Saturday Parent Visit.

We spent Saturday at Vicki's parents in Central Arkansas. We had another relaxing time and visit at her parents home. There is always peace, love, acceptance and support from Vicki's family for each other.

Recent Funerals

When I put on my jacket and tie yesterday, I reached into the inside pocket of the jacket and pulled out a couple of obituaries, the kind you get at a funeral. They seem to end up staying in my jacket pocket. They were a reminder of the harsh month and year that we have had in Siloam Springs.

Sadly, we have been to 4 funerals in the last month in our town. In the last few weeks, there have been two student deaths and two deaths of people that were long time cornerstones of faith in our town, including Bob, our good friend and supporter of FCA. There have been 4 student deaths in our high school in the last 18 months There are two young people in our church that we have lost in the last year. Of course, we have lost other loved ones in our church this past year, but the past month has especially been difficult.

Vicki and I have been drawn to pray often for these families this week, especially the ones that have lost children. This has dominated our thoughts. We have had many talks about these times and we have been burdened for these families. We have prayed for supernatural grace and comfort from the Lord to be given to these families.

This past month I have also painfully thought of these words from Ecclesiastes.

Ecclesiastes 7: 2-4

²It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart.

³Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.

⁴The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.

Those scriptures are hard because funerals are so difficult. Selfishly, I don't want to face them directly for myself or our family. However, we go to support and love on families and to remember those we knew and loved. We grieve heavily with those that have such giant loss even as we rejoice for those that know the Lord. We also face hard lessons as we examine our own lives and measure our own time, spiritual direction and priorities. However, our pastor Jim reminded us that we mourn and hurt for those left behind because of their pain and because we love them, but we don't have to mourn for those that are now with Jesus.

Yesterday, we were again reminded and taught about the Hope that we have in Jesus and how he brings and gives life. This world is plagued by sin, but the reality of the resurrection of Christ and belief in Christ gives us an eternal future.

At each of the four funerals this month, the pastors have led us to see Christ. Yesterday, a student that spoke also reminded us about the truth of Psalms 34:18.

Psalm 34:18

¹⁸ The LORD is close to the brokenhearted
and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

Our hearts are broken and today my jacket pocket feels way too full.

Lord, help us and help these families.

Another Opportunity to see Coyote County Loser

TONIGHT!

Coyote County Loser

Global Campus - Room 204 - 7:00 pm

This is the movie that Lucas helped his brother, Jacob, the producer. Check out the Fayetteville Flyer for more information:

http://www.fayettevilleflyer.com/2009/11/04/flyer-guide-the-540-film-festival/

Doin' GOOD!

Yes, I'm doing well! I can tell that I am not all the way back to normal, but I would say that I am 85% there.

I rarely need a nap during the day. I sleep good at night (not Kerwin, though). I have a good appetite and enough energy to cook some. I've even been able to cook Kerwin breakfast a couple of mornings this week!

I don't need my walker or even a cane. My ankles are continuing to get strong, and neuropathy has dwindled to just my big toes and tips of the other toes and fingers.

And my energy is really increasing. I've taken back many chores that Kerwin was doing - laundry; cleaning the kitchen; changing the bed: shopping and running errands. Cherissa came over this week, and we (mostly her) cleaned in the garage. I hope to get to the storage building before it gets too cold.

I'm going to leave my prayer requests the same since there is still room for improvement :-). Thank you so much for your prayers, my sweet family and friends. May God bless YOU!

So you can rejoice with me that God has given me a remission. It is all totally up to Jesus. I trust Him to hold me together as long as I can give Him honor and glory!

Col 1:16	For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him.
Col 1:17	He is before all things, AND IN HIM ALL THINGS HOLD TOGETHER.

Beauty will rise.

Vicki and the Sager ladies heard Stephen Curtis Chapman at the women's conference last weekend. Vicki and I have taken interest in Stephen Curtis Chapman since May of 2008.

On Wed. May 21st, 2008 Vicki and I were told by a pulmonary specialist that Vicki had extensive small cell lung cancer and that she could be expected to live only 30 days without treatment and maybe only 6 months with treatment. On that same date, it was reported that Stephen Curtis Chapman lost his 5 year old daughter when she was backed over with a car driven by his son in their driveway. We heard that news right after we heard our own news and thought how we don't have it so bad. Losing a child....

At the women's conference last weekend, Vicki said that Stephen Curtis Chapman sang with his sons, that were also in his band, and he spoke of the loss of his daughter. He also released his new CD called "Beauty Will Rise", which Vicki got at the conference. We listened to it while going to Owasso on Sunday. It is incredibly moving and honest music that deals with how he is coping through tragic loss with the grace of Jesus. The messages in the album jacket cover from Stephen Curtis Chapman about how and when each song was written completes the story in each song for us.

To sample songs and to find out more about BEAUTY WILL RISE by Stephen Curtis Chapman, go to his website by clicking here.

Preston's Birthday

Sunday, Vicki, Cherissa, Max, Maggie and I went to Owasso after church to be at Preston's birthday party. This was the 4th birthday celebration this fall for our grand kids. We have one more to go next week with Addison. Vicki set a goal to be with each grand child for their birthday.

Preston is now 5 years old.

Women of Faith

All day Friday, Friday night and Saturday, I was at the Women's of Faith Conference in Oklahoma City with ladies from Sager Creek. It was a great time of fellowship and spiritual renewal.

The highlights were getting to hear Lisa Harper, Allison Allen, Sheila Walsh, Luci Swindoll, Nicole C. Mullen, Marilyn Meberg, Lisa Whelchel, Stephen Arterburn, Sandi Patty, Marcus Buckingham and Steven Curtis Chapman.

I was particularly blessed by feeling so well during the weekend. Thank you, Jesus. Of course, I hope that He gives me years of remission! This is great!

I roomed with Cherissa, Sue, and Ruth.