An Old Post I've been Hiding

In cleaning and organizing my documents folder on my computer, I came across this story that I put together back in FEBRUARY of this year. I didn't post it because it wasn't the right time. Many things happened and I forgot about it, then as providence would have it, I came across it. Perhaps soon I'll pick up where the story leaves off and give you "the rest of the story."

In early 2007 we found out we were pregnant for the first time. It was surprising and unexpected and unplanned. At our first sonogram appointment we found there was a blighted ovum. We were sad and disappointed, but picked up the pieces and moved on.

In the fall of 2007, the same thing happened again.

During the fall, Anne developed a lumpy, odd area of tissue on her left tricep. The first dermatologist said it was nothing to worry about and didn’t do anything. She went to get a second opinion, which led to her second dermatologist performing a biopsy of the tissue. It came back from the lab testing positive for lymphoma.

She ended up having a CT scan on December 24, of all days. CT scan in the morning, lead two worship services in the evening. A week later, on new years eve, she noticed that she hadn’t been feeling well for a couple days, so just out of curiosity, she took a pregnancy test…and found she was pregnant! It was so unexpected as we had not been trying at all, in fact, we had intended not to get pregnant.

Even before being diagnosed with lymphoma she had set an appointment with a fertility clinic, with the plan of not being pregnant, so they could work with us to determine the causes of the two failed pregnancies. It was at that clinic that we first saw our little one. Already 8 weeks along at that point, there he/she was with a strong heart rate of 171! It was a beautiful, awesome, God-filled moment, even with the three other people in the room with us.

In the last month or so, she’s seen so many doctors, constantly being referred out to people. The fertility doctor, an oncologist, her OB/GYN, an endocrinologist, another CT scan specifically of her thyroid, and most recently the high-risk pregnancy specialist clinic at Winnie Palmer Hospital. I accompanied her at the most recent appointment where we received a LONG lecture from a genetic counselor. He talked for probably an hour and a half and I still don’t know that I understand the bottom line of what he said. But after enduring and humoring him, we got to see another ultrasound of the jumping bean, doing well and appearing healthy as can be. And we even got to HEAR the heartbeat this time! It was an overwhelming and emotional experience. We’re both extremely grateful and thankful to God.

Ever since we first heard the lymphoma diagnosis we have had some people praying for us. We enlisted more after we found out we were pregnant and knew that we were entering into a journey of faith and a time of praying for the health of our baby. I truly believe God answers prayer. We practiced nothing different in this pregnancy as compared to the first two, yet this one has succeeded and our first child is growing inside Anne. The only difference this time is intentional prayer to God.

Note for clarification: There has been no reason or indication for pursuing the Lymphoma diagnosis any further. Whatever it was, is gone. And looking at Aidan, he's totally worth the waiting we went through. More to come, whether here or on my wife's blog.

Why I'm an Ambivalent Voter

This is what I've been wanting to say for a while, but didn't know how. If one of the candidates was really to run a clean campaign, would he really win, or is the majority of our country sucked into the backbiting, bickering, and the smearing, negative ads? Will the next debate be more fruitful? I'm very curious to see the VP candidates debate.

Hogging the Bandwidth

On Sunday I was taking a short break during one of the services to try and upload something online. I forget what it was now, but Kelly happened to be in the same room working on two large projects and was uploading a graphic-heavy piece to the web. I was all like, "Hey, what happened to the internet?" because my computer literally started acting like the internet had gone down, like it was paralyzed to find any available resources to do what I needed done. A couple minutes later, everything was back, which I stated aloud, and she said, "My computer was probably hogging the bandwidth."

Is something hogging your bandwidth? Is something crowding out your ability to be effective in doing what God wants you to do? Are extracurricular activities keeping you from family time? Is TV keeping you from God time (this is me)? Maybe the circumstances seem outside your control--the kids demand your time, your sick with whatever this nasty bug is going around, you're working 60+ hours a week. You have one of two options--get more bandwidth, or stop doing something to free some up. Seems like in this case, less is probably more.

Order Pictures of Aidan

Here is Aidan's shutterfly website, look to your hearts content, and from there you can order prints....you can even order them to print at your nearest Target!

Tribute to John Piper

Mark Driscoll of Mars Hill Seattle posted this blog about John Piper. Does anyone have some recommendations of DVD's or video sermons online from him? I like his books but I've only ever seen him preach in person once, when he came to a Ligonier Conference in Grand Rapids when I was in high school. He was more passionate and inspiring than RC Sproul, IMHO.

The Election and Charitable Donations

Tim Stevens has a interesting post here about the current Vice/Presidential candidates and their charitable giving. I'm not into politics and haven't been watching hours of MSNBC. When the segment about the campaigns comes on the world news, I turn to another channel. But I think Tim makes an interesting point, one that reminds me of the whole thing about some CEO's exorbitant incomes.

But no matter what your income is, how you handle your money is a reflection of your heart. Am I saving and spending my money on myself, or do I bless others with what I've been given?

Missing Out

As a staff the other day we were watching a sermon by Perry Noble from this summer's One Prayer series. At one point he said that when we walk with Jesus, it ought to develop in us a sense of passion and expectancy. He illustrated this by pointing out that when we go to the movies, most of us are seated in the theatre 5-10 minutes before the PREVIEWS. We say hello to each other, maybe talk for a few minutes, but we're ready and excited for the next 2-3 hours.

When it comes to church though, the average person at any church will walk in the door two minutes before the countdown (previews), check in the kids and talk to friends until the countdown is over, and then walk in during the first, second, or third worship song. We're annoyed if something causes us to miss the first few minutes of a movie, we're fine with missing the first few minutes of worship and encountering Jesus, our loving Savior who gave his life for us so that we could worship him.

What if we had so much passion and expectancy throughout the week that we came early to say hello, and get into the sanctuary before or during the countdown? What if we left the house a few minutes early on Sunday morning to allow ourselves the margin to sit or browse the foyer and let the excitement rise within us? What if instead of talking to our same old friends that we could easily call in the afternoon or have a small group with, we reached out to people walking through our doors for the first time, who may have no friends with them, or not many friends at all? (Grace getting better at this--go Grace!)

As Steven Furtick would say, "Perhaps!..." Perhaps God would invade our hearts and our worship on Sundays, and put such an excitement in us that we would be compelled to reach out and invite people to come and sit with us, and together we would worship God passionately, because we were made for worship.

This isn't about guilting and shaming you into showing up on time and getting your butt in the sanctuary. This is about developing and increasing your desire for Jesus, a concern to create an electric atmosphere that is exciting and compelling for people far from God to be brought into the presence of the living God.