I Want To Leave a Legacy

I am going to be writing more in upcoming posts to the Blog about leaving a legacy. For most, this thought never enters there minds unless quite old or quite ill. I suppose I fall into the second category.

Daily, I think of ways that I can leave a legacy for my children (and now, grandson) so that they will remember me when I am gone. I reflect on the values and beliefs that I hope they will carry on for future generations. I imagine what I can write or leave in a journal or scrapbook that will best illustrate me and my life when I no longer live here. I ponder the prospect of being certain that the importance of living a life for Christ is left as a legacy for each one of them.

I especially enjoy Nichole Nordeman's song, "I Want to Leave a Legacy"...... these are they lyrics:

I don't mind if you've got something nice to say about me
And I enjoy an accolade like the rest
You could take my picture and hang it in a gallery
Of all the who's who and so-n-so's that used to be the best
At such 'n such...it wouldn't matter much

I won't lie, it feels alright to see your name in lights
We all need an "Atta boy" or "Atta girl"
But in the end I'd like to hang my hat on more besides
the temporary trappings of this world

I want to leave a legacy
How will they remember me?
Did I choose to love?
Did I point to you enough to make a mark on things?
I want to leave an offering
A child of mercy and grace who blessed Your name unapologetically
And leave that kind of legacy

I don't have to look too far or too long awhile
To make a lengthy list of all that I enjoy
It's an accumulating trinket and a treasure pile
Where moth and rust, thieves and such will soon destroy

Not well traveled, not well read, not well-to-do or well bred
Just want to hear instead, "Well done" good and faithful one

To listen to this song performed by the soloist, go to:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=yRHvUk1p1kM&feature=related

A Prayer for Today: October 10, 2008

My Lord,

I rejoice at the mention of Your Name. Where would I be without You? I cannot imagine life without You as a very intimate part. I arise and think of You and when I close my eyes, You are on my mind. Thank you for promising us that You will never, ever leave us or forsake us. That promise brings great comfort in a world where everything is changing and in motion.

My heart grieves when I fail You, Father. I come to Your throne, with a repentant heart, and ask that You will cleanse me and make me white as snow. Grow the desire in my heart for Your Word. It is through reading and obeying Your Word that we are the recipients of abundant life.

Our country is in great turmoil. The upcoming elections are vital to our country. Father, we ask that You intervene on our behalf. Bring Godly leadership to all branches of our government. Allow men and women of God to be elected so that they will listen for Your guidance in making critical decisions for our nation. Please remove the blinders off of our eyes, Lord. Let us not be swayed by the media and press – help us to consult with Your Word and elect men and women who stand for Your principals and precepts. Grant divine protection and guidance for each man and woman in uniform who are fighting to defend our freedoms and to protect us from terrorists.

Many lives are in need of healing. Move on our behalf, Lord. Proverbs 4:20 tells us: “Give attention to my WORDS; incline your ear to My sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes for they are LIFE to those who find them and HEALTH to all their flesh.” Maintain our focus on You and these promises. My heart breaks because so many do not know the depth of Your love and the hope of salvation. I pray, that these written words will reflect You and Your light to a dark, dying world. Bring salvation to the lost. Restore hope to the hopeless among us. Let those who have never heard of Jesus’ love for them and His offer of eternal life, learn about You.

Thank You, Father, for your faithfulness to your not-so-faithful children. Thank You for the patience you have with each of us. Thank You for Your unconditional love.

In Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen.

Reason to Praise!

I just received an e-mail from my doctor. I have only been on the two alternative treatments that we learned about from the University of Washington researcher for 16 days and my WBC (White Blood Count) has dropped from 93,000 to 54,000 (normal WBC is 5000-10,000)! Praise the Lord! And my hemoglobin has raised an entire point in just one week.

Please keep praying with us that this will benefit me and will allow me to avoid chemotherapy that will further weaken my very compromised immune system! I also need it to begin shrinking my spleen and lymph nodes -- they are enlarged.

I want to weep at His goodness.

