A Miracle of Miracles

     UPDATE--(7/18/15)-- My dad often said, "I'm praying for a miracle. If he heals me, it will be a miracle.  But if I die, it will be just as much of a healing." Dad went to heaven to be with his Lord Jesus on March 25, 2015. This is a reality, not just a pie-in-the-sky type of a fairy tale faith. My confidence is that Heaven is as real as our life on Earth is now. It is more real in the sense that God is there, and we will have the ultimate freedom of being with him. Please don't fool yourself into believing that ALL people go to heaven.  And don't fool yourself into thinking that my dad made it because he was a "good person".  Neither of those are true. You will only get to heaven through the One Way to heaven, and that is through faith in Jesus Christ. My dad would want you to know this, and he would also want you to trust completely in Jesus just as he did many years ago.

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   TODAY ... we heard from God.   We've been praying to him for a miracle for some time, and have had periods of great hope, and also periods of doubt and despair, but today, we saw evidence of his working.

   I can't really share all of the details with you right now, but just rest in the knowledge that your prayers on my Dad's behalf have really made a difference, and I've seen evidence of that today!

"Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see....And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him."  (Hebrews 11:1,6)

   Thanks-- and keep on praying-- and believing!

A Concert for Dad & Mom

   If I didn't tell you, one day at the Rehab center, we were all talking with the administrator and a patient, whose brother is a church friend and fellow guitarist, and it came up that I played the guitar. And before the day was out, we booked a program for my Guitar Class to come out and play for the residents, and for my Dad and Mom. 

     This is especially meaningful to me, because they have NEVER heard me perform "live" in public before. Sorta hard to believe, isn't it ? But I'm really looking forward to it- it's on Friday, October 24. Please pray for this event.

 

Prayer for Dad

 

Lord, We love you. I pray your healing hands of Grace & Mercy on my Dad this morning. 

Father- be gracious to him, and heal his body, in the name of your Son Jesus. Thank You.

Join me in this prayer for my Dad, and also for all of your loved ones 

 who may be experiencing illness or other difficult situations in their lives.

  

Tuesday Newsday

Tuesday @4:30 pm 
   I went to the local Health Food Store and local supermarket and spent over $100 on healthy organic foods and supplements for my Dad. I'm thankful for those of you that gave me or my family gift cards or cash to use to help my Dad. I'm not sure how effective they'll be, but some people say that these things that we're giving him are powerful against cancer and helpful to the immune system. We acknowledge it is God's will and power that are the ultimate healing factors. Good nutrition is only a tool in the Master's hand. 

    Please continue to pray for my Dad. He had coughing spells through the night, and isn't particularly good. We go to the oncologist for an appointment today, but do not expect them to recommend any chemotherapy. I am opposed to it anyway, unless they can convince me that it will be a help. I think that it only serves to weaken him, and hurt his already compromised immune system. Thanks for your prayers. 

 Tuesday @8 pm
   What's on my Mind ?  M Y  D A D. I love him. I want the BEST for him. 

    I'm aware that he's 83, and has already lived a long life, but I also know that he wants to live here awhile longer, and enjoy my Mom, and his family and friends, a little longer. If not, then we will all reunite one day in heaven, and enjoy not only each other but the experience of seeing Jesus together.    Please continue praying for him.

   If I didn't tell you, one day at the Rehab center, we were all talking with the administrator and a patient, whose brother is a church friend and fellow guitarist, and it came up that I played the guitar. And before the day was out, we booked a program for my Guitar Class to come out and play for the residents, and for my Dad and Mom. 

    This is especially meaningful to me, because they have NEVER heard me perform "live" in public before. Sorta hard to believe, isn't it ? But I'm really looking forward to it- it's on Friday, October 24. Please pray for this event.
 

Three Weeks of Rehab

   Hello All.  Today is my Dad's 19th day in The Laurels rehab center.  Wednesday marks three weeks since he was transferred back "home" from Presbyterian Hospital in Charlotte.  After an entire month of stays at two hospitals and a rehab clinic, my dad has held up admirably, but also is a tired man who wants to actually go home.  He enjoys being with his wife and family, but misses his old, comfortable green La-Z-Boy recliner chair and his own bed.  

