David and Koyce

The Importance of Having Dedicated Friends

2009-07-24T13:00:00.000-07:00

Did you hear about the woman who accompanied her husband to the doctor's office? After his checkup, the doctor called the wife into his office alone. He said, "Your husband is suffering from a very severe stress disorder. If you don't follow my instructions carefully, your husband will surely die." Then he said,
"Each morning, fix him a healthy breakfast. Be pleasant at all times. For lunch make him a nutritious meal. For dinner prepare an especially nice meal for him.
Don't burden him with chores. Don't discuss your problems with him; it will only make his stress worse. And most importantly, don’t nag him if he doesn’t want to talk to you.
Now, If you can do this for the next 10 months to a year, I think your husband will regain his health completely."
On the way home, the husband asked his wife, "What did the doctor say?" And she said,
"The doctor said—you're going to die."

Well, I have to tell you this. My wife who was my designated care giver did what she was called upon to do. In fact, a good friend of hers told her a week ago, “I could not have done what you were asked to do.” So, in my message this morning, I want to say “Thank you” to my wife especially and—to those who reached out to me and to both of us the last few months. You see, basically, I was helpless a good share of the time. I couldn’t drive, couldn’t do any chores and I had to depend on others.

Now in light of this, I want to bring to a conclusion our series entitled, Surviving Life’s Curves and this morning, I want to talk to you about The Importance of Having Dedicated Friends. Maybe you have heard it said, “With friends like this, who needs enemies?” But, in contrast, we can be surrounded by dedicated friends as King David was and say what he did. So, if you want to grab your sermon notes, I want to begin by looking at Psalm 16:3 where David writes,

“The godly people in the land are my true heroes! I take pleasure in them!” (Psalm 16:3). The people David has in mind are those dedicated friends of his who put their lives on the line for him while he was on the run. And David is moved, not only by the greatness of God in Psalm 16, but by the godly-friends he had. Question. Do you have friends like this? Do you ever just stop and delight in your friends? Do you let them know that they are your true heroes in your life?
Some of David’s friends were like Jonathan that most of us have read about and probably Abishai who we referred to earlier in our study and who risked his life for David. While David had to go through a few rough times in life, God always provided a friend to go there with him. And God does this for us as well. He does it through family, friends and the church. Do you remember the Lone Ranger? This is not God’s intended plan for any of us.
And a good time to count your friends is when you go through a storm. I have to tell you this. I have never been through anything like this. Not only the time of being in the hospital, but the months that followrd. I can’t walk on dirt, can’t do any yard work, can’t fly on a plane for 6 months and all kinds of stuff. But in times like this, the true nature of God’s people becomes clear to us. What would we do without our friends? Well, I just wanted to tell you today that God has given me some fantastic, good and godly friends. These are my heroes. And I would like to mention some of them to you today and I trust that if you are not named, that you realize that it is not because you are unimportant. For I have more friends than I can keep track off and more than I can cover today. So, who are some of them? Besides my wife—are my two sons and their families.

First, I have some wonderful grandkids. Here is just one of them. Randall Foster who got his middle name from my middle name. On crazy hair due day at school, he identified with his granddad who was losing his hair. And you know, David Gangarapu did the same thing. Noriko wouldn’t do it!

Well, you probably heard the story but after chemo treatment one day at Stanford, I got a call from our youngest son Mike. He was excited and wanted me to know that Ken Griffey, a baseball player was being traded to Seattle. This was great news for fans up north. While I was speaking to him, another call came in. I thought, “This must be Mike’s brother Scott.” Sure enough, as soon as I hung up with Mike, I checked my phone and it was Scott. I called him and he said, “Did you hear the news? Ken Griffey is coming to Seattle.” I had a good talk with my two sons over the phone and when it was over, I wrote up something on my blog entitled, “Griffey is coming to Seattle, so much for Dad!” What I was trying to say was that the boys were all excited about Ken Griffey but—they never asked me how I was doing! When my wife told her sisters about this, they were horrified. “What’s the matter with those boys? Their dad is dying and all they want to do is talk about baseball? But, I didn’t take it this way. I thought, “How nice of those guys to call me and tell me the good news.” You see, I know those guys. They were a bit afraid about what I was going through and they weren’t sure that they wanted to hear any more bad news anyhow.” The fact that they called was a way to tell me that they loved me and were concerned about me. I knew this. Besides, I made them baseball nuts like this.

Here is Scott and he is about 3 and just got a mitt. I sent him this picture recently on his 40th birthday. In addition, we send him $40 for his birthday and he went out and bought a new mitt with the money since they were knocking $100 off the original price of a mitt at what used to be called Trader’s Joes. And we heard from his wife that he loved the mitt so much, he even took it to bed with him the first night. It was his new Teddy Bear. So, he is a baseball fanatic. No doubt about it.

Besides, we bought a picture for his bedroom of Griffey many years ago and so we helped his addiction!

I also went with the boys to a game in Seattle a few years back when we all got a bobble head of Ken Griffey. So, take it anyway you want, but I take it that my sons are also my friends, in fact, fantastic friends. Talking about friends. When, Dr. William Bellshaw, who was the dean of the seminary when I was a student, read my blog about the boys and Ken Griffey and had his Sunday school class praying for me in Seattle, he sent me on 3 different occasions 3 full page posters of Griffey in the Seattle P.I.

Here is a picture of one of the posters. But, let me tell you of some more ways people have responded besides my wife and our sons. First, do you remember the home-made poster the kids made me and gave to me last Sunday? That was so nice. In addition to this was a home-made poster I got from the kids at the Chinese Alliance Church in Concord. Here is what it says (Poster). Another poster that the kids made from here is one that I will show you in a couple of weeks as those ladies that brought it to me are for the most part gone this week and next. Here is another chart done by my wife and the nurses to keep me posted on what was going on and some statements about how good God was.

Well, let me jump to some other things. I need to thank our board for being helpful and kind for they agreed to let me have some time off to go through this ordeal. And even when I told them that I would fill in a couple of weeks so I wouldn’t take advantage of the church, they said, “Pastor, we would much rather you stay home, get well and not have any relapses.” I felt like they were all on my team in this because of their attitudes. And I appreciate the different speakers who came in here and especially Ken Mindrup who kept things going and preached a lion’s share of the load. And Mel Jones kept up on people who were missing while I was gone and kept me posted on this as well.

Another thing I appreciated were encouraging notes that were sent my way. I liked this one by the Swansons since it fit so well with the theme of surviving the bends in the road. It said,
“It’s not easy getting parts for us older models,

Please get back on the road soon and take care of yourself.” And I got a lot of notes. A book full of them and we would be here all day if I went through them. But here is just one from our Principal Esther McClellan who said: “Hi Pastor, Just wanted to let you know that I'm thinking about you both as you start the hardest leg of the journey. Just finished looking at your blog. What a great use of your time when so many of your activities are limited. Technology is great, and the Lord must be pleased with how you're using it to bless so many... your family, your friends, and maybe even strangers God sends your way.
We miss you at church. Terry did a great job, and we look forward to Scott's coming down next week. Still, no one can replace you!
Anyway, wanted to send along a note to remind you that I'm praying for you daily. I admire and respect you more than I can put into words. Thank God for sending you back to California, and thank you for listening to Him. You are good for our church, good for the school, good for my family, and good for me! Because you believed in me, you gave me confidence I didn't think I had to do a job I never even wanted!  God works in mysterious ways!
From my notes on Chip Ingram's God As He Longs for You to See Him DVD series...’You are the object of God's affection. God is good to you not because you are good, but because He is.’ Psalm 84:11, "For the Lord God is a sun (unlimited resources) and a shield (unlimited protection). The Lord gives grace and glory. No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly.’
I am praying for abundant resources and protection for both you and Koyce.
Love, Esther.”

I liked this note on the screen by Alyssa Knight, age 12. It was picked up by a friend of mine in Oregon who said, “I saw this card and thought of you! You are swinging back—and an army of people who love you are praying! That’s how God works. What an encouragement you both are to me.” (I liked this card because the theme of it is similar to the theme of my blog, that is, we want life to be in a straight line but there are curves along the way. Also, this was written when I was not feeling like writing, but I wanted you to see it anyway. Back to the note .)
In some ways we are going through this process with you—thank you for making it so clear as to what to expect as you go through the various steps. It makes it much easier to pray appropriately!
I think you must feel so horrible! And I pray, ‘Please God, take this away soon so David will feel better.’ That seems to be all I know how to do! But just be aware that every day you are being prayed—and it is a priority.
I am keeping up with your blog but there isn’t much as to news there right now so I am assuming this is a tough time and it will get better soon! I pray for success for you and the doctors in all that is being done—and expect to hear you are doing well! Every day
we will continue to pray for you both—and thank God for what he is doing for you! Much love to you both! Jo & Jack.

Gail Bradway prayed and wrote her prayers out. In one of her prayer notes, she wrote, “And by the way, that series you just injected, it was for you, yes, and for all of us who have hard times, but it helped us all to get on the same page with you as you go thru this—we could see your thot processes—we could relate to these first steps in stem cell transplant” (Then she started praying, saying,)….Pastor is so human—brave yet fearful; realistic but hopeful. What I still think and appreciate deeply, AND I TOLD YOU THIS way back when I helped him announce the cancer with ‘Little cardboard David’ is that he takes sooo much care to try to ease our anxiety as a flock, when he’s got to be hurting so much himself. How Christ like.

I was so impressed with the prayers over them today—Esther’s history lesson, Calvin’s ‘from everlasting to everlasting you are God.’ I don’t know how anyone could have walked away not being blessed and it really wasn’t to be that way….really we were praying over him and blessing your love. The praise was yours again….P.S. I’m thinkin’ in many respects this ordeal will be harder for Koyce than David—it’s very hard to be a spectator and comforter when you can’t really relate because she hasn’t had a stem-cell transplant—she’s gotta have such grace, God—no problem right? You’re the grace-giver!” As Gail read and prayed in Genesis over Abraham’s servant prayer to God, she wrote, “O God of my Master Abraham, (then she crossed it out and inserted the name David). Make things go smoothly this day—treat my master Abraham (i.e., David—well!) So you know me that you’re working graciously behind the scenes for my master.” Gail prayed on, saying, “What a beautiful verse God—I’m claiming that one also! When he gives you the credit each day for victories, we’ll all know you’re graciously working behind the scenes for him!”

I had people praying for me all over the place. Let me read a prayer from Mary Smith who did a piano concert for us a couple of years ago. Maybe you remember it. I have known Mary since at least the second grade. Mary was going to call one day and pray with me over the phone but decided instead to write out her prayer and send it. Listen to it. “Dear Lord, hear my prayer. It is from my heart, and it's for someone very, very dear to me.
My friend, David, faces a tough week. But, that's nothing for you, God. You aren't surprised by our circumstances or taken aback by our life experiences, because you see the road ahead. You already know what you're going to do and how it will be accomplished.
But, since WE don't know what lies ahead, here's my specific prayer request: Heal him, Lord. Restore David's health. Give him courage in those 3 am alone times, and remind him that HE ISN'T ALONE, because you're right there with him through every moment.
We thank you for life. We thank you for our mothers and fathers who gave us life and for all we've learned and know about your Word and YOU, but we don't know enough. We want more years to grow in your ways and influence more people and to enjoy more time on planet earth. But only if it's your will, Father.
Thank you for the people you bring to our lives....David to mine. And Koyce to David's. Oh, I pray that Koyce will be a strong woman, filled with confidence that you're going to bring her through this, and we know that she's going to need a lot of strength. Bring friends to her side.

Bless Scott and Mike. They love their father so much! They need their Dad. So do the grandchildren. So, I'm asking you to carry this family through an uncertain time, knowing you are with them every minute.
Lord, hear my prayer. I thank you for all that you are going to do, and we claim your many promises, especially Psalm 121. We know our help comes from you. You are mighty, awesome, and we praise you, now and always.
In Jesus name I pray, amen. Love, Mary (Curt, too)” But, not only did people tell me that they were praying for me, called on the phone and prayed with me and wrote their prayers but many wrote encouraging notes and cards.

Let me share with you some neat cards given to me by Scott, my son. He sent me 10 different cards of 10 of his great memories with me, his dad. These 10 cards are an hour’s reflection themselves so I will only show you 2 of the 10. In card number 1 of 10, Scott said, “Every time I look into my garage, I see this “classic” of a car that you had the vision to put together. I don’t think I learned much about cars in the process, but the time spent with you and Mike were so profitable for me. To this day, I have great relationships with both of you, and I have a pretty sweet ride.”

Then here is card number 10. “Oh, so many memories. You teaching me how to bunt by throwing the ball in my face (smiley face following ). You ‘forcing’ me to play basketball in high school and college, and hey I drained a half court shot at WOSC. The Chevy making it to the coast and back before the wheels went whack as you entered Dallas. Telling us to ‘laugh all the way to the bank’ after umping when Mr. Hamilton had just yelled at us. After performing a funeral, you took me to a card show in Portland where you talked to a guy and we bought his 1963 cards of Yaz and Spahn (More smiley faces).

And I wish I had time to show you the cards that Esther Bishop sent. She must have sent a card a week and many of them were also signed by people at Kennsington.

In addition to cards, I got some coupons that were pretty neat. They were done by Polley Darnell. One was David’s Christmas Coupon—a Koyce helper and it was for cleaning. shopping working in the church office, whatever she needs help with her choice. I also got a coupon for Kid hauling, a coupon that was a secretary for the day and even chemo companion to keep me entertained while doing chemo. And, of course, we used the one for cleaning a couple of times. I had to get rid of all the dust in order to move back into the house. And it was not only her but Diane Ketcham and Katie Jones came and did some cleaning too.

In fact, we were given a new dyson vacuum cleaner to help us with the dirt and dust. Now, I don’t know if you noticed a pattern here but what I noticed is that most of the people who did something for us just did it. You know, we can always say, “If there is anything I can do for you, just let me know.” Or, one can just do something without saying anything.

For instance, Ruth Matthews sent one of her homemade cards, someone else loaned me their DVD player without my asking. Another person brought be a bag of DVDs to see. People brought over deserts and meals. Sue Fujita’s kids did it on more than one occasion without even making an inquiry. Ana Black who went through cancer herself brought over some soup she made on a couple of occasions. It was delicious. In fact, I am glad to have with us this morning our neighbors (Rita and Allan and I want them to stand if they would). They not only brought us food but Allen mowed our lawn, trimmed the edges and washed my car. And if that wasn’t enough, he even waxed my car for me. Let’s give them a hand if you would. And Hap Jones did similar things too, butchering my Palm Tree. But it has grown back very nicely. One day he came by and noticed we weren’t there but noticed that the flowers needed water so he got out the hose and gave them a drink.
And if you think this is neat, let me share with you how you could do something like this yourself. Here are 3 names where you could reach out. The first is:

Khem, Vimul M 12/10 Ravy Mam 1/15
Rosa Moli 12/6 & Michel Ravimul 5/31 1221 Brooktrail Dr.
Pittsburg 94565 925.709.1268
Cell: 925-325-8026

Roncagliolo, Nicolas & Antonieta
Marco
3369 Chamberlain Court
Walnut Creek 94598
925.932.6034

Mahnami, Rod 2/20 & Sherrie 11/21
Jacob 6/17; Nicholas (Nick) Anthony Davis 6/29
1231 Brookview Dr.
Concord, 94520

Back to our story, one day, Koyce was cleaning out my catheter and forgot if she had done it properly. She panicked and called Oyin. Oyin had just flown to the east coast since a friend of hers just lost her husband. We called but Oyin was still in the air flying home. When she arrived that evening, she was tired and ready to hit the bed but she came running out to our place to make sure that I was okay. The help was incredible.

And Gail Barbitta was a great help too even though she was going through all of this with her daughter. And I know that I am going to kick myself for leaving out some very heroic acts of what some of our people did—but God knows and he will reward his people for being so full of care.

During the time I was in the hospital which was almost a month, Koyce would not be able to stay with me. So what should she do? Should she drive home every night? The drive is too long and would be quite tiring. Should she come only a couple days a week to see me? She would never buy into this plan. Should she stay with my sister in Fremont? Well, it is still a 30-45 minute drive and then there is the bridge toll every day? So, should she stay in a hotel in the area? This would be real expensive and maybe a bit scary staying by one’s self every night. The ideal would be to stay with someone we knew within a ten minute drive to the Stanford Hospital. Did we know any such person? The answer is—well, maybe. You see, a little over three years prior, I was preaching a series of messages entitled 40 Days of Prayer. It was a good time to deal with such a subject because this was when I had been diagnosed with cancer the first time. Then one Sunday morning, a couple walked in named Bill and Lucie Silene. They loved the series and wished that they could do the same thing in their church. I gave them all of my messages and we had a few left over devotional books that their people could work through. And guess what? They lived right by Stanford! And they told me that if I ever needed a place to stay while at Stanford, to just give them a call. They sent me a nice card and I saved it! That’s right. I have saved all kinds of encouraging notes and things over the years. So, I went to my notebook after hearing of the reoccurrence of my cancer and found that card with their address right there. I gave them a call to see if we could possibly have Koyce stay with them while I was in the hospital. However, timing was going to be a challenge. Their daughter had returned home from college and grandma was temporarily living with them. But they told me that they knew some people very close by the University in the town of Atherton.

They said that they were going to ask Bill and Marilee Clausen to see if Koyce could stay at their place. And before I knew it, Marilee was on the phone and enthusiastically invited Koyce to come and stay in their huge house.

The place they lived was beautiful. And they gave us a key and a free reign of the house and they were great company whenever Koyce needed it. And they were only 10 minutes at most from the hospital. All Koyce has to do is to drive in each morning, either park the car at the Stanford parking garage for $12 a day or drive over to the mall where they allow people to park free and then take the free shuttle to the hospital. Besides, when she wanted to get away from me, she had a place to go where she could exercise her spiritual gift! What is her gift? You probably know. It is the gift of shopping! Isn’t this all amazing. I can say only one thing. This whole situation was a God-sent. What is a God-sent? It is when you stumble across something so unexplainable and wonderful that it has to be a gift from God! This was certainly wonderful and for us; it was a God-sent. Praise the Lord

A family with two teenagers in our church sent me the neatest card. First, it started out by saying “There are greater things than you can IMAGINE ahead of you—and there’s a great God walking beside you. When you open the card, a song starts playing, ‘How great is our God.’ (Let’s listen to it). The lady of the house quoted Psalm 19:14-16 that says, “Because he loves me, ‘says the Lord,’ I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call upon me, and I will answer him. I will be with him in trouble. I will deliver him and honor him. With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation.’” Then she wrote “We thank God that you are in his care…the Great Physician. And what a story, you will have to tell! Can’t wait for your first Sunday back.”
Their college age son wrote, “I appreciate the time and effort you put in to the church. Can’t wait to have you back.” Their high school daughter wrote, “Pastor, we are praying for you. We appreciate all you do for our church.” Dad wrote, “Thank you for being such a great example to all of us. You are as much of an inspiration to us there in a hospital bed as you are here in our church. But we look forward to having you back with us soon.”