Photo Shoot

When an offer arrives in the mail for free photos of a new baby, you can guess what a new mother chooses to do! Well, today was Little Man's one month birthday so his Mommy and I took him to the Sears Portrait Studio for his first photo shoot. After all, with coupons offering free sitting fees, free 10X13's, 50% off packages, who could pass up such savings?

We arrived with his three outfits in tow. Who could have his first month photo shoot in one outfit? We had his Lil Man overalls that he wore home from the hospital. We took his Cowboy outfit complete with his suede (very tiny) cowboy boots. And we took his Doggone Cute outfit with matching dog toy. As the photographer and Little Man's Mommy worked on posing, Grammy was designated the stage hand in charge of props and costuming. Did I ever have a work-out. Rushing back and forth with new outfits and props is not a job for the faint at heart!

After donning all of his outfits, the photographer had a brilliant idea to do a naked baby shot with him resting on his Mommy's extended arms. That was going quite well until Little Man decided it was time to um....... let's say water the black velvet backdrop. Being the mother of three daughters, I am not experienced with the watering devices associated with little boys. It did make for a memorable day!

Gone are the days when I took our girls for photos. Computers have revolutionized the photography industry so we were asked to wait only 15-20 minutes and the photos would be ready for viewing. Little Man was getting tired and hungry and a bit cranky. He had a milk snack and then his Mommy was called into view the photographs. Grammy was given the job of entertaining the hungry, tired baby. He threw quite the fit for me as I tried to walk, rock, talk, sing, and entertain him. The faster I walked, the louder he cried.

Being a mother who always detested pacifiers and who never allowed our girls to have one, I could never foresee the day that I would buy a pacifier for one of our grandchildren. However, that day arrived today. I casually walked back to where our daughter was reviewing the photos and took a five dollar bill out of my purse and Little Man and I headed for the baby department. I was on a pacifier mission, hoping that would calm him down. Suddenly, he fell soundly to sleep. Grammy was rescued from the prospect of having to purchase the pacifier! Thank the Lord!

We walked back to the photo studio and the sales associate had our daughter tightly wrapped around her little finger. She was purchasing every package, picture, and portrait in sight. Those money saving coupons saved us nearly $300 dollars today (not counting what Grammy purchased)! They also sold her a "money saving" discount card where she can return each month and "save" MORE MONEY at their photo studio. Are those marketing geniuses or what?

In two weeks we will have enough photos to nearly wallpaper Little Man's home. You realize, he will never be month old again, so what was a mother and a grandmother to do?

I Can Only Imagine

Mercy Me's popular song "I Can Only Imagine" is one of my favorites. Daily, I am well aware that my body is breaking down further and further. Daily, I know that I could meet God, face to face, any day. This song brings great comfort to me and is a splendid reminder of what Heaven will be like when we step over into our eternal home. I can only imagine!

I can only imagine
What it will be like
When I walk
By your side

I can only imagine
What my eyes will see
When your face
Is before me
I can only imagine

I can only imagine

Surrounded by Your glory, what will my heart feel
Will I dance for you Jesus or in awe of you be still
Will I stand in your presence or to my knees will I fall
Will I sing hallelujah, will I be able to speak at all
I can only imagine

I can only imagine

I can only imagine
When that day comes
And I find myself
Standing in the Son

I can only imagine
When all I will do
Is forever
Forever worship You
I can only imagine

I can only imagine

Surrounded by Your glory, what will my heart feel
Will I dance for you Jesus or in awe of you be still
Will I stand in your presence or to my knees will I fall
Will I sing hallelujah, will I be able to speak at all
I can only imagine

I can only imagine

I can only imagine
When all I will do
Is forever, forever worship you

I can only imagine

If you would like to listen to this song, go to:
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=IV9jiqS-74g

Helpful Tips

I am not certain who authored (or tested) these helpful tips, but I found some of them intriguing. If you try any of these helpful tips with success, drop a message to the Blog for the rest of us who are curious yet too cowardly to give them a try!

Eliminate ear mites. All it takes is a few drops of Wesson Corn Oil in your cat's ear. Massage it in, then clean with a cotton ball. Repeat daily for 3 days. The oil soothes the cat's skin, smothers the mites, and accelerates healing.

