August 2010

Update from radioactive iodine treatment

2 Comments / Answers to Prayer!, News & Reflections, Window into my Soul / By

As is often the case there were times over the weekend that I felt like the cure was worse than the disease. The second day the ill effects of nausea and extreme fatigue caught up with me. But don’t get me wrong, as has been the case over the past three months my posture has been one of fighting this thing speaking words of faith: confessing the promises of scripture, thanking God for His healing power and believing mightily in a prayer answering God.

Between 10 and 10:30 AM yesterday morning (Sunday & day 3) I experienced what can only described as a miraculous breakthrough in the Spirit.

The counter intuitive ways of God

4 Comments / News & Reflections, Overcoming / By

I slept in a separate bedroom from my wife last night. No we didn’t have a fight. I am still in radioactive isolation. (See yesterday’s blog Watchout! I’m radioactive!) This was a first. Never in over 40 years of marriage have we slept in separate bedrooms under the same roof. That my friend, is a testimony to the grace of God in being the reconciler in our marriage, and not to any merit of mine.

This whole cancer thing has driven home to me like nothing before the counter intuitive ways of God. (Isaiah 55:9) See If life is short, how should I live? and Do not waste your troubles. God’s economy is the opposite of the world’s. He turns foolishness into wisdom, weakness into strength and what others despise into a treasure. (1 Corinthians 1:25-29)

Watchout! – I am radioactive!

3 Comments / News & Reflections, Window into my Soul / By

As I write this I am living in isolation. My 3 day confinement in my home is not one of punishment, estrangement nor as a recluse. It is imposed upon me for the sake of others’ protection because I am radioactive. Yes, as in atomic radiation – half-life decay and Geiger counters.

You see I took a radioactive iodine pill this morning for the purpose of killing off any remaining thyroid cancer cells in my body. My therapy is the standard treatment for someone who has had a cancerous thyroid removed. It has been used for over thirty years and is typically prescribed six weeks after the surgery.

2 times you should take Scripture out of context

5 Comments / Growth & Development / By

You have probably heard the story about the man looking for direction from the Bible using what is called the close your eyes and point method. He holds his closed Bible in his hands, closes his eyes, quickly tumbles his Bible several times, then opens it with eyes still closed and points somewhere on the open page. Then believing this is a verse given him by God he opens his eyes and reads the scripture. Unfortunately the verse says “So Judas … went away and hanged himself.” (Matthew 27:5)

Taken aback by such a verse, the man quickly closes his eyes and repeats the process, looking for another scripture. When he opens his eyes this time to his chagrin, his finger is pointing on this verse. “Go thou and do likewise.” (Luke 10:37b)

One of the practices, often warned about in Christian circles, is taking scripture out of context. In other words, quoting and/or applying a scripture passage in a setting that has little or no connection to the original time and circumstance to which it refers.

But consider this. It took just days

Getting back in the race

Overcoming / By

That scene was the defining moment of the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona and one of the most remembered moments in Olympic history. Derek Redmond came into ‘92 Olympics with the dream of winning gold. He had battled the last four years, through eight surgeries and hard training, to overcome the disappointment of pulling his Achilles tendon in the opening 400 meter round of the 1988 Seoul Olympics.

Barcelona was his chance for redemption. As the British record holder he came into this semi-final in the 400 meters leading all the other competitors with the best time from the first two rounds of qualifying.

Derek Redmond’s triumph in finishing the race is inspiration on two levels. First it touches hearts deeply because Derek got up. Inspite of pulling his hamstring and finding himself laying on the track in utter devastation, he decided to get up and hobble 150 meters to the finish.

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