Blessings & Challenges

The past couple of weeks have been filled with both blessings and challenges.  A tremendous blessing for me was a visit from a long-time friend from Michigan.  He and his wife have been friends for over 60 years and he too is now single, having also lost his wife to cancer this past fall.  We spent much time recalling fun times together as families and he reminded that he and his wife enjoyed watching the relationship between Carol and me grow and move toward our marriage in 1959.  Many details I had forgotten so it was a delight to “travel” back over the years with him remembering so many blessings that God brought into both of our lives.  We didn’t get a lot of sleep, but what a blessing as we laughed, prayed and shed a few tears together!  If God continues to give us the health and strength, we will resume our stories this summer in Michigan.

My medical report was not as good as I had hoped, but I am thankful that God is in control and actually I am not quite sure why we try to hold on to this life so tightly when I have no doubt about my future with the Lord, free of the cares of this world and the infirmities of age.  My internist/pulmonologist doctor seems to feel that there is a good chance that I may fall into the 3% margin of error providing an additional period of reasonable quality of life if we make some major adjustments.  Time will tell how this all works out but at the moment I am doing dramatically better with my breathing.  Hopefully the insurance company will soon agree and be willing to assist in the cost. 

As I continue my reading, moving into the book of Deuteronomy, I am reminded that while disobedience and rebellion delayed the Israelite’s trip by about 40 years as they wandered in the dessert and cost over 1 million lives, God often uses such times to strengthen and mature us for what lies ahead.  That was true for individuals like Moses, David, John the Baptist and the apostle Paul.  Even Jesus spend 40 days in the wilderness near the Dead Sea being tempted.  This is a good lesson for me, not to become bitter or disobedient to God because of any “problems.”  As we see in Scripture and through past experiences also, this may be preparing us for fruitful and exciting tasks ahead.

“Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”  (James 1:4)

Love to you all,

Chuck

Health can be a challenge

It seems that I have been excessively occupied with health issues these past few weeks.  I had laser surgery on both eyes over a period of two weeks but I received a favorable report yesterday about the success of the surgeries which I am glad to have behind me.  Also during these past weeks my COPD has been causing me excessive trouble and I am attempting to manage it without taking excessive medications.  My pulmonologist has been out of town, but I will see him on Friday to consider any other options that may be out there.  I will also be going over the new results of an extensive blood work-up done in Boston which may give us a bit more insight. 

In spite of the extra physical challenges, I have been able to keep quite active without missing very many planned events.  A few things however have been delayed a bit.  There seems to be a multitude of “bugs” going around lately, so hopefully it may be that I have just picked up one of those that is aggravating the COPD. 

As I finished the book of Leviticus and start reading Number I continue to see the results of poor choices that generated painful consequences.  The nation even managed to stretch a possibly eleven-day hike into a forty-year journey while heading for the promised land of Canaan.  I have a difficult time just visualizing what that was like with possibly 2-3 million people traveling together.  The logistics in moving that many people sounds overwhelming.  Moses and Aaron certainly had their hands full!

I am in a men’s Bible study on Tuesday evenings that consists of a nice range of ages which generates some good discussions.  Currently we are in a study on prayer and it is a blessing not only to study the Word of God together, but also to be able to share the various challenges and pains that guys are experiencing caused by poor choices and to pray together, watching God work in amazing ways in individual lives.  It is easy to see that it is through obedience that we receive the blessings of God.

I trust that each of you is enjoying special blessings from our Great God this week!

Chuck