Our Christmas greeting to you all

Merry Christmas, and A Happy New Year December 2007

2007 started out FUN! We went to my cousin’s cabin near Donner Pass and enjoyed winter with games, snowboarding, skiing and even dog sledding. It was a great mini-getaway. I worked my last shifts at Lodi Memorial Hospital in mid January without really knowing I would be ‘working’ in different hospitals with different ‘patients’. On January 26th, my sister was run over by a shuttle bus in Berkeley and sustained multiple injuries that almost ended her life. For 3 weeks she was on a ventilator, and for 2 of those weeks, was in a drug-induced coma. She has since made an amazing recovery and I have nicknamed her the “Miracle Woman” which all of her doctors agree with. It has been a long, difficult road for her, but God has been faithful to answer our prayers for her physical healing.
Jessica spent her spring semester in Honduras studying the culture, Spanish, and international development. What a great opportunity it was for her to experience living in a Central American country with a host family and study her area of interest. Bob and I visited her for a week, stayed with her ‘familia’, and toured the city of Tegucigalpa plus some of the surrounding countryside. We enjoyed riding the bus just about everywhere we went.
Dan and his girlfriend Ashley were part of a team of Biola students that visited Utah over Easter break to dialogue with students at BYU and share with people of the Mormon faith what Christians believe. At the end of school, Dan vacationed for a few days with Ashley’s family in Yosemite, enjoying the beauty of God’s creation and rest.
On the first day of our family’s vacation at a friend’s condo on the shore of Lake Tahoe, our world abruptly changed. June 19th was a beautiful, crystal-blue day at the lake, but late that night Dan complained of severe abdominal pain that we were sure was from appendicitis. We took him to the local ER where we expected to have our vacation disrupted by an unexpected surgery for Dan. Unfortunately, it turned out to be much worse than that. A CT scan showed he did not have appendicitis, but there were numerous large unusual ‘things’ in his liver and pancreas, which turned out to be malignant tumors. The diagnosis appears to be a very rare pancreatic neuroendocrine carcinoma. He received his first chemotherapy at Stanford Hospital on July 7th. Between the effects of his disease and the side effects from chemotherapy, Dan had a very difficult summer. Fortunately, just before school was to start in the fall, things started looking up. Repeat CT and PET scans have shown that Dan has had a remarkable response to the chemo and the dose has been adjusted so that he is now having few side effects. He has been able to attend college this fall, maintain a 16-unit load (with good grades), live in the dorms, and participate in extra-curricular activities.
We are grateful for your many prayers and God’s great mercy! So many people have helped us out, prayed incessantly for our family, and supported us in so many ways. We are blessed! Keep praying for the tumors to shrink into oblivion! If you want to read more about all this, please go to: www.daninthelionsden.blogspot.com.



To add to our summer madness, Matthew went off to China with Royal Servants two days after we learned Dan had cancer. Despite the uncertainty of Dan’s situation and the general chaos, we decided to let him go as planned. This turned out to be a good decision as he had an invaluable experience there. I had the joy of emailing him in China the news that he passed his AP U.S. history exam. Oh, I wish I could have seen his face. He had a marvelous trip and we are still hearing about it and seeing his pictures. Matt continues to enjoy playing guitar, bass, harmonica, piano, and now accordion. He is a very busy young man. He played soccer, ran cross-country, and was involved with countless school and church activities. He is also enjoying his art and choir classes in this last year of high school.
Bob has been working hard, playing music and had a great time with our church’s mission trip to Mexico in October.
On December 1st, we received the news that Dan proposed to his beloved Ashley and now they are engaged! No date is officially set, but they are aiming for early January ‘09. We are thrilled. For those of you who know them as a couple, you will readily agree they are meant for each other. We had the privilege of having Ashley in our home this summer (she took over Matt’s room, Red Sox sheets and all). I don’t think Dan or any of us would have made it without her help and presence.
Topping it off, my mother has been hospitalized 3 times this year with her last visit a result of a fractured hip. Like I said, I have been in the hospital a lot this year.
As I look back over my calendar, the days have been a blur and I don’t remember much. But what I DO remember is the fact that the LORD our God has seen us through great difficulties and continues to show Himself strong on our behalf. I am learning so much about God, about how the family of God takes care of the hurting and needy ones, about the power of prayer and the Word of God to feed my thirsting soul. In many ways, as crazy as this sounds, the lessons learned and the experiences we have had, temper the trials we have endured. You do not learn many of these precious things unless you walk through the fire with God.
As you can see, for many reasons, we are figuring out the new ‘normal’ in our lives. Matt and Jessica will be graduating in May ‘08, (Matt from high school and Jessica from Biola), and have a few ideas up their sleeves as to the roads ahead for them. Matt would like to follow his sister’s route of attending Calvary Chapel Bible College for a year before heading to perhaps Biola. Jessica is thinking of living with friends and working for a year before pursuing a career or further schooling. Dan will be a senior next year, finishing his degree in film.
This Thanksgiving we were reminded to be very thankful for many blessings and many loved ones in our lives. Most of all we are thankful to be children of the Most High LORD God who looks after His own with tender loving care and sustains us while achieving His plans and purposes in us and through us for His glory.
This Christmas we again marvel that God Himself came to us: Immanuel, God with us, to be our remedy for sin, to do for us what we can never do ourselves – make us holy and righteous in His sight, so we can forever enjoy His presence.
Christmas Greetings and God’s blessings to you from the Howen Family,
Bob, Jamie, Jessica, Dan, & Matt