Kills fleas instantly. Dawn Dishwashing Liquid does the trick. Add a few drops to your dog's bath and shampoo the animal thoroughly. Rinse well to avoid skin irritations. Good-bye fleas.

Rainy day cure for dog odor: Next time your dog comes in from the rain, simply wipe down the animal with Bounce or any dryer sheet, instantly making your dog smell springtime fresh.

Did you know that drinking two glasses of Gatorade can relieve headache pain almost immediately-without the unpleasant side effects caused by traditional pain relievers?

Did you know that Colgate Toothpaste makes an excellent salve for burns?

Before you head to the drugstore for a high-priced inhaler filled with mysterious chemicals, try chewing on a couple of curiously strong Altoids peppermints. They'll clear up your stuffed nose.

Achy muscles from a bout of the flu? Mix 1 tablespoon horseradish in 1 cup of olive oil. Let the mixture sit for 30 minutes, then apply it as a massage oil for instant relief for aching muscles.

Sore throat? Just mix 1/4 cup of vinegar with 1/4 cup of honey and take 1 tablespoon six times a day. The vinegar kills the bacteria.

Cure urinary tract infections with Alka-Seltzer. Just dissolve two tablets in a glass of water and drink it at the onset of the symptoms. Alka-Seltzer begins eliminating urinary tract infections almost instantly-even though the product was never been advertised for this use.

Honey remedy for skin blemishes...cover the blemish with a dab of honey and place a Band-Aid over it. Honey kills the bacteria, keeps the skin sterile, and speeds healing. Works overnight.

Listerine therapy for toenail fungus: Get rid of unsightly toenail fungus by soaking your toes in Listerine Mouthwash. The powerful antiseptic leaves your toenails looking healthy again.

Easy eyeglass protection...to prevent the screws in eyeglasses from loosening, apply a small drop of Maybelline Crystal Clear Nail Polish to the threads of the screws before tightening them.

Cleaning liquid that doubles as bug killer...if menacing bees, wasps, hornets, or yellow jackets get in your home and you can't find the insecticide, try a spray of Formula 409. Insects drop to the ground instantly.

Smart splinter remover: Just pour a drop of Elmer's Glue-All over the splinter, let dry, and peel the dried glue off the skin. The splinter sticks to the dried glue.

Hunt's Tomato Paste boil cure...cover the boil with Hunt's Tomato Paste as a compress. The acids from the tomatoes soothe the pain and bring the boil to a head.

Balm for broken blisters...to disinfect a broken blister, dab on a few drops of Listerine, a powerful antiseptic.

Vinegar to heal bruises...soak a cotton ball in white vinegar and apply it to the bruise for 1 hour. The vinegar reduces the blueness and speeds up the healing process.

Quaker Oats for fast pain relief...it's not for breakfast any more! Mix 2 cups of Quaker Oats and 1 cup of water in a bowl and warm in the microwave for 1 minute, cool slightly, and apply the mixture to your hands for soothing relief from arthritis pain.

One Month Old

Can you believe that tomorrow Little Man will turn one month old? I have been a Grammy for 30 entire days! The little fellow came to visit us today. My how he has grown since we last saw him on Saturday. It seems as though everyday brings a new experience, a new smile, or a new adventure with him around.

Tomorrow we are taking him to have his first photos taken. True to his mother's nature, she requested that she be able to bring wardrobe changes for the photo shoot! She always played dress up with her dolls, so I am not surprised.

Vote!

"When you become entitled to exercise the right of voting for public officers, let it be impressed on your mind that God commands you to choose for rulers, "just men who will rule in the fear of God." The preservation of [our] government depends on the faithful discharge of this Duty; if the citizens neglect their Duty and place unprincipled men in office, the government will soon be corrupted; laws will be made, not for the public good so much as for selfish or local purposes; corrupt or incompetent men will be appointed to execute the Laws; the public revenues will be squandered on unworthy men; and the rights of the citizen will be violated or disregarded. If [our] government fails to secure public prosperity and happiness, it must be because the citizens neglect the Divine Commands, and elect bad men to make and administer the Laws."
-History of United States by Noah Webster

Oh, the timeliness of Noah Webster's quote on elections. Much of what he wrote generations ago, has come to pass in today's government. Read and reread his quote. Vote according to God's Word and His principles.

