evening is for Chris to be relieved of the anxiety attacks that have been making his nights so miserable, and for continued healing of his brain so he can fully participate in the physical therapy and strengthen his body. Also, of course, please continue to pray for Eunice's strength and for wisdom of the doctors treating Chris.

We continue to trust in the Lord, and are reminded of Psalm 91:2,5, which reads: "I will say to the Lord, 'My refuge and my fortress, My God, in whom I trust'...You will not be afraid of the terror of the night, of of the arrow that flies by day."

Update Monday evening 11/24

We met with the surgeon this morning and learned that the swelling in Chris' brain had not decreased overnight, and the surgeon wants Chris to remain in ICU for another day. This is actually good, in that the ICU nurses provide Chris with much more attention than he would receive in the regular hospital, which is not only good for his attitude but also means that he will receive immediate help if things turn for the worse.

Chris had a very good day today, including some time spent in prayer with Eunice. One of the blessings of the day was that he was moved to a new room in ICU. This doesn't sound like much, but the new room is much quieter than the previous one, and also has a large window facing south which lets in lots of light throughout the day. This really brightened Chris' day!

Also, Chris had his first visit with the physical therapy professionals. They were terrific with him, and motivated him to really walk around the ICU. They gave him some leg exercizes to follow, and promised to be back to check on his progress daily.

By the afternoon Chris was really doing well. When I saw him about 5:00 pm, he was truly the "old Chris" back with us. Of course, the fact that Eunice shaved him helped! He read each of the cards that we received today, and expressed once again how deeply he appreciates the notes people are writing.

Our prayer request for the day is that the CAT scan tomorrow morning show decreased swelling in his brain, and a reduction in the spinal fluid that has been building up. Also, for continued strength for Eunice as she nurses Chris, and for continued improvement of his motor skills. We thank the Lord for your prayers!

"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze." Isaiah 43:4

Update 11-23

Hi everyone
I am brother in law Mike, and I'll try to take over the blog for a while since Eunice is very occupied with Chris. Here's the latest:

Chris is still in the ICU since he continues to experience headaches. Today they did a CT scan and the results showed that Chris suffered a stroke during the surgery on Thursday. This was not expected, and at this point Chris hasn't been told. The complication of all this is that he has some spinal fluid in his brain that is not draining due to the swelling that took place as a result of surgery. We ask for prayer that the fluid will drain in the next 24 hours and not necessitate a second surgery to remove it.

Other than that, Chris had a good day today as he continues to recover from his surgery. He is walking around the circular nurse station in the ICU (about 50 feet) and when the nurse asked him to tell her why he was moving slow (was it that he was unstable, was he having trouble seeing?) he simply replied "because I feel like walkinng slow." Naturally, all of the ICU nurses he has had (and they are great) consider him their favorite patient, and none of them are ever prepared for his wit!

Chris received a portable CD player today and has been blessed by listening to Fernando Ortega and other favorite artists. As all who know him realize, he loves music and this addition has really improved his ability to rest while all the commotion of the ICU takes place outside his door.

Please pray for the draining of the fluid from his brain and for continued healing of the trauma of his surgery. Also, pray for strength and wisdom for Eunice as she nurses Chris back to health and deals with all the medical issues that surround Chris' condition.

All of the family continues to be strengthened by the love and prayers of Chris' many friends. We praise our sovereign Father and know that He loves us and brings into our lives only what is for His glory and our good.

"Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father...So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows" (Matt. 10:29-31)

Surgery update

Psalm 91 starts out, "He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, 'My refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust!'" It is still our determination to run to that refuge, to abide in His shadow, and to believe Him when we cannot see that His plan makes sense. He calls us all to walk by faith, and this is surely His call to us today.

The surgery was successful in that the doctor was able to remove all of the tumor that could be seen. We will have to wait until next week to get the final report on the type, but the neurosurgeon believes that the tumor was a stage four aggressive malignant tumor. He believes it originated in his brain and has only been there about three months. Chris did very well, and the doctor said his young age and great health are huge factors in his recovery. God answered so many of the things that weighed heavy on us. When Chris woke up in recovery he was very alert, quick-witted, considerate of others, with his usual sense of humor. He amazed doctors and nurses, and when I walked into ICU he blessed me with the Hebrew version of Psalm 1, complete with English translation! We have been so grateful to have our precious family surrounding us, and as each one of the kids came in to see him he asked if they had a good day! He is able to see (although things are blurry right now) and move both arms and legs.

The plan at this point is to recover for two weeks, and then start radiation treatments, five days a week for four weeks. If he responds to that, it could be followed with chemo. The treatments will be aggressive to match the aggressive nature of the tumor. At this point the doctor says there is no cure and we will be seeing this again. He doesn't know how long until there could be a recurrence.

We still cling to the end of Psalm 91, "Because he has loved me, therefore I will deliver him. I will set him securely on high because he has known my name. He will call upon me, and I will answer him. I will be with him in trouble, I will rescue him and honor him. With a long life I will satisfy him and let him behold my salvation."