rjhowen@sbcglobal.net
drbobinlodi@yahoo.com

Dec 15

Yesterday's appointment at Stanford went well for Dan. His platelets are up and he was able to receive his chemotherapy treatment. A few other lab tests have shown up abnormal which is something we need to keep an eye on. The 3rd scan was delivered and hopefully will offer data in the continuum of the destruction of tumor tissue in Dan's organs.
FUN is the word to describe the conversations we all shared (Dan, Ashley, Ashley's mom Terry, and I) during the day about the wedding plans and ideas. Their wedding is sure to be a joyous and creative day. Would you add to your prayers for them the need for Dan to find an internship (for his cinema and media arts major) this summer, hopefully one in sports broadcasting, and hopefully one in football (one of his favorite things, you know)
This morning these final verses from Psalm 31 have been my help:
Blessed be the LORD,
For He has shown me His marvelous kindness in a strong city!
For I said in my haste,
"I am cut off from before Your eyes";
Nevertheless You heard the voice of my supplications
When I cried out to You.
Oh, love the LORD, all you His saints!
For the LORD preserves the faithful,
And fully repays the proud person.
Be of good courage,
And He shall strengthen your heart,
All you who hope in the LORD.

Wednesday Dec 12

Sure feels good to have Dan home for the next 3 or so weeks before he heads back to Biola for his inter-term Spanish class. He and Ashley arrived this afternoon and then she headed on home to Santa Rosa. Tomorrow we drive to our friend's home in Sunnyvale and Dan sees the doctor Friday morning (with the 3rd copy of his CT scan in hand). We are anticipating no problems with his chemo treatment Friday afternoon since Dan continues to feel great. Thanks again and again for your prayers. We are so grateful for those of you who are walking through this with us in prayer. We continue to plead before God's throne for Dan's complete healing and a long, happy and fruitful life for him and Ashley. Pray for them as they begin the planning process for their future. May God grant them wisdom and grace.

Psalm 128
Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord, who walks in his ways!
You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands;
you shall be blessed, and it shall be well with you.
Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house;
your children will be like olive shoots around your table.
Behold, thus shall the man be blessed who fears the Lord.
The Lord bless you from Zion!
May you see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of your life!
May you see your children's children!
Peace be upon Israel!

The Word of God

The Dead Sea Scrolls are definitely worth the ride to see them! We enjoyed the exhibit immensely. The museum will have them on display until Dec 31, and I encourage you, if you have the time to see these amazing documents, please do. How careful the Lord is to preserve His Word and provide documents to confirm their accurate transmission. May we have the same value that God places on His Word and may we take His Word into our hearts every day.

Psalm 18:30-31
As for God, his way is perfect;
the word of the Lord is flawless.
He is a shield
for all who take refuge in him.
For who is God besides the Lord?
And who is the Rock except our God?
Isa 40:6-8
"All flesh is grass,
And all its loveliness is like the flower of the field.
The grass withers, the flower fades,
Because the breath of the LORD blows upon it;
Surely the people are grass.
The grass withers, the flower fades,
But the word of our God stands forever."

