Jack's Treatment Phase 2 Home Stretch

Please join our family in continuing to pray for Jack as he enters the home stretch for this second round of treatment which has included chemo 24/7 and radiation 5 days a week for six weeks. He has just about a week to go. As you know, treatment is not without its side effects and Jack is beginning to feel them. He is weary and waiting on the Lord to lift him up on Eagles' wings! Please pray for not only Jack's healing, but his peace, encouragement and endurance. Ask God to help him keep his eyes fixed on the goal. When he finishes in about a week, he will have some time of recuperation before the next phase of chemo treatments begins.

(Photo courtesy of Laurel Community Baptist Church, layout created using Digizines by Teri's Anastasia kit available at Heritagescrap.com)

Prayer Update

We have had some good news this week and thank you all for prayers. Grandma Doris is much improved from her pneumonia. She is out of the hospital now and in a rehab center where she is in therapy to gain strength so that she can go back to her assisted living apartment. Please continue to pray for her recovery.

Jack received good news today too. From Mom/Ruth:

JACK… we are PTL! that last week’s CT scans of chest, abdomen & pelvis showed no evidence that the cancer has spread at this point… and Friday’s Upper GI or barium swallow x-rays confirmed that there is a narrowing of the opening at the surgical site joining Jack’s esophagus to his intestines, likely due to scar tissue. Since Jack is soon to begin radiation combined with continuous chemo therapy, the doctor moved quickly in scheduling an EGD (upper endoscopy) procedure for Wed, 4/15, at 10 a.m. here in Bellingham, where he will use a balloon to gently dilate and enlarge the opening for food to pass through more easily. Please pray for God’s hand to guide the surgeon, strength and healing for Jack’s body as well as protection during the aggressive treatment in the weeks ahead.

Calling All Prayer Warriors!

Hello everyone,

This morning our family is standing in the need of prayer. Please pray for Jack's Mom, Grandma Doris. She is in ICU with pneumonia and related heart issues. They have not yet stabilized the heart concerns. Aunt Kristine has been with her all night - she's an awesome caregiver, but human and exhausted. She has been taking care of both Jack and Grandma and could use a huge prayer hug as well!

Also this morning, Jack is going in for a barium contrast CT of his pelvic, abdominal and chest regions to determine the cause of his decreased ability to swallow and eat. Friday he will do barium again as they have to re-form the "cradle" that will be used for his radiation treatments that will be administered along with chemo in a week or so.

We appreciate you all praying. Thank you.

Another Prayer Request

Please pray for my brother Bruce. In the midst of everything going on, I probably didn't write that he was just sworn in as a Warrant Officer in the Navy. I am so proud of him, I could practically burst! The only sad part is that he has to transfer to Virginia (but I'm glad he's off nuclear subs!!!). Today he begins that long journey by car across the United States from Bremerton to Virginia to start training. Please pray for traveling mercies. Also please pray for my SIL Linda and the girls as they will be staying until the end of the school year. Pray for their protection and their relationships as they are all separate from each other. Thank you!

Jack Update

Our family is praising God that He again was in all the details of Jack's visit with the surgeon at Virginia Mason. It should come as no surprise to us that the surgeon is a Christian! It was a busy day with lots to absorb. Some questions have now been answered and some remain.

*Surgery will be February 6, 2009. The praise in this delay is that Jack will be able to be present to speak at Bruce's commissioning in a couple weeks!

Jack asks that we pray for God's will and for wisdom for the surgeon in all the decisions that have to be made. The course of action will be determined by results seen during the surgery.

We are praising God for all that He has done, still recognizing the seriousness of this diagnosis and asked for continued prayers for God's healing hand on Jack. Pray for their strength and peace as they daily walk in this reality.

I will close with verses that have been their daily reminder of His presence in their lives:



4Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
8Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. (Philippians 4:4-9, NIV, Bible Gateway)

Praying for Jack

Welcome friends and family who are coming for medical and prayer updates on Jack. If you look to the right you will see information on how to keep informed and a prayer list. Please pray as God directs you. At the moment my comment software is not sending me email addresses with comments so if you would like a reply and I don't have your email address, the most direct way is to email me using the address at left or my personal email address if you have it.

First of all, thank you to all my blog readers who have expressed their concern, encouragement and prayers. This has definitely not been the best week or so, but in spite of the sadness, it has been amazing to see God working. They were not even thinking about stomach cancer when they looked. If they had just done the usual ulcer blood tests, they would not have known until the cancer had progressed. Praise God for this as early detection is beneficial in all types of cancer. We will know more after the consult on New Year's Eve.

Ruth and Jack are doing well. Naturally there are moments of grief, but they have felt literally buoyed by the prayers and love of friends and family. God has been guiding them through Scripture to be still and know. (Ps 46:10). They are weary but not crushed and broken. They are waiting on the Lord, seeking His faith and His strength. These are not just empty words - they truly are. Who better to lean on than the Great Physician. Ruth recently came across a great quote she had written in her Bible - Put your chair in the shadow of the cross and you will never have to move it. (Joni Erickson Tada)

Now for the update on Jack's condition.