The November election is fast approaching. With our nation in such dire straits, it is vital for Americans to truly review the candidates and their platforms. If you are a Christian, you need to find an accurate assessment of what the candidates stand for and compare those platforms to what God's Word says is important and right. Go to: www.praythevote.org or http://www.frcaction.org/get.cfm?i=VR08G01 .

I read an interesting piece authored by David Freddoso, The Case Against Barack Obama, it documents that "Obama is probably the most pro-abortion presidential candidate in history. He worked to block a bill—virtually identical to the federal law he now claims to support— in the Illinois legislature that would have made it illegal to kill or deny care to children born alive in failed abortion procedures. He beat Hillary Clinton to the NARAL Pro-Choice America endorsement in the Democratic primaries. Obama has vowed to sign the Freedom of Choice Act, of which he is a Senate co-sponsor. This legislation, which supporters say will codify Roe v. Wade, would nullify every official abortion restriction in the country. And Obama supports taxpayer-funded abortion, even though the Hyde Amendment has done more to reduce abortions than any other pro-life policy."

I personally know of two families desperately seeking and waiting for children. Women do have a choice even when lives are salvaged from abortion -- it is called adoption. A loving family could be found for every infant who is aborted and killed. We cannot allow candidates with such strong pro-abortion views to be allowed into office.

There are no perfect men. Romans 3:23 tells us: "For ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Therefore, I cast my votes for men and women who best represent God's standards on issues. Corruption is rampant in government and Washington. It is clear from Noah Webster's quote (above) that this corruption has been caused by voters not electing God-fearing and God-serving men and women to places of authority.

This year, I voted by absentee ballot for the first time. The last two elections I found myself in the hospital and unable to vote. Therefore, I requested my absentee ballot early and I learned several things about the voting process.

Firstly, I appreciated having the time with my ballot where I could methodically review it, pray and ponder my decisions.

Secondly, four judges' names were on the ballot and voters were being asked if they should be retained or not. I was able to go online and analyze their records on the bench. Upon review, only one of the four held views similar to mine, so three of the four judges were voted against on my ballot.

Lastly, despite the threat of illness or a hospital stay, I am pleased that my vote has been cast and my voice has been heard. It is heartbreaking to think of the Americans who do not educated themselves about candidates and issues and then head to the voting booth to cast their votes. It is a privilege, won by the shed blood of freedom fighters, to vote in a free election.

Author's Note: Undoubtedly, there will be someone who reads this post who has had an abortion. My writings in no way condemn you for a decision that you made. God loves you, forgives you and will help you heal from the heartache that abortion can cause to women.

Things That Really Matter

For reflection .....

A philosophy professor stood before his class and had some items in front of him. When class began, wordlessly he picked up a large empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with rocks, rocks about 2" in diameter.

He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.So the professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles, of course,rolled into the open areas between the rocks.

He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was. The students laughed. The professor picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else.

"Now," said the professor, "I want you to recognize that this is your life. The rocks are the important things - your family, your partner, your health, your children - anything that is so important to you that if it were lost, you would be nearly destroyed."

"The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house, your car."

"The sand is everything else. The small stuff."

"If you put the sand into the jar first, there is no room for the pebbles or the rocks. The same goes for your life. If you spend all your energy and time on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you."

"Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness.Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your partner out dancing. There will always be time to go to work, clean the house, give a dinner party and fix the disposal."

"Take care of the rocks first - the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand."

Flu Season Awaits

For most, flu season and its accompanying sneezes and sniffles becomes only a minor inconvenience. Since learning this week that my immune function is even worse than we originally knew, I thought it appropriate to write about flu season from my point of view. I wonder what my odds of living through this winter will be since I have no functioning T-Cells left to defend me?

All too often, people push and prod themselves along to continue their daily activities at work or in the community, even when they are quite ill. Before you decide to leave the house next time with a temperature and sore throat, please pause to think of those of us who cannot fight off such illnesses when exposed. A simple trip to the grocery store with you pushing the cart, you suddenly cough, cover your mouth with your hand and now the grocery cart handle is contaminated. I follow you into the store and take your cart. You get the picture!