Another card from Laura Bishari. Inside it read, “Hang in there.” She said, “We are praying for you double time—obey the doctor, but trust the Lord to bring you back real soon. It’s not the same here at FBC without you!”

Most of us know how talented Cindy Mindrup is. One of her gifts is being a great photographer and she sent Koyce 30 such photographs with verses attached. I also received 30 cards, one for each day I was in the hospital. We loved these cards and so did our doctors, nurses and aids.

“A righteous man may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all;…” (NIV Psa. 34:19).

“The seas have lifted up, O LORD, the seas have lifted up their voice; the seas have lifted up their pounding waves. Mightier than the thunder of the great waters, mightier than the breakers of the sea—the LORD on high is mighty” (NIV Psalm 93:3-4).

“How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand. When I awake, I am still with you. If only you would slay the wicked, O God! Away from me, you bloodthirsty men!” (Psalm 139:17-19).

“From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the LORD is to be praised” (Psalms 113:3).

“I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands” (Psalm 63:4).

“being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (NIV Philippians 1:6). Let us pray.

Getting Close to Coming Back to Church

2009-06-20T12:27:00.000-07:00

After my last visit to Stanford and getting a seemingly clean bill of health, I was approved to finally be able to go to church. So, we went the next Sunday where we had a former student of mine and a friend speak at the church. His message was entitled, When God puts you to the test. Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader? He began by reading John 6:1 that says, “After this…” But after what? It was sometime after the presentation of John in chapter 5 on the deity of Christ. Here, the speaker, Dr. Roger Martin said that John 5:1-9 Jesus demonstrates Himself to be God, in John 5:17 Jesus claimed to be equal with God, in John 5:18 the Jews seek to kill Jesus for His claim. In John 5:21-27 Jesus’ position as Judge and His authority speaks of His Deity, in John 5:29 the two resurrections speak of His Deity, in John 5:3, John the Baptist spoke of His Deity, in John 5:36 Jesus’ miracles spoke of His Deity, in John 5:37 God the Father spoke of Christ’s Deity, in John 5::39 the Scriptures spoke of Christ.

Why is this important? Roger said, “Because Jesus Christ is the answer to every problem! He will either solve the problem or give you grace to go through it."

Now, in John 6:1-14 there are THREE big problems!

How to feed 5,000 men plus women and children
How to build faith in Philip
How to get unbelievers to believe

Philip’s Problem: The Test Question: Where are we to buy bread that these may eat? (John 6:5)

Philip’s Answer: “200 denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them for everyone to receive a little” (Literally: ‘For everyone to receive one bite)

What About Tests?
Tests are God-given opportunities to discover our competency! (Are we ready for the next assignment?)
Tests are God-ordained challenges to make us stronger! (He knows what we will need for the future)
Tests are God-designed instruments to measure our progress! (Are we continuing to grow?)

For instance, there can be Tests of our:
• Faith
• Gratitude
• Obedience
• Knowledge
• Willingness
• Servanthood
• Boldness/Courage
• Follow-through
• Trust
• Faithfulness
• Availability

Principles to Grasp

God is just as interested in working in you as He is in working through you!
(So anticipate His tests in your life)
If we want to pass the tests God puts in our lives, we must first understand the question!
(So don’t be afraid to focus on the real issues)
Every test from God is an act of His grace because He really cares about you!
(So welcome His tests as a part of His love for you!)

The message was very appropriate to our church and certainly to my situation. We were glad he could be with us. The next Sunday, I preached. It was the first time since February. One of our nurses in the church told me to plan on sitting down during the message. She also noticed how I was walking and she said, “Get a cane.” I said, “They gave me one at Stanford” and she said, “Use it then!” So I am back at church sitting on a chair and using my cane. Thanks for your prayers to be able to be back again with our people.

Survivor Winner Has Cancer

2009-05-26T08:03:00.001-07:00

The day after James “JT” Thomas was revealed as the winner of “Survivor: Cocantins,” news broke that Ethan Zohn, winner of “Survivor: Africa” has cancer.

“This is the ultimate game of Survivor and there’s really only one outcome, and that’s to win,” the 35-year-old told People on Monday. “There’s no other option.”

According to E! Online, night seats and strange itching led the reality-TV star to think he had some sort of skin condition until he was diagnosed with stage two Hodgkin’s disease April 30….He began chemotherapy treatments on Friday….”My life flashed before my eyes.”….However, the pair have good reason to be hopeful—survival rates for Hodgkin’s lymphoma are up to 90% percent.

Zohn will lose his signature curly hair within the next few weeks. He’ll take the initiative to buzz it himself before then.

For an update on myself, my hair is coming back in. It looks just like fuzz at this stage and it is darker on my face. I seem to be getting stronger and walking better. The doctors are still urging me not to be in crowds for awhile. I have a meeting June 5 at Stanford and hope to have some more green lights to attend church and even do some speaking. The church board, however, is urging me to get well so I won’t experience some kind of a relapse. They are so patient and kind. We have a great group of people at FBC in Walnut Creek.

Oakland Man Finds New Life through Cancer Battle

2009-05-26T07:45:00.000-07:00

Jill Perry of our church saw this article below and made sure I was able to see it. She wrote, “Hi Pastor, I hope everything is going well and that you are feeling stronger every day. I finally was able to get that story for you about the Oakland man who had Stage 4 lymphoma….Quite an inspiring story. Of course, I think you and Koyce have quite an inspiring story also. You both amaze me with how you have handled all that you have gone through. We miss you at church and look forward to the day we can see you either sitting in the crowd or preaching from the pulpit. We will be happy with either one.
Take care and hurry back. Love, Jill.” The article is below.

MATT RHODES didn't realize how alive he could be until he overcame a period in his life when it looked as if he might be dying.

Diagnosed with stage-four Hodgkin's lymphoma at age 31 in 2001, Rhodes' cancer rendered him unable to walk because a tumor was pressing against his spinal cord. The Oakland resident learned a year later that his doctor estimated his chances of survival at one in three, and other doctors had calculated it at one in five.

"That was probably the first time it really hit me how close I was to death," said Rhodes. "The tumors had gone outside of my lymph system, so they were basically everywhere. My whole chest and torso was pretty much full of tumors — my spleen, my lungs, my bone marrow — all over the place."

Fast forward to today. Rhodes, 39, is cancer-free. He and his wife, Claire, have become avid triathletes, competing for charity under the banner of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's Team In Training program.

It's a phenomenal survival story, with a neat love-story subplot. Before he contracted lymphoma, Matt considered himself a reasonably healthy bachelor who ran a little and worked out at the gym to stay in shape. But after surgery to remove the tumor, followed by 12 weeks of chemotherapy and 12 weeks of radiation treatment, he had to learn to walk again. He used a walker at first, then a cane. About a year into his rehabilitation, he went on a ski trip to Colorado, where he met Claire through mutual friends. While the two were swimming, she noticed a large surgical scar on his back. He told her his cancer story and thought he'd killed a budding romance.

"When we got back to the lodge, I made things even worse by showing her a Web site I'd made with pictures and a journal from my rehab," he said. "She basically got to see me near death only a year before. She was flush and had a blank look on her face afterward, and I thought, 'Good job, Matt. Way to screw up this relationship. This isn't going anywhere.' But she stuck with a guy who should have been a 'no' the second you hear stuff like this."

Claire wound up shifting Matt's physical mind-set into overdrive. An avid runner, she convinced him they should try the inaugural Hike For Discovery at the Grand Canyon, where they came in contact with Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, which sponsored the event. They were married shortly after in 2004, settled in Oakland, and at Claire's urging entered a triathlon through Team in Training, which has prepared more than 380,000 novice athletes for marathons, triathlons and cycle rides, raising nearly $1 billion for research, education and patient aid since 1988.

"I'd never done anything like this," Matt recalled. "I'd only done one other race in my life, a four-mile road race. I had no real concept of what it would take or how good it would feel. My initial thinking was do something easy, but Claire said, 'No, no, let's challenge ourselves.’”

Since 2006, Matt and Claire have competed in more than 10 triathlons together, raising several thousand dollars toward finding a lymphoma cure. They recently took part in the Avia Wildflower Half-Ironman and are now training for their third Escape From Alcatraz triathlon in June. Even though Claire generally beats Matt, he adores the fast-growing sport.

It still grabs him sometimes that he is able to compete. Rarely does a day go by when he doesn't reflect on what he overcame.

"It's a wonderful irony that I'm out here running and cycling when my diagnosis had me not walking, and possibly worse," he said. "My first three or four triathlons, I'd get choked up during the race because I'd get to that moment where I realized what I'm doing and how lucky I am. I'd look like an idiot on the course because I'd be wheezing, barely able to breathe, because I would get so emotional."

As for Claire's influence on his life, Matt said, "She believes in herself in a great way and me in a way that makes me do things I never thought I could do before."

Claire has made inspiration her life's work. She is director of the San Francisco arm of Girls On The Run, a nonprofit prevention program that helps preteen girls develop self-esteem and healthy lifestyles through running. Matt is a computer software animation and graphics developer who provides inspiration simply by telling his story whenever and wherever he can.

"Team in Training tries to contact people who are going through treatment so they can receive support from our group, but also we use them as honorees as inspiration for the team," he said. "It's give-and-get inspiration. For me, it's a real honor to hear that I inspire people." In truth, they both do.

When Medicine and Faith Collide--What about the Child?

2009-05-26T07:36:00.000-07:00

Because we have heard on the news a situation with a 13-year of boy with Hodgkin’s lymphoma, I have been following this story with interest. Today, Seminary President Albert Mohler weighed in on the story. He writes below saying,

“Recent cases involving parents who claim a religious reason to refuse medical treatment for children have cast this issue back into the Public Square -- and right into the headlines.

The cases draw immediate attention for good reason. Each case involves a sick or injured child, and in each case at least one parent refuses to allow needed medical treatments, claiming either a reliance upon divine healing, a resignation to the divine will, a medical practice specific to the religious tradition, or some particular objection to a specific medical treatment (such as a blood transfusion) or to all medical interventions.

Each case involves what appear to be conflicting interests -- the parental right to determine the raising of children and the state's interest in protecting the health and welfare of all citizens, including minors. All of these cases are tortuous in some sense, and some are deeply tragic.

In the case of Daniel Hauser, a 13-year-old Minnesota boy with Hodgkin's lymphoma, the issue is the fact that his mother, Colleen Hauser, has defied legal authorities and is believed to have taken him to Mexico for non-traditional treatments for his cancer. The Hausers believe in medical practices based on Native American traditions. After an emotional appeal from the boy's father, the mother and son returned Memorial Day to Minnesota, where he will now receive treatment directed by pediatric oncologists. There is good reason to hope that the chemotherapy will be successful in the case of this treatable cancer.

In another highly publicized case, Leilani Neumann of Wausau, Wisconsin was convicted last week of second-degree reckless homicide in the death of her 11-year-old daughter, Madeline Kara Neumann. Mrs. Neumann refused to allow medical treatment for her daughter's diabetes, and the girl died. The mother claimed a belief in faith healing as her rationale for refusing medical treatment for her daughter. According to medical authorities who testified at the trial, insulin and fluids would have kept the girl alive. Mrs. Neumann now awaits sentencing.

Another recent case involves a 16-year-old boy in Oregon who died a painful death when his parents refused medical treatment for what started out as a simple urinary tract infection. Citing a belief in faith healing, his parents substituted prayer for medical treatment. According to medical authorities, the boy's death was easily preventable.

As these cases make clear, the headlines draw attention for good reason -- children deserve medical care and parents who refuse medical care in cases such as these have no right to allow their children to die without the care and treatments.

And, amazingly enough, there is a strong moral consensus in this country that children deserve medical care and that the state has the obligation to intervene in such cases. This consensus includes both political liberals and conservatives and includes the vast majority of Americans regardless of religious conviction. Though there are important legal issues at stake, a broad consensus exists on this narrowly-defined question. In cases like those recounted above, there is no outcry against state intervention from Christian conservatives or from secular liberals.

The 1944 U.S. Supreme Court decision Prince v. Massachusetts set parameters that continue today. In that case, the Court acknowledged the rights of parents as fundamental. In an important statement the court expressed this right: "It is cardinal with us that the custody, care and nurture of the child reside first in the parents, whose primary function and freedom include preparation for obligations the state can neither supply nor hinder. Pierce v. Society of Sisters, supra. And it is in recognition of this that these decisions have respected the private realm of family life which the state cannot enter."

But the Court also found that there were issues of the welfare of a child that could draw state authorities into this "private realm." Specifically, "The right to practice religion freely does not include liberty to expose the community or the child to communicable disease or the latter to ill health or death."

As a parent, I respect this point. I cannot imagine denying my child any needed medical treatment or defending the right of others to do the same, whether claiming religious liberty or parental freedom for the care and nurture of the child.

I would defend the duty of the state to intervene in these cases, and I am thankful for the broad consensus that stands behind this duty.

I am not without concerns. Given the power of government and the reach of the state into almost all areas of life, the danger exists that the state could seek to expand this duty into other decisions related to education, discipline, and nurture -- the very issues acknowledged by the Court in Prince v. Massachusetts to "reside first in the parents." Yet, vigilance on those questions is the price that must be paid, lest more children be added to the list of those who die or are endangered by parents who claim a religious right to deny their child urgently needed medical treatment. As adults, parents have the right to refuse medical treatment for themselves. They do not have the right to refuse urgently needed medical treatments for their children.

As a Christian theologian, my concern is also directed to those who oppose medical treatment on what are claimed as biblical grounds. The Bible never commands any refusal of legitimate medical treatment. I am unspeakably thankful for modern medicine, for antibiotics and anesthesia and chemotherapy and dialysis and diagnostics. The list goes on and on. There is no Christian prohibition against legitimate medical treatment. I believe that God heals, that we should pray for healing in Christ's name, and that our lives are in God's hands. I believe that all healing comes ultimately from God, but that He has given us the blessings of medicine for the alleviation of much suffering and the treatment of disease. There is no conflict here.

There are serious issues of medical ethics in the case of some treatments, even as there are excruciating dilemmas that confront physicians, patients, and parents. Those must be acknowledged, but they are not the issues at stake in these cases.

In these cases I advise what the great Reformer Martin Luther advised -- take your medicine and put your trust in God. For parents, this means to give your child the best care that modern medicine can offer, and to entrust your precious child to God and to God alone.”

Look for the rainbows

2009-05-10T20:09:00.000-07:00

On Friday, we visited Stanford once again. I had a CAT scan and they took some more blood samples. We met with our oncologist and she suggested that I could back off on some of my meds. The meds were often making me just gag right after I took them. It was like World War III going off in my stomach within seconds. We were checked over and we were given a good prognosis. I will go to Stanford every three months for the next year and twice the following year. Koyce and I were overjoyed with the news on Friday and so we get ready for the next five months of getting stronger, resting and staying healthy. We thank the Lord for our friends, your prayers and your love. We could have never gone through this without them. As Jo said in a previous note, prayers have been answered. By the way, a great song to see is I’m Alive illustrated with fighter jets. If you haven’t seen it, email me or leave a comment below and I will send it to you. Thanks again. We are flying high at the moment and for this we give God the glory. Praise be to Him, the Almighty, our LORD and savior. I trust that you will priase God this week along with us.

"When Life throws you a curve, SWING".

2009-05-10T19:57:00.000-07:00

This statement above was developed by Alyssa Knight, age 12. It was picked up by Jo Sherman who said, “I saw this card and thought of you! You are swinging back—and an army of people who love you are praying! That’s how God works. What an encouragement you both are to me.” (I liked this card because the theme of it is similar to the theme of my blog, that is, we want life to be in a straight line but there are curves along the way. Also, this was written when I was not feeling like writing, but I wanted you to see it anyway.

In some ways we are going through this process with you—thank you making it so clear as to what to expect ad you go through the various steps. It makes it much easier to pray appropriately!

I think you must feel so horrible! And I pray, “Please God, take this away soon so David will feel better.” That seems to be all I know how to do! But just be aware that every day you are being prayed—and it is a priority.

I am keeping up with your blog but there isn’t much as to news there right now so I am assuming this is a tough time and it will get better soon! I pray for success for you and the doctors in all that is being done—and expect to hear you are doing well!Every day we will continue to pray for you both—and thank God for what he is doing for you! Much love to you both! Jo & Jack.

Jo, in another note wrote, "I just finished reading your blog. Wow! It is so great that the people who were there for you were able to listen as you related the gospel in such creative ways. I, of course, read your blog from the top down and should have gone down to the last bit that I had read and go back up! Anyway, after reading about the terrible nightmares and other "bad" things that happened as a result of the chemo, etc, it sounds as if you were quite uncomfortable for some time. The sores in the mouth and throat must have been difficult for sure.I hope you are gaining a bit more energy each day because I know it can be very discouraging when one feels they do not have the energy they want to have. It is especially difficult for someone like you who is always so energetic!Sounds like Koyce was a true trooper and the best help meet you could ask for!Have a terrific, wonderful good day, Jo"

2009-05-10T19:53:00.000-07:00

A card Koyce received from Neva in Texas said, “Life’s Essentials… and then you open it up it reads, “…a little black dress, and one great friend!” Then she wrote, “Dear Koyce, This card just shouted to me of you! I would love to be with you for a visit. We could just enjoy a “chic day!” I am reading Ann of Green Gables and am feeling and thinking very imaginably. I hope your nursing is going well. I am so thankful that you have so many to help you during this time out. I am even looking to Hawaii for you! (Oh, just a dream). We love you and are praying for you, Gene and Neva.

",,,and there great friends God give you too."

2009-05-10T19:39:00.000-07:00

A family with two teenagers in our church sent me the neatest card. First, it started out by saying “There are greater things than you can IMAGINE ahead of you—and there’s a great God walking beside you. When you open the card, a song starts playing ”How great is our God.” The lady of the house quoted Psalm 19:14-16 that says, “Because he loves me, ‘says the Lord,’ I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call upon me, and I will answer him. I will be with him in trouble. I will deliver him and honor him. With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation.’” Then she wrote “We thank God that you are in his care…the Great Physician. And what a story, you will have to tell! Can’t wait for your first Sunday back.”

