Stiff neck and hard heart

Dear Friends,

After Beetle's trip to Florida, he and Pam stopped here again on the way to Tucson. They got weathered in and we were blessed to have them stay with us for several days. There were no more airplane rides due to the weather, but that was okay because it allowed us more time to talk.

I am considering building and flying an aircraft, what is known as a Experimental-Light Sport Aircraft. Beetle's RV has a smaller sister that fits into this category called an RV-12. I've also been looking at the Sonex, the Kit Fox, the Sadler Vampire. We also discovered that about 1.5 hour drive east of here is the American Legend factory where they build a much improved Cub. They have a program where you can go to the factory and build your own aircraft using all their stuff, and with their experts on hand to prevent you from fouling it up. Beetle and I drove out for a visit and we were both very impressed. Those guys at American Legend really have their act together.

After a few days of this, the weather broke, and our dear friends flew out back to Tucson.

House. We have chosen a bank to do our Texas vet program mortgage. I suppose financing will be in place around 28 October and then we will have to make some difficult choices quickly. We're still watching the existing home market and talking with 3 builders. Nothing that really fits us has surfaced yet. God's timing, not ours.

We've been told the HAP program is now processing applications, so we should hear our decision soon. Would certainly help with the new house.

On a related note, Deanna ran across an article that stated a joint congressional conference last week on the 2010 NDAA (military budget) had decided to chop concurrent receipt for Chapter 61 retirees. Boo. If you haven't written your congressman yet about this one, you should consider doing so.

Medical. I'm on day three of seven chemo days for round two. The first day hit me pretty hard, the next two days not as bad. Red and platelets are holding, but the white count has dropped to 1.5 or so, and I'm once again confined to just the house and the clinic, so as to avoid any infectious germs. I am hoping to go to Copperstate Fly In with Beetle in Arizona right after this round of chemo, but that won't be possible with this white count. Many of the kit planes I'm interested in will be there. We'll just have to wait and see I guess.

I lost about 4 pounds last week, despite feeling full all the time from five rounds of tube feeding (around 2200 calories) per day. And my fatigue is worse. Not quite sure why. Let's just say it's detox symptoms from lots of cancer cells dying, okay?

I'm happy to report that Granny is doing much better. After doing a bunch of internet research and talking to a homeopathic expert, we sent her some neem oil, which comes from a tree in India that they have apparently used to repel all sorts of bugs for a long time. She says it appears to be working. The spots are healing and she can't find a single bug now. Apparently neem oil really does work against scabies. And it's probably better for you than the conventional medical treatment, permethrin. (Do you really want to ingest a pill with insecticide in it? I think this is the same stuff they used to issue us in the Air Force to spray all our deployment gear with as a bug repellent..and they told us NOT to get it in our eyes/mouth etc. Here, just open your mouth and I'll spray some RAID in for you.)

I have been quite frustrated and low lately over not being able to eat anything for so long. I have to admit it's been getting to me. It's an act of discipline sometimes to be thankful. After thinking about this, I realized I was being a lot like the Israelites in the desert, complaining about the lack of water, the lack of bread, and then the lack of meat, until God graciously provided water, manna, and then the birds (quail?) for them to sustain them. And then they just complained more. The airplane ride might have had something to do with it as well; it was a wonderful experience, yes, but also a reminder of how much we've lost.

Through my fabulous wife, God has provided me with my green fluid concoction that miraculously sustains me. Through Beetle, God has reminded me that I still have skills in the cockpit, and that they may come into play again in the future. After all, doesn't the book say that God gives us gifts in order to perform works that He prepared for us before the beginning of time? I will be thankful for these things, not an endlessly complaining Israelite. Yeshua, please keep my heart from going hard, and my neck from going stiff, that I might always recognize and rejoice over your miracles.

Prayer Requests. Healing for me, for my soul first and then for everything else. Wisdom for me and Deanna as we get nearer to decision time about the house. For the HAP program and for Chapter 61 concurrent receipt to both get approved. Blessing and protection for Elizabeth as she deals with the challenges of middle school.

Many thanks and Yahweh Bless You!
-Mike