Monday, September 15, 2008

Yesterday is gone, Tomorrow belongs to God, so live today by the Grace of God and do good unto others

"Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow belongs to God. So live today by the Grace of God and do good unto others"
This is Bill's battle cry. It really hit home tonight when I read that we lost a fellow friend in Tucson from a bike accident. He was on his way to have lunch with his wife and daughter. All we are ever promised is this moment. Mike has been diagnosed with cancer and they have said that his time is almost up. But really, we should look at each day, each moment as if our time is almost up. Do we all really know when God will call us home? Bill told us the first day we arrived that he had a client that he had worked with. They had a great meeting and his cancer was in remission and both him and his wife died in a head on collision on the way home. So the logical the next question needs to be, "will I be in heaven with Jesus for eternity?" Mike and I both have accepted Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and we know that when life is over here, we can look forward to eternity. Whether it is cancer, old age, a car accident... eternity awaits.
So what about today. I think I am struggling with the timing of everything. I get up at 2.5 hours before we need to leave to shower and prepare Mike's medicine. It takes him about an hour or longer to down it and spend time throwing up. I talked to Bill tonight. He has been in Havana, Cuba over the weekend to help his wife and daughter after Hurricane Ike. He will be giving us something to help Mike tolerate the medicine better. Mike pulled a muscle this morning in his ribs. Anyway, I prepare the lunch and afternoon medicines and pack them in little pill bags. It is easier than carrying around a file box of medicine. We are able to get out the door and at the IV clinic on time. However, the IV therapy is taking longer and longer. Today it was almost 5 hours. Well, that made us late for the afternoon treatments and lunch. We use lunch to take the afternoon medicines. Today, Mike didn't want to take them during the IV therapy. He didn't want to puke in front of everyone. One of my biggest flaws is that I get extremely stressed when we are late and things aren't running according to schedule. It is funny. Even amidst this time when we feel God is with us so strongly, I still am falling short. But I am reminded that the only perfect one to walk this earth was Jesus. So I confessed that I tried a little hard today to take back the control over this disease from God, and it is too big for me alone. So I guess I rejoice in my lesson today.
By the way, I didn't understand some of the military lingo either. But I love that Mike is a warrior to the core. It is who he is and how he thinks. So I will treasure that blog from yesterday. We also love everything. We have gotten mail at the hotel from the Mayhues, Stecklers, the Holly Tree Chapel in East Texas and Giact. We love hearing from people that we have lost touch with. I understand from my neighbor that cards are flowing in at home. We are so encouraged by everyone. I know that God is specifically putting things on peoples hearts that we need to hear. It is just so timely.

Please continue to pray for Mike and that he will swallow more each day. Please pray that his tumor will shrink allowing him to take more fluids and food. Pray that Elizabeth will grow into a deeper knowledge of God and his power. Pray that I will walk by faith and allow God to continue to refine me.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Deanna,
As I read your blog tonight, it brought back so many feelings from my fight to live....The crazy thing is I am still in the fight. After 6+ years, I still take parts of the regime daily....people now laugh at me because I can swallow 10+ pills at a time....it gets better...take one day at a time....you do not have to be super woman...Deanna, I know you are scared, and want to make sure that you do everything right...to make sure that Mike gets his regime on time....try to go the extra mile to protect Elizabeth and be strong for your whole family...When God created you, he knew that you would marry Mike, have a beautiful daughter and would face this battle with His strength. Because he created Mike in His image, he selected only the best- an incrediable woman named Deanna to be his wife. God knew during this time that Mike would need someone who was passoniately in love with Him, because they would have to place the burdens and cares at His feet in order to fight this battle. He also sent His guardian angels before you to establish relationships and friendships that would lift you up when needed and stand in the gap with you. He trusts and loves you so much that He knew you could handle this....and through the struggle you would lift Him up and give Him all the glory and honor. My prayer today is for you! Paster Herman has taught me a lot about releasing and letting go of my burdens...when ever I feel the weight of my family, business or my health on my shoulders, I get on my knees and I act as if I were removing my burdens from my shoulders...and I lay them on the floor in front of me....and I begin to pray....and I stay on my knees, until I can leave them at His feet...what is amazing is that everytime, I lay them down...He expands my territory, blesses me and gives me new challanges. Deanna, I love you very much...know that we walk Giact's building every day praying for you, Mike and Elizabeth..."The best is yet to come!" Melissa

Susan Kivioja said...

Hi Mike, Deanna, and Elizabeth,
You are doing such a great job with this blog. You must be so exhausted at the end of the day; yet you are able to remarkably share your needs, thoughts, and emotions. Thanks for sharing it all. It truly is a blessing to us to see a real life example of someone walking with the Lord and relying on the Lord when the going gets very tough. This weekend our little Luke came charging out of his room ( he's 1 1/2 ) wearing a Batman cape while carrying a sword. I believe that you got us those capes and brought them when you were back visiting Abilene. They hadn't been out of the toybox for a really long time because the other two boys are too big and Luke just discovered them. How funny, and I took it as a sign that you needed prayer right then. Hang in there and thanks again for sharing.

Dave and Susan Kivioja

Anonymous said...

Mike, Deanna and Elizabeth,
I was saying prayers with the kids tonight and without me saying anything beforehand, Caleb lifted you guys up and prayed for each of you in a special way. God is putting you on the hearts of so many people, I know that His Spirit is moving. I pray for your strength and for endurance - sometimes pain can really wear down your resolve. May God be with you.
Thom
P.S. Deanna, can you post the mailing address for the hotel?

KJNewhouse said...

I cut out that article about the cyclist being killed on his way to see his wife and daughter because my husband had just survived getting hit by a truck while on his bike just days before that. Did your friend know Jesus? So little info. in the paper, at least in that particular article right after it happened. I thought about him a lot and wished I knew more. How is his family?

I keep asking "why...why was my husband able to go home from the ER that night when others were planning funerals that week/month?" I wanted to cling to his bruised body for dear life but of course he couldn't handle being touched at all! Just not his time to leave us yet, but we sure are learning a lot thru this healing process and having to trust Him more and more each day.

Suffering and tragedy certainly draw us near to Him and help us keep things in perspective! Thanks for sharing your journey with us...

Kim

CihakClan said...

Hey Guys! I wanted to pass on my devo this morning. Kinda feeling like a football lately?? Well…

“Greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.” 1 John 4:4

Someone once asked me why a football never gets deflated in a game. Twenty-two huge, burly men kick it, throw it, pounce on it, fumble it- yet it never gets “squashed” or loses its size to deflation. The answer is a simple law of physics. It seems that the internal pressure of the ball is much greater than all the pressure 22 men can place upon it externally.

This verse says the same thing about us as Christians. The power of the Holy Spirit residing in our hearts and lives is greater than all the pressure the external world can place upon us.

You could list all the different opponents who come against you to impede or block your forward progress. Satan’s strategy is to deflate you and render you inoperative, but the Holy Spirit gives you buoyancy. You CAN roll with the punches. It may seem sometimes that you are being tossed around by circumstances, but with the Lord’s power within, you will always bounce back!

This verse is a great comfort to those who are not having it very easy in life. It is a constant reminder of God’s sustaining grace, Christ’s resident peace, and the Holy Spirit’s indwelling power. Greater is the power within us than the pressure upon us. So hang in there, teammate; despite the hard knocks, we’re winning!