Again: Blessed With The Best

 "God always sends me the best" not only is my favorite quote (Sharon Forgie as she went through cancer treatments), but has become my reality over the past four plus years of my ALS journey from Michigan to Texas. Caring professionals and amateurs :) have been used of God to help me and our family as caretakers and supporters. The most recent are  Bristol, Shay, Alma, Jenna, Jill and Joyce. There are many unsung heroes and I thank God for the ones who have crossed my life in this last chapter.

"I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth ...This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them. O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him. ...for there is no want to them that fear him. ..they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing"

-Psalm 34

Blessings: Drinking From The Saucer

 I've never made a fortune,
and I'll never make one now.
But it really doesn't matter
'cause I'm happy anyhow.

As I go along my journey
I'm reaping better than I've sowed.
I'm drinking from the saucer
'Cause my cup has overflowed.

I don't have a lot of riches,

And sometimes the going's tough
But with kin and friends to love me
I think I'm rich enough.

I thank God for the blessings

That His mercy has bestowed.
I'm drinking from the saucer
'Cause my cup has overflowed.

He gives me strength and courage
When the way grows steep and rough.
I'll not ask for other blessings for
I'm already blessed enough.

May we never be too busy
To help bear another's load.
Then we'll all be drinking from the saucer
When our cups have overflowed.

By John Paul Moore

ALS Team Texas

RELOCATION AND RENEWAL

We are in a new place and meeting new people. God continues to connect us with those whose dedication is to help and give hope for full life regardless of diagnosis or progression. Houston is a big city, yet God has once again blessed our lives with such caring people. 

https://www.houstonmethodist.org/research/our-faculty/labs/appel-lab/

Many are simply unheralded and unknown yet working to give quality to life's difficult circumstances. Lou Gehrig gave his "Luckiest man alive speech" on July 4, 1939, and his overwhelmingly grateful tenor impresses me to proclaim that I feel I am the most blessed man alive!

Psalm 103:1-14

Bless the LORD, O my soul:

And all that is within me, bless his holy name.

Bless the LORD, O my soul,

And forget not all his benefits:

Who forgiveth all thine iniquities;

Who healeth all thy diseases;

Who redeemeth thy life from destruction;

Who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;

Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things;

So that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's.

The LORD executeth righteousness and judgment

For all that are oppressed.

He made known his ways unto Moses,

His acts unto the children of Israel.

The LORD is merciful and gracious,

Slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.

He will not always chide:

Neither will he keep his anger for ever.

He hath not dealt with us after our sins;

Nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.

For as the heaven is high above the earth,

So great is his mercy toward them that fear him.

As far as the east is from the west,

So far hath he removed our transgressions from us.

Like as a father pitieth his children,

So the LORD pitieth them that fear him.

For he knoweth our frame;

He remembereth that we are dust.

Thank each of you for your prayers and concern.

Blest With The Best!

One great thing forty years in ministering to people has exposed me to is the many, MANY health care professionals that help people deal with sickness and disease on a daily basis. I have been blessed beyond measure to walk with many through those storm tossed waters. 

A good attitude and a good sense of humor goes a long way on both sides of the equation.

One evening in September nearly eight years ago, I got a call to come to the ER at Genesys where a dear, sweet Lady in our congregation was at death’s door. They whisk us out of the room as their amazing team literally saved her life that night. Over the next week, I met people who worked in many disciplines, including palliative care (which I had to google), cancer doctors, surgeons, and many that I do not even know what they were doing other than obviously helping her.

Over the next three years, she was up and down in her strength as she went through chemo, rehab centers, possible food poison and one of her doctors was even arrested for Medicare fraud. Finally, stage 5 cancer took over meaning no more chemo and hospice was set up.

As she was in the hospital for the last time on that cold February day, she said something to Vicki and I that she had said over and over throughout her ordeal –

“They always send the BEST people to help me”.

Just 14 days later, she went home to be with the Lord, but her words, laughter and attitude have made such a lasting impression on my life.

As I have begun my journey facing many health uncertainties, I have already been blessed with the BEST that God has brought into my life because of this disease. I had my three month checkup and evaluation this week at University of Michigan ALS clinic and I took a few pictures to share and  I want to thank God for them! I was even able to share my faith with the nurse that drained seventeen vials of my blood that it would really be great if they found the key to the mystery of this illness from my Texas blood!

As they seemed encouraged by my continued physical strength, I too feel a renewed sense of vigor, not only for today, but for new opportunities to celebrate my life and faith in Christ in the months and years to come… as each day we are given grace and “In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began…” (Titus 1:2)

It is overwhelming to me that so many people send notes to tell me they are praying for me continually. We must constantly be aware of the love and care of people around us.I have truly seen God work in my life this year in ways that I can only say “God is good to me”, and when you put your trust in Him, He can do things in and through your life in a purposeful way that when this life is through, He even has something better in store for us that will trust Him!

