Merry Christmas and more

The Greatest Gift:
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this. Isaiah 9:6-7 May you receive this amazing gift from the LORD- salvation and eternal life in the Person of Jesus the Messiah.
I just read my blog from a year ago. It is good to look back and remember where we have been and the faithfulness of the LORD our God. Especially as Dan and Ashley, the 4 1/2 month newlyweds, are heading for Stanford tomorrow for a PET/CT scan, followed up by 2 doctor appointments on Tuesday. (Update will follow.)
From the bottom of my heart I thank you for your prayers. God is good forever, trustworthy, merciful, gracious, our Redeemer, our Savior, Almighty, and gives us peace in the midst of all our storms.

A note written by Ashley on her new blog:
"Please be in prayer that the news is encouraging. Since the last 3 months have been "wait and see" months, we are hoping to see no dramatic changes...at least bad dramatic changes. The liver was hammered with radiation back in June, so we're hoping to see some very dead tumors--or non-existent tumors. As for the pancreas, we're hoping for a very tiny and non-growing tumor. Pray for the doctors to see what they need to see and to have wisdom to recommend the next steps. Again, it would be wonderful to avoid more chemo (hair for graduation would be great, don't you think?), but that is only possible if the tumor growth has been minimal or none.
Pray for peace and encouragement and hope. Let this season be one of rejoicing in God's further healing in Dan's body. May the news on Tuesday leave us just plain old exuberant."

Nov 15

Dear Faithful Ones
An update on Tuesday’s doctor appointment at Stanford: We met with an orthopedic surgeon who reviewed the bone scan and MRI with us and recommended a couple of treatments that may reduce the pain Dan is having in his hip. (This is the first time I saw him limp as he walked and does that hurt a mother’s heart!) These 2 treatments will hopefully stimulate his body to produce more bone cells, not deal with the dead bone cells on his femur, but could have the outcome of reducing his pain.
Nothing, apart from God miraculously healing those dead cells, will change the avascular necrosis that has occured. At some point in the future Dan may need a hip replacement, but my dear Bible study ladies reminded me of Jeremiah’s prayer:

'Ah Lord GOD! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm! Nothing is too difficult for You,
Jeremiah 32:17

and the LORD God’s response:

Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah, saying,
"Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh; is anything too difficult for Me?"
Jer 32:26-27

As the LORD has given new spiritual life to us who were spiritually dead, so He can give new life to Dan’s dead bone cells. So let us ask our LORD God for that miracle!

We are truly thankful that this new development is not one of the cancer spreading. May this season of giving thanks remind us to be thankful for God’s gracious gift of life to each one of us and the forgiveness of our sins through Messiah Jesus.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus the Messiah! According to His great mercy, He has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Messiah Jesus from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith--more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire--may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Messiah Jesus.
Though you have not seen Him, you love Him. Though you do not now see Him, you believe in Him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
I Peter 1:3-9

news at last!

Well I know you are being patient in waiting for news- that is a lesson I am learning too! The bone scan Dan had two weeks go was read by several doctors but was inconclusive, so he needed an MRI which he had yesterday. Unbelievably they gave him a "report" on it and let him see the results. In Dan's creative eyes it looked like the ball of his femur "had a black yarmulke on it". In more medical terms the steroids that his tumor produced massive amounts of, caused the blood supply to be cut off to the head of the femur and caused necrosis or tissue death. The technician asked Dan if he was a body builder. (I would of said yes of course, can't you tell?) (So beware you body builders, steroids are very dangerous.) So while that is not a great report, it really has a silver lining in that it shows the cancer has not spread to his bones even though he has not had any chemo since April. We are so thankful for that. His endoscopy also came up negative for an ulcer- another good report. Dan and Ashley will head up to Stanford for an appointment with the doctor to review and evaluate all these new updates. I will be going also so if there is anything more to report, you will be hearing from me in a few days! May our hearts be filled with gratitude not just on "Thanksgiving Day" but every day. God gives every one alive the very precious breath of life.

Philippians 4:4-8
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!
Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in our Messiah Jesus.
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things.

greetings

Just a quick note to ask for your prayers for Dan. Today he is having a bone scan since he has had hip pain for awhile now. In 2 weeks he will be having an upper GI to check for an ulcer related to the radioactive bead implant of June. Married life for him and Ashley is going well. They are busy students so they are anticipating a wonderful vacation time just being together more at Christmas break. He loves his NFL Network internship- it's football after all. We are out of town for a week so I may not get back to you with any results until after our return. Bob and I are looking forward to some R & R! Love to you all and many thanks for your prayers.

Thanks for all your prayers

Just a note of thanks to all of you who have been so faithful to pray for Dan over these past 15 months.

