Jermiah 29:11...The Promise Of Hope

For I know the plans I have for you"- this is the LORD's declaration-"plans for your welfare, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. (Jeremiah 29:11 HCSB)

This scripture has had such powerful meaning and truth for me and my family in the past. There is so much about it that encourages me, revives me, reminds me and promises me that no matter what I may be going through, He knows the plans He has for me.

In times of sickness, illness, death or even rejoicing, He knows the plans He has prepared. No matter what may lie before us in the very immediate...the "now" of our lives...regardless of how good or bad things are, we can take solace and shelter in His promise of caring for His own.

No truer promises have ever been so comforting than it has for me as I, along with numerous others in Nashville TN, have been praying for the miraculous healing and deliverance of a precious 18 month old boy who was diagnosed last Monday with the most aggressive form of leukemia known to doctors.

It's called Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) - M7.

My sister Angela has been keeping me up to date with the occasional details in little Isaac's case. She said that this form of leukemia is not only the most aggressive, it's also the most rare. Doctors really don't have much to give in the way of treatments, survival rates or further fighting of this disease due to it's incredibly rare occurrences.

Early reports say that even IF Isaac survives the chemotherapy treatments, he has less than a 20% chance of living past 2 years. And yet, without any kind of chemo, he will most likely die within a month. Whatever his remaining years of life turn out to be, they are going to be filled with sickness and pain.

However, as Angela so awesomely stated in her email, "but isn't it amazing to know that we serve a God who doesn't care about survival rates?"

Indeed, we serve a mighty, able and loving God who doesn't need our approval, our permission or our wisdom before He decides how and when He will intervene.

We met Isaac for the first time last summer at my niece Avery's birthday party. He had just been adopted officially just days beforehand and his new mom Mysty was so thrilled to be able to present him as her son. He had such a wonderful personality about him and his big brown eyes seemed to drink each and every one of us in. I can recall holding him myself and hugging him tightly, knowing the kind of family he'd just been rescued from...full of drugs, alcohol and neglect.

Now, here he was, safe and warmly embraced by all who saw him. Laughter, hugging, kissing and overall baby silliness came over anyone who held this precious boy, almost as if he'd always been here.

I only got to see him for a few hours that day but I really became fond of him and wondered if maybe Jennifer and I ought to consider adoption one day.

From all the stories I'd heard from Angela in the weeks and months that followed, she always talked about how well Isaac had been adjusting and how there was just so much joy surrounding him.

Now though, the most shattering news a parent can be given about their child had been delivered. Such grief and devastation were immediate as the prayers began toward heaven with the same intensity.

Certainly, if it is the Lord's will that this little boy go home to be with Him after only 18 short months on this earth, then Isaac's newly adopted parents are willing to accept this and give Him the glory for it. However, it doesn't hurt at all for any of us to pray for Isaac's healing and restoration.

Whichever way the Lord heals Isaac, we will give God the praise...

that healing WILL come,
restoration WILL come and
hope WILL come, just as the Bible says.

There is a group of songs by Martha Munizzi that have really ministered to my spirit lately and it's from her "The Best Is Yet To Come" CD. The songs are all in succession, flowing seamlessly into one another, beginning with a medley of songs singing about the wonderful, miraculous name of Jesus ("Jesus Is The Sweetest Name I Know" into "Something About That Name").

That medley flows into a song called "I Know The Plans I Have For You" which speak directly from Jeremiah 29:11 and how we can apply those truths to our lives today. From there, it goes into a wonderful song of hope about the future called "Your Latter Will Be Greater".

Haggai 2:9 says "The latter glory of this house shall be greater than the former, says the LORD of hosts. And in this place I will give peace, declares the LORD of hosts.'"

This song so eloquently talks about how we, as His children, will be blessed so much more than we could ever hope or dream for.

The way this entire set starts off slowly in a soft, somber, soothing tone and swell into joyous, praise-filled shouts of triumph lift my heart and my eyes to Heaven expectantly as I pray to God with my own requests.

I have been praying earnestly for Isaac and I invite you to join all of us as well. Please keep him in your prayers this week as he begins his chemotherapy to help fight this likely fatal cancer.

Whatever happens now, it's in the Lord's hands and we give Him all the praise.

May He bless you and your family this week.

I'm Getting Frustrated

This is becoming the new catch-phrase/war-cry of our 5 year old son Jake.

I guess it's a lot better than saying an alternative phrase with a curse word in it, as some of his peers have been known to do. However, it's quickly becoming a boon to both me and the wife.

We usually get this statement exclaimed at us in a loud, vociferous manner when the boy is not getting his way. You know...like when he wants the TV channel changed but we can't find the remote or when he has to wait for a snack 'til one of us can make it to the kitchen. Basic times like that when most children his age are already on the floor amidst round 2 of their latest fit.

Last night was no different.