Their college age son wrote, “I appreciate the time and effort you put in to the church. Can’t wait to have you back.” Their high school daughter wrote, “Pastor, we are praying for you. We appreciate all you do for our church.” Dad wrote, “Thank you for being such a great example to all of us. You are as much of an inspiration to us there in a hospital bed as you are here in our church. But we look forward to having you back with us soon.”

"An Important Lesson and a Good Story"

2009-05-07T07:42:00.001-07:00

My dear friend Ruth Matthews made this card and sent it. There is a lesson here. Her card reminded me of this story by Max Lucado.
Once there was an old man who lived in a tiny village. Although poor, he was envied by all, for he owned a beautiful white horse. Even the king coveted his treasure. A horse like this had never been seen before—such was its splendor, its majesty, its strength.

People offered fabulous prices for the steed, but the old man always refused. “This horse is not a horse to me,” he would tell them. “It is a person. How could you sell a person? He is a friend, not a possession. How could you sell a friend?” The man was poor and the temptation was great. But he never sold the horse.

One morning he found that the horse was not in the stable. All the village came to see him. “You old fool,” they scoffed, “we told you that someone would steal your horse. We warned you that you would be robbed. You are so poor. How could you ever hope to protect such a valuable animal? It would have been better to have sold him. You could have gotten whatever price you wanted. No amount would have been too high. Now the horse is gone, and you’ve been cursed with misfortune.”

The old man responded, “Don’t speak too quickly. Say only that the horse is not in the stable. That is all we know; the rest is judgment. If I’ve been cursed or not, how can you know? How can you judge?”

The people contested, “Don’t make us out to be fools! We may not be philosophers, but great philosophy is not needed. The simple fact that your horse is gone is a curse.”

The old man spoke again. “All I know is that the stable is empty, and the horse is gone. The rest I don’t know. Whether it be a curse or a blessing, I can’t say. All we can see is a fragment. Who can say what will come next?”

The people of the village laughed. They thought that the man was crazy. They had alwaysthought he was fool; if he wasn’t, he would have sold the horse and lived off the money. But instead, he was a poor woodcutter, an old man still cutting firewood and dragging it out of the forest and selling it. He lived hand to mouth in the misery of poverty. Now he had proven that he was, indeed, a fool.

After fifteen days, the horse returned. He hadn’t been stolen; he had run away into the forest. Not only had he returned, he had brought a dozen wild horses with him. Once again the village people gathered around the woodcutter and spoke. “Old man, you were right and we were wrong. What we thought was a curse was a blessing. Please forgive us.”

The man responded, “Once again, you go too far. Say only that the horse is back. State only that a dozen horses returned with him, but don’t judge. How do you know if this is a blessing or not? You see only a fragment. Unless you know the whole story, how can you judge? You read only one page of a book. Can you judge the whole book? You read only one word of a phrase. Can you understand the entire phrase?

“Life is so vast, yet you judge all of life with one page or one word. All you have is a fragment! Don’t say that this is a blessing. No one knows. I am content with what I know. I am not perturbed by what I don’t.”

“Maybe the old man is right,” they said to one another. So they said little. But down deep, they knew he was wrong. They knew it was a blessing. Twelve wild horses had returned with one horse. With a little bit of work, the animals could be broken and trained and sold for much money.

The old man had a son, an only son. The young man began to break the wild horses. After a few days, he fell from one of the horses and broke both legs. Once again the villagers gathered around the old man and cast their judgements.

“You were right,” they said. “You proved you were right. The dozen horses were not a blessing. They were a curse. Your only son has broken his legs, and now in your old age you have no one to help you. Now you are poorer than ever.”

The old man spoke again. “You people are obsessed with judging. Don’t go so far. Say only that my son broke his legs. Who knows if it is a blessing or a curse? No one knows. We only have a fragment. Life comes in fragments.”

It so happened that a few weeks later the country engaged in war against a neighboring country. All the young men of the village were required to join the army. Only the son of the old man was excluded, because he was injured. Once again the people gathered around the old man, crying and screaming because their sons had been taken. There was little chance that they would return. The enemy was strong, and the war would be a losing struggle. They would never see their sons again.

“You were right, old man,” they wept. “God knows you were right. This proves it. Yours son’s accident was a blessing. His legs may be broken, but at least he is with you. Our sons are gone forever.”

The old man spoke again. “It is impossible to talk with you. You always draw conclusions. No one knows. Say only this: Your sons had to go to war, and mine did not. No one knows if it is a blessing or a curse. No one is wise enough to know. Only God knows.”' Isn't that a grest story? You see, we don't know whether what happens to us but the child of God knows that God works all things together for good to those that are called according to His purpose.

A Little Wobbly

2009-05-06T19:56:00.000-07:00

Hey, once they let me out of bed, they gave me a physical therapist to help me. Shortly, I was told that I needed a Cain since my balance was not all that good. Over three years ago, the chemo fried my feet and my balance has not been all that great. Now it is worse. Also, they wanted me to walk with someone. I suggested my wife and they said, “No, if you fall, you will crush her.” So they gave me a person to work with—a trained physical therapist. She was from Persia. See the picture and tell me that if I had fallen, I wouldn’t have crushed her!” She was much smaller than my wife. However, I never did fall and I am still working on my balance.

Friends Stay in Touch

2009-05-06T19:29:00.000-07:00

Today, a friend of mine sent me a nice thing to view. You can view it too at:
http://www.lshs64.com/enjoytheride.html

Just copy and paste. It has a saying on it that reads, "Your job will not take care of you when you are sick, though I am thankful for the people of our church who are taking care of me. Then, it goes on to say, "Your friends will stay in touch."

How true this is. I can't list the friends who have stayed in touch with me. Some calling from out of the country no less than once a week, a lady in our church who sends me a card weekly, friends that will drive over to Stanford and bring you whatever you need, pictures that people have taken and put into cards, people who from time to time send cards that really have meaning and were well thought out, people who sent me their written prayers, people who came and cleaned our house when we came from the hospital and those who picked up the load at the church, who sent me 3 Griffey posters (eat your heart out boys) and there was much more. Yes, I have been touched by my friends. (The above picture is Dr. Dick and Sherrill Christen serving in Bermuda at the moment).

When I Thouhgt it was over, a Team said, "You have some Infections."

2009-05-06T19:03:00.000-07:00

I thought that it was about over and in a few days would be going home. Instead, they found three infections, one in my lungs, one in my catheter which they took out and another in my digestive tract. Now it is fun to see the nurses try to find my veins to poke as my veins are hard to get to try and kill the infections. I was treated as an outpatient while we lived in a hotel in Palo Alto. However, I was put back into the hospital and eventually was allowed to live back in the hotel near Stanford with Koyce boiling my water, eating only certain foods.

Finally, I came back to Concord with treatment everyday for about three hours in Kaiser Walnut Creek. Now, it appears that the infections will be gone.

At present, my energy level is low. They tell me to expect this for up to six months to recover from the treatment. So far, the doctors are encouraged by my progress but to me, it seems so slow.

I Met a lot of Nice Friends

2009-05-06T18:59:00.000-07:00

I was told from the get-go that I would have a hard time concentrating so reading was out. I could do puzzles and scrapbooking but that was really not my thing. But I tried to figure out a way to reach out to my nurses and nurses’ aides to hear what I wanted to share about Christianity. I soon discovered that these workers were from different countries. Four were from Persia, several from the Philippines one from the Caribbean, another from Ethiopia and a number from India. And the list went on.

I started with those from Persia and asked them if they had ever heard of the Magi? None had. Then, I mentioned the Wise Men at Christmas time. They had heard about this. That opened the door to telling them how Persia got the Christian message about Christ.

I had fun with a number of other countries such as India. Having been there on four different occasions, this opened the door. Then I told them some things that I had found in Don Richardson’s book, Eternity in their Hearts. Don is a former missionary and a cultural anthropologist. He says,

“Evolutionary theorists hold that the concept of one Supreme Being was reached only after proceeding through more lowly beliefs such as fetishes, nature gods, and polytheism. They now find evidence of the exact opposite, i.e., that the more ‘primitive’ tribes have more advanced ideas about one true God—monotheism! Thus, despite scholarly views to the contrary, historical and other records reject animism as the ‘original’ religion and they indicate that people have known of the one true God from the very beginning.” This is contrary to everything we are taught in our culture and most cultures like India!

One example. Let’s go back to India to Hindu writings. Now can you imagine any system more different to Christianity than Hinduism? We believe in one God and classical Hinduism believes in over 300 million gods. We believe in one life and they believe in reincarnation. We believe in grace and they believe in karma. But is it possible that even in Hinduism there is some reference to one true God and a coming Messiah? Well, if we look back far enough, this is exactly what we find. Hindu scripture is made of several different types of writings and in the oldest of their scriptures is the Vedas. And in the oldest of the Vedas are the Rigvedas, in fact, they are the oldest surviving writings on earth. And before them are the Upanishads, the very oldest of them and the very oldest of the Vedas are not polytheistic at all! They are monotheistic! They believe just in one true God, the God of creation.

But, there arose in India a priestly caste that ended up with just a bit of power. And as we all know, power tends to corrupt. And these leaders wanted absolute power so they devised a system where they could control people—rather than just than letting them go to God and trust him for salvation. And so they told the people that they needed to rely on them to tell them what to do to get God to smile upon their lives. And they said that when you die, you don’t go to heaven immediately. Instead, you advance through a series of lives and if you are good enough in this life and you give us, your priests, enough money—then maybe you will be good enough to get to heaven. And this is how they were able to control the people and this is how their ancient system of religion was corrupted. And one can see this pattern over and over again in all kinds of ancient cultures.

So, I just hinted at this stuff in various cultures that I had learned from this book and at this point, I had their interest, got their email addresses and told them that I would write to them with more specifics of their country whether in Africa or China. It was fun and I enjoyed my attempt at sharing Christ so very much and made over a dozen friends in the process. So, what did I do in the hospital, I tried to be like Paul in prison, sharing Christ as the opportunity arose.

What I called my Christmas Tree of Chemotherapy

2009-05-06T18:45:00.000-07:00

I haven’t written anything for over a month because once I hit the Stanford Hospital, I didn’t feel much like writing and even had a hard time concentrating and seeing. So, except for a couple of articles previously that I had prepared, I added nothing. Maybe part of it could be seen in a recent USA Weekend article entitled, How a deadly gas became a lifesaver.

The word "chemotherapy" is inextricably linked to healing, although its origins derive from the deadly mustard gas used in World War I. Today, medical specialists all over the world use this powerful tool as part of cancer treatment. Now there are about 100 types of chemotherapy that are available for use—a huge accomplishment considering that it was only 60 years ago that the Food and Drug Administration approved the first chemotherapeutic agent.

During World War I, it was noted that many soldiers exposed to mustard gas developed declines in bone and lymph system function. Scientists theorized that such chemical power, if harnessed, might wreak havoc on cancer cells. In 1942, when an anonymous patient first received "Compound X," doctors hoped that the cancer would respond favorably, which it did, at least for a short period of time.

By 1949, enough positive studies were available to convince the FDA to approve nitrogen mustard for treatment. Since then, strides in chemotherapy have given cancer specialists more options. Although these drugs are harsh and can be dangerous, they are lifesavers. Considering the original chemical was developed as a tool of death, that's a pleasant irony. Tedd Mitchell, M.D., president and CEO of Dallas' Cooper Clinic, writes HealthSmart every week. So this is really what I encountered. I ended up taking chemotherapy that was up to ten times worse than I had been previously given. This gave me sores in my mouth and throat and several weeks of recovery were the least of the problems. The worst seemed to be the mental condition it put me in. It seemed to leave me disoriented. A nurse talked to me a couple of weeks later and told how I wanted to get out of the room, go outside and they had to restrain me. I don’t remember much of the evening except for the bad dreams I had that night. It was a terrible experience to have and I was finally happy when I was finished with two such doses of this heavy chemo. In addition, the medicines they pump into you makes one a little hazy in one’s thinking. One day a nurse suspected this with me and asked me a number of questions. One was, “Who is the president of the United States?” I said, “Osama bin Laden!” They rushed me off to ER! Koyce was quite a trouper to sit there and watch me in this condition until they finally encouraged her to go the place she was staying.

I had some visitors

2009-04-22T05:14:00.000-07:00

One day a group from the church paid me a visit. They couldn’t come into the room so they painted a poster and stood outside where I could see it. They called me on my phone and I came to the window and they sang, “We Love you Pastor, We Really Do.” It really ministered to me and to a patient two rooms down from mine. Soon, they had a message that said, “Thank you for the message.” Eventually, Koyce met the lady and her daughter that was going through treatment and they wanted to know where our church was so that they could attend. It was so neat. Our people came to minister to me and ended up being a blessing to others too!

One of many Cards I Received

2009-04-22T05:04:00.000-07:00

Cindy Mindrup is a great photographer and she sent Koyce 30 such photographs with verses attached. I also receivied 30 cards, one for each day I was in the hospital. We loved these cards and so did our doctors, nurses and aids. And our friend Gail Bradway kept sending us her prayers each week. Here is another one:

Gail wrote in her devotions in Proverbs these words, “Haven’t been in Proverbs three for a tad, God, but I’m findin’ gems—“Lady wisdom,” and “Madame Insight”…gives long life.” Her manner is beautiful, her life wonderfully complete—thank you for the wisdom and insight You give us thru the Holy Spirit everyday. Even at this time, when pastor’s life is anything but normal or predictable, may he see the completeness and beauty of Your wisdom and insight!

Oh, boy, I’m liken’ this prayer….“Dear friend, guard clear thinking and common sense with your life, don’t lose sight of them for a minute. They’ll keep your soul alive and well, they’ll keep you fit and attractive. You’ll travel safely, you’ll neither tire nor trip. You’ll take afternoon naps without a worry, you’ll enjoy a good night’s sleep. No need to panic over alarms or surprises….because God will be right there with you; He’ll keep you safe and sound.” Of God, You know that’s the desire of our hearts for ourselves and pastor. This is new turf for him—how will he know how much rest, pain, medicine, exertion and the umpteen million other things necessary for this new adventure unless he’s thinking and acting with your mind!

“Never walk away from someone who deserves help; your hand is God’s hand for that person.” That’s great! Sooo, I’m reading his blog and seeing all the people writing, sending cards, cleaning---may we be able to sustain being Your hand, because this journey isn’t over!

“It’s the straight-forward who get Your respect.” Once again we’re asking that those in charge of pastor’s hospital care will be honorable, respectful and exhibit truth as we have seen so far."

Meeting my Oncologist, Dr. Sally Arai

2009-04-22T04:22:00.000-07:00

Our good friend Jo Sherman dropped us this note just as I started my treatment at Stanford. She wrote, "You have been on my mind a great deal lately. Thank you for keeping us informed. I know you will be going to Stanford tomorrow to have labs, a chest X-ray and meet with your oncologist, Dr. Sally Arai. I will be praying all goes well and that you will be able to get going on what needs to be done. I also will be praying for your doctors, nurses, and all who are a part of this team. I reread your WHOLE blog from way back when you had to cancel the trip to Israel and have rescheduled it for 2010. I especially was touched by Tony Snow's article in Christianity Today, it really does say it all. I believe he was a true believer and is in heaven with the Lord. Jack and I loved to listen to him on TV and on the radio. He was truly a great guy and his testimony was truly inspirational.

Along with that I read Dr. Jeremiah's testimony and will get his book and read it so I am really in touch with what you are going through. David Jeremiah was my brother's pastor in Ft. Wayne, IN and I went to that church with them even before I was a Christian! I was very impressed with him at the time but after I became a Christian what he preached about that day came back to me and made so much sense!!!! My niece was their baby sitter and they lived very near the Jeremiah's. I am so thankful for the many blessings God has given me through the years but one of the greatest blessings I have had was to get a Th.B. from Western Baptist College and have you a my professor for so many classes! It was truly the best time of my life and God used your wisdom to make it such.

Thank you, David, I mean this from the bottom of my heart! Over the years I have thanked God many times for your wisdom and patience and just the encouragement you have been to me and so many others.Now it is my turn to encourage you! I know that you will get through this "bend in the road" in fine shape because there are many of us out here praying for you and Koyce. We love you and will continue to hold you up in prayer every day!

Love you both, Jo

"He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver"

2009-04-22T04:08:00.000-07:00

Dr. William Bellshaw sent me this piece and I think it really fits. One of these days, I will explain more of the fire that I went through. The verse in Makachi 3 had some women in a Bible study wondering what this statement meant about the character and nature of God.

One of the women offered to find out the process of refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible Study.

That week, the woman called a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him at work. She didn't mention anything about the reason for her interest beyond her curiosity about the process of refining silver.

As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest as to burn away all the impurities.

The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot; then she thought again about the verse that says: "He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver."

She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time the silver was being refined.

The man answered that yes, he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was left a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed.

The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith, "How do you know when the silver is fully refined?"

He smiled at her and answered,
"Oh, that's easy -- when I see my image in it."

If today you are feeling the heat of the fire, remember that God has His eye on you and will keep watching you until He sees His image in you.

Pass this on right now. This very moment, someone needs to know that God is watching over them. And whatever they're going through, they'll be a better person in the end.

"Life is a coin. You can spend it anyway you wish, but you can only spend it once."

Interview With Rick Warren

2009-04-22T03:58:00.000-07:00

My wife's younger sister and her husband Mike wrote and said, "You will enjoy the new insights that Rick Warren has, with his wife now having cancer and him having 'wealth' from the book sales. This is an absolutely incredible short interview with Rick Warren, Purpose Driven Life, author and pastor of Saddleback Church in California

In the interview by Paul Bradshaw with Rick Warren, Rick said: “People ask me, ‘What is the purpose of life?’ And I respond: ‘In a nutshell, life is preparation for eternity. We were not made to last forever, and God wants us to be with Him in Heaven. One day my heart is going to stop, and that will be the end of my body--but not the end of me. I may live 60 to 100 years on earth, but I am going to spend trillions of years in eternity. This is the warm-up act—the dress rehearsal. God wants us to practice on earth what we will do forever in eternity. We were made by God and for God, and until you figure that out, life isn't going to make sense.’

Life is a series of problems: Either you are in one now, you're just coming out of one, or you're getting ready to go into another one. The reason for this is that God is more interested in your character than your comfort; God is more interested in making your life holy than He is in making your life happy. We can be reasonably happy here on earth, but that's not the goal of life. The goal is to grow in character, in Christ likeness.

This past year has been the greatest year of my life but also the toughest, with my wife, Kay, getting cancer. I used to think that life was hills and valleys—you go through a dark time, then you go to the mountaintop, back and forth. I don't believe that anymore.