Pearl Harbor Day

Just got back from being with the newly engaged:) couple -are they CUTE! And her ring is beautiful. Dan has good taste in jewelry and more importantly in choosing a woman after God's heart. I call her my "heart daughter" because I have been praying for Dan's future spouse for many years- so she is the one whom has my heart has been praying for! On the medical front the news is that Dan did not have chemotherapy today due to a low platelet count. He is scheduled to come back next week and be checked out again and hopefully get his chemo dose. Ah yes, the comparison study... well the good folks at Stanford have managed to misplace BOTH CT scans that we have hand delivered to them. So we will bring a third one next Friday and they will attempt again to do the comparison study. Third time's a charm, we hope.
Matt, Jessica and I will go to San Diego tomorrow to see the Dead Sea Scrolls. How exciting it will be to see these scrolls discovered in 1947 and on which have written on them the same words we read today in our Bible. We Jews are known as 'The People of the Book" and this "Book" contains the very words that God gave to men to communicate His truths and His prophetic Word. Over and over God has shown Himself to be the All Knowing God because of the fulfillment of His prophecies. Many times in Scripture He says "Hear" and " Listen". We do well to pay attention and heed His warnings and His commands.
Isaiah 48
“Listen to this, O house of Jacob,
you who are called by the name of Israel
and come from the line of Judah,
you who take oaths in the name of the Lord
and invoke the God of Israel—
but not in truth or righteousness—
you who call yourselves citizens of the holy city
and rely on the God of Israel—
the Lord Almighty is his name:
I foretold the former things long ago,
my mouth announced them and I made them known;
then suddenly I acted, and they came to pass.
For I knew how stubborn you were;
the sinews of your neck were iron,
your forehead was bronze.
Therefore I told you these things long ago;
before they happened I announced them to you
so that you could not say,
‘My idols did them;
my wooden image and metal god ordained them.’
You have heard these things; look at them all.
Will you not admit them?
“From now on I will tell you of new things,
of hidden things unknown to you.
They are created now, and not long ago;
you have not heard of them before today.
So you cannot say,
‘Yes, I knew of them.’
You have neither heard nor understood;
from of old your ear has not been open.
Well do I know how treacherous you are;
you were called a rebel from birth.
For my own name's sake I delay my wrath;
for the sake of my praise I hold it back from you,
so as not to cut you off.
See, I have refined you, though not as silver;
I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.
For my own sake, for my own sake, I do this.
How can I let myself be defamed?
I will not yield my glory to another.
“Listen to me, O Jacob,
Israel, whom I have called:
I am he;
I am the first and I am the last.
My own hand laid the foundations of the earth,
and my right hand spread out the heavens;
when I summon them,
they all stand up together.
“Come together, all of you, and listen:
Which of the idols has foretold these things?
The Lord's chosen ally
will carry out his purpose against Babylon;
his arm will be against the Babylonians.
I, even I, have spoken;
yes, I have called him.
I will bring him,
and he will succeed in his mission.
“Come near me and listen to this:
“From the first announcement I have not spoken in secret;
at the time it happens, I am there.”
And now the Sovereign Lord has sent me,
with his Spirit.
This is what the Lord says—
your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel:
“I am the Lord your God,
who teaches you what is best for you,
who directs you in the way you should go.
If only you had paid attention to my commands,
your peace would have been like a river,
your righteousness like the waves of the sea.

O Happy Day!

Amazing Awesome Announcement!
Beautiful Brilliant Broadcast!
Magnificent Marvelous Message!
Fabulous Fantastic Front Page News
Peachy Prodigious Particularization
Sensational Stupendous Scoop!
Tremendous Terrific Tidings!
Wild Wonderful Words!

Daniel and Ashley are Engaged to be MARRIED!


We are ecstatic!
We are thrilled with our new DILTB (daughter-in-law-to-be) She is a woman of great character
and will be a wonderful wife for Dan.

Lord Jesus may you greatly bless your children Dan and Ashley with a LONG HAPPY & FRUITFUL LIFE TOGETHER!

Pro 5:18 May your fountain be blessed, and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth.
Pro 18:22 He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the Lord.
Pro 31:10 *A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies.

for a cute pic of the newly engaged see:
http://collect.myspace.com/reloc.cfm?c=18&fuseaction=viewImage&imageID=22501309&friendID=18462372&id=