If you elect to get a flu shot, please ask for the injection and not the nasal flu mist. The injection is a dead virus while the flu mist is a live virus. If you recently took the flu mist and stood by me in line at the bank, I would most likely contract the flu from you.

If you are sick and must be out in public, please consider wearing a mask. There is much good information on masks at this CDC link: http://www.cdc.gov/features/masksrespirators/

Most importantly, more than ever, I must ask that if you have even an inkling that you might be coming down with a "bug" or if you have been around someone who has been ill, please do not come around me. It is difficult to tell family and friends to stay away, but I have no option.

I am not the only cancer patient or immunocompromised patient who fights these battles. Be considerate of those around you during this flu season. Afterall, by you staying home and recuperating not only will I benefit, but you will benefit as well!

Reflections on Grandmothering

I do not know the authors of these quotes. Friends have shared some with me since I became a Grandmother and others I have read.

True loves only comes with birth of your first grandchild.

A garden of Love grows in a Grandmother's heart.

A grandmother is a mother who has a second chance.

Grandma's heart is a Patchwork of Love.

Grandmas hold our tiny hands for just a little while, but our hearts forever.

Grandmother - a wonderful mother with lots of practice.

Grandmothers and roses are much the same. Each are God's masterpieces with different names.

It's such a grand thing to be a mother of a mother - that's why the world calls her grandmother.

When a child is born, so are grandmothers.

Grandmother - a wonderful mother with lots of practice.

Grandmother-grandchild relationships are simple. Grandmas are short on criticism and long on love.

If your baby is "beautiful and perfect, never cries or fusses, sleeps on schedule and burps on demand, an angel all the time," you're the grandma.

Just about the time a woman thinks her work is done, she becomes a grandmother.

My name is NO NO but Grandma calls me precious!

Perfect love sometimes does not come till the first grandchild.

A Prayer for Today: October 5, 2008

My Precious Father,

We praise You today, for You alone are worthy to be praised. We see Your hand prints all about us – the crisp autumn breeze blowing the colorful leaves to the ground; the glorious sunshine illuminating our paths; and the beautiful fall skies. Thank You, Lord for reminding us each day of Your presence and Your power to bring salvation, healing, peace, and guidance to Your children.

Lord, forgive us when we fail You. We are truly sorry and come to You with repentant hearts. I am reminded of how much of Your Word instructs us about love. And as humans, we sometimes fail You in this area. Help us to love, like You love – without conditions. I am reminded of 1 Corinthians 13:4-5: “Love….is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it – pays no attention to a suffered wrong.” Father, I ask that You will make each of us lovers of men without thought to wrongs done to us.

As we love You and our fellow man, we will be the benefactors of Your perfect love. I John 4:18 tells us: “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.” We seek that perfect love in our hearts -- this kind of love that does not have an agenda and love that loves without seeking anything in return. Mature our Christian walks and lives to exemplify this agape love to our world.

I know as we become lovers of our fellow man, they will see You through us. Our lost family members will see You living in our lives. Fellow workers or classmates will note that our lives reflect love and they will seek that in their own lives. Remind us daily, Lord to reflect that kind of love to the world around us.

Our needs are many, but we are confident that You alone know each need intimately. For all who are awaiting test results, I pray that they will reflect Your healing touch. For all who are contemplating treatment decisions, I pray that each one will have the mind of Christ and the Holy Spirit will guide and influence. For all who are suffering with pain, I pray comfort and healing. For those who may be faltering in their faith because of a cancer diagnosis, remind them of Your presence and love for each one. For the doctors and researchers who seek a cure for this disease, impart divine wisdom, understanding, and knowledge. For our faithful Dr. Hamblin, who gives so graciously of his time and knowledge to leukemia patients around the world, we pray blessings for him and his loved ones. We are blessed beyond measure to have such brilliant insights shared with us by Dr. Hamblin. If ever there is a scientist who will listen to Your voice and instructions to find a cure for us, I know it is Dr. Hamblin.