   Two things that have shown me that dad is really not his normal self is his disdain for reading and watching TV.  While Dad usually only scans the headlines of the paper, he still looked forward to it.  Mom told me this morning to "keep the paper, your daddy won't read it".  He also looked forward to his favorite TV programs.  Now, we hardly have the TV on at all in his rehab room.  Only on Sundays for the Panthers game, and even then, this week, my Mom watched the game and related highlights to my Dad while he lay in his hospital bed.  I got them two books to read, but they have hardly been touched. 

   Dad complains of a dry mouth, fatigue, and loss of appetite.  He drinks Boost and a daily regimen of veggie smoothies, along with his sixteen daily medications.  We are trying to provide a source of nutrition and also some anti-cancer substances, in hopes of him feeling better, and even being cured and regaining his health.  But it seems like an uphill battle.  We often are confused or in disagreement over what is best for him.  He wants us all on the same page, but it seems difficult to arrive at a suitable compromise that makes everyone happy, including my Dad.

   It's also discouraging to not have finances or resources to be able to help him more.  We are giving him some nutritional supplements that are fairly expensive, and we can only hope that we'll be able to keep re-ordering them.  We have been blessed with a few gifts from unexpected sources, caring friends and associates who truly have felt compassion for my Dad and his situation.  A local friend provided a juicer.  A basketball teammate gave us a financial gift.  My guitar class took up a collection for us.   A pastor friend came and transferred our family from Charlotte back home.  A church men's group has offered to come do some house repairs for us.  All of these and more wonderful acts of kindness have been such a blessing to Dad and my family.

   Life goes on.  Today, I teach my guitar classes, which happen every Monday at the local senior center.  I will not get to see my Dad today.   This coming weekend, I go out-of-town to play in a basketball tournament that has been planned for the last year.   I would love the opportunity to do what I did in Charlotte- stay with my dad around-the-clock, 24 hours a day.  But that is not a possibility for now.

   Please pray for our family, and especially my Mom.  She is staying at least 10-12 hours a day with Dad, and watching over every need, big and small.  Then she comes home to face bills, and cleaning, and washing clothes and dishes.   We are all very tired.  But I'm concerned for her especially.   Please pray for wisdom and strength, and for peace and rest.  Pray that I will be given strength to help my Mom.  We need to clean and rearrange our home to better accommodate my Dad's return.

   Thank You- to all of our many wonderful friends and family, who continue to pray for my Dad.   We have great hope in our Lord to heal my Dad, either by extending his earthly life here with us, or by welcoming him "home" to heaven.   We are praying for the first, but realizing that either way, my Dad will be the winner.

  In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you.

 I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, 

and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.  (John 14:2,3)

For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, 

an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands.  (2 Cor 5:1)

For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; 

who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory

(Phil. 3:20, 21)

A Visit From Angels

     A day has not gone by during my Dad's journey through two hospitals and a rehab center, that he has not greeted or referred to one of his nurses or other helpers as "his angels". Well, this past Saturday, a whole group of "angels" came to visit us.

   A day has also not gone by that my Dad has not mentioned or related the story of his friend Jeff and his family.  Dad and Mom shared with him at a Chick-fil-A restaurant back in the 80's about Jesus and the plan of salvation.  Jeff's heart was touched by the Spirit of God, and he responded with faith, and it literally changed his life and its direction.  

[I hope to re-tell this story in more detail at a later time.  

It is a phenomenal account of love and redemption.]

   Now a pastor in Columbia, SC, he and his family came up to visit my Dad this past Saturday.

   It was wonderful reunion and PARTY, a time of celebration of what the Lord has done in our lives, and a time of reflection, storytelling, and bonding.  Our visit ended with a picture-taking session, and a time of prayer, with all of us laying hands upon my Dad, and asking God for his blessing on our situation.

   Here are a couple of pictures that were taken during our wonderful time together. 

 Hope you enjoy them!

From Hippie to Happy

  
My Dad checked into the local rehab center looking like a hippie, and then in just a few minutes, emerged much more happy.   It was his first haircut since late spring or early summer.   Don't he look nice ?   He sure does feel a lot better on top.