Update on Mom: It keeps comin!

After her last tests this past Thursday, you can probably guess the results: Clean!! The cancer is completely gone! Like yesterday. Like Elvis and his mom.

The only other thing is she has double pneumonia. That's not the best news, but God and antibiotics should help that. Cancer is gone and we are praising God. The God who still does miracles, as the doctor said.

It's amazing how this can reflect in one's life. This past Sunday I lead the music in the worship service. And I have never believed the words more than this week!

"Stronger, you are stronger! Sin is broken, you have saved us. It is written, 'Christ is Risen.' Jesus, you alone are God!"

"I am free to run, I am free to Dance, I am free to live for you." "Through you the bling will see. Through you the mute will sing. Through you the dead will rise. Through you all hearts will praise. Through you the Darkness flees. Through you my heart screams, 'I AM FREE.'

"You are the source of life"

He is exalted, the King is exalted on High, I will praise him!"

When God works in your life to this magnitude, there is nothing to do but praise him. Never have I found more hope!

Green Lantern: Overcome Fear

Last week I bought a new wallet after losing my pay check. The wallet is my favourite yet. It makes me feel powerful and courageous. It's a Green Lantern Wallet!! Needless to say, as I sat at the movie theatre my instinct was to raise my wallet high in the air as Hal Jordan repeated his oath as he faced major evil:

“In brightest day, in blackest night, No evil shall escape my sight.
Let those who worship evil’s might, Beware my power… Green Lantern’s light!"

I was full of courage and strength at that point in the movie. Before this point we saw Hal Jordan (Green Lantern) face the elders to contradict their wisdom. Their wisdom says that Will power is the opposite of Fear, thus a Green Lantern must never have fear. Hal Jordan faced the elders with his new found lesson: Being without fear is impossible. True power is having courage to overcome fear. This is why the ring chose Hal, the over confident, quitter, non caring human, courage. 

I couldn't help but being encouraged at this point. Yes, its about admitting fear and overcoming it. Don't ignore fear. It will overtake you. Fear has less power when admitted. A part of fear's power comes from it being hidden, put in darkness. We have shame in fear. Scripture is clear when it says God "will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart" (1 Cor 4:5). throughout scripture God brings to light the deeds of darkness. Darkness is the hidden. And the hidden loses its power when it is exposed. Expose fear and find courage. 

Here is Green Lantern's fallout: Where is our courage? Oprah would be happy with the self and the will being all that is needed to overcome fear, but is that so true? Fear when in the open still has power. But, that is because we have to define what 'the light' truly is. Jesus says, "I am the Light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life" (John 8:12). 

Sorry Hal, there is no exposer of darkness without Christ as the light. Darkness is still hidden until exposed to the one true light. We overcome fear by courage found in the power of Christ. In him we have courage, not in self. 

Overall, loved the movie. Graphics may have been a little much, but how else do you portray another world? Interestingly, my wife wanted more action. I thought that there could have been more, but character development was important. 

B+

Mom Update: A Miracle Bigger than Green Lantern

Here's how last Thursday went down:

Mom had to be in the hospital at 6:30 for her biopsy. Open rib cage kinda deal. After a preliminary test, they did it again, and again, and again. After the four preliminary scans they left the room for a half hour. My Mom thought something was terribly wrong. The doctor came back and said, "There was a tumor, but it's gone. This doesn't happen." He exclaimed! "This is a miracle," Finished the doctor, "you can go home."

Praise God that he still heals and that he still works. Through all the doubt and pain and sorrow, God pulls through. Is is greater, stronger, bigger than anything we can imagine. Green Lantern is a superhero from DC who, in whatever he imagines, can make appear through the power of Green Lantern's light. Even the Green Lantern can not imagine bigger things than God. I wish I could express an illustration or an anecdote to tell the greatness of God, but I fail, the world fails.

In the end all I can pray is this: God show me more of you that I may stare at your abyss of greatness!

This thursday Mom has one more test to check her whole body for more cancer. Pray saints of God, Pray!

An update on Mom

So last thursday my Mom had her Planning meeting and found out that the doctor who diagnosed her did not have the proper testing to do so. It could be an infection. Now we await testing which begins on the 21st I believe. Thanks for your prayers!

Sickness & Death: A Reflection

As I ponder bad news from last week I begin to first wonder, "What is profound that I am learning?" The answer is, "I don't know?" But, here's what I observed.

I knew my mom was going in for and waiting on results from a CAT scan. I knew my mother was not 100% in her health, but I couldn't remember a time when she was. So the news Last Monday was, in some ways, not a shock. In some ways it was a relief to know what it was. But the intensity of the illness was a shocker. It was lung cancer.

In talking with my sister about this, both of us recounted how we were in some strange way prepared for this. It was as if we knew a little before the news hit. Nevertheless tears flowed everywhere.

It was interesting being at work alone when I got the news. I was talking to my mom on the phone and it hardly was real. Reality sometimes takes a little while to hit. After her crying and wishing I wasn't 5 large provinces away, we prayed. It was in this prayer that I found strength. I found myself dwelling on the power of Christ. The reality of my one post on prayer hit me. My prayers do not hit the ceiling. They go to a God who loves to hear and answer my prayers.

The next step is waiting (yet another of my posts). Of course, I am not the one with cancer so it is not as intense, but she is my mom. I'll never forget the cry of my sister on the phone when she said, "I can't live without mom." For some, they would sense suicide or depression, but I knew it was simply deep love for our mom. Only our spouses top our connection with mom. She's mom.

We wait for a doctor's appointment and a more thorough diagnosis to better gauge how to treat this cancer.

The first person to hear this news from me was a strong lady of the faith. She in turn prayed for me and soon her husband came after she left. He came with encouragement and a reminder of this being a test of if what I preach is how I react. His gentle, sincere heart spoke to me. Of course I don't remember specifics of what he said anymore or any verse he gave me, but I remember feeling his words and prayer strengthen me.

It was after this that I wept. I felt safe with only family around. Nadine was sad she could not be there for me at that point. But after she was done work I had a chance to cry in her arms too. Grieving bad news is not bad. Its natural and extremely better than holding it in. But now what? I have grieved, so now what do I do. I stand strong in faith and hope with the love that is in me. I must shine God's light into my family.