I'm still here?

As I began to regain consciousness after my surgery and saw I was in the recovery room I confess to a twinge of disappointment. I thought about what I would not be enjoying in Heaven yet. But then I realized that the hope and reality were still before me. I also thought of the privilege of continuing the joys of family, friends, and all the blessings of my life. I was also impressed with the responsibility of serving, loving, and seeking God’s glory since He had chosen to extend my life.

The surgery was successful. There was no cancer. The mass had more than doubled in size during the 3 month delay caused by the covid shutdowns. It was about the size of the surgeon’s fist. There was no evidence of it from the outside, that is why so many things inside the neck were squished and pushed out of place. Because of the size, the surgery was longer, there was a larger incision, more anesthesia, internal and external bruising, more pain, and a longer recovery time. That is why I didn’t feel up to doing an update yesterday. I have been humbled and encouraged by the many expressions of prayer and appreciation during this time.

There remains healing, keeping a good attitude in dealing with discomfort, regaining my voice, and testing to see if the left half of the thyroid will compensate for the loss of the right or if I will need supplement therapy.

We look forward to renewed strength and health so that we might continue to serve God and you during the time he gives us.

On a side note, today is Karen’s 71^st birthday.

 The First Surgery

Wednesday morning I arrive at the hospital at 8AM for surgery at 9AM. The hour and a half procedure will definitely remove the right side of the thyroid gland and the large mass attached to it. Hopefully there will be no indication of cancer or involvement of the left side which would require more stuff removed. The goal is to allow my trachea which as been shifted out of place and squashed to about 1/3 of its size to return to normal. This will help with breathing and should reduce sore throats and coughing. The surgery will be close to vocal cords and because of the size of the mass the incision will be larger then normally done for this procedure.

 I was asked if I was nervous about this and I could honestly say ‘No, whatever happens, either way I come out a winner’. Although, as great as our hope is, I think there might still be a few things to accomplish yet. But, Karen & I would appreciate your prayers for Dr. Yen and his surgical team and for our joy in whatever the Lord’s will brings our way.

 

The origin of the name of this blog

Someday Grandmom or I will die.

What a harsh way to start a story!!

I am writing this to help you understand a little about what happens. It will be a time of sadness because we won’t be together, and we will miss each other. But, if we understand it, this can also be a time of happiness. Does that sound strange? Well, just keep reading.

Do you remember when you were born? Of course not, you were too little. But let me tell you a little about yourself. When you were   inside your Mommy, you started out as just a tiny little person. Only one cell. Smaller than a dot on a piece of paper. You had no arms, legs, or anything like your body now, just one cell. At that time, your parents didn’t even know you existed, but the amazing thing is, God did. In fact, He knew all about you even before you existed. He gave the little one celled You, life and a soul. You were a   real, but tiny human being. As time went on you grew…

As you were growing you    became aware of the safe comfortable place you were in. Warm water cushioned you, no bumps, or bruises. You were never hungry because you were hooked into your mother and constantly fed. After 7 months you began to be aware that there was something beyond your comfortable little place. You heard sounds and  probably began to recognize some. They were your Mommy and Daddy talking and perhaps praying for you. You probably heard    music that they played to help your brain     develop. Sometimes they might even push on your Mommies’ belly and you would respond by kicking your little feet. You might not have known it then, but they would get very excited about that!

Life was pretty nice for you. You did not know where it was all going, but you were growing and enjoying being safe and comfortable inside your mother. But then something that you never expected began to happen. Your mother’s muscles began to contract and begin squeezing you. Then the warm water that you had been swimming in all seemed to drain away. Then you felt yourself moving and being squished a little. Now you were being pushed through a long, dark, tight tunnel. It was probably a little scary because it was totally unknown to you and you had no idea what was going to happen.

Then, just when it seemed it couldn’t get any stranger, you were out of the tunnel and    surrounded by bright light, something you had never seen before. Then some large creature smacked you on the bottom, you took your first breath of air and you cried. All of this was brand new and unexpected.

