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