Rather than life being hills and valleys, I believe that it's kind of like two rails on a railroad track, and at all times you have something good and something bad in your life. No matter how good things are in your life, there is always something bad that needs to be worked on. And no matter how bad things are in your life, there is always something good you can thank God for.

You can focus on your purposes, or you can focus on your problems: If you focus on your problems, you're going into self-centeredness, which is my problem, my issues, my pain. But one of the easiest ways to get rid of pain is to get your focus off yourself and onto God and others.

We discovered quickly that in spite of the prayers of hundreds of thousands of people, God was not going to heal Kay or make it easy for her- It has been very difficult for her, and yet God has strengthened her character, given her a ministry of helping other people, given her a testimony, drawn her closer to Him and to people. You have to learn to deal with both the good and the bad of life.

Actually, sometimes learning to deal with the good is harder. For instance, this past year, all of a sudden, when the book sold 15 million copies, it made me instantly very wealthy. It also brought a lot of notoriety that I had never had to deal with before. I don't think God gives you money or notoriety for your own ego or for you to live a life of ease. So I began to ask God what He wanted me to do with this money, notoriety and influence. He gave me two different passages that helped me decide what to do, II Corinthians 9 and Psalm 72.

First, in spite of all the money coming in, we would not change our lifestyle one bit. We made no major purchases. Second, about midway through last year, I stopped taking a salary from the church. Third, we set up foundations to fund an initiative we call The Peace Plan to plant churches, equip leaders, assist the poor, care for the sick, and educate the next generation. Fourth, I added up all that the church had paid me in the 24 years since I started the church, and I gave it all back. It was liberating to be able to serve God for free.

We need to ask ourselves: “Am I going to live for possessions? Popularity? Am I going to be driven by pressures? Guilt? Bitterness? Materialism? Or am I going to be driven by God's purposes (for my life)?’ When I get up in the morning, I sit on the side of my bed and say, ‘God, if I don't get anything else done today, I want to know You more and love You better. God didn't put me on earth just to fulfill a to-do list. He's more interested in what I am than what I do. That's why we're called human beings, not human doings. Happy moments, PRAISE GOD. Difficult moments, SEEK GOD. Quiet moments, WORSHIP GOD. Painful moments, TRUST GOD. Every moment, THANK GOD. If you do not pass it on, nothing will happen. But it might be nice to pass it on to a friend....just like I have done.”

Thinking of You

2009-04-01T12:20:00.001-07:00

Two of my classmate friends Mel and Margie Beals sent this note:

We can't even begin to imagine all you've been through,

but we are praying for you (and Koyce!) and will continue!

You'll fell better soon.

All Prayers are Appreciated

2009-03-25T16:41:00.000-07:00

At this point the. doctors, Pastor and Koyce are doing what they can. The rest is in the hands of God so we covet your prayers. We receive daily offers and written prayers and one of these prayers was written by Mary Smith of Salem, Oregon. Here is her prayer:

“I look up to the mountains—
does my help come from there?
Picture of our house as a kid in E. Wenatchee

Mary Smith was going to call one day and pray with me but decided instead to write out her prayer and send it. Listen to it. “Dear Lord, hear my prayer. It is from my heart, and it's for someone very, very dear to me.

My friend, David, faces a tough week. But, that's nothing for you, God. You aren't surprised by our circumstances or taken aback by our life experiences, because you see the road ahead. You already know what you're going to do and how it will be accomplished.

But, since WE don't know what lies ahead, here's my specific prayer request: Heal him, Lord. Restore David's health. Give him courage in those 3 am alone times, and remind him that HE ISN'T ALONE, because you're right there with him through every moment.

We thank you for life. We thank you for our mothers and fathers who gave us life and for all we've learned and know about your Word and YOU, but we don't know enough. We want more years to grow in your ways and influence more people and to enjoy more time on planet earth. But only if it's your will, Father.

Thank you for the people you bring to our lives....David to mine. And Koyce to David's. Oh, I pray that Koyce will be a strong woman, filled with confidence that you're going to bring her through this, and we know that she's going to need a lot of strength. Bring friends to her side.

Bless Scott and Mike. They love their father so much! They need their Dad. So do the grandchildren. So, I'm asking you to carry this family through an uncertain time, knowing you are with them every minute.

Lord, hear my prayer. I thank you for all that you are going to do, and we claim your many promises, especially Psalm 121. We know our help comes from you. You are mighty, awesome, and we praise you, now and always.

In Jesus name I pray, amen.

Love, Mary (Curt, too)”

Mary made reference to Psalm 121 that begins by saying, “I look up to the mountains—does my help come from there? (Psalm 121:1). In David Jeremiah’s book, A Bend in the Road, I used it relied heavily on it in preparing a message about the journey I was about to embark on. This is what I said to them: “The writer here has prepared himself for his journey through the mountains to Jerusalem. And as he gets unto the road, he takes a minute and gazes up to the horizon. There he begins to think of the miles ahead, all the twists and turns and even surprises. He also thinks of the dust and the heat, the darkness and all the thirsty miles. He admires, however, the graceful line where the mountains and the sky come together.

When I almost 9 years of age, my dad took a ride on the Great Northern Railway going west and went through the Rocky Mountains. He had never seen mountains as majestic and he said that the thrill of seeing such majestic mountains caused him to cry. No wonder my dad eventually built a house in the state of Washington where he could look out the windows and see the mountains. It was spectacular. (And I showed the people a view out of our living room window that we looked at every single day. Above is a picture of our place being built in the winter of the mid 1950s)

Now there are many places in the Bible that describe the mountains as a place of blessing, but—we all know that the mountains can also be a place of danger. Mountains are places where people lose their lives. The rocks and caves hide wild animals as well as bloodthirsty bandits. Pagan cultures built their temples in the mountains. The godly pilgrims found a sense of majesty in the high country, but they also found a sense of danger and fear of the unknown. The writer of the psalms must have thought about all of these things as he gazed upon the mountains and began his journey so he says, “I look up to the mountains, where will my help come from?”

Now if you were raised like I was with the King James Bible, you can probably quote for me the first verse of Psalm 121 and then complete the next sentence. For it says, “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, (and what is next? It is,) from whence cometh (or ‘comes’ in the NKJ) my help. And probably many of us have thought that this verse was saying, “that the hills are the place from which help comes.” But unfortunately, the King James left out a dash here and a question so that the verse should have read,

“I look up to the mountains— (dash) does my help come from there?” The answer is of course “no. Not at all.” The hills are not the place from which our help comes, rather the hills are the place where help is needed. The hills or mountains represent the perils of the journey due to the crevices and ravines along with wild beasts and robbers. The mountains are a place of danger. The pilgrims of old looked to the mountain ranges that they had to cross on their route to Jerusalem and they were wondering where they would get some help. It is in this situation that the psalmist says,

“My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth!” (Psalm 121:2). It is the Lord who is the source of our strength. Our help comes from no one but God. What a lesson for life’s travelers on this earth. And don’t overlook how the Lord is described here. He is the one who made heaven and earth. The idea is—our help comes from a Creator who hung the stars in space and set the earth upon its course. What encouragement this is! I mean, think about it. If God can guide the planets, he can surely guide our steps through the ups and downs and the twists and turns and the bends we come across in life’s journey.

Think about this. When your journey brings you to a bend in the road such as hearing that you have cancer, or you just lost your job or a number of other things, you can be filled with a sense of helplessness. And you will cry out to God and say, “Lord, I need your help!” And in the moment of deep anxiety, we need to remember this—and it is, the One to whom you are praying is the One who created the heaven and earth. He is the Creator God. So, take a deep breath and look to the Lord who can certainly take care of you. Some of our people at church are a bit concerned about how I am going to handle the curve in the road I have just come upon. But know this—help is on the way. For my help is coming primarily from the Lord.” David Jeremiah has a great big that came out of his experience with cancer. I would highly recommend it for anyone who has come upon a bend in the road.

Now a word of praise. David came through the Stem Cell Transplant superbly Thanks for praying.

Scott Flies down; Koyce and I off to Stanford

2009-03-19T16:30:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, we picked up Scott at the Oakland airport and we had a great time of bonding in the evening. On Sunday, he preached. The reason we were unable to hear him speak is that we had a 10:00 AM appointment at Stanford so we drove down to receive a bout of chemo. Then we returned home. Tuesday we headed back to Stanford for several weeks.

Scott was well-received at the church and they gave him book which a number of our people left a note. Here are some of these notes. Elton and Audrey Swanson wrote, “Thank you for standing in the gap while your dear father is temporally laid aside.” Josephine Ward wrote, “In appreciation for your ministry to us today, I trust the Lord is blessing you in your church in Oregon.” Barbara Goldstein said, “We are so happy to have you with us today. We love your dad and are praying for his recovery.” Calvin Fei wrote. We praise God for your father and we praise him for his great work in you. Thanks for preaching this week.” “We love your mom and dad. What a blessing they are. It is great we get to hear you speak” Nancy Jones. “Scott, So good to have you among us today. Praise God for such a dedicated son. Laura Bishari said, “Your father speaks so well of you. We can see he is very proud of his son.” Fran Heighes said, “Remember the summer you were at Calvary, glad to see you again.” Fern Aagard wrote, “Hi Scott, It’s nice to have you here to share with us—and to encourage your parents. Congratulating you on your new job and ministry as a pastor. 1 Cor. 15:58. Gail and Jim Bradway said, “Thanks for helping us out when you’re the one needing help” Oyin Ajala wrote, “Your dad certainly raised a godly man; it’s written all over you….God bless you, ” Another comment was, “Thank you for your beautiful message. God bless you in your mission.” Nicolos, Antonieta and Marco Roncagliolo. Diane Dishman said, “May God bless you and comfort you during this time, Scott!—I had a blue and white 55 Chevy!” Scott’s message was restoration of godliness from the story and David and Bathsheba. To illustrate his point of restoration, he referred to the restoration of his 56 Chevy while he was in high school.

On one of Scott’s cards he left for me was entitled, “10 Great Memories with My Dad.” The first one said, “Every time I look into my garage, I see this “classic” of a car that you had the vision to put together. I don’t think I learned much about cars in the process, but the time spent with you and Mike was so profitable for me. To this day, I have great relationships with both of you, and I have a pretty sweet ride.” Neat uh?

In the afternoon, we had some more bonding time as we mainly looked at some of my 35M slides from the past. When he really wanted some of them to show his son who is now twelve, we canned them and I sent them to his computer. But as the evening came upon us I developed a fever that seemed to continue through until the morning. We took him to the airport just before noon after getting him an In and Out Burger, which I believe is his favorite food in California. Shortly after, I began having some side effects, probably because I wasn’t allowed to have one of those burgers! On Tuesday, I felt much better as we journeyed to Stanford. Once we arrived, I saw that my room had a window, something we had prayed for and outside the window are two blossoming trees and a fountain in the court room. The gardens are beautiful.

But I was hit with some pretty nasty chemo and when we got into the second hour mark. I was feeling pretty edgy and restless. Maybe it was because it was laced with alcohol and they said that I would have a sense of a hangover. I told them I never had a drink in my life and they told me that even strong drinkers face this even worse that I did. Overall they were pleased with my progress. Later in the evening the sensations wore off.

In the morning I was able to read another card that Scott left with Koyce. This time it started with a note that said, “Oh, so many memories.” And this card read; “You teaching me how to bunt by throwing the ball in my face.” (Then all of these have a smiley face following them.’ Next, You “forcing me to play basketball in high school and college, hey I drained a half court shot at WOSC.” The Chevy making it to the coast and back before the wheels went whack as you entered into Dallas” Telling us to “laugh all the way to the bank” after umpping when Mr. Hamilton yelled at us. After performing a funeral, you took me a card show in Portland where you talked to a guy and bought his 1963 cards of Yaz and Spahn.
In the afternoon we went to a concert in the hospital atrium featuring Biddy Early’Bottle and Traditional Irish Tunes all in honor of St. Patrick’s Day yesterday. The story line was that Biddy didn’t sing for money in her days so people received whisky instead. However, Biddy didn’t drink that much but her husbands did, all four of them and they all died long before her, apparently of drinking too much. On Friday, we have another concert here and tomorrow we have another big shot of chemo, one that my pastor Scott asked if he could pray for me over the phone!
As we wind down this note to you, let me tell you that some of you have asked if you could send a note or card and I just found out today that you can write to:

Stanford Hospital.
Blood Marrow Transplant Unit E-1.
David F. Miller
300 Pasteur Dr. mail code 4507.
Stanford, CA 94305.

A God Thing!

2009-03-16T21:14:00.000-07:00

During the time I am in the hospital which appears to be almost a month, Koyce will not be able to stay with me. So what should she do? Should she drive home every night? The drive is too long and would be quite tiring. Should she come only a couple days a week to see me? She would never buy into this plan. Should she stay with my sister in Fremont? Well, it is still a 30-45 minute drive and then there is the bridge toll every day? So, should she stay in a hotel in the area? This would be real expensive and maybe a bit scary staying by one’s self every night.

The ideal would be to stay with someone we knew within a ten minute drive to the Stanford Hospital. Did we know any such person? The answer is—well, maybe. You see, a little over three years prior, I was preaching a series of messages entitled 40 Days of Prayer. It was a good time to deal with such a subject because this was when I had been diagnosed with cancer the first time. Then one Sunday morning, a couple walked in named Bill and Lucie Silene. They loved the series and wished that they could do the same thing in their church. I gave them all of my messages and we had a few left over devotional books that their people could work through. And guess what? They lived right by Stanford! And they told me that if I ever needed a place to stay while at Stanford, to just give them a call. They sent me a nice card and I saved it! That’s right. I have saved all kinds of encouraging notes and things over the years. So, I went to my notebook after hearing of the reoccurrence of my cancer and found that card with their address right there. I gave them a call to see if we could possibly have Koyce stay with them while I was in the hospital. However, timing was going to be a challenge. Their daughter had returned home from college and grandma was temporarily living with them. But they told me that they knew some people very close by the University in the town of Atherton.

They said that they were going to ask Bill and Marilee to see if Koyce could stay at their place. And before I knew it, Marilee was on the phone and enthusiastically invited Koyce to come and stay in their huge house. They gave us a key, free reign of the house and company whenever she needed it. And they were only 10 minutes at most from the hospital. All Koyce has to do is to drive in each morning, either park the car at the Stanford parking garage for $12 a day or drive over to the mall where they allow people to park free and then take the free shuttle to the hospital. You can guess what plan we decided to take! Besides, when she wants to get away from me, she has a place to go where she can exercise her spiritual gift! What is her gift? You probably know. It is the gift of shopping! Isn’t this all amazing. I can say only one thing. This whole situation was a God-sent. What is a God-sent? It is when you stumble across something so unexplainable and wonderful that it has to be a gift from God! This was certainly wonderful and for us, it is a God-sent. Praise the Lord!

Friday the Thirteenth

2009-03-14T16:21:00.000-07:00

I woke up early on Friday, the thirteenth and opened my computer and here was the first message I read. It said, “Dr. Miller, I have a "weirded out" story to tell you. I woke up early this morning about 3:30 am. And I was talking to the Lord and you came to my mind. I said to Lord how much I appreciated your teaching etc. I got up because I could not sleep, went downstairs and played on the computer. I looked at my e-mail and I got an e-mail from Claudia Greene about your cancer treatment. I was reminded in class you mentioned about the prompting of the Spirit to pray for people. So consider yourself prayed for I considered myself prompted. I've had those experiences before but I like to keep them to myself because frankly some of the people I've talked to about these things say their lifters don't always go to the top. I know I shouldn't be weirded out when God does things but I still am. I believe that God still heals and I'm praying for that. I would send Benny Hinn down your way but you're ready have an injury to your head without giving you another concussion.:) Take care. I'm praying for you, Chuck Cramer.”

Then Chuck wrote, “Here's something else to cheer you up: A Scotsman visited London for his annual holiday and stayed at a large hotel. However, he didnae feel that the natives were friendly. "At 4 o'clock every morning," he told a friend, "they hammered on my bedroom door, one the walls, even on the floor and ceiling. Heck, sometimes they hammered so loud I could hardly hear myself playing the bagpipes.” Goodness, how did Chuck know that I was Scottish?!

By the way, my friend Dick Christen in Bermuda sent me a note and a cartoon. Then under the cartoon, he said, “GOD HAS A SENSE OF HUMOR. Abraham was 100 years old when he and aged wife Sarah gave birth to a son. When God said He was going to give them a baby "Sarah laughed within herself." She thought it quite funny that the "oldsters" would be having a baby. But within that chuckle was an element of disbelief with which the Lord took issue. However, after Isaac was born she had occasion to say, "God has made me laugh, and all who hear will laugh with me" (Genesis 21:6). There's irony here: She laughed wrongly but then God made her laugh. And so, sure enough, to this day we read the story with a chuckle. This miracle birth with its long-term Messianic implications was a serious matter but had a humorous aside. It is healthy to serve the Lord with all seriousness of purpose but we must never forget to smile along the way. Like the antics of a monkey, God has placed instigators of laughter throughout His created order. There is much in life that makes us groan (Romans 8:23) but much also tickles our funny bones. Someone remarked: "We need the enthusiasm of the young. We need their joie de vivre. In it is reflected something of the original joy God had in creating man." Do read Proverbs 8:30, 31.”

Speaking of humor, I received this note from a former student and pastor friend of mine in Sacramento who wrote, “…I checked out your blog—amazingly informative! However, you had to ruin it with all that unnecessary info about Larson and the Yankees beating the Dodgers—remember, I am a So Cal guy and will always bleed Dodger blue (although in too many recent years, we’ve just been bleeding!) Praying for your brother….Gary”

Well back to Friday the 13th, I received several comments on my blog from people. Here are a few excerpts of them. One from our good friend Sherrill Christen, “I love that picture....you look like a little boy, David. WE have spent some good times together. lots of memories.especially Palm Springs Ca. Praying, praying....” Someone else wrote, “My prayers are with you during this time. May God continue to give you His Strength, Mercy, Grace, and endurance through this journey in your life. In His Peace; Pete Coulson.”

A friend known as pammycakes who is a dental hygienist from Texas wrote and said, “hi mr. david......how are you.....mighty fine lookin to me in that bed of yours with the bald head..kinda reminds me of my dad!! and i thought the patch looked good too......hey koyce....are you hangin in there??? i am praying for you two....i love you both...it's great to be able to read of your progress and schedules...make sure you use your rotadent david!!! or i might have to come up there and keep your teeth clean for you!!! oooh your own private hygienist!!! love you both......pam” I wrote and told her that in the next couple of weeks, I will be using a baby toothbrush and flossing will not be allowed!

