Neuropathy

One of the side effects of this series of chemo treatments is neuropathy. This is a pain and numbness in various places that usually leaves after the treatments are finished. Toni's is currently locating itself more intensely in the fingers on her right hand. The result is little if any quilting because she can't feel the needle and the dropping of smaller things such as keys. This is a nuisance to say the least. I though some might find this helpful as a specific prayer item.

Getting ready for Sabbatical

“Dem Dry Bones”

Your toe bone connected to your foot bone,
Your foot bone connected to your ankle bone,
Hear the word of the Lord!

Unimagined deep ache in all “dem bones.” Feeling every bone these days. Two more to go: May 9 & 30. Sabbatical little over a week away. Doing a tour of Anne of Green Gables on Prince Edwards Island May 20.

Received a prayer note from a little girl we have never met, who attends a church we have never attended, but who talks to a Physician we know and trust. Now that brings encouragement to “Dem Bones.”

Proverbs 16:24, Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.

Thanks Abigail

Toni, I thought this might make you smile- drawn and dictated by 5 year old Abigail for her Sunday School prayer board.

A Wonderful Spring Day

It was a wonderful spring day to go and see dad's headstone for the first time. Mom was pleased with the ranch "brand" and windmill. The entching is of the bluffs behind the ranch. Reunion time is coming!

Amazing Grace

The Gospels record numerous times when people were amazed at the words and works of Jesus Christ. Interestingly there are two accounts of Jesus himself being amazed. He was amazed at the lack of faith of those Jews from his hometown, (Mark 6:6), he was also amazed at the great faith of the gentile centurion with the deathly ill servant, (Luke 7:9).

Both the lack of faith and fact of great faith amazed Jesus Christ! Faith was often the subject of his lessons to the disciples. He often challenged them concerning their lack of faith and reminded them that even faith as small as a mustard seed could remove mountains, because nothing would be impossible to those with God glorying faith, (Matthew 17:20). Jesus even asked the penetrating question, "when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?" (Luke 18:8).

Since "without faith it is impossible to please God" (Hebrews 11:6), faith is a necessary part of any believer's life. It is good therefore to periodically to take a faith check. In making decisions do I focus on the power of circumstances or the power of Christ? Do I have a faith perspective or a fear perspective? Am I known for my faithfulness or my faithlessness? Is my life characterized by anemic faith or by energetic faith? Do I have a conserve and preserve mentality? Do my weaknesses provide an excuse for not going forward with Christ or do they give me an opportunity to glorify Christ in my frailties? When I look back over my shoulder at the end of the day do I see the accomplishment of my plans or God's plans? Do I observe my power or God's power? Have things happen because of my persuasion or God's persuasion?

In the two accounts of Christ's amazement, "need" was an important factor in the faith that was either exhibited or inhibited. The hometown folks, filled with a sense of satisfaction with themselves had no need for a messiah, whereas the gentile centurion, knowing that he was not of the covenant people, knew deeply that only by grace could he hope to have the healing hand of Christ touch his servant. Those without a sense of need ignore Christ, those with a deepening sense of need implore Christ to come to their aid.

The Apostle Paul gives the secret to developing a sense of need so that we can exercise amazing faith; "faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God, (Romans 10:17). Faith it appears, is directly proportional to the amount of the Word digested. For example there is a "Sunday Morning Faith" demonstrated by those who only eat second hand the Word of God and have no regular walk with God. Then there is a "Daily Bread Faith" seen in those who read a devotional guide but who usually skip the assigned Scripture portions. The "Through the Bible in a Year Faith" is exhibited by those who systematically read the Word. And then there is "The Lovers and Doers Faith" of the ones who eagerly devour the Word of God. These are constantly displaying greater acts and attitudes of faith. They begin to really believe that God can use them to help accomplish His great commission and great commandment.

Amazing faith is for any child of God who you will admit his need and eagerly read, mediate and apply the Word of God to his every situation.

THE BRANCH

The eyes are brighter today! Some relief from the deep bone aches! Flu combined with chemo is a bad, very bad, extremely very bad mixture!

The True Vine by Andrew Murray has been a wonderful encouragement to me (Richard) over the years. I recently re-read the meditation on THE BRANCH and found great encouragement in being reminded that I am a branch in Christ, The True Vine!

Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away --John 15:2 (NKJV)

Here we have one of the chief words of the parable--branch. A vine needs branches: without branches it can do nothing, can bear no fruit. As important as it is to know about the Vine, and the Husbandman, it is to realize what the branch is. Before we listen to what Christ has to say about it, let us first of all take in what a branch is, and what it teaches us of our life in Christ. A branch is simply a bit of wood, brought forth by the vine for the one purpose of serving it in bearing its fruit. It is of the very same nature as the vine, and has one life and one spirit with it. Just think a moment of the lessons this suggests.

There is the lesson of entire consecration. The branch has but one object for which it exists, one purpose to which it is entirely given up. That is, to bear the fruit the vine wishes to bring forth. And so the believer has but one reason for his being a branch--but one reason for his existence on earth --that the heavenly Vine may through him bring forth His fruit. Happy the soul that knows this, that has consented to it, and that says, I have been redeemed and I live for one thing--as exclusively as the natural branch exists only to bring forth fruit, I too; as exclusively as the heavenly Vine exists to bring forth fruit, I too. As I have been planted by God into Christ, I have wholly given myself to bear the fruit the Vine desires to bring forth.

There is the lesson of perfect conformity. The branch is exactly like the vine in every aspect--the same nature, the same life, the same place, the same work. In all this they are inseparably one. And so the believer needs to know that he is partaker of the divine nature, and has the very nature and spirit of Christ in him, and that his one calling is to yield himself to a perfect conformity to Christ. The branch is a perfect likeness of the vine; the only difference is, the one is great and strong, and the source of strength, the other little and feeble, ever needing and receiving strength. Even so the believer is, and is to be, the perfect likeness of Christ.

There is the lesson of absolute dependence. The vine has its stores of life and sap and strength, not for itself, but for the branches. The branches are and have nothing but what the vine provides and imparts. The believer is called to, and it is his highest blessedness to enter upon, a life of entire and unceasing dependence upon Christ. Day and night, every moment, Christ is to work in him all he needs.

And then the lesson of undoubting confidence. The branch has no cure; the vine provides all; it has but to yield itself and receive. It is the sight of this truth that leads to the blessed rest of faith, the true secret of growth and strength: "I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me."

What a life would come to us if we only consented to be branches! Dear child of God, learn the lesson. You have but one thing to do: Only be a branch--nothing more, nothing less! Just be a branch; Christ will be the Vine that gives all. And the Husbandman, the mighty God, who made the Vine what it is, will as surely make the branch what it ought to be.

Lord Jesus, I pray Thee, reveal to me the heavenly mystery of the branch, in its living union with the Vine, in its claim on all its fullness. And let Thy all-sufficiency, holding and filling Thy branches, lead me to the rest of faith that knows that Thou works all.

The True Vine: Meditations for a Month on John 15:1-16, by Andrew Murray (1828-1917)
Christian Classics Ethereal Library