1. The biopsy on Jack's thyroid nodule was unable to be done because the nodule goes under his collar bone. An ultrasound guided biopsy is scheduled for January 5, 2009. The praise is that this type of nodule is only cancer 5% of the time and even if it is, it grows slowly and is treatable. There is no big rush to take care of this.

2. December 31, 2008, Jack and Ruth will meet with the gastric oncology specialist at Virginia Mason Hospital in Seattle. After their consult with him, he will perform another endoscopy type test on Jack to get a better picture and idea, as well as seeing for himself before deciding on what type of surgery to have.

3. Jack had a great conversation with his primary doctor who was able to answer some questions and explain some of the testing. It appears that the cancer is in very early stages. We will know for certain after the consult, but that is a praise.

On December 12th, Jack and Ruth celebrated their 21st wedding anniversary! Congratulations. Mom also celebrated her birthday but it's not polite to share a lady's age! :o)

THANK YOU again to anyone who is praying! Faith does move mountains!

Prayer Requests

Grandpa, Princess, Boogie and Sunshine

Apple Gate Trail Museum July 2008

Josephine County, Oregon

Please pray for my step Dad Jack. Today he found out that he has stomach cancer. As I write this he is getting ready to have his full body scan to see if the cancer is contained or spread. This test will determine what happens next and whether he can have his stomach removed locally or if goes to Seattle for further testing and specialty doctors.

We are hopeful because he had a clean CT a few months ago. If it is contained, that would be the best possible situation. Well, divine healing would be preferred! :o)

Please pray for Jack, my Mom Ruth and also for comfort for Grandma Doris, Jack's Mom. Everyone is doing as well as can be expected and trusting in the Lord, but obviously this type of diagnosis doesn't come without stress and grief. We all appreciate your prayers. Thank you.

A Call To Prayer

The results of the recent election have really saddened me. No, I didn't vote for a lot of the people elected or even who you might suspect I did. Short of a personal revival, I can't think of much that would excite me about our incoming elected leaders, but what has made me even sadder is the accusations and hurtful things being said on both sides of the fence by Christians. While I can understand the feelings and some of the reasons, my heart has been sad and aching.

As the kids and I read about the Pilgrims leaving Leiden and England to come to the New World, I cannot help but relate. I do not descend from the Mayflower Pilgrims but some of my ancestors were in Leiden, many of them were pastors persecuted by King James for preaching the Truth and many of them were Puritans who came across the Atlantic in the wave of immigration that followed the Puritans in the late 1620s-early 1630s. I don't know if that surge of passion I feel is genetically passed down or if it is unique and peculiar to my own personality, but lately I have been thinking, "God is it time for a New World? Where can we go to be safe to seek You and obey You?" Since the enemy is said to roam the whole earth, I guess it is safe to say that until death, there is no escaping his pranks, politics and tactics.

So, I have felt restless. I am caught in between the Now and the Not Yet. I don't expect everyone to agree with me (it's more important you agree with God than with me). But I have felt like I have walked in a spiritual no man's land where I am not accepted by many who find me too black and white and may even consider me "legalistic". On the other hand, many who might agree with much of what I think theologically do not accept me as equal because I don't dress appropriately, read the "correct" version of the Bible or do other things they deem necessary.

And here we are again, reduced down to Sadducees and Pharisees, arguing about jots and tittles, failing to praise and serve Him because we are afraid of losing out on our own agendas. I'm not suggesting we all hold hands and sing Kum Ba Ya! But I am saying that I am asking God to meet me in my loneliness and cleanse Me so that I will not be a "white washed sepulchre" and I am asking Him to show me where to focus my intensity, how to choose, how to worship and how to serve. I want Him to mold my heart so that it beats with His passion, NOT mine!

Whether or not you agree with me or with politics, whether you voted for and love who is coming into office or not, I think there is no time like the present, to gather and obey God's command to pray for our leaders! This is something that I have done off and on throughout my life, but something I would like to do more consistently now.

Last spring Precept Ministries sent out a Call To Prayer for our nation. In my opinion, the prayers should not end because the polls are closed. There is an interesting short video about the Fulton Street Revival, as well as a pdf document with information on praying. I'm inviting you, if you care to, to join me in praying for our country and for our newly elected President and for your state and local officials. Ask God to transform their hearts and lives and to hear His voice - not just what we want to have happen, but what HE wants for our officials and our neighborhoods and states and countries. For some time I have felt that it is time in America to pray for another great revival! While political causes can sometimes be good, let's not be remembered only for our positions on abortion, war, education and laws. Let's leave a Legacy of Faith that is a light to future generations. The "us" I refer to in "let's" is the Community of Faith, Believers in Jesus Christ across the nation and the World. In our efforts to lead people away from sin, let's lead them to a wonderful relationship with God.

I'm writing this, NOT because I feel I have all the world's answers. I have none. I'm writing this because sitting and moping in the darkness does nothing for me or for the people around me that the Lord loves and wants to bring into His Kingdom. Since the people who started this Call To Prayer began on Thursdays, I think I will choose that day to focus on these prayers. There is also more information at Presidential Prayer Team.

If you made it this far, thank you for listening to my heart.