FREE AT LAST...

Our covid isolation has been over for awhile but we were still taking it easy so that we can recover our strength before going out in public again. Last Sunday was going to be the big day returning to church. The only glitch was that early Sunday morning we had about 7 inches of snow to go on top of the 30 inches that we already had. So, the service was cancelled. I was also scheduled to speak at a church via Zoom. Fortunately, the church was in California, so weather was not a problem, unfortunately we weren't there but still in snowy Bethlehem. Zoom solved the problem and we had a really great time with Rebuild Fellowship.

By the time the service was over it had stopped snowing and so we were just getting ready to change into outdoor clothes to go out and shovel and snow blow. We looked out the window and found that neighbors had done all of our sidewalks and one had even come up into the yard to shovel the little path that we had between our door and driveway. If I'm honest I would say that I got teary eyed just thinking how good God was in giving us neighbors who cared for us like that. Then today another friend whose family we regularly got together with stopped by with two bags of fruit to help us get our strength back. He mentioned that when he got homesick for his country for some reason, he would think of me and it would help. What a privilege and blessing to be in relationships like this. And then I noticed another friend had dropped off a big container of meat, vegetables, and rice and a bigger container of what she knew is one of my favorite treats - Turkish rice pudding. We so long to begin to spend face to face time with our friends again. I am anticipating many more years of life, but I can truly say that if it was to end abruptly I would have no complaints as God has made my life so full and blessed us in so many ways. Of course the greatest blessing is the certain hope that this life is not all there is. There is forgiveness of sin, eternal life in His presence and joys unspeakable to experience.

My son made the observation that since we have had covid and recovered from it that we don't have to worry about being infected by contact from anyone else nor are we able to infect any other people. This was really freeing. While we will still exercise reasonable caution and consideration for others, it does seem that it can open up having contacts with our friends again. I am looking forward to being able to spend regular time with friends who have just been email or text contacts for what seems like ages.

The procedure that was cancelled because of my covid has been rescheduled for February 25. Fortunately, that means the whole process may only be pushed back by two weeks. So, by May I should be all finished with the radiation therapy. At least during March and April except for the few side effects like tiredness, nausea, and a few other things we will be able to function like normal. At the end of the radiation, I am due for another Lupron shot which is part of the androgen suppression therapy. This is theoretically to weaken the cancer to make it more susceptible to the radiation. It has a lot of bad side effects many of which I am experiencing. Unless I am given some really compelling arguments, I am going to discontinue those shots and not get the next one.

I am all in favor of medical technology and am so thankful for the treatments that I have received. What we are wrestling with is the idea of trusting in the Lord and not statistics or probabilities and balancing the benefits of treatments versus the problems and limitations of side effects from it.