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!

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!

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.