I decided since it was already mid-January that it was probably time to take down the outer Christmas decorations around the house. I know, I know...what was I thinking? It isn't even springtime yet and I'm already taking down the lighted wreaths and garland.

So I've got the kids inside the house, content to eat their Chik-Fil-A sandwiches while watching Hannah Montana. I see this as a great opportunity to get the decorations taken down. Plus, they're calling for snow tonight and I didn't want to be outside in subzero weather.

I get about 4-5 wreaths down and put away and am wrapping up my 38th wad of Christmas lights when I get "it" yelled at me.

"Dad, are you almost done? I need someone to come play with me and I'm getting frustrated waiting on you!!"

"Son" I reply calmly "give me a few more minutes. Daddy needs to get this done before it gets completely dark and Mommy gets home."

"NO Dad" he yells back. "I need you in here NOW!!"

"Jake" I say, a little more sternly. "Wait inside the house. It's too cold for you to be out here yelling at me and the more you yell, the longer it's going to take."

"Uugghh" he utters with all the angst a 5 year old can muster.

I begin to smile slightly under my cap as he shuts the door when all of a sudden I not only hear the front door lock but he turns off the outside lights.

There I am. Alone. In the dark. Trying to unravel another strand of lights.

"Oh that stinker" I giggle under my breath.

I guess he figures if he's going to be frustrated waiting for me to get done, he's going to frustrate me trying to finish my task. Thankfully, I not only had the garage door open with the lights on, I literally was almost done. I finished packing everything up and put it away for another 11 months, turned off the lights, shut the garage door and went in to where my children were waiting for me, standing bathed and clean by the fireplace, eager to serve me a warm cup of hot tea and a cinnamon scone.

Ah, who am I kidding? That last part about the kids wasn't there at all. In fact, I walked into a living room torn asunder by strewn about Hot Wheels cars, Justice League action figures, couch pillows tossed aside and renegade socks lost from the last load of laundry looking for a permanent home. The kids were arguing over the remote control and some program on the DVR was blaring through the living room at an almost deafening level.

I asked myself "didn't I just have this all picked up no less than 2 hours ago?"

I sighed and began to relate to my son's plight from earlier. Yeah Jake...I'm about to get frustrated too. LOL

However, I do pretty good at getting the kids rounded up and into the tub most nights by making it either a game or a contest. It's all about judging the mood in the air and how the kids are doing emotionally. Thankfully, my daughter was more than willing to help get Jake bathed & dressed since I said they could both stay up and watch American Idol.

And so, after some creative parenting and a little bargaining with both children, by 7pm we were all on the couch watching AI just waiting for Mommy to get home.

And, since we all want to share with her, we saved a little bit of that "frustration" for her too...but I won't go into that here.

A Few Memories

Well, as I begin to sit and type whatever comes to mind today, let's all sit back and see where we end up.

I'm here in the study listening to my ipod and the Billy Ray Cyrus/Miley Cyrus duet is starting up. If any of you parents reading this know this song, you know it's a real tear-jerker that talks about a dad having to face the fact that his little girl is growing up and spreading her wings to fly on her own. For any of us dads out there, this is a time I absolutely dread. I wake up every morning and see the picture of me holding Kaitlyn when she was only a few minutes old. I was so enthralled with her and the fact that she was finally here and was so wrapped up in staring at her, I failed to let ANYONE hold her that night.

My grandparents, mom and I still laugh and joke about this to this day.

There are some days when I know I'd wish some of those same family members were here to help "hold" her as she begins to really exert her "pre-teen-ness". LOL

It really makes me pause to think about life overall. How quickly it all goes by. One moment you have your children home with you, tiny and vulnerable, needing you and wanting you, the next...they're ready to leave home to start their own journey. I know I was once that young boy whom my mom and grandparents used to watch scurry through the house with my Batman toys. I see my own boy do that every day and I know that like his sister, it won't be too long until he too will be ready to spread his wings and fly on his own.

I hope my kids' memories of their young lives spent with me are filled with the same kind of fondness and joy as I recall the time I used to spend with my grandfather. He was always that giant of a man I looked up to as a tiny 5 year old chubby kid. He was (and still is) a huge influence on my life and is so much more than just a grandfather to me. He has always been the example I've tried to follow when it comes to engaging with other people.

I can remember the time together in his study at the church when it was just the two of us. He used to tell me the great stories of the Bible like David & Goliath, Daniel and the Lions' Den, Noah's Ark and the life of Jesus. He would play his guitar there for me and sing songs like "Gentle Shepherd" and one that always got him teary-eyed, "Old Shep".

Maybe that's why I get a little misty-eyed when I watch stories about dogs on TV.

I guess I'm writing about this today because I see how life goes on for each and every one of us. He has had a wonderfully full and exciting life and my son has so much before him. I am so grateful to God for the time I have left to spend with my grandfather and the time I have with my children.

My hope is that if I'm able to leave anything behind for my family and children, it will be the same kind of legacy my grandfather has instilled within me.