We love You, Lord. Where would we be without You?
In Your Mighty Name we pray, Amen.

Truly Home

Daily, I sit and ponder if a germ-covered surface I touch or a germ-infested food that I eat or if the person standing next to me in line at the grocery store with a serious infection is going to contaminate my body and kill me. With virtually no immune function remaining to defend me, daily thoughts turn more and more to the eternal life that awaits me.

Dr. Terry Hamblin is a world-renowned leukemia specialist from Great Britain and a Christian, who has given me recommendations time and again that have literally saved my life. He has a wonderful Blog filled with in depth information on leukemia and beautiful reflections on our Heavenly Father and the life that awaits His followers.

This week he posted a lovely poem that I am going to share with my readers. Read and absorb these words.

Stuart Townend says it in an unrivalled way:

THERE IS A HOPE that burns within my heart,
That gives me strength for every passing day;
A glimpse of glory now revealed in meagre part,
Yet drives all doubt away:

I stand in Christ, with sins forgiven;
And Christ in me, the hope of heaven!
My highest calling and my deepest joy,
To make His will my home.

There is a hope that lifts my weary head,
A consolation strong against despair,
That when the world has plunged me in its deepest pit,
I find the Saviour there!

Through present sufferings, future's fear,
He whispers 'courage' in my ear.
For I am safe in everlasting arms,
And they will lead me home.

There is a hope that stands the test of time,
That lifts my eyes beyond the beckoning grave,
To see the matchless beauty of a day divine
When I behold His face!

When sufferings cease and sorrows die,
And every longing satisfied.
Then joy unspeakable will flood my soul,
For I am truly home

A Day at the Pioneer Village

We enjoyed the crisp autumn weather and visited a pioneer village today. Some photographs for you to enjoy.....

To my surprise, we found a covered bridge at the village.

Some of these sheep had been sheared and appeared quite chilly in the early morning temperatures.

A covered wagon ...... imagine crossing the mountains in these vehicles.

The village blacksmith at work.

One of the many cabins dating back to the 1800's.

Please Continue to Pray

I heard from my local doctor tonight regarding lab work results from tests drawn this week. I have ZERO T-Cells. This is very concerning. T-Cells are vital infection fighters in the body. More than ever, I will need my friends and family to pray that God will protect me from serious infections. My thyroid level, iron levels, and Vitamin D level are all too low. We are adjusting medications, etc. to try to correct some of these concerns.

George Mueller

Many years ago, I read the autobiography of George Mueller. The reading and ingesting of that book changed my life. I have read of few other individuals who exhibited such strong faith in obtaining God's provisions. As he opened orphanages to care for abandoned children, he vowed to never go into debt or to ask man to help meet the financial needs of these institutions.

Over and over, George Mueller went to the Lord in prayer and asked Him to provide for the financial needs of these orphanages. And over and over, the Lord provided. His life story is inspiring to me as we watch the economy falter and fail all about us. It is vital for us to keep our faith firmly planted in the Lord and His promises to care for His children. No paycheck or employer is our ultimate provider. God retains that position. I have watched Him meet the needs of my family many times over. He will not fail us as the world's economies shake and shudder.

A bit about George Mueller (excerpted from www.prayerfoundation.org ).....

George Müller was born in 1805 and died in 1898. He was well-known as an English Evangelist and Philanthropist; a man of faith and prayer. Without ever asking anyone other than God, he received over $7,200,000 dollars (in 1800's money) through prayer alone.

Mueller was born in Prussia in 1805, by age 10 George was inventing plans to embezzle the government monies his father had charge of. His school years were years of drunkenness and immorality. At age sixteen he was jailed for failing to pay his bills.

The University he attended had 900 Divinity students. George said that there were only about nine who truly feared God. He continued in sin until at age 20 he received Christ as his personal Lord and Saviour.

George married and became a Pastor, but refused his salary when he found out it was collected from "pew-rents." He decided to live on faith from that time forward.

Müller established Orphanages in Bristol, England, and founded the "Scriptural Knowledge Institution for Home and Abroad." His life was characterized by prayer, faith, and self-denial in the cause of Christ.

During his lifetime, he established 117 schools which educated more than 120,000 young persons, including orphans.