"Nice to see you are still with us. Those were the words of one of my doctors. I've had my own journey these past months also….A college friend called me tonight to remind me he is praying for me. He asked what has changed in me since my sickness. I said it is that I'm more in tune with those who are sick or with those who has family members that are ill. Not that I wasn't before but I'm learning to listen in a different way to them and their story. Dave, the best thing being out of the hospital is that at home no one pokes me for blood! Robert Danielian. Dallas, Oregon.” Bob has gone through much more than I will ever go through and we had our whole church praying for him when he was at the height of his suffering. Thanks Bob for writing.”

Also on Friday the 13th, our son Scott was not afraid to get on a plane and fly down so we could spend some time together and for him to preach for me on Sunday. We had a great time in the afternoon and evening together. And one last thing. At 8:30 AM on Friday the 13th, I got a call from the Senior Case Manager of the Member Case Resolution Center to tell me what they had decided about a letter I had written to them. To understand, here is the background of the call. About a month ago, I went into the Pharmacy to get some drugs and I walked out after putting $4300 on my credit card for one drug, Neupogen. This surprised me a little because three years ago, this was all covered under my Kaiser insurance. However, I changed to Senior Advantage two years ago which included Medicare benefits. Nevertheless, a nurse coordinator had asked me a few months earlier if I had Medicare D because this would make a big difference in what I would be paying. I double checked it and I was covered. So I decided to write a letter and ask a question about my coverage and was told that they would be giving me an answer within 72 hours. So, I picked up the phone Friday morning to receive the verdict and was told that I would be getting a check in the mail for $4300! All I can say is, “Praise the Lord for this blessing and thanks to Kaiser for looking into this and—not a bad day for Friday the 13th!

Our Last Visit at the Stanford Medical Center

2009-03-11T22:40:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we went to Stanford to start some more Chemotherapy before ending up in the hospital in just a week. I had my own private room and one real fine nurse. She had taught Koyce a few weeks earlier how to clean the Catheter every day and how to put on a new patch where the line goes into the skin and connects to an vein. She was very pleasant and we enjoyed her very much. Yesterday, we started talking about our church and she mentioned that she was raised a PK. And she told us that one of her sons is in the ministry today. Later she said to us, “I meet some real nice people from time to time and I wonder if they could be believers.” She had said that she wondered if we might be believers. Within a week, I will be taking some real mean chemo and they said that I would be quite irritable an hour after they begin to put the stuff into my body. At this I had said, “Irritable? I am irritable all ready!” But this was a nice word to hear that someone thought we might be a believer.

While we were there yesterday, I was also given a home infusion pump that I need to carry around for the next week. I call it my new Teddy Bear as I even have to take it to bed with me each night. Its purpose is to pump continual Heparin into my body in order to prevent clots in blood vessels before and after surgery or during medical procedures. We were given a short overview of how the pump works and we were told what to do if the medicine stops flowing because of kink with the tubes or the batteries dying. The line connects to one of lines to my Catheter and the bag goes with me when I get up and move around and even when I go for a shower.

The next chemo day is Sunday. Our oldest son Scott will be coming down from Oregon and will be speaking for me. Koyce and I will miss it but hopefully I can get a tape of the service. In a week, hopefully, I can send you a picture of my hospital room. Thanks for all your encouragement and prayers. P.S. By the way, I stumbled when at home and hit my head on the closet opening and skinned up my head. That's the reason for the patch. But it is doing fine.

A Principal Player at WCCA

2009-03-09T21:39:00.000-07:00

In 1949, First Baptist Church began the Walnut Creek Christian Academy. The Academy is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year along with the church that is celebrating its 70th anniversary. The Principal of our schools is Esther McClellan who has done a superb job of leading our school board, our faculty and staff. Today, she emailed me the following encouraging note:

“Hi Pastor,
Just wanted to let you know that I'm thinking about you both as you start the hardest leg of the journey. Just finished looking at your blog. What a great use of your time when so many of your activities are limited. Technology is great, and the Lord must be pleased with how you're using it to bless so many... your family, your friends, and maybe even strangers God sends your way.

We miss you at church. Terry did a great job, and we look forward to Scott's coming down next week. Still, no one can replace you!

Anyway, wanted to send along a note to remind you that I'm praying for you daily. I admire and respect you more than I can put into words. Thank God for sending you back to California, and thank you for listening to Him. You are good for our church, good for the school, good for my family, and good for me! Because you believed in me, you gave me confidence I didn't think I had to do a job I never even wanted! :) God works in mysterious ways!

From my notes on Chip Ingram's God As He Longs for You to See Him DVD series..."You are the object of God's affection. God is good to you not because you are good, but because He is." Psalm 84:11, "For the Lord God is a sun (unlimited resources) and a shield (unlimited protection). The Lord gives grace and glory. No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly."

I am praying for abundant resources and protection for both you and Koyce.
Love, Esther.”

Great Technique for Managing Stress

2009-03-07T20:16:00.000-08:00

I just returned from Stanford where I was given an update of what the next month was going to look like. I have to be honest and tell you that hearing all of these things and watching Koyce reach for the Kleenex again that I sensed a bit of stress was coming our way. But when I got home, there was in the mailbox a nice card from some good friends of ours over the years, John and Carol Soriano from Oregon. You can see the card above where it speaks of providing a helpful technique for managing stress. It says, “First, get one of those glass snow domes with a happy little snowman and an idyllic, peaceful winter scene.” Then you open the card and it says, “Next, get a hammer.” A great thought to be sure!

On the inside these wonderful people left a note that made my day. It read, “Dear Dave, Hope this brings a smile! (It sure did). Then they wrote the sweetest of notes saying, “We just want you to know you are in our prayers and thoughts during this time. Your influence continues to permeate VBC (Valley Baptist Church) and that is a good thing. Young people continue to grow up in this atmosphere and trust that in time they will continue what you and Koyce started here. Know that you are well remembered in prayers and with much love. Thanks for the updates through your blog. Love John & Carol S.” What great memories. We started a church in Oregon and pastured there for 17 years. Today that work continues to go on and John and Carol and been there probably for 25-30 years now.

Yes, as I drove home yesterday, it seemed like the light at the end of the tunnel was a train. But when I received this encouraging card, it jolted me back into the reality of what they light really is. Thank the Lord for those who are there for all of us and the constant encouragement that they can bring to our lives. And the writer of Hebrews says, “And let us…encourage…each other, especially now that the day of his coming back again is drawing near” (NLT Hebrews 10:25). So, today I am encouraged!

The March Schedule

2009-03-01T18:16:00.000-08:00

Here is a shot in the hospital at Stanford, laptop and all. And below is the schedule for the month of March. Around the middle of the month is when the action begins to really pick up.

March 6 Go to Stanford of labs and a chest x-ray; meet with Dr. Sally Arai, my main Oncologist.
March 10 I begin continuous IV heparin. #1 Gemcitabine, Navelbine. All precautions of diet, mask, the beginning of boiling water, eliminate salads and uncooked vegetables, eliminate all restaurant food, no cheese sliced at the deli, no fresh fruits and frozen fruit, no sweet rolls or donuts, eliminate pepper, spices and any cooked food left over for more than 24 hours.
March 15 #2 Gemecitabine and Navelbine
March 17 Admittance to Stanford hospital
March 18 Rest
March 19 Given VP 16
March 20 Rest
March 21 Cytoxan
March 22 Rest
March 23 Transplant
March 24 Remain in hospital until blood counts recover (At least 2-3 weeks).

Now do you want to hear what these chemotherapy drugs could do to me? No, you don’t. But let me summarize. It goes from nausea, vomiting and diarrhea to mucositis (sores in mouth and throat) to something fatal. That’s enough to hear about. But in a book they gave me, it lists it all. Now you see why my sons wanted to call and talk about baseball, uh? So, let’s talk about something pleasant like my daily routine in the hospital.
Here it is:

5:00 AM vital signs (blood pressure, temperature, pulse) and weight
7:00 AM breakfast and oral care
8:30 AM physician’s visit and room cleaning
9:00 AM oral care, shower and catheter dressing changes
10:00 AM vital signs, skin care, physical therapy and Chest X-ray on Wednesday
11:00 AM Lunch and oral care
2:00 PM vital signs, oral care and skin care
4:00 PM weight
5:00 PM dinner, oral care and physicians visit
6:00 PM vital signs and skin care
8:00 PM oral care and lab draws
10:00 PM vital signs and skin care
12:00 AM vital signs

And then it looks like I can sleep without being bothered until 5:00 AM. Not bad I guess. In the meantime, I can read, do puzzles (that’s not me), hobbies, tapes, movie videos and I suppose watch TV. In fact they say, “Do you have a big box of photographs stashed someplace? Putting them in photo albums can be an enjoyable project while hospitalized.” My daughter in laws would be so proud if they heard that I finally got into scrapbooking!

Statement of Solidarity and Crazy Hair Day

2009-02-27T18:27:00.000-08:00

You have probably heard of many since 2000 who have shaved off their hair in a statement of solidarity with those suffering from cancer. In fact, St. Baldrick's has held events in 48 states and 18 countries in which 71,000 volunteers have shaved their heads and raised almost $50 million in support of cancer research, either on their own or in a team of volunteers.

Well, this young man above decided to shave his head as he did over three years ago for his grandfather, but this time, he combined it with crazy hair day at school. His name is Randall Foster Miller, my grandson whose middle name is the same as mine. Isn’t that a great hair style? I never did that when I was a kid but in high school, I did bleach my hair. I took a toothbrush and put it on my hair but nothing changed. So I did it over and over again and finally it did change! For a while, I thought I would be kicked out of school for doing this, but somehow I survived. But Randall was more creative than I was. He did what he wanted and tied it into a school function! Randall is the son of Mike and Katie.

Somebody Read my Blog

2009-02-25T12:18:00.000-08:00

This morning the doorbell rang and I went to see who it was. It was the postman. He had left a package. It was neatly wrapped and said “Don’t Bend.” It was from one of my former professors and good friend Dr. William G. Bellshaw. I quickly opened it, wondering what it was, and it was The Seattle Times from Sunday, February 22. On the front cover was a picture of Griffey with the words, “Remember this smile?” Then inside was the sports page where there was a full page, collectible Griffey poster like in the picture above. What a thoughtful gift in light of my previous story. So, eat your heart out sons!

This is so neat because I don’t know if Dr. Bellshaw knew this, but my dad collected newspapers and I have done the same since I was a kid. I have a newspaper about the ending of World War II from the Cleveland Press, August 15, 1945. But one of most interesting saves I kept was from October 8, 1956. The headlines read, Yanks’ Larsen Joins Baseball’s ‘Immortals” 1st ‘No-No’ Is Also Perfect Game. Then The Wenatchee Daily World went on to say in bold print:

NEW YORK ,(AP)—Don Larsen of the Yankees pitched the first perfect game in World Series history and Mickey Mantle hit a telling home run Monday as the Yankees whipped the Dodgers 2-0 in the fifth World Series game and took a 3-2 lead in the series. Larsen didn't give a hit or a walk. And not a Dodger reached first.

Never before in World Series history has there been a no-hit game, much less one in which a team failed to get a man on base. Larsen, a 6-foot, 4-inch native of Michigan City, Ind., who now lives in San Diego, Calif., pitched superbly with the peculiar no-windup :style he adopted during the regular season. He struck out seven, including the last man to face him, pinch hitter Dale Mitchell.

What I find interesting today besides the perfect game and its write up was that I saved the paper when I was fifteen years of age. I told my son Scott (one of my two baseball freaks) about it and then one day in the early 1990s, I was out of town when Don Larsen came to Salem. Scott quickly went through my old newspapers, found the front page of this story and took it down for Larsen to autograph it. The paper in those days cost seven cents and Larsen took one look at the paper and said, “Where did you get this?” He signed it and we had it framed and then gave it to Scott for a Christmas present. For years now, the front page of The Wenatchee Daily World has hung in his hallway next to his living room. So, maybe I will get this poster autographed some day too! Thanks Dr. Bellshaw for the poster.

Cancer Can Bring out just the Wrong Words

2009-02-21T10:34:00.000-08:00

Carrie Morse, left, and restaurant owner Reem Azoury share a few laughs at Figs Fine Foods in Washington, D.C. Morse is a cancer survivor who ate regularly at Figs while in treatment at a local hospital.

Another article in USA TODAY in February that I enjoyed reading was, Cancer can bring out just the wrong words. Many don’t know what to when a friend is diagnosed. Below is the article that has a great story and some good thoughts. It is:

Like many people with cancer, Bethany Winsor found that some of her friends struggled with what to say after she was diagnosed. When one person looked at her with pity, the usually upbeat Winsor burst into tears. Yet she says a stranger on a plane somehow found the perfect words of comfort.

Winsor, 28, met the woman last year, when they were seated next to each other on their outgoing and return flights between Dallas and Washington. Winsor, who had just been diagnosed with breast cancer, felt at ease with the young woman, who was about her age, and mentioned that she was about to start chemotherapy.

Later in the flight, when Winsor was leaving the restroom, she found that the stranger was waiting for her at the back of the plane. "She said she felt there was a reason we had been seated next to each other," Winsor says. "Although she didn't know the details of what I was going through, she asked me if she could pray with me. I am not particularly religious, but I am spiritual, and at that point, I was in need of a little faith."

As the stranger held her hands, Winsor "felt a connectedness that I really needed. Even though I didn't know this girl, I will never forget her willingness to reach out to me." Though few among us can summon that sort of eloquence, the stranger's words provide a good example of how to support someone with cancer, says Julia Rowland, head of the National Cancer Institute's survivorship office.

Although the stranger showed compassion, she didn't force herself onto Winsor, Rowland says. And though religion can be a tricky subject, Rowland says the stranger on the plane struck just the right balance. The woman offered open-ended prayers but didn't presume to speak for God.

Words that don't help

The stranger didn't presume to know what was best, offer unsolicited advice or launch into religious sermons, he says. Many people with cancer say they get tired of being told what to do, even if that advice seems as bland as "You need to stay positive. "What many cancer survivors say is most meaningful is to be heard — truly listened to — and understood, not being told what to do or how to cope," Rowland says. "Many of us are inclined to leap in with advice, opinions or chatter if only to relieve our own anxiety in the face of another's suffering."

Carrie Morse, a survivor of rectal cancer, says she can't count the number of people
who told her, "God gave you cancer for a reason." Such clichés can make people feel worse, she says.

"Every person who has cancer goes through these moments where, whatever kind of God you believe in, you're pretty (ticked) off," says Morse, 36, from Washington, D.C. "You don't want to hear people saying, 'God has a plan for you.'"

Importantly, the stranger on Winsor's plane asked her permission before proceeding, allowing her to stay in control of the conversation. One of the most terrifying parts of cancer is that it often robs people of control — over their bodies, their schedules, their plans for the future, says Ellen Stovall, who leads the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship.

Handle with care

Too often, well-meaning friends and neighbors issue orders, telling people with cancer to take this herb or see that doctor, Stovall says,

Even Winsor, who was diagnosed last year, says she tries to "walk slowly" when talking to other people with cancer and take her cues from their attitude and words, which may change from day to day.

If a person with cancer doesn't want to share, it's important to back off, Rowland says: "Be respectful." The stranger on the plane also focused on the present instead of guessing about Winsor's prognosis or offering unfounded optimism. Winsor, who had an early tumor, completed chemo in October, radiation in January and is now taking a drug called Herceptin to keep cancer from returning.

"If you say, 'Everything is going to be OK,' that's trivializing it," says psychiatrist Jimmie Holland, author of The Human Side of Cancer. "But it's also not good to say, 'Oh, my mother had that and she died in three weeks.' " Stovall says people can still share their experiences if they tread lightly.

"You can say, 'I'm sure a lot of people are offering what was helpful to them,' " Stovall says. " 'Do you even want to hear about any of those things?' "Instead of advice, one of the best things to offer is just to listen, Stovall says.

"I can remember somebody saying: 'I'm a really good listener. I offer that because it's something I can do,' " Stovall says. "Even though I may never avail myself of their offer, it can be nice to know that someone cared enough to offer."

Then in a box entitled Actions that Speak Louder than Words, here are a few excerpts from it.

• Show empathy. The National Cancer Institute's Julia Rowland suggests, "I'm sorry to hear that you're dealing with cancer," or, if appropriate, "I'm sorry the cancer has returned."

• Don't forget them. People with cancer often are cut off from friends while in the hospital or recuperating at home. A call, card or even an instant message help them feel remembered, especially on special days like birthdays….

• Offer specific help. "Let me know if I can help" is so vague that the person with cancer is unlikely to ever take up your offer, Rowland says. Instead, ask if you can do something specific: drive your friend to appointments, babysit the kids, mow the lawn, shovel the walk, clean the house, call doctors or make appointments, update a website with your friend's health news, cook a meal on a particular day or organize friends to bring a different meal each day of the week.

• Talk about something other than cancer. Many people get tired of talking about chemotherapy or blood counts. Talk about the same subjects that always interested you, from sports to current events, says Jimmie Holland, author of The Human Side of Cancer.

• Make them feel they're still one of the gang. Boyle's co-workers knew his sense of humor well enough to use humor when welcoming him back to work after chemotherapy last summer. Knowing that he would be wearing a bandanna to cover his bald head, everyone else in his office also showed up wearing one. "It was nice to know I wasn't being treated any different than before," Boyle says.

• Celebrate survival. "Everybody's first instinct was, 'Oh my gosh, I'm sorry,'" says Dan Waeger, 26, of Washington. "But when I told a stranger in a cab that I was a three-year lung cancer survivor, the reaction was, 'That's awesome. Congratulations.' That's the best reaction I've gotten."

In conclusion, let me say, “I have often thought, ‘How do people cope with this without God?’ And I am also thinking, ‘How do people cope with this without a church and without Christian friends all over the place that we know?’ I thank God for my church and my Christian friends especially because just like the story above, there are always people offering to pray for me and with me. Even on the phone, I have had people pray for me like my pastor—whose that? My son Scott! And Dr. David Nicholas, the president of Shasta Bible College and Graduate School and Dr. David Jeremiah, pastor and author in Southern California. And as you have seen in my blog, people email me their prayers, many of which I have yet to post.

And a couple more things. Just as I was wrapping this up, my wife brought in the mail. In an envelope with hearts was a poster that said, "Dear Rev. Miller. We life up our hands in prayer for you. In Christ, The Children of David Fellowship, Grace Chinese Alliance Church. This is a church that I have spoken at about once a month for the past three years or so. And on the poster are outlines of hands with their names written on the hand that each of them drew! Isn't this great? Also, later in the day, our Tonga church pastor and two of their leaders, Bill and Ana came over to pray with me.