This is just the normal process that we understand as the birth of a baby. But, it wasn’t your beginning because you had already been alive for months before, it was just a change in your location and the type of life you were existing in.

A baby does not stay little. Quickly they begin to grow. They are loved by their parents and begin to trust and love their parents. This is the beginning of the process we call growing up or getting old.

I am now going to tell this story from the perspective of an older man, Me. As I grew, I had the excitement of discovering many things about life. I grew to appreciate and wonder about all the things around me, how they    existed, and how they worked. I also had questions. The biggest two were ‘What did this all mean?’ and ‘Why was I here?’. I did not understand how, but I was amazed that things worked – things like math and science and that kind of stuff. I was alive and growing physically, but there was another kind of life and growth I needed. God intervened and helped me know about Him and gave me spiritual life when I believed in Jesus. That started another kind of growing. I learned more about Him and learned to love and trust Him more. That growing has continued through all of my life. As I understood more about Him, I began to understand a little about my earlier questions, the what and why ones. I am learning that knowing, loving, and serving God is a big part of the answers.  However, as I grow older and become more certain about trusting God, I also become more certain that He is greater than I could ever imagine and that I have only the smallest grasp of His plans and my future.

I am extremely comfortable growing and learning. I enjoy being old. I enjoy seeing my children and grandchildren growing up. I cherish the chance to be a part of your lives and hope that I can be a blessing to you. Someday I will undergo another change in my location and the type of life I am existing in. We call that death, but that is not really a good word. It sounds too much like The End. It will be a sad time as you realize I will be gone from you and it is all right to cry and be sad. But really, it is not the end, it is a change and the beginning of the next stage of my existence. It is like the story of Pilgrim’s Progress. Hopeful and Christian have to cross the river, leaving their old life behind to enter a glorious new existence in the Celestial City. There are many things I do not know about it. There are two things I can be certain of. The first is that it will be for all of eternity. That means forever, no more changes. The second is that I will be with God and with all the people who have trusted in Jesus, we will spend forever enjoying the goodness of God and praising Him.

Sometimes I get a little anxious because unlike a baby, I know that the change will be taking place. But, like the baby I do not know what it will be like. That not knowing makes it hard at times. But then I must remember what I do know; that God loves me, He will do what is good for me, and during the whole change He will be with me.

Sometimes I get a little concerned because I think I will miss you, you will miss me, and who will take care of you. Well, the last part is easy. God took care of me and He will certainly take care of you if you follow and trust Him. The missing each other is another thing. I think that as I live in my new existence, I will have some idea of what is going on in your lives. I hope that when you miss me, instead of being sad you will think of the love I had for you.  And, if you believe in Jesus as your Savior, our being separate is only for a little time and soon we will be together for all eternity.

 FOR PARENTS

Many years ago I read a children's book that used the analogy of birth as a way to describe death for a child to understand.  As I have gotten older, I have searched for that book to no avail. Finally, I decided to write my own little story that my grandchildren might understand. I have incorporated into it some references to Pilgrim’s Progress which is a great story to read to your children. Versions geared to the level of your child are available as well as movies. I highly recommend your use of them. It will be a benefit to their soul as well as their understanding of death.

While I based the story on Biblical truth, I did not include any Bible passages in it. I am attaching a number of passages that can be used to support the lesson. It is my hope that you will not just give this to your child to read, but you might read it with them and see this as the starting point to discuss these important issues.

John 10:28-29  I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.  My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. 

John 14:1-3  “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2  In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. 

Romans 6:23  For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

Philippians 1:21  For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 

John 3:16  “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 

2Corinthians 5:4-9  For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. 5  He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. 6  So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, 7  for we walk by faith, not by sight. 8  Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9  So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. 

1Corinthians 15:50  I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51  Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52  in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. 53  For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. 54  When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” 55  “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” 56  The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57  But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58  Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.