Checking In

Figure skating came back on TV, so I "figure" I'll step away from the tube and blog about something. Something that's not figure skating.

A lot of you have been praying for my health lately and I just wanted to tell you how much that means to me. We serve an almighty God who has a reputation as the great healer. And I know that it is full well within His power to heal me, if He chooses. Even better, aside from the power and almightiness, He also arms Himself with tenderness. And He wants to hear from His children as they pour their concerns and desires as an offering before Him. So I appreciate your offering your requests for me before the Lord who hears.

On the medical front, I still don't have a diagnosis of my condition, only a narrowing of possibilities. I don't want to say what they are, specifically, but I will say that I don't like any of them. My friend Sammy pointed out today that what I really need is a data port on my side that the doctor could plug into for a readout! Well, the best I could do today was turn in my MRI film to the neurologist's office and wait for him to start looking for answers. My condition hasn't improved in recent days, though I've tried a variety of home treatments. Just today I started taking vitamin B6, which purports to help the nervous and muscular system. We'll see in a few days if it helps, I guess. I do know that my arms and legs have started to tighten up on me a little. I don't know what causes this. But it feels like I just ran a marathon and cooled down. That type of feeling, but probably not as severe. So I'd appreciate it if you keep praying for me. I'm supposed to go back to the neurologist on March 3rd but I'm hoping to move that date up.

I'm sure all things will be all right at the end of this period of trial in my life. I just need to keep the faith and seek God's glory. When St. James said, "consider it all joy, brothers, when you encounter all kinds of trials..." it wasn't laughter he envisioned or a jolly demeanor. Joy in the face of suffering is not fun and games. Suffering is suffering and trials hurt. This "joy" James talks about is a joy in something you know, not something you feel. It's joy in knowing that whatever you face will gradually build endurance in you (if you choose to endure and not to sour). It's a joy in knowing that God is god and you are not and that He has promised to NOT forsake His children. He won't turn His back on you and me (even if we turn our backs on Him). This is grace. This is love. This is our God.

Be His.

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