A Few Things

Firstly, read this blog:

http://chuckproctor.blogspot.com/

Start at the beginning when he is diagnosed with cancer, not too many posts in the blog so far, easy to read.

Secondly:

I was thinking about the past few months this morning. As you all know February was VERY hard for us for a variety of reasons. But one of the biggest issues was the deterioration of Carrie's back. the whole situation seemed rather hopeless and Carrie wasn't getting medicine, and that made things seem even more bleak.

Someone at church had the idea of having the Pastor's and Elder's come over and anoint Carrie with oil, lay hands on her and pray for us both.

Since that time the medicine situation has done a complete 180, the doctor trusts us to be very careful in using the medicine and will allow us to pick up some medication a few days earlier than normal for reasons like a vacation.

Since that time we have found Dr. Sumer who has started Carrie on a long term plan towards healing. He is administering shots in her back to ease the muscles and allow her body to heal itself. Once we are back from vacation she will start Physical Therapy with his Therapist which he believes will help her even more.

What is interesting is that we almost didn't go see Dr. Sumer. I had called for an appointment since someone in my life group said he was a very good doctor. They couldn't get us in for over two months. After things had turned around with the medication by late March and we were trying to see a surgeon I was considering canceling the appointment due to me being so tired of seeing unhelpful doctor after unhelpful doctor.

Carrie said we shouldn't, that she felt that God wanted us to see this doctor. I wasn't believing really, but I was trying to keep her spirits up so I said ok. The day before the appointment Carrie was nervous and tried to persuade me to cancel the appointment since she didn't want to go.

I reminded her of what she had said a month before and made her go, and on that day he did the first set of shots in her back and she has started feeling relief.

Almost as a stamp of certification we discovered that Dr. Sumer had recently converted to Christianity.

We don't know if Carrie's back will ever be "normal" or if she will ever be able to get off of all her medications, but we do see improvement, drastic improvement.

After Pastor Dave had prayed for Carrie he looked at her and I could tell that he wouldn't have been surprised if she had lept off the couch pain free, so deep is his faith. And while there was not some huge miracle performed on the spot you can retrace the steps leading back to prayer and anointing.

Pretty amazing.

Beauty and Wonder

MORNING:

"And Sarah said, God hath made me to laugh, so that all that

hear will laugh with me."

-- Genesis 21:6

It was far above the power of nature, and even contrary to its laws, that the aged Sarah should be honoured with a son; and even so it is beyond all ordinary rules that I, a poor, helpless, undone sinner, should find grace to bear about in my soul the indwelling Spirit of the Lord Jesus. I, who once despaired, as well I might, for my nature was as dry, and withered, and barren, and accursed as a howling wilderness, even I have been made to bring forth fruit unto holiness. Well may my mouth be filled with joyous laughter, because of the singular, surprising grace which I have received of the Lord, for I have found Jesus, the promised seed, and he is mine for ever. This day will I lift up psalms of triumph unto the Lord who has remembered my low estate, for "my heart rejoiceth in the Lord; mine horn is exalted in the Lord; my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies, because I rejoice in thy salvation."

I would have all those that hear of my great deliverance from hell, and my most blessed visitation from on high, laugh for joy with me. I would surprise my family with my abundant peace; I would delight my friends with my ever-increasing happiness; I would edify the Church with my grateful confessions; and even impress the world with the cheerfulness of my daily conversation. Bunyan tells us that Mercy laughed in her sleep, and no wonder when she dreamed of Jesus; my joy shall not stop short of hers while my Beloved is the theme of my daily thoughts. The Lord Jesus is a deep sea of joy: my soul shall dive therein, shall be swallowed up in the delights of his society. Sarah looked on her Isaac, and laughed with excess of rapture, and all her friends laughed with her; and thou, my soul, look on thy Jesus, and bid heaven and earth unite in thy joy unspeakable.

Worst Hold Music Ever

I am on hold right now. The hold music is Blues Traveler.

Over and over and over and over.

Just Blues Traveler, and only that one song that people liked for no good reason.

Garfield Minus Garfield

I saw this on a blog recently and thought it was rather amusing, so here it is.

No Garfield, all about Jon Arbuckle

Weezer

This is a pretty good music video, they took all the popular youtube videos and have used them in their music video. If you have seen the videos it is pretty amusing, if not you can still enjoy the song.

Embedding is disabled so I have to link it, sorry.

Morning from Spurgeon

"We live unto the Lord."

-- Romans 14:8

If God had willed it, each of us might have entered heaven at the moment of conversion. It was not absolutely necessary for our preparation for immortality that we should tarry here. It is possible for a man to be taken to heaven, and to be found meet to be a partaker of the inheritance of the saints in light, though he has but just believed in Jesus. It is true that our sanctification is a long and continued process, and we shall not be perfected till we lay aside our bodies and enter within the veil; but nevertheless, had the Lord so willed it, he might have changed us from imperfection to perfection, and have taken us to heaven at once. Why then are we here? Would God keep his children out of paradise a single moment longer than was necessary? Why is the army of the living God still on the battle-field when one charge might give them the victory? Why are his children still wandering hither and thither through a maze, when a solitary word from his lips would bring them into the centre of their hopes in heaven? The answer is-they are here that they may "live unto the Lord," and may bring others to know his love. We remain on earth as sowers to scatter good seed; as ploughmen to break up the fallow ground; as heralds publishing salvation. We are here as the "salt of the earth," to be a blessing to the world. We are here to glorify Christ in our daily life.

We are here as workers for him, and as "workers together with him." Let us see that our life answereth its end. Let us live earnest, useful, holy lives, to "the praise of the glory of his grace." Meanwhile we long to be with him, and daily sing-

"My heart is with him on his throne,

And ill can brook delay;

Each moment listening for the voice,

'Rise up, and come away.'"