Jackie has worked hard in Physical Therapy and at home trying to get her knee to work again. Unfortunately, it isn't cooperating. She has progressed to the point of being able to work 6-8 hours a week and walk with the aid of a cane, but her knee still won't bend enough to allow her to walk normally and she continues taking pain pills to get through the nights. She can't ride a bike so that gives you some idea of how little it bends. The physical therapist, a wonderful Christian girl we've met, has tried and tried to get it to bend but it just won't budge. The doctor says the joint is shot and it's just a glob of arthritis. If you missed the beginning of this story, it all began when her first doctor injected some dye into her knee and said "oops, I hit something." Yes, he did, and she hasn't been the same since October 29th. Sue him you think. This is a smart doctor--he has no malpractice insurance. We were told by a lawyer friend of a friend that we'd probably not get anyone to represent us due to the lack of funds they'd get. Now, isn't that smart? Who said only the lawyers were the tricky ones? Ha. We look to God, who meets all our needs anyway, so while we are disappointed we've drained our savings account, we also are smart enough to know that God is working all of this for our good so we give thanks and move ahead.
Move ahead to what? Well, we just moved into a house with Leah and the boys and we've cut our living expenses by about $300 a month by going in together. The house is nice and we are actually closer to the beach. All of us likes that, including the dog. That's Jackie standing without crutches or a cane with Max, the dog.
What else? I'm hunting for a job. Unfortunately for me, the work I have is not enough to keep me busy but for a couple of days a week and that won't cut it with Jackie being unable to work but about 8 hours a week. You Saint Augustine folks know of any good jobs doing almost anything, please let me know.
How about the goal of going from glory to glory? I haven't made it yet, but it still occupies my thoughts throughout the day. Here's one of those random thoughts that flew through the other day. I've been talking to some people who are having a difficult time right now and it made me wonder how people so smart, who have followed after God their whole lives, could fall into the mess they find themselves in.
It was actually an easy answer: They forgot God. Have you ever considered that as a reason for falling away from Christ? You are probably thinking, at least I did, "How could you forget God?" Then I realized how easy it is to do so. When something really shiny and enticing comes along and catches our eye, we gravitate toward it with curiosity, perhaps even with a strong desire to have it for our very own. Scripture tells us to guard our hearts. When the guard is away, that shiny thing has a way of slipping into our mind and our heart and stealing our remembrance of the Bright and Shining Star, Christ Jesus. He is our compass and without Him we wander into all sorts of things that cause us great problems. Some, drawn away by the bright and shiny, never find their way back. Seem far fetched to you? Someone could actually forget God, really? Well, how else can you explain it when someone deliberately chooses to sin? How else could you bring hurt and dishonor to the King, our Savior, the Christ, without pushing Him out of our memory. We should be ever mindful of Him who loves us, who watches over us with such affection and compassion. When we are ever mindful, remembering Him who loves us so, we can only choose to love Him back and glorify His presence in our lives. How dare we disrespect such a compassionate and loving King with our petty lusts and desires for shiny new things that never bring us true life or satisfaction? Of course we'd never do that, would we? "Take heed when you stand unless you fall." There's a wise admonition.
So, we changed doctors, we moved, our jobs are mostly gone and we are constantly aware that God is with us. What else is new? One last thing. In our walk with the Lord Jesus, we've been in almost every kind of denomination you can think of. We've been Lutherans, Presbyterians, Baptist, Assembly of God, Four Square Gospel, Calvary Chapel and numerous non-denominational denominations. For the last 12 years we've been at the Baptist church and had a wonderful experience. We saw it grow from from a couple of hundred to, I guess, close to a couple of thousand. Our good friend, Walter, one of the assistant pastors, will probably be the new senior pastor in the near future. We've been so blessed by all of the folks there. But we are leaving. We are leaving in response to what we think is the guidance of the Holy Spirit. No, He didn't "speak" to us in an audible voice nor did one of the modern day prophets or TV guys give us a "word."
A couple of years ago while in Thailand, we began a study of the Orthodox church via the Internet and through a wonderful Priest we met, Father Ted, in Jacksonville. It is a long story that has taken us in some really neat places. After being back in
SPEAKING OF THAILAND, THAT'S PENNY, THE LADY WE'VE BEEN PRAYING FOR THE LAST YEAR OR SO. SHE'S STILL FIGHTING THE CANCER WITH PRAYER AND LOTS OF HEALTHY FOOD. SHE REFUSED CHEMO AND SUCH. SHE WROTE US LAST WEEK AND SAID SHE WAS ACTUALLY FEELING BETTER AND THE PAIN HAD DECREASED. PLEASE KEEP PRAYING.Florida now for about 9 months, we've decided we are going to convert to Orthodoxy. For about 99% of the people I know, that doesn't compute. I always thought the Orthodox and the Catholics were the same thing. Well, they were, but they have some major differences now days. That all started around the year 800 or so and led up to an official parting of the way around 1054.
We've attended the Orthodox church a number of times since coming back and believe we have found what it means to worship God in Spirit and truth. We have seen first hand what it did for our daughter, Leah. Her life has changed so much I can't hardly believe it. It's so strange for us and so opposite of our normal way of worship that it amazes me that we felt so at home in the services. There was something about the worship that hasn't changed much since the 1st century that really connected us to the Church and to Jesus. I'm not doing a good job of sharing this but just take our word that we have made a decision that has been prayed over, thought about, rejected and then accepted that is changing our lives in some wonderful ways. What a thrill it is to wake up every morning and still be excited, anticipating the time with God that goes from our quiet time throughout the day.
While we look back with no regrets, we are excitedly looking ahead for more and more of Christ, our hope of glory, our Author and Finisher, the lover of our souls. I pray that each of you will wake up tomorrow morning with the same excitement that has taken over our lives again. To Him, the Eternal One, be all the glory as we trek along the salvation road, going from glory to glory.
Not enough pictures for you? This morning I got up and rode my bike over to the beach, found an isolated spot and sat with God and enjoyed His presence. Here's what it looks like...
...all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD. His creation speaks of Him who remains unseen.
How about this one. Our middle grandson, Jake, now 12 years old and in 7th grade, received an incredible blessing. Because of his good grades, his behavior in school and because he's just a great guy, was chosen to receive from the State of Florida his college education for free! He's been given a tutor who will be with him throughout school until he enters the state college of his choice...
Jake and Leah are on the far right.
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