In 1875, at the age of 70, and until age 87, he had a 17-year ministry of world-wide Evangelistic tours, which also raised money for his orphanages and the thousands of children in them.
He would live for another six years. At the time of his death at age 93 in 1898, the Church that he pastored in Bristol had about 2,000 members.

Andrew Murray's comments about the life and practices of George Mueller are applicable for our surviving difficult financial times as a nation:

"This implicit surrender to God’s Word led him (Mueller) to certain views and conduct in regard to money, which mightily influenced his future life. They had their root in the conviction that money was a Divine stewardship, and that all money had therefore to be received and dispensed in direct fellowship with God Himself. This led him to the adoption of the following four great rules:

1. Not to receive any fixed salary, both because in the collecting of it there was often much that was at variance with the freewill offering with which God’s service is to be maintained, and in the receiving of it a danger of placing more dependence on human sources of income than in the living God Himself.
2. Never to ask any human being for help, however great the need might be, but to make his wants known to the God who has promised to care for His servants and to hear their prayer.
3. To take this command (Luke 12: 33) literally, ‘Sell that thou hast and give alms,’ and never to save up money, but to spend all God entrusted to him on God’s poor, on the work of His kingdom.
4. Also to take Romans 8: 8, ‘Owe no man anything,’ literally, and never to buy on credit, or be in debt for anything, but to trust God to provide.

This mode of living was not easy at first. But Muller testifies it was most blessed in bringing the soul to rest in God, and drawing it into closer union with Himself when inclined to backslide. ‘For it will not do, it is not possible, to live in sin, and at the same time, by communion with God, to draw down from heaven everything one needs for the life that now is.’"

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Website

If you would like to read my leukemia story, it has been posted on the national Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's website at:

http://www.llslifemosaic.com/lifemosaic/patient_story.jsp?patientid=16705

Costa Rican Missionary

I am privileged to know and support a missionary in Costa Rica by the name of Jessie. While I served at the inner-city ministry, that I have written about in previous posts, Jessie served there with me. I have decided as she sends prayer requests to me, that I will post them on my Blog. I know being so far from home, in a foreign land, young Jessie will appreciate your prayers.

This week's prayer requests from Jessie:
- Young Life Staff retreat: October 1st-3rd. Pray for vision for the future and a time of rest for staff.
- Transportation difficulties for leaders to be resolved

If you would like to support Jessie with your financial donations, they may be mailed to:

Young Life
Costa Rican Missions
Young Life Service Center Income Processing
PO Box 520
Colorado Springs, CO
80901-0520

IN MEMO OF CHECKS: X389-Oliver

Visitors

Last night we were fortunate to have our one daughter visit and stay overnight while her husband was out of town. It is always so wonderful to have one of our daughters back home with us. Our empty nest becomes very quiet and lonely, so guests are always welcome!

Today, I was blessed with a visit by Little Man, his Mommy, and their pet dog Allie. Although my herniated discs are acting up and I was up all night with severe back pain, I was delighted to be able to hold Little Man most of today. He is growing by leaps and bounds. His cheeks are chubbier and his eyes are brighter each time that I see him. I know that he has been smiling at his Grammy.

For some odd reason, the dog was left at Grampy and Grammy's home, but Little Man was taken home by his Mommy. Can you believe that deal?

CVID

Dr. Byrd (oncologist from OSU) e-mailed me and said that he believes I have Common Variable Immune Deficiency in addition to leukemia. This would probably explain why my immune function has been so poor and I've had such serious infections. While we knew that the chemotherapy Fludarabine was quite toxic to my T-Cells, we never anticipated that years since the last dose, the T-Cells still would not have recovered.

We are now searching for information on this new diagnosis. It will be even more important to prevent, treat, and diagnose future infections. I have been reading a new book entitled HERBAL ANTIBIOTICS. It reviews many plants and herbs that are able to treat even drug-resistant bacterial infections. Interestingly, the new alternative treatment that I began last week contains one of these plants (wormwood) that was listed as one of the top antibacterial herbs on earth. I am hopeful that this will help my compromised immune function to fight off the enemies.