Bottom Line….

Well I have been slightly rebuked over the last two weeks. One for not blogging recently, and secondly, for not asking for prayer. Both are true. It is not because I haven’t had things to write about or ask prayer for. Also true: those who live with chronic pain, illness, disability, etc. sometimes fear that others may get tired of hearing about those things – may sound too much like complaining or a “woe is me” attitude. So, I stay silent.

I shouldn’t though. I have so much to thank God for. I have been in a Philippians study this Spring. It is a powerful little book with so much encouragement. Apostle Paul is our cheerleader, despite his being in jail when he wrote it. Think about that for a second, and then read the whole book in one sitting! It will cheer your spirit, even more if you act on it – which in my meager way will try to do now.

“Rejoice in the Lord always… (Phil 4: 4-7)  I rejoice that I celebrated my 60^th b-day a few weeks ago in style. My family went way beyond what they should have to celebrate this milestone, but I loved it! In a huge gift to me, family and friends paid for a true vacation for our family this summer to a Joni and Friends retreat week. I just can’t wait! I rejoice that I am still pain free from back surgery. I still have some lingering effects that possibly may be permanent considering the bad damage I had, but they are effects I can live with. I am happy for Spring’s life that is emerging, that I have yard work to do, and that I will be able to do it this year!!  I rejoice that our family is expanding with a little babe growing inside my daughter-in-law’s womb. Grandbaby due in October. So excited!! And Elia continuous with health and the sweetest spirit that any grandparent could want! And I have even more to rejoice about, but time and space limit.

“Do not be anxious about anything…” Yes, Lord, I know but what about these things? I send my little boy to an elementary school every day and don’t know for sure if he will come home again. Our world isn’t a safe place anymore and I grieve for those families who have lost their precious family members in gun violence. I grieve for those who have lost everything in storm.  I grieve for those who have lost family to drug abuse or suicide – including my own family.  I grieve for mothers who have ended their children’s lives through abortions, and I grieve for my brothers and sisters around the world who are facing incredible persecution all because they love Jesus. Oh, I grieve, and I pray against the evil of this dark world.  And I grieve the condition of my daughter’s life. One that is very weak but still is battling the effects of her horrible diagnosis. The last 3 weeks have been very tough. She is dealing with symptoms that are so bad but not life threatening (but could become that) so I haven’t asked for prayer, even though Ron and I beg God daily for help. When you have a child that is the oldest of 52 in the world with her diagnosis and most of them don’t live beyond ten, there is not much hope that any help is out there. Another Phil passage Kari and I dwell on and discuss much: “We eagerly await a Savior… who will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like His glorious body.” That one is packed with promise!!

But bottom-line reason for this post… we do need prayer for Kari. Ron and I have made some treatment decisions that are risky to her health, but we don’t have much choice. Bottom line, Christ has everything under his control (Phil 3:21) so we make some adjustments to our Kari care plan and I send my son off on the school bus praying for his safety. Bottom line is… “I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection…(Phil 3:10) “The power” of God that raised Jesus, is the same power I have available to me for every detail I face every day. And that is a confident power to rest on… my bottom line!