Positive Thinking

I positively think drugs cost too much! It's easy to overlook this when our wonderful health insurance company covers so much of our expenses. (We're very thankful.) Yesterday I went to the drugstore to pick up a prescription the doctor suggested I take at the next chemo to prevent nausea. Getting it that way put the high cost right in front of my face; even our small percentage co-pay was astounding. So I asked the druggist to return it to the shelf, and he sweetly agreed. I think a few minutes of "head-in-toilet," if necessary, are better than that. Sorry, folks. These are raw facts, but if this is your nearest exposure to cancer (I hope so), you might as well hear things as they really are. Don't worry; I already have a lot of anti-nausea resources, and I'll be fine. Just because a fancy new (expensive) drug hits the market doesn't mean I have to take it.

Our mission publishes a book every year for our members to use in daily prayers. It contains profiles and prayer requests for each country where our people serve, and it also lists those people in their locations and ministries. The personnel department takes care of the lists of people, and this year, again, I'm updating the country profiles and prayer requests. As I was working on that project yesterday, I was conscious again of how privileged we are to be serving here. God is good to give us this joy at this stage of our lives.

I'm reading in the Psalms again. Here's 49:15: "But as for me, God will redeem my life. He will snatch me from the power of death." That's a promise for today's living. It's also a promise for the day--whenever it comes--when it's time to leave this earth; even then, the "power of death" will yield to his wonderful, forever life.

Our neighbor Michael, a young father, had 4th stage prostate cancer 5 1/2 years ago, and it went into remission after surgery and radiation. Now tests show cancer has returned, and there's something showing on a lung scan. He and his wife meet the doctor today. They're actually praying that the cancer is in his lung (treatable) and not in his abdomen--where he's already exhausted all possibilities of further treatment. Could we pray for God to touch that family with his peace and healing?

I positively think today holds all sorts of possibilities; may God redeem each moment for our good and his own honor.

Love,
Carol