God loves you so much that He sent His only Son, Jesus, to die for you so that one day, you may spend eternity with Him in Heaven.

Already I hear my kids pray at night and it's becoming more than just the "now I lay me down to sleep..." variety. They are actually starting to pray from their hearts as they give thanks to God for His blessings to our family. What a thrill it is to hear these tiny voices speak to the Lord in the darkness at night, knowing it's genuine and so innocent from a child's heart & mind.

If I can give tribute to the Lord as well as reflect how well my grandfather brought me up, it will be in living a life worthy of the Gospel of Christ. It will be me walking with Him, in Him and according to His will for me.

My hope is that 2008 is the year that my life really begins to bear fruit for His purposes. I thank Him for all His mercies toward me and that He IS the God of all gods, the God of second (and third...and fourth...and fifth) chances. Isn't it amazing to know that He loves us so much that if we but confess our sins and humble ourselves before Him, He has promised to take our burdens and cast them away from us "as far as the East is from the West".

And He remembers them NO MORE against us.

What a mighty, loving, able, righteous and holy God I serve today!!

Have an anointed, spirit-filled day with Him and I'll try to be a little more regular with these blogs. :)

10 Things You Never Knew About Me...Maybe

OK...my friend Laura has "tagged" me over on my myspace page to list 10 weird or unusual things about me that may not be widely known. Since it's been a long time that I've last logged into the captain's log here, I thought I'd indulge and see if blogging again will help stimulate some creative juices.

Therefore, by somewhat (non)popular demand, here are 10 exciting and life-changing facts about me you probably never...EVER...knew. Consequently, they are probably some things you wish you could un-visualize out of your mind.

You're welcome.

1. I have been known to laugh in my sleep. Yes, it's true. While others talk or even walk, I laugh. It's hard NOT to laugh when I actually dream in cartoon (at times) as I become a participant in a Daffy Duck episode.

2. There must be something within me that doesn't allow me to sleep normally. Besides laughing in my sleep, I also snort. Think rabid hog pawing the ground and growling in a guttural way only a pig/boar could do. That's me. Couple that intense sound with it happening in the middle of the silent night and you've got a not only terrified wife but one who quickly becomes repulsed, bemused and has probably had thoughts of making me "eat" a pillow in my slumber. I keep telling her this snorting is my "fight or flight" reflex and that I'm doing this in my dreams to frighten off Bigfoot. I often see him peering through the windows or over the fence and this snorting is my way to scare him away.

It usually works.

3. Since I dream of Bigfoot, I guess you could say that somewhere deep inside me is a belief in ol' Sasquatch.

4. I admit to liking Michael Bolton's music. I thought he should have gotten farther on the recent "Clash of the Choirs" but I felt some of his early song choices were not as strong as the other choir leaders. However, judging from Michael's past awards he's received without my advice, I'm sure he knows a little about what he's doing.

5. I almost blew the existence of "Santa Claus" this Christmas Eve for my daughter. As the children were on their way up to bed, I was coming down the stairs with my wife's gifts. The ONLY gift that I'd written "From Santa" just happened to catch my daughter's eye. She quickly called a private meeting with my wife about the validity and very existence of St. Nick. Fortunately, my wife was able to patch the leak in the hull and we made it through Christmas with the belief still in tact.

Barely.

6. I believe I am becoming narcoleptic. I find myself falling asleep nearly EVERY time I try to sit and read something...ANYTHING. So, any book I begin usually winds up back on the shelf with maybe 1-2 chapters conquered. I need more authors to do a one chapter novel so I can feel like I'm expanding my mind somewhat. Also to further my claim of hitting "la la land" without much aid, I am usually asleep well within 30-60 seconds of my head hitting the pillow. This happens even after a large cup of coffee/tea or a diet Rockstar.

Nothing keeps me awake any more.

7. I have conversations with myself and usually wind up on the losing end. Don't ask me how but it happens.

8. A guilty pleasure movie of mine is Roadhouse. I admit it. Swayze is so cheesy in this flick (as is Sam "let's go get a beer even though we just got our butts whipped" Elliot) but I don't care. I just can't NOT watch it whenever it's on. I predict one day this movie will have it's own network.

9. I once had a solo in my first grade Christmas performance. It was the bridge to "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town". You know the part..."he sees you when you're sleeping..." I had practiced it days beforehand in a lower octave but the day of the performance, I sang it in a higher range. I sounded like a Vienna Choir Boy attempting "Ave Maria". Instead of the applause and affection I was hoping for, I was met with laughs and guffaws from everyone from my classmates to teachers.

The mental scar within still seeps...

10. I am actually laughing out loud as I type these items about me. I suppose it's either a realization of how funny or pathetic I truly am. Or...judging by my occasional night-time activities, maybe I'm actually sleeping.

OK...there you have it. 10 "interesting" things about me. If you're not amused or tempted to come back next month to read this page again, I promise I'll try to do better next time.