And just this morning I received an email from Mary Smith, a person I have known since the second grade entitled, "NOT your Theology 101" and she wrote this: "I dreamed about our "new/old" WBBC group last night. It was so real! We were all together (don't worry; you were there, too!)

Now, I guess I'm stretching things a bit, and I didn't major in Theology, so bear with me...

I just finished reading/studying the book of Hebrews and that great 11th chapter took on new meaning (remember, it's a dream we're talking about)...

We, your Corban friends, are WITNESSES to your faith as you endure a journey you never planned to take. We are LIVING WITNESSES to the impact you've had--and are having--on many, many lives, including ours (mine, for sure).

We're cheering for you; we're praying for your speedy recovery, and I, for one, can't wait to see what God is going to do next in your life.

You are surrounded by love, prayers, friends, family......and modern day WITNESSES. Love, Mary. And just one more comment by Jo Sherman, a former student of mine and a trustee at Corban. She writes,

Hi David and Koyce, I love your blog, it keeps me posted as to what is going on! Thanks so much. It is so great that in life it is really the little things that bring such joy! Your sons and their love of baseball (yours too) is such a case. How wonderful to have that total love for a game and you all share it….I think of you often and pray for you and Koyce. After reading the blogs, I think your friends say it all---you two definitely are such an encouragement to me, Jack and I love you both so much and pray God will continue to give the doctors wisdom and grant you that peace in your hearts that only He can give.Love to you both, Jo (Sherman)

Yes, cancer can bring out just the wrong words but offering to pray is just what the doctor ordered, that is, The Great Physician! See James 5:16b.

Encouragement for the Ordeal

2009-02-21T08:38:00.000-08:00

The morning after I posted the story about my two sons, I received an email from one of the dear saints in our church entitled, Encouragement for the Ordeal. She wrote saying, “Greetings Pastor Dave, I got a surprise when I read your blog last night. It was a great example of something I was planning to write to you. On Tuesday morning when I opened the newspaper I did something I rarely do, and that was to read the sports page. Now you may have done the same thing but I wasn't sure just how things were for you that day. There was a very large picture and story and it took my eye. And as I read I was so intrigued that I had to read that page and much more on a following page. It was the story of Stephen and Paul Silas, father and son who are top guys with the Warriors. You may have read it too, but just in case you missed it I saved the article. This father and son have such a beautiful relationship. While I was reading it my thoughts went to you and your sons and I thought you would love reading it. I also thought of our relationship to our Heavenly Father and how He identifies so intimately with His children and cares about everything they do, their successes and even their failures. Wednesday night at out meeting we divided into small groups and did some sharing. As Glen Stubbs was sharing about his boy and sports I had a chance to share this article which he said he had enjoyed.

Now don't think I'm not thinking and praying for you and Koyce. You are on my mind much of the time and I just breathe a prayer for whatever you are experiencing, which I'm sure is difficult. But you are on His Mind and Heart constantly and since I know you are depending on the Lord, I know you will come through with flying colors. Praying for some special blessing for you today-in Christian love, Fern.”

The article that Fern Agaard made reference to was entitled, The Son Shall Rise, Warriors Assistant doing Legendary Dad Proud by Marcus Thompson (posted in the Contra Costa Times, February 16, 2009. There was a picture too that is above and under it is said, “Stephen Silas, left, a Golden State Warriors assistant coach, stands next to his father and former NBA star Paul Silas during a visit at McClymonds High School gym in Oakland, Calif., Friday, Feb. 13, 2009. Paul played his high school basketball at McClymonds High) The article has so much that I love in it that I have reproduced it in its entirety below.

Paul Silas isn't getting around too well these days. His towering stature has been diminished by a slumping posture. He walks with a limp because of nerve problems in his left leg. And, in his most honest moment, he'd probably tell you he still has a sour taste in his mouth from being fired as head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2005.

Still, as he shuffled around the Warriors' downtown Oakland practice facility and Oracle Arena on game nights, his beaming smile couldn't be missed; the twinkle in his squinted eyes was unmistakable. He's spending time with his only son.

"It's the best thing I've ever been through," Silas, 65, said of watching his son, Stephen, at work. "I like to brag on him. To anybody I see, 'Well, you know my son is an assistant coach with the Warriors.' I just love it."

Stephen Silas, 35, is in his third season as an assistant coach with Golden State, his eighth season on an NBA bench. Still, he can't take five steps without someone bringing up his legendary father, a standout player for most of his 16 NBA seasons (1964-1980) and a member of three NBA championship teams. Sometimes, they ask about his dad before asking about him.
Sometimes, they don't say hello. Sometimes, they mistakenly call him Paul.

"There is not a night that goes by, home or on the road," Stephen explains, "where somebody doesn't ask how he's doing, say something about him, how great he is. I love it. I love it.
It never ever gets old. Referees, fans. Every night. 'How's he doing? Oh I saw him tonight. Tell him I said hello.' Asking for his address and all kinds of stuff. It's a little thing, but it really means a lot."

Paul and Stephen Silas are more like best friends than father and son. And their bond is something special, because it not only defies reality in the African-American family, it also survived the rigors of the NBA lifestyle.

"The one thing I admire more than anything," Paul said after a Warriors practice last month, "is that when he has problems he comes to his dad for advice. I couldn't go to my dad with my problems, but (Stephen) can come to me, and that just blows me away that we do have this relationship."

Paul can appear intimidating. As a player, he was a relative giant, known for his ability to throw around his 6-foot-7, 220-pound frame. Now, topping 300 pounds and carrying a legendary reputation, he looms even larger. His low-cut, salt-and-pepper 'fro and wrinkled mocha skin hints at his layers of experience.

As a player, he was bruising and gritty, as might be expected from someone who grew up idolizing Bill Russell. Silas was known for his defense and rebounding, two trademarks of the teams he coached.

Stephen is a less-imposing 6-foot-3 and might weigh 190 pounds in a wet denim tuxedo. His caramel complexion and youthful face is a tip o' the cap to his mom, Carolyn. His seemingly permanent smile is inviting and disarming.

Stephen was a finesse player who lived on his cerebral game and outside shooting stroke. His expertise now is offense and guard play, his area of emphasis with the Warriors.

"I like the contrast," Stephen said. "Being with him, and the stature he has, it's kind of hard to try to match it. That's tough to do. I was always comfortable being behind the scenes and being a little bit more quiet. So I don't feel any pressure or any inclination to be who I'm not. To be his son is great."

The Silases do share at least one trait: a dedicated work ethic.

Paul's perseverance was reflected in 12,357 career rebounds, 16th in NBA history. Stephen, too, is known for his grind.

His father gave him his start in coaching in Charlotte — first as a scout, then as an assistant coach — but he wasn't allowed to coast. Instead, his father made him work even harder, setting the tone for his budding coaching career.

"He understands how important it really is to be a step ahead," Warriors assistant coach Keith Smart said of Stephen, "and how much you have to work at it and prepare to do every single thing. From on the floor with players, to the one-on-one setting, to classroom film, to understanding the technologies of the game, to understanding the bench and managing the players. He has the whole package."

It's no surprise Stephen picked up those characteristics, inasmuch as he grew up idolizing his father. He memorized all his stats. He followed him around everywhere as a kid, to practice and to shoot-arounds. He soaked up all the stories.

He heard of his dad's days playing pickup games with the likes of Russell and K.C. Jones at DeFermery Park in west Oakland. He's fully aware of the 68-0 record and three Tournament of Champions titles McClymonds High won with Paul on its roster.
Stephen also heard about his dad's encounters with racism at Creighton University, about his classic stories of the ol' NBA and his on-the-court rivalry with Wes Unseld.

The pedestal upon which Stephen placed his father grew taller as Paul remained a reliable presence in his son's life. He attended most of Stephen's high school games and several college games, despite the demands of a hectic NBA schedule.

To this day, Stephen calls his father for advice, to vent, to glean bits of wisdom. Each time, Paul said, he gets warm and fuzzy inside. It's what the elder Silas always envisioned for his son, because he didn't have such a relationship with his own father.

"My father, although he was there, wasn't there," Paul said. "He was an alcoholic, and he never came to my games at all when I played, and I was the best player in Northern California at that time. I vowed that when my son grew up, I would always be there for him. And I was."

Paul beams with pride when he looks at Stephen. His son is a dedicated family man, an Ivy League graduate (Brown University), a hard-working professional. When Paul hears President Barack Obama imploring African-American men to man up, he knows the message is not addressed to his boy.

"It's because of him," Stephen said of his father. "His presence was always there. It was more I didn't want to disappoint him. To this day, I don't want to disappoint him. I think about that when things happen, I just don't want to disappoint my dad. That's something that's ingrained in me, and that's something that some kids don't have. It's hard to start without that base. It's hard to get to where you want to be without being held accountable for what you do and not having that role model teaching you the right way to be a man. I'm blessed to be able to have that."

Griffey is coming to Seattle, so much for Dad!

2009-02-19T21:30:00.000-08:00

After sitting in a chair and strapped to the Apheresis machine for four and a half hours, I received a call from Mike, my youngest son saying, “Hey Dad. Did you hear that Griffey just signed on with Seattle today.” Then while I was talking to him, I could tell that someone else was trying to get through to me. When I hung up with Mike, I checked my missed calls and just as I thought, there was a call from Scott, our oldest son and I knew why he wanted to talk to me. Yes, he was calling to tell me the same thing about Ken Griffey Jr. So much for, “Hey Dad, how you doing?”

Now, don’t get upset with my two sons. The reason I say this is because I have two great sons. They both love the Lord and I know that they both love me. But, at the same time, they are just typical guys. I don’t see myself showing my dad a lot of concern had he gone to see the doctor when I was their age. In fact, let me tell you about my boys. Scott is a pastor of a church in Albany, Oregon and Mike is the head of the Math Department at what is now know as Corban College, formerly Western Baptist College in Salem, Oregon. God has blessed my wife and I with two wonderful sons.

Further, both boys love baseball. I was involved in Little League for ten years when they were little guys. One or the other was always on one of the teams that I coached during these years. My wife or I were at all of their home games from T-ball through college and even to most of their away games. We even flew south to watch them play baseball in Monterey, Mexico, when Scott was a senior in college and Mike was a freshman. And we were there when Scott played for Athletes in Action in Zagreb, Yugoslavia in the early nineties. And we can’t forget the portrait of Ken Griffey that my wife purchased several years ago that hung in our guest bedroom for a number of years, a portrait in which only five hundred copies were made. And how can I forget the night in 2005 that the three of us went to Seattle to get a bobble head of Ken Griffey on the tenth anniversary of the Mariners beating the Yankees in the American League playoffs (See Picture above).

So I set myself up for getting a call from the boys about Griffey rather than for them to find out how I made it through my first day on the Apheresis machine. Of course, I find this whole thing one of the laughable moments in the trial that I was going through. Besides, I think it was nice of them to call me anyhow to talk about something we had in common, namely baseball and our interest in Ken Griffey than just my health.

The Team and the Machine

2009-02-19T21:09:00.000-08:00

On Tuesday, February 17, I was hooked up to the Apheresis machine to separate my blood into its components on the basis of weight. The machine can be used to obtain plasma (the liquid of the blood), platelets or white cells. For stem cell transplantation, white cells are collected, frozen and a small percentage of these white cells are stem cells, which can later restore bone marrow function, producing cells that eventually mature into red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets.

The goal this week was to collect 2 million of these cells that could take up to five days. Things went well and I produced nearly 8 million of these cells! Now that this has taken place, I will receive a high dose of chemotherapy on March 10. The purpose of this procedure is to eliminate cancer cells. Then the collected cells will be thawed and transfused back into his body for the desired result.

And just this note. Gail Bradway of our church sent me her devotional prayers and thoughts this week again. And this week, she was reading Matthew 10 and wrote, "Jesus called twelve of His followers and sent them into the ripe fields. He gave them power to kick out the evil spirits and to tenderly care for the brusied and broken hurt lives." Then she prayed, "God may we at FBC be alert to the call. Thank you for the tender care our nurses (Oyin and Gail) are giving pastor." Then later she wrote about God's great attention to us, even numbering the hairs of our head. But then she crossed the phrase about the hairs on our head out and wrote in its place, "even numbering the white blood cell count!" Great application for this week!

What are we Going to do Now?

2009-02-16T22:24:00.001-08:00

Hey, we’re going to Disneyland! Well, before that, my white counts has to go to 3000. This morning, it hit 1000. So in a couple of days, I should be ready. The next step is called Apheresis. This is the collection of immature hematopoietic cells from the blood. This is accomplished used a blood separating machine that sorts the blood cells. This happens as a small amount of blood is removed through one side if the catheter (or port). The blood is spun through a machine that will collect white blood cells and the remainder of the blood will be returned through the other side or the catheter. This process takes about four hours, for 2-5 consecutive days. After your peripheral blood stem cells are collected, they will be taken to the laboratory for processing and freezing.

Once this takes place, I will received the preparative regimen (high dose chemotherapy). The purpose of the preparation regimen is to eliminate cancer cells. The preparative regimen may be given as an inpatient or as an outpatient. The preparative regimen will take place over 2-10 days. Following this the transplant takes place. I will tell you about this after about 3 weeks as I see it from here.

Do you remember Gail Bradway who writes out her prayers? Here is a P.S. to one of her prayers. She writes, “ I’m thinkin’ in many respects this ordeal will be harder for Koyce than David—it’s very hard to be a spectator and comforter when you can’t really relate because she hasn’t had a stem-cell transplant –she’s got to have such grace, God—and no problem right?! You’re the grace-giver!”

A Card, "I Thought You Could Use a Lift."

2009-02-15T21:36:00.000-08:00

My good friend Ginger Munck may have thought that I was really down. So she writes saying, "Keep loooking up!" Good advice for us all. I thought you would enjoy this. But I like the note I got from Don and Daly Young too. Dan is working in Denver and Daly is working here in our area. Pray for them too and their courage at this time. And be encouraged as I have been with reading what Dan wrote:

David and Koyce:

You two are an inspiration to all of us. This is a pretty formidable foe for both of you. Whether you think it shows or not (because of your human trepidation) you are demonstrating your lifelong faith and preparation in the Lord.

I have always been taken by the saying that, "It ain't courage if the fear isn't present." You two display an uncommon courage and it is inspiring and instructional to have this in our lives in the church and have both of you show us the way.

You walk the walk and talk the talk. You literally practice what you preach and I can't tell you how powerful that is for us to see that. If you think that you fall short, think again. You have our trust and love.

We, in the congregation, all need to understand the blessings we have. I believe that most of us do. The very fact that we have a life to begin with and fullness of it that we have been granted is a comfort. I have said to you before, that if I never receive another blessing, I still will have received a far greater share than I deserve....God is indeed good! God is indeed great!

Yet the greatest blessing is to be in Christ as both of you are. There is no greater blessing and, in its absence, none other matters. This is a gift which you, yourselves, have received AND have turned around and given it countless times to others. I'll bet you would have a hard time recounting how many times others have come to Christ and have been saved because both of you chose the path of our Lord.

I'll bet also that you have no idea of how many and in whom you have planted the seeds and/or made the ground of their hearts and minds fertile to later receive this true and one gift that matters.

Even more, what of the comforts and insights and support you have given to your families and congregations and acquaintances and friends AND strangers throughout at least fifty years.

If there is a measure of lives well-lived, I would think that yours would certainly be a measure without question. Yes, we all have our doubts and would-do-it-overs if we could...

On balance, you are unable to deny that you have been a blessing to this world.

On reflection, you must confirm that you have followed your good hearts to Christ and He will keep you now and well in His Plans.

On faith, you will see this through and be at peace and secure in His love and care of you.

I will be returning/visiting the Bay in the next couple of months. I fully expect to see both of you when I do so you can tell me firsthand of what God had done and how good He is.

Our prayers and thoughts are with you.

We love you.

A Bump On the Head on the Bend in the Road

2009-02-15T19:12:00.000-08:00

Toward the end of the week, I was cleaning up my mess around my dest and I took a small box to the closest where I have had my office. But as I laid the box down, the box fell off the stuff I had placed it on and I turned to catch it before it hit the floor. In the meantime, my body was out of sink and I tripped over my slippers and my head hit the closet opeining. Although I was wearing a cap, it still roughed some skin off the top of my head and it started bleeding.

When Nurse Oyin stopped by, she helped take care of my head and checked out the other parts of my catheter. The next morning, I went up to the hospital to see how my platelets and white blood count were coming along. Laurie, my nurse that is pictured above was somewhat alarmed by the situation as the while cells were at 300 for the third day and they should be between 4500 and 10,000. And the platelets and red cell were down too and since they wanted clotting to take place with the open sore on my head and the while cells were down so low, they couldn’t fight the possible infection for the head. For the first time, they were talking about such a would, if not handled properly, could be fatal. Now, they had my attention! So, I was given 2 units of blood and one unit olf platelets. I got to the hospital at 10:00 and got an exam of the head and then the units of platelots and blood took another five or so hours. Fortunately, it was Saturday and I was able to catch the UCLA/Arizona game and the Cal and Stanford game. In the meantime, I nned to be extremely careful not to get any kind of infections since the next step is to go to Stanford for the Apheresis treatement which is the next step.

Then Koyce went got me a Chinese Chicken and Sesame dinner and they micro waived it in their oven. Then we went home and hald a Pork Tenderloin and potatoes with cords and apple sauce for a Valentine Dinner. It wasn’t as great a day for Valentines as we had in the Mania Hotel four years earlier after we got bumped in the Philippines. But the day turned out well and we walked away convinced and wonderfully we are made and how important it is to take extra care with our bodied.

Being Valentine’s Day, our good friend Dorothy Moore that we knew from El Cerrito times wrote to say, My Dear Friends, I am praying much for you both and on this Valentine’s Day. I want to tell you that I love you dearly and praise God for you and your work for your Lord. I am with you in spirit while you are going through these tough days. And God is always faithful and I am so glad we have him to rely on. Sincerely with love and prayers, Dorothy (Moore). (Jeremiah 33:3).” What a sweet friend. This gave us an opportunity to talk about how she changed our life some 50 years before. Praise God for good and loyal friends throughout the years.

Wonder When they are Going to Let me Go Home?

2009-02-10T10:28:00.000-08:00

Last week, I spent a night in the Stanford Hospital after taking in Cytaxin through my new port. But I kept wonderdering when they where going to tell me how I was doing and whether I could go hom.e It reminded of this story below. I think you will enjoy it: (Oh, by the way, it gets cold in the hospital at nights but I brought one of my caps from home! You sleep better this way).