Overflow

1.25.19

One year ago today I had lunch at El Potrero in Owasso with a pastor friend, Walt Yomen. I got a call in the parking lot from Vicki. Water in the basement from the bottom of the water heater. That is not where it normally comes from. Of course it sets off a chain of events. Lowes, Home Depot and Menards. Replacement cost and plumbing work. Not my favorite. 

Thankful for a good support system. One of our deacons, Jim Crews, offers to help (a true God-send), worked out the fittings that would have to be purchased tomorrow and he would return. 

The next phone call would change our lives forever. My 38 year old son's ATV accidental death is still hard to fully understand. The overflow of emotion and pain that came from my heart that began that night has not been fixed as easily as the water heater. 

Before the year passed, more losses stung my soul. Grief cycles in our family stayed fresh as I stood by my daughter at the painful loss of her 43 year old husband. 

Like the twelve year old water heater, our bodies have a breaking point. How long they last is truly up to God. It is to be useful until the moment it breaks. But to truly learn what it means to have God whisper in your ear "fear not, I'm here!" ...as the river comes... is more marvelous than words can express.

We are more than a mechanical apparatus, we have a finite body and an immortal soul. It is the soul we must be most concerned with. It is soul care that we must entrust to God, for it is eternal. And what is a few years of difficulty compared to that?

"Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." -Proverbs 3:5,6

As another year begins, this is a good time to go back to the building blocks of faith in God: TRUST. We all have to trust in something or someone to help us through the storms of life. God has proved Himself trustworthy time and time again. This coming year is no different. I am so thankful that God has led my path this far and am thankful that God has promised to direct my steps throughout the coming year!

Going Back Home

Thirty six years ago this August I "left home". Having climbed the mountain and coming to the twin peaks of “Seventeen” and “high school graduate”, it was time to climb higher to the height of "college freshman". Having packed most of my earthly belongings into my '68 metallic blue (327 dual exhaust, white lettered wide 70 tired, white vinyl topped, eight track equipped) Impala SS, it was time to say a tearful goodbye to a wonderful childhood home and hello to an unknown but highly anticipated wonderful, hopeful life "on my own".

Just a few months from that time I came back home to visit. Although it was the same house in the same neighborhood on the same street, somehow it was not the same. Something had changed... me. It wasn't that I had changed my beliefs or even my lifestyle, although college life was a different pace. Actually, I had taken a few "baby steps" in my walk of faith. I was just beginning to understand what Peter meant when he referred to the Christian life as "the time of sojourning"(1Peter 1:17). There has been a lot of mountain climbing and valley walking since that time. I still enjoy going “back home”. But the life of faith is not in the comfortable nest but in the pilgrim journey that takes us to places we never dreamed God would take us.

As I am traveling today to visit with my mom and family (something I don't get to do as often as I would like), I think of the words embolden on the pages of the sacred text in Hebrews 11 that speaks to me again of those who have sojourned before me and "died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city."

There is a land I long to see

A place that waits before me

A place where wonder beckons me

A place that I call home

I’m not quite sure just where it’s found

Or just when I’ll be going

For in his wisdom God has placed

Such things beyond our knowing

And north or south or east or west

Wherever I may wander

I will not fear the tempest blast

Nor tremble at its thunder

For this I know I am secure

No matter what befalls me

I have a place in heaven sure

A place that I call home*

*"A Place That I Call Home" on "Believing Him for a Miracle" (c) 2006 Dartt Music Co.

First Snow

There is something about that first blanket of winter snow. Who would have thought I would see it at the cemetery.

Jack's involvement in the UAW was "roasted" by over a dozen men who worked alongside him and heralded the "30 and out" accomplishment. Acknowledgement also came in the form of a plaque presented by Congressman Dale Kildee's representative to his sons. His 85 years of life was hard to cover in less than sixty minutes. The crowd was good, but he had obviously outlived many of his friends.

My turn came at the end. Jack's last service in church was for the message entitled "Faith to the Finish" detailing Abraham's death and legacy of faith out of Hebrews 11. Today in his memory we looked at Philippians letter when Paul proclaimed "To Die is Gain". It was a message I believe Jack would want his friends to hear. Union negotiation gains pale in comparison to the gain (or loss) of heaven. For those in attendance it is a time of eternal perspective.

A Bible had been placed in Jack's hand open to Psalm 23. I read it one last time to the family and friends assembled at the cemetery. As I drove away, I took a few pictures and am thankful that God never forgets His own. The thousands represented by the stones and flowers are now and have ever been important to our Saviour Jesus Christ. Wouldn't it be something if Jack's earthly tabernacle only rests here a few days before that soon event that will raise all those who have placed their faith in Jesus.

Even so come Lord Jesus.