More cake, please

Dear friends,

How richly God has blessed us the past few days!

On Friday we went in and the platelets were up ten points to 70 after hovering around the high fifties to low sixties for weeks. We were given the weekend off, and this morning the platelets gained another ten points over the weekend up to 80. Maybe I won't have to get my hip drilled into after all. The white count was a bit low, so I got a booster shot for that.

The eating department has been good as well. I've had a carton of potato salad, a serving of collard greens, a pancake, some chicken-and-dumplings, ginger snaps, ravioli, and a large carrot cup cake. I've had more food in the last few days than the last several months put together.

The esophagus stretch seems to be holding well, with the exception of a chorizo-and-egg breakfast burrito that soundly defeated me yesterday morning on the way to church. It took several hours to recover from that one, but by lunch time I was munching baked potato chips.

Note to self. My much beloved chorizo is off the table, at least for a while.

Saturday our friend, chiropractor, and faith healer Bo called and said he felt led that we should go to the Higher Trails cowboy church near Merit, TX. He had heard that many healings were occurring there. They have a large hangar like building for their church, with a great band that played Appalachian and country style worship music. It reminded me of weekends at my grandmother's and uncle's houses when I was little. Celebrations filled with country and Appalachian music. Everybody would join in and sing or play something: jaw harp, banjo, guitar, ukulele.

The cowboy churches are a branch of the baptist churches, reaching out to the country and western culture to bring them the gospel in their own style.

After the main part was over, Bo said we should go up to the alter, which we did. Bo prayed over me, and then the pastor, wheelchair bound himself, rolled over and asked if he could have some people pray over me. Of course, I gladly accepted. The next thing I knew, I was surrounded by friendly faces with many hands on me as the pastor led the healing prayer. Deanna and Elizabeth kept their seats. Later, she told me it was one of the most touching things she had ever seen in church. From my kneeling, forward facing position, I could not see just how big the crowd was, but Deanna could. She says that the ENTIRE congregation got up, came forward, and laid hands on for the prayer. The people who were too far back to lay hands on me just laid their hands on whomever happened to be in front of them.

Those folks at Higher Trails out near Merit--they sure know how to do it right.

Well, my friend and nurse Randy has just cleaned my PICC (IV) site and changed the dressing. He said it looked great, no signs of infection. He had a good weekend at Lake Brownwood at a man-to-man event.

God has richly blessed us by putting so many gifted Christians into our path to help us.

I have felt lately that we are closer to the time when I need to start serving more. For the time being, I've deliberately spent more time in prayer for the needs of the people in my life. I'm also considering writing a book about this incredible journey that He has brought us through.

Well, Deanna went grocery shopping and asked what I wanted before she left.

I told her to get some fresh, organic greens and,

More cake, please:)

With much love,
-Mike