A sweet grandmother telephoned the Hospital.
She timidly asked, 'Is it possible to speak to someone who can tell me how a patient is doing?'
The operator said 'I'll be glad to help, dear.
What's the name and room number?' The grandmother in her weak tremulous voice said, 'Norma Findlay, Room 302.'
The operator replied, 'Let me place you on hold while I check with her nurse.' After a few minutes the operator returned to the phone and said, 'Oh, I have good news, her nurse just told me that Norma is doing very well.
Her blood pressure is fine; her blood work just came back as normal and her physician, Dr. Cohen, has scheduled her to be discharged on Tuesday.'
The grandmother said, 'Thank you. That's wonderful!
I was so worried! God bless you for the good news.'
The operator replied, 'You're more than welcome. Is Norma your daughter?'
The grandmother said, 'No, I'm Norma Findlay in 302. No one tells me anything!'

My Two Great Christian Nurses in our Church

2009-02-09T22:25:00.000-08:00

Who would have thought that in my travels in Lagos, Nigereria in 1978, the one day, Oyin Ajala would be in our church in Walnut Creek and would stop over a few times a week to check out my Catheter? Oyin studied in Philadelphia but now resides in Walnut Creek and works for Kaiser Hospital in San Francicsco and is an intructor of career nurses in nearby Antioch. Koyce has been a little nervous as my caregiver but Oyin has releaved all those fears by showing her how to clean the catheter and the lines that are done daily. We are so fortunate to have Oyin worshipping with us as well as another nurse, Gail Barbitta. Both of them are God-sents to help us during this procedure.
Gail was a former teacher at our Academy before she became a nurse. She is a great help as well in checking me out. In her spare time, she watches over her daugther Jennene who also has been diagnozed with cancer. Her web site is: http://dontwastemycancer.wordpress.com/. It is a great site and she has some good things on it. Some of you who went to Western in its El Ceritto days will remember Gail. She attended Grace Baptist in Richmond and now is a member of our church in Walnut Creek. Thank God for these ladies and their spiritual gifts.

Every Church needs a Jim and Gail Bradway

2009-02-09T20:52:00.000-08:00

Jim retired a few years ago and he didn’t stop working. Jim heads up our campus oversight and just doesn’t quit. He not only knows his business but he has a wonderful spirit, keeping all the church people happy along with the faculty and staff of our Preschool kids through eighth graders.

Gail is also talented. She has done a lot of painting around the church such as our front sign and a Murrow on the building next to our quad. But Gail is a person who knows how to pray along with her artistic abilities. This week she handed me as pastor some of her prayers. She usually writes them out, puts a red marker on them when they are answered and then burns them as she asks God to accept them as a sweet savor of incense to Himself.

In one of her prayer notes, she wrote to me saying, “And by the way, that series you just injected, it was for you, yes, and for all of us who have hard times, but it helped us all to get on the same page with you as you go thru this—we could see your thot processes—we could relate to these first steps in stem cell transplant….Pastor is so human—brave yet fearful; realistic but hopeful. What I still think and appreciate deeply, AND I TOLD YOU THIS way back when I helped him announce the cancer with “Little cardboard David.” Is that he takes sooo much care to try to ease our anxiety as a flock, when he’s got to be hurting so much himself. How Christ like. I was so impressed when the prayers over them today—Esther’s history lesson, Calvin’s “from everlasting to everlasting you are God.” I don’t know how anyone could have walked away not being blessed and it really wasn’t to be that way….really we were praying over him and blessing your love. The praise was yours again….P.S. I’m thinkin’ in many respects this ordeal will be harder for Koyce than David—it’s very hard to be a spectator and comforter when you can’t really relate because she hasn’t had a stem-cell transplant—she’s gotta have such grace, God—no problem right? You’re the grace-giver!

As Gail read and prayed in Genesis over Abraham’s servant prayer to God, she wrote, “O God of my Master Abraham, (then she crossed it out and inserted the name David). Make things go smoothly this day—treat my master Abraham (i.e., David—well!) So you know me that you’re working graciously behind the scenes for my master.” What a beautiful verse God—I’m claiming that one also! When he gives you the credit each day for victories, we’ll all know your’re graciously working behind the scenes for him!

There was more but I was so blessed in just these few pages I wanted to share these words with some of my dear friends who are also upholding me in prayer.

Into Your Hands, I Commit My Spirit................. (Psalm 31:5a)

2009-02-06T21:12:00.000-08:00

One picture is worth a thousand words, right? And this one above depicts so well the providential care of God over the crew and passengers of US Airways Flight 1549 that crashed into the Hudson River on January 17, 2009. The cartoon was done by Rex Babin of the Sacramento Bee and sent to me by Gail Barbitta and Tina Short in our church. The Association Press wrote that officials and passengers are praising the cool-headed US Airways pilot from the Bay Area, (Danville-right next to Walnut Creek) who maneuvered his crippled jet and ditched it in New York's frigid Hudson River. All 155 people on board survived. The pilot was 57-year-old Chesley B. Sullenberger III.

Sullenberger's wife, in Danville, told CNN that she was stunned to hear the news from her husband after it was all over. "I hadn't been watching the news. I've heard Sully say to people, 'It's rare for an airline pilot to have an incident in their career,' " said Lori Sullenberger.
"When he called me he said, 'There's been an accident.' At first I thought it was something minor, but then he told me the circumstances and my body started shaking and I rushed to get our daughters out of school." Chelsey Sullenberger, 58, is a former fighter pilot who runs a safety consulting firm in addition to flying commercial aircraft. Witnesses say the pilot appeared to guide the Airbus A320 down. Bob Read, a TV producer who saw the plane go into the water, says it appeared to be a "controlled descent."

Passenger Joe Hart says after both engines cut out, the pilot actually "floated" the plane into the river. He calls the pilot's performance "phenomenal."…Sullenberger…started his own consulting business, Safety Reliability Methods, two years ago. He also flew F-4 fighter jets with the Air Force in the 1970s. The plane, an Airbus A320 that had taken off minutes earlier from LaGuardia Airport bound for Charlotte, N.C., was submerged up to its windows in the river when rescuers arrived in Coast Guard vessels and ferries. Some passengers waited in water up to their knees, standing on the wing of the plane for help.

"We had a miracle on 34th Street. I believe now we have had a miracle on the Hudson," Govenor David Paterson said.

Another person was quoted as saying, “To GOD be the glory that there has been no loss of life at this moment.” The majority of the passengers, walked off under their own power. And this is how I viewed the rest of the week. It was as if God was watching over me and holding me up too.

On Tuesday morning at 9 AM, we were at the hospital and they were waiting for me. By 10 AM all the questions and papers were done and I was dressed up with my hospital robe and my yellow socks. Yellow socks? I thought I would get red socks being at Stanford for that is their school color. But bright yellow or gold is one of the colors of the Cal Bears, their most fearful rival. When the doctor came in, he noticed my college class ring and asked what college I gone to. I told him it was Western Baptist. He said nothing so I asked him where he went to college and he said Stanford and Harvard before going to San Diego State and then returning to Stanford. So I guess he was a pretty smart dude. And that’s nice to know when a guy is going to do surgery on me!

They rolled me into the room, put a cover over my face, sedated me a little to deaden the pain and inserted into the upper chest wall (the space between your collarbone and the breast) a catheter to make chemotherapy easier and more comfortable as well as to take out the stem cells and to bring them back in. When the procedure is over, the catheter will be removed quickly in another same-day procedure. Now there is no need to find a vein every time I get chemo or have the the transplant. This procedure involves a special needle fitting right into the port, so all you feel is the stick—not the poking, prodding, and false tries in one’s arm. The nurse numbed the skin first to lessen any feeling at all. And that’s it. We were given a sandwich and drink and headed back to the hotel for a rest. Later, we went down to the nearby Kaiser hospital, saw an Italian restaurant that had been in business for 56 years called Frankie, Johnie and Luigi located near the Kaiser hospital in Mountain Blue where we picked up all of our meds. We had great dinner that we split and desert. The dinner included a minestrone soup, veal scaloppini and since it was my last meal before entering the hospital, we decided to have a flaky crust Dutch apple pie with berries and ice cream. Both parts of the meal were delicious and the price was quite reasonable.

On Thursday, we arrived at 9 AM and finally got the chemo going about 5:30 PM. The chemo was Cytoxan. It was the heaviest dose of chemo that I have ever had. They really don’t tell you much about the drug but they do explain the side effects. Almost immediately, I started sneezing, then I felt pressure around my eyes and forehead within an hour, I had to hit the pot for the loose stool. Other effects to look out for were irritation of the bladder wall which causes bleeding. As a result, I was told to start drinking three quarts of water each day for several months up through the infusion. Since I wasn’t feeling a hundred percent, I quit working on my computer and went to sleep. Of course, ever hour and a half or two hours, I was awakened to check some things out. But then I was back to sleep almost immediately.

The man next to me did not fair as well and had to stay in the hospital until he would start eating. The doctor whose parents were from Czeckloslovakia came in and we had a great talk. (My mother was from the (Hungry-Czech Empire), and said everything looked good and then told me I could go home. I had three meals during my stay. They were actually very good and not what we usually hear about hospital food. For an example, I was given orange juice, oatmeal with brown sugar and raisins, fruited yogurt, hot cocoa, blueberry pancakes with syrup and strawberry jam and mini cranberry scone. This was probably better than the free breakfast that Denny’s gave to customers this past week! Then the nurses came in to go over our drugs, got a shot of benadryl and I gave myself three shots of neupogen. We had a final visit too from the Dietian, then the nurse wanted to watch Koyce clean the catheter. But before we left, I was fitted with a HEPA face mask. But, the HEPA filters came in pink. Now just remember, I am also carrying a purse to contain my camera, wallet, cards etc, and now these pink things. So, just remember that I could be a little sensitive about this on a bad day. Oh, well, I will send you a picture of it shortly. Tonight we are at home to recover and take some shots for the next week and I won’t be speaking or being around a ground of people for at least three Sundays.

They are Out for Blood!

2009-02-02T21:44:00.000-08:00

February 3 was a busy day at the Medical Center. First, I was sent to the lab and they gathered up 15 tubes of blood. This is the picture above. I then took an ECG or what is also called an EKG and had a Chest X-ray. Then we both took a class on how to clean the Catheter that I will be placed with later this week. Yes, I can now tell people that I have taken classes at Western Baptist Bible College, 2 seminaries and at Stanford! We also met with our Doctor and our Nurse coordinator. Then, we visited a home where Koyce will stay while I am in the hospital. We will tell you more about this situation a little later on. We will be back at the Center on Tuesday through Friday noon. I will explain more probably on Friday.

Church Sending us off to The Hospital

2009-02-01T21:34:00.000-08:00

After I spoke this morning, February 1, our board chair came up and asked a few others from our congregation to pray. I had five points in my message and each one took one of the points and weaved it into their prayer. It was a very touching moment to our service this morning. Below are the people and the prayers that we offered up to the Lord:

Our board chair Calvin Fei came up and said, “As you know, Pastor and Koyce will be going to Stanford quite soon and we want to have a special time of prayer so I have asked several members to join me in prayer and please, please pray along with me if you would. Lord, heavenly Father, we praise you for who you are. Lord, we don’t know exactly why Pastor is going through these trails with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, we really do not understand that but this we do know Lord, from everlasting to everlasting Thou art God. And Lord, we know that you are righteous and you will bring the victory out of this situation. We pray for your special protection around Pastor and Koyce. We pray that you are their fortress and their hiding place. And yet even more, we pray that you will wrap your feathers around them. Help them to experience your love and closeness during this time. We also pray that we as a congregation can be an extension of those feathers Lord, that our prayers will actually be felt by them and our love and our actions will show that love. And for that, we will give you the glory.”

Then Clayton Ross, chair of the pulpit committee when I came to the church a little over eight years ago prayed, “It is so good Lord to know that you always do what is right. It is so good to know that you work all things together for good to those that love thee and are called according to your purpose. Here is a couple that has long ago committed themselves to serving you in whatever way you called them to. And then they committed themselves to us when we needed a Pastoral couple to come and stay with us. Thank you Lord for their commitment. May we gladly renew our commitment to them, to pray for them, to offer them our support, to see what their needs are and help them to meet those needs. Lord, we are people who tend to forget our commitments. May we Lord be fully devoted to this couple for your amazing glory.

Gail Bradway, one of our prayer warriors at the church prayed, “God, Pastor and Koyce have enemies that are looming very large right now—cancer, fear, discouragement and weakness. But the psalmist had the same fears and the same enemies. And he said, ‘My enemies turned to you and ran and stumbled unto you God and then they fell on their faces.’ So that’s what we are asking for Pastor and Koyce that these enemies will turn to you and run and they will stumble on Almighty God and fall on their faces and the reason we are asking this is because the psalmist went on to say, ‘I am thanking you God with a full heart, I am whistling and laughing and jumping for joy and I am writing the book of your wonders and singing your song High God, full of praises because of what you have done. Amen.’”

Then a good friend and a faithful servant Esther Bishop prayed, “Dear heavenly Father. We want to review your compassion as we heard in the message today. And I am thinking that in Lamentations you say, ‘Your compassions never fail. They are new every morning’ and your faithfulness is so great. In Exodus, you told us that you are the compassionate and gracious God abounding in love and faithfulness. In Psalms, you tell us that as a Father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those that fear him. And I am thinking now back to the Old Testament as the Israelites were in Egypt, how you heard and saw the suffering and how you had compassion on them and you came to their rescue. And I also thought about how in the New Testament when Jesus walked this earth, he had compassion on all of those around him, the masses. He saw their suffering, he saw their hurts, he saw their sickness. And Lord, we think again how he was merciful and gracious to them. I think that each one of us can look in our own lives and our journey of life and see the roads with its turns and twists and we can each one testify and review and remember your compassion to us. And now Lord, we also think of Pastor and Koyce and how many times they have told us how compassionate and gracious you have been to them through their walk through life together through many twists and turns. So here now Lord is another hairpin turn and a very serious one and we just commit them to you and we know that you are not going to change now and that you are going to be compassionate and gracious, thankful and loving and you will be there for every step and every turn. And we just pray that the people surrounding them, their caretakers, their doctors, everyone that they deal with also show them such love and compassion. And we also pray that our church will step up to the plate and will just surround them with love, compassion and our prayers. And we know that you have promised to never leave us or forsake us.”

Then Ken Mindrup, one of our leaders and one who speaks the most for me when I am away prayed, “Lord, we are so thankful for these choice servants of yours here. Lord, we do look back and see how you have provided for them and how you have provided for us and the witness you have given us to watch, to show the authenticity of what they believe and the authenticity of their God. And Lord, we thank you for that example and we thank you for allowing Pastor and Koyce to walk through this and the ability for us to learn and grow in our faith to be strengthened because of what we see here. Lord, we know that you have a future and hope as Pastor even said in his last point and we are excited to see what you will bring in that. And we pray for his testimony and his witness even there at Stanford as he is there and as he walks through this and the lives that will be touched. Not only the lives that they have touched here in this congregation but the other lives that will be touched even through this process. We thank you for that. And Lord we pray that we may grow and grow in our love toward you and our thankfulness toward you and toward Pastor and Koyce. So we thank you for the opportunities as examples to show our faith and our trust in the future and hope that you have for us and this church. We thank you for this in Christ’s name, Amen.

Surviving Life's Curves

2009-01-29T20:01:00.000-08:00

Today, January 29, I received in the mail a card from my good friends Elton and Audrey from the church. It was such a neat card. First, it fits with my series I am bringing at the church dealing with Surviving Life's Curves. Also, it fits well with the theme of this web site. Maybe you noticed the straight lines coming off the bridge and then immediately going into the curves. (Scroll down and I will talk about straight lines and curves and bends in the road). On the top of the site represents making a straight line to the doctor. Do you see the Stethoscope on the far right of the road?

Koyce and I paid a visit to The Stanford Medical Center today to sign some papers and firm up some dates. Beginning next week, I get a catheter put in and placed, take a class on self-injection, take another class on "teaching for transplant," take chemotherapy called Cytoxan, get my mask and begin the shots of Neupogen and Antibiotics. We also learned that I will be part of a Research Study and that I will be monitored there annually for the rest of my life. It was a tough session and before we were through, they had Koyce getting a bit weapy. Then the nurse said, "Look, if I don't scare you, I am not really doing my job." Well, today, she was doing her job!

As to our schedule, the second week of February is a stay at home week just taking Nepogen and wearing the mask, thus no preaching for a few weeks. On the 16th I begin taking Apheresis that takes place at Stanford. On about March 17, I enter the hospital with the transplant beginning on the 23rd and I will remain in the hospital there for 2-3 weeks. Following this, I stay in the safe zone over there where I can be close to the hospital for daily check ups that will probably run about another two weeks. After this, I can return home and start the process of recovering. I will keep you updated along this part of the journey.

When I returned home from Stanford today, there was a letter from Kaiser that said, "No clear evidence of cancer on the PET scan." So, I am clean today but we are going ahead with the process in order to keep the cancer from coming back. There is only a 40% chance that the cancer will not come back if I stop the process at this point. We desire better odds than that so we signed unto the process today.

Visited my Oncologist Today

2009-01-27T20:10:00.000-08:00

Here I am with Dr. Sattar who released me to The Stanford Medical Center today, January 27, and I will not see him again until sometime in May or June. He looked over all my tests and told me that everything looked normal--the heart which they emailed me from Stanford and told me that I had a lovely heart--the bone marrow test, the respiratory system and the PET scan. In fact, there was no evidence from the PET scan of any cancer! The two cycles of chemo has apparently killed it at this point. I could walk away from it all right now, but the chances of the cancer not returning are about 40%. But we want better odds than that and our hope is that the Stem Cell Transplant will rid us of this disease. On Thursday of this week, we will be at Stanford and then a busy week will follow over there beginning on February 2.

A Break at Christmas

2009-01-26T21:10:00.000-08:00

Because we had a three week break from chemotherapy, our thought was to go to Oregon and see our kids and then go up to our cabin at Black Butte Ranch. However, the weather was not conducive to such a trip so we decided to take our Korean Kids and spend a couple of days and nights in the city. The picture above is at Neiman Marcus across from Union Square.

On Christmas Day, we left our hotel and drove down the crooked street and ended up of all places at The Stinking Rose, a restaurant in the Italian district when the place reaks with garlic.

The next day we went to Pier 39 and walked on the Golden Gate Bridge. Then we topped off the day by a visit to Ghiradellis for ice cream.

It was a great break for the treatment and we had a good time. Fortunately, we were able to spend Thanksgiving a month earlier with our kids and grandkids at Shasta City, just above Redding.

Getting to Know us

2009-01-25T21:24:00.000-08:00

OUR CHILDREN

As to our children, we have two sons. Scott is our first born who graduated from Western Baptist College, now Corban College, in Salem Oregon. Upon finishing his Master’s degree at the University of Portland, he served for fifteen years as a Principal for a Christian school. In July of 2008, the Willamette Community Church of Albany, Oregon called him to become their senior pastor. Scott married Angela Patten and they have three children, Adam, Madison and Ashley.

Our son Mike also graduated from Western and received his degree in Math. Mike holds a Master’s degree from Oregon State University and has been a professor of Math at Corban College in Salem, Oregon for the past fifteen years. He married Katie Parker and they have two children, Morgan and Randall. Katie works for the Albany Christian school where Scott was the Principal and they attend the church where Scott pastors.

In the picture below, Scott is on the right side of the stairs with his family and Mike is on the left with his.

OUR KOREAN CHILDREN

In addition, we have two Korean children living with us in California. About two years ago, we met Jun (pronounced June) at the San Francisco airport who had arrived in the Bay Area to attend Berean Christian High School and to live with at our home. Both she and her parents wanted her to be in a Christian school and to find a place
where she could stay. In conversation with Dr. John Song, whom we had met about ten years earlier, he told them that he knew of the perfect school and the perfect place for her to stay. A semester later her brother Jack arrived to start his freshman year at Berean. Then this past fall, David Park, a fifth grader, was accepted at the Walnut Creek Christian Academy, the school of First Baptist Church, and he moved into our household as well.

OUR SITUATION WITH CANCER

At the moment I have had my Hodgkin’s Lymphoma Cancer reoccur and if you want to follow what is happening with this, browse around where you can have the latest information on where we are with respect to coming upon our curve in the road. Also, you can find some of our thoughts on this and what we are thinking at the present time. Thanks for checking in on us and we trust that you will be enjoy and be encouraged with this site.

A Week of Tests

2009-01-25T20:26:00.000-08:00

January 19-23

This week I took another CAT, PET and Bone Marrow test. The following Sunday I asked the people at church how many had ever had a Cat Scan. Many of them had not. So I told them that I could give them a scan right there. I put on the screen a picture of a cat with its eyes going back and forth and told them to stare at the cat for 10 seconds. Then following this picture a sign came up that said "Thank you." Then it said, "Your cat scan is now complete." In the next picture was a picture of a cat just laughing its fool head off! It got a laught anyhow. Former Pastor Ralph Canfield from Washington state wrote me and said, "How did you know that I needed a cat scan?" I guess he can now tell his doctor that he got the test and he won't have to pay any co-pay! Then he said he was praying for me and gave me a quote from Dr. R.T. Ketcham who said, "We have a Heavenly Father who is too wise ever to make a mistake, and too good ever to be unkind." A great quote.

The most interesting test was the bone marrow test. Actually, I had a sense of anxiety this week when I went in for the test. You see, I had one of these tests about 3 years ago. It was not fun. The doctor told me that what they were going to do was to go in through my back side where I sit and he was going to take his needle and go down until they hit bone and then break some of it off and bring the broken piece back out. He said that it was painful and I needed to just lie on my stomach and hold on to the bars in front of me. I said, “Aren’t you going to use an anesthetic?” He said, “Nope, Otherwise I can’t feel when I hit the bone but the good news is, it only lasts for 7 seconds.” And I have to tell you, that I think that was the longest 7 seconds I have ever experienced. So, when I went in this time, the woman who was going to torture me asked how I was doing. I said, “I am a little apprehensive about this” and she asked, “Why?” I told her about my last experience and told her that I have told a number of my friends about this and each one of them has told 10 other people how painful this was. At this she said, “There will be no pain. I use an anesthetic and this will be nothing like what you experienced before. And sure enough, the whole procedure was a piece of cake. There was a night and day difference betwen the two. And when it was over, She said, “Will you now go back and tell your friends that it was really nothing?” And I said, “I will tell my whole church about it and I am sure that they will tell 10 others that it was nothing to be anxious about.” So I told the church the following Sunday and used this as an illustration to them that the lesson I learned from this was—There are times we are anxious about what we are going to go through but often when we come out the other end, it was anything to worry about.

Also, I received an email on Sunday morning from Ed Biser in the midwest and it fit what I was speaking about from Psalm 16. Listen to what the poem said. It was entitled, A Bend in the Road. A Bend In The Road:

Each day we have trials or triumphs,
Have joy or burdens to bear.
Whether days are stressful or calm
I know God's love is there.

I won't let dark clouds surround me,
I'll find a brighter day.
I'll leave my doubts behind me as,
I journey on my way.

I know that He does lead me in,
The pathway I may take.
Because I've come to Him in prayer,
In decisions I must make.

Now there’s a bend in the road but,
God's presence will remain.
He'll help me get where I belong,
And make me glad I came.

Cancer's Unexpected Blessings

2009-01-19T17:57:00.000-08:00

When you enter the Valley of the Shadow of Death, things change.
Tony Snow posted 7/20/2007 02:30PM in Christianity Today.

Commentator and broadcaster Tony Snow announced that he had colon cancer in 2005. Following surgery and chemo-therapy, Snow joined the Bush administration in April 2006 as press secretary. Unfortunately, on March 23 Snow, 51, a husband and father of three, announced that the cancer had recurred, with tumors found in his abdomen—leading to surgery in April, followed by more chemotherapy. Snow went back to work in the White House Briefing Room on May 30, but resigned August 31. CT asked Snow what spiritual lessons he has been learning through the ordeal.

Blessings arrive in unexpected packages—in my case, cancer. Those of us with potentially fatal diseases—and there are millions in America today—find ourselves in the odd position of coping with our mortality while trying to fathom God’s will. Although it would be the height of presumption to declare with confidence What It All Means, Scripture provides powerful hints and consolations.

The first is that we shouldn’t spend too much time trying to answer the why questions: Why me? Why must people suffer? Why can’t someone else get sick? We can’t answer such things, and the questions themselves often are designed more to express our anguish than to solicit an answer.

I don’t know why I have cancer, and I don’t much care. It is what it is—a plain and indisputable fact. Yet even while staring into a mirror darkly, great and stunning truths begin to take shape. Our maladies define a central feature of our existence: We are fallen. We are imperfect. Our bodies give out.

But despite this—because of it—God offers the possibility of salvation and grace. We don’t know how the narrative of our lives will end, but we get to choose how to use the interval between now and the moment we meet our Creator face-to-face.

Second, we need to get past the anxiety. The mere thought of dying can send adrenaline flooding through your system. A dizzy, unfocused panic seizes you. Your heart thumps; your head swims. You think of nothingness and swoon. You fear partings; you worry about the impact on family and friends. You fidget and get nowhere.

To regain footing, remember that we were born not into death, but into life—and that the journey continues after we have finished our days on this earth. We accept this on faith, but that faith is nourished by a conviction that stirs even within many nonbelieving hearts—an intuition that the gift of life, once given, cannot be taken away. Those who have been stricken enjoy the special privilege of being able to fight with their might, main, and faith to live—fully, richly, exuberantly—no matter how their days may be numbered.

Third, we can open our eyes and hearts. God relishes surprise. We want lives of simple, predictable ease—smooth, even trails as far as the eye can see—but God likes to go off-road. He provokes us with twists and turns. He places us in predicaments that seem to defy our endurance and comprehension—and yet don’t. By his love and grace, we persevere. The challenges that make our hearts leap and stomachs churn invariably strengthen our faith and grant measures of wisdom and joy we would not experience otherwise.

What Kind of Transplant will this be?

2009-01-19T17:32:00.000-08:00

The type of Transplant is called Autologous where David serves as his own donor. What is involved is that his immature hematopoietic (blood) cells, often called stem cells, are collected and stored before he can proceed to the transplant. Once the cells are collected and stored, he will receive a high dose chemotherapy. The purpose of this regimen is to eliminate cancer cells. Following this, David’s cells will be infused and this is his transplant. Then it will take about fourteen days for the cells to begin to produce new mature blood cells. As he begins to make new blood cells, his body will heal and he will begin to feel better. Approximately 30 days following the transplant, if all is going well, David will be able to return home. Recovery from an autologous transplant can take up to six months or more. His hair will begin to regrow in about three months. His taste buds will return to normal in about four months but his energy will remain low for a long period of time. Sounds like fun, uh?

Responses to my Updates

2009-01-19T17:27:00.000-08:00

sherrill, on January 9th, 2009 at 6:13 pm Said:

I like you with no hair…. You look like a baby face…..Younger too. love you and praying for you. me

Marty, on January 9th, 2009 at 8:18 pm Said:

We’re all praying! You have to keep making those good memories in my life, you know Marty

W Bellshaw, on January 9th, 2009 at 11:40 pm Said:

Dear Dave & Koyce:
Thanks for the info. Helps me to pray more intelligently, and, hopefully, more intelligently. When you get well, I can stop praying?? Don’t want to bother God unnecessarily!!!

T Harshman Ireland, on January 13th, 2009 at 9:50 pm Said:

Dear David and Koyce,I was glad to read the update on how you are doing. My family and I will be praying for you. You do look good without any hair.

Every Journey hits a Major Curve in the Road

2009-01-19T17:16:00.000-08:00

In a book that has meant much to us, the author has written these words: “We are a people who like straight lines. We want our careers to take a straight line from the bottom to the top, our relationships to move consistently from good to better, and our lifestyles to just keep improving. Yet that never happens. It is only a matter of time until every journey through life hits a major curve in the road” (An Extravagant Mercy, by M. Craig Barnes).

David Jeremiah, in his book entitled, A Bend in the Road–Experiencing God when your World Caves In speaks of having the same kind of cancer that David has. He was first treated in 1994 but then it reoccured in 1998 and he ended up with a Stem Cell Transplant. Now ten years later, David heard him speak in the Bay Area and he was running along on all eight cylinders. The book has been an encouragement to David as he has learned a little about what he would be facing in a matter of weeks.

For instance, in one section of the book, he writes under the subheading, Three o’clock in the morning that “At that darkest and most dismal of hours, there may be no silence deeper than the silence of a hospital corridor.” He writes, “During my stay at Green Hospital, (that’s a hospital in San Diego) I became closely acquainted with the time and the desolate feeling of it.” Then he tells about being on morphine and saying, “My reaction to the drug was a waking nightmare of confusion and disorientation. I could only manage short periods of sleep punctuated by sudden, startled consciousness—like being shaken violently awake. After this jarring sensation, I would be unsure where I was, what day it might be, or what was happening to me. That was the pattern of my life, moments of sleep, moments of confusion. It lasted for about five days that all blurred together like an unpleasant dream.” Then he said, “The nights were worst, of course, they were long and dark and lonely. I remember waking abruptly one night, looking around with grogginess at the bed and the darkened room, and doing the best I could to get my bearings. There was nothing on my mind, with the exception of a Scripture passage that seemed to be lingering in wait for me.” And the passage of scripture was Psalm 71 so he grabbed his Bible and the passage brought to him both comfort and assurance.

And if this happens to me in the middle of the night, David said that he may look at this psalm too, but he knows that his is going to read Psalm 121 where we read that God will provide safety for him during the terrors of the night and that God will never leave his side. To be sure, we will face a bend in the road, or a curve if you wish, but we know that God is always there with us and is our help. A poem that means much to us, that was sent by a good friend and former missionary Bill Lancaster who had cancer, goes this way:

Sometimes we come to life’s crossroads,
And we view what we think is the end.

But God has a much wider vision
And he knows that it’s only a bend—

The road will go on and get smoother
And after we’ve stopped for a rest,

The path that lies hidden beyond us
is often the path that is best.

So rest and relax and grow stronger,
Let go and let God share your load.

And have faith in a brighter tomorrow.
You’ve just come to a bend in the road.

Isn’t that great? We might think it’s the end, but it is only a bend in the road.

Middle of January 2009

2009-01-19T17:09:00.000-08:00

January 16

Today I had a echo stress test. This would involve being on the treadmill with them increasing the grade and the speed. Actually, I was a little apprehensive about this since I hadn’t done one of these for at least ten years. But, I grabbed my sugar free gum and went for it. In the end, it was a piece of cake. I saw the pictures and the cardiologist said that I had good heart function and there was no evidence of any blockages. A couple of days later, my nurse coordinator emailed me from the Stanford Medical Center and said that she just got the echo results ”and in case you didn’t know it, you have a lovely heart!” So, the next time someone tells me that they think I don’t have heart, I will quote her words! And by the way, I did a seminar on being Heart Healthy at the Western States Conference in Bremerton last April and if you would like a copy of my presentation, I can email it to you. This is a good report for ten years ago, I had a bypass and usually they last only about ten years. So, while I was apprehensive about going, I was sure glad with the results. On Friday, I had a respiratory test and that seemed to go well too. In about a week and a half, I should be near to getting my schedule for the stem cell transplant at The Stanford Medical Center.

January 13

Since I lost almost of of my hair the previous week, on Sunday I told the church that having a bald head is like heaven is a bright and shiny place and there is no parting or dieing there. I also told them that God only made a few perfect heads and the rest he put hair on. And then I asked, “Do you know where all the hair goes when a man goes bald? It all goes inward and grows out his nose and ears!”

January 12
Now, wait until they see me next Sunday. For this morning, I received package in the mail from my good friend Ernie Clark in Texas. It was a hat with hair growing out the top. I will be wearing it next Sunday. Look and see what I am talking about: The hair on top is both black and white.

Sunday, January 11

Sunday was a great day at Walnut Creek. Yes, I am still at the pulpit. Last week’s message was, A Bend in the Road is not the End. Yesterday, it was, A Crash in the Road in not the End either. I told the story of how a girl driving on the wrong side of the road hit another vehicle and incapacited a driver coming the other way for a whole year. What was mind buggling was that I invited the mother of the girl, who had put the daughter out for adoption when she was 16, to speak on the events of the past year. There was not a dry eye in the service. But what we learned is that when we encounter a crash in our lives, our lives are not over. God somehow works in our lives and causes us who are weeping in the night to again have joy in the morning and us who are mourning to once again dance. The message was taken from Psalm 30. And David who was hurting healthwise saw the day in which he was healed. It was a great service because, the man was hit in the crash came to know the Lord and the girl started a ministry in junior highs and high schools about drinking. And even the mother learned how to forgive her daughter whom she had reunited with just 12 years earlier. One of the things we learned is that often things happen in our lives in order to grow.

Listen to this quote in Ron Mehl's book Surprise Endings says that says, "Someone had told him that the times when plants grow the most are not necessarily during the warm, gentle rains or beautiful summer days. In fact, when the fierce winds blow and the raging storms come is the time of most growth. Botanists tell us that if you were to take a cross section of the earth during a vicious storm, you could literally observe the roots reaching further down into the soil.” He goes on to say, “The German poet Goethe said, ‘Talent is formed in solitude, but character in the storms of life: (pps 60-61). And I believe that if you take a cross-section of people in our churches, we can literally observe the same thing.

January 9

This was the last day of chemo at Kaiser for this go-round. Today was a normal day of four hours of the stuff. I asked the nurse today what they do with all the tubes that flow from the bags into my arms that are thrown into a yellow bin. I asked her if they sterilize them and use them again. She said that they burn them. They are too toxic to be reused. And to think that that is what is going into me! And when I get to Stanford, they say that the chemotherapy treatment there is five to ten times worse!

In the next couple of weeks, I will be mainly taking some more tests such as a echocardiogram, pulmonary, PET and probably a few more. I may be making a trip to Stanford or two as well. Hopefully, I will be getting the schedule soon for the Stanford part of the program and when I do, I will post that.

January 7-8

We had two more days of chemo of four hours each. This wound up the second cycle of chemotherapy at Kaiser in Walnut Creek.

Back at it in January 2009

2009-01-19T17:04:00.000-08:00

We had a reprieve from treatment for three weeks over the Christmas holidays. But on January 6, 2009 the second cycle of the ICE treatment began with a visit to the oncologist at Kaiser and then twelve hours of chemo beginning Tuesday and going through Thursday. The first cycle went nicely and about ten days later, I started losing my hair. In Church on January 4, it was quite noticeable to our people . One of our friends wrote to us the next morning and asked if I had preached. Koyce intercepted the message and said, “Mary this is Koyce. Yes he did preach today and it was a great message. There were several of us with tears in our eyes not because of it being bad but because it was so great and with so much power and feeling that the Lord was in it. God gave him great strength and power in each word that was spoken. The song that finished the service was also very powerful.”

Below is a picture of our grandsons, Adam and Randall who shaved their heads in 2005 to show their solidarity with their grandpa.

Going back to Tuesday, January 6, we had a visit with our oncologist and we started the second cycle with a five hour session. As before, I brought my DVD player and watched the movie, Amazing Grace. I took the pills that they gave me for nausea and remembered taking three pills in the first cycle of Decadron, which is a steroid that got me up at 3:00 AM and kept me up the rest of the morning. The day went smoothly and on the way home we stopped to get some Protein Powder that I put in my chocolate milkshake later that evening.

Our Trip to Israel

2009-01-19T17:00:00.000-08:00

We hosted a trip to Israel in June of 2008 and had a wonderful experience for Israel’s sixtieth anniversary. One of the special events of this trip was to be able to see for the first time the original copy of Isaiah that was discovered in the caves of Qumran. It was also our first time to go through Hezekiah’s tunnel as we usually went earlier in the year and the water was so cold or the tunnel wasn’t open yet for tourists.

We scheduled another trip to Israel in June of 2009 but after we were told by the people at The Stanford Medical Center that David would be in a state of recovery for six months, we decided to see if those people who wanted to go this year would be open to postponing the trip to 2010. It was unanimous so we decided that the plan would be for June of this year.

If you would like our basic itinerary and have interest in this trip, drop us an note and we will email you the program we had for our 09 trip that we will undoubtedly do in 2010. It should be a great time again and all of us who were planning on going are excited about the following year. In addition, we are thinking about an add on, maybe a trip to Greece and over to Ephesus or up to Germany to take in Oberammergau in Bavaria and then a little of Austria and Switzerland. So, start saving up your money!

2009-01-19T15:19:00.001-08:00

How it Began in the Fall of 2008

2009-01-17T20:02:00.000-08:00

In our journey through life, we came upon another major curve this past fall. After a routine physical, it was noticed that a number of my blood numbers were high. The test was redone a month later and the numbers were even higher. My physician notified my oncologist since I was treated for Hodgkins’ Lymphoma in 2005. They suspected that the Lymphoma had reoccurred. After two biopsies, their diagnosis was confirmed.

The plan was to take a number of tests, then two cycles of chemotherapy and get ready for a Stem Cell Transplant at The Stanford Medical Center that is nearby.