As I was organizing my "art room" this afternoon, I came across a notebook I made of several cards we received last June when Dan was initially diagnosed. What a blessing it was to read them and remember the love and faithfulness of the prayer army assembled for Dan. And the faithfulness of our Lord Jesus to answer those pleas on his behalf!

Last night Bob and I went to the movies and saw a pastor from a church in town who reminded me that his church is still praying for Dan and was delighted with all the good news of Dan and Ashley's marriage and the good report from Stanford in September.

Dan starts an internship tomorrow with the NFL Network in LA - another answered prayer for him. (Did I mention he loves football?:)

Our LORD God has great plans for each one of us. We may walk down paths not of our choosing. We may make wrong choices as we walk this journey called life. And yes, there will be suffering, just because we live in a fallen world. But through it all He promises to be with us and to use everything we go through to conform us to the image of Jesus if we surrender our will, our life, ourselves to Him . And nothing can separate us from His love.
meditate on Romans 8:28-39
bless you

GREAT NEWS!

We just got home from Stanford after waiting 5+ hours to see the doctor. (That is what happens when they just "squeeze" you in, instead of having an appointment). But on the other hand it was so good to spend time with the new Mr. & Mrs. Howen (who are doing great and still madly in love). And the great news is: the radiologist was very pleased with the CT results which at first glance still shows tumors present, but they are much less dense (meaning they may just be hollowed out shells of tumors, i.e DEAD). The doctor will be studying them in more detail and comparing this CT study with the last one in April.
Also the tumor in the pancreas is approximately 1 cm which is a decrease from the 3.5 cm tumor size of June 2007 which volumetrically speaking is a 98% decrease! (I did the math). That size reduction has nothing to do with the SIRSphere treatment, but has all to do with the chemotherapy, of which he has not had any since April.
The doctor is now considering the best treatment to wipe out that small tumor in the pancreas which will probably not occur until Christmas vacation. We are anticipating another CT and perhaps the cyberknife at that time on the pancreas tumor. (Can you believe that Christmas is only 104 days away!)
We are so thrilled by this result of the SIRSpheres, as well as the fact that Dan is feeling great, his labs look good, and he and Ashley are loving being together. In fact, they are on the road driving back to their home in southern CA as I write this. May our LORD God give them the rest and rejuvenation they need this weekend. Internship update: Dan is doing his internship at Warner Brothers (not the football one he wanted, but this does fulfill his requirements).

Philippians 4:4-8
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.
Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand;
do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

Appointment Friday

Hello all. Thought I should update you on Dan and my brother Phil. Phil is now only face down 2 times a day 2 hours each time. Thank you Lord for his continuing recovery.
On the DAn front: Dan and Ashley drive up Thursday night for an early morning CT scan. Bob and I will meet them for his appointment with his oncologist after lunch. She will have an opportunity to review the scan before meeting with us. Please pray for a great report! With Dan very happily married and in LA, Matthew in Peru at Bible college, and Jessica leaving yesterday for a new adventure in Seattle, Bob and I have officially entered the "Empty Nest". It is quieter to be sure.
Our love and blessings to you all.

Num 6:22 -26
The Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
“Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying,
Thus you shall bless the people of Israel: you shall say to them,

“The Lord bless you and keep you;
“the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;
“the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.

A new home and more

Dan and Ashley Howen have finally moved into their first home, an apartment in La Mirada. School has started and the big news is Dan has an appointment with an internship possibility tomorrow. Please pray that will develop into a position that will meet his degree requirements. Dan's next CT will be Sept 12 to evaluate the results of the bead treatment, and he will also see his regular doctor at Stanford that day.
Another prayer request I have is for my brother Phil. He underwent eye surgery Tuesday for a detached and torn retina. The surgery was successful, but unfortunately Phil must stay in a face down position and remain still for at least 7 days, and that is a very hard thing to do. Phil is asking for our prayers that the eye would heal properly and the face down position would not need to be extended past next Wednesday. It was a blessing for all that I could be with him at the hospital on Tuesday and we are thankful for the doctor's good report the next day. I can't imagine how hard it must be for him and his family, so let us pray for patience, strength and endurance during this difficult time.

James 1:2-6

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds,
because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.
Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.

A few more thoughts and a couple of pictures

Forgive me, my last blog was written somewhat in a stupor- I did not include any pictures! I don't have a professional one from the photographer yet, but these were taken by a friend.
I am also including some thoughts that Russ (Ashley's dad) who also officiated the ceremony, wrote today. I am still at a loss to put into words all that we experienced that joyous and holy day-it was truly a testimony of God's Glory and Love.


Hi everyone,

It's Russ, the bride's dad here.

I might only add that I was blessed to officiate the union of my sweet Ashley to the love of her life, Daniel. I have wonderful "snap shots" of the preparation, the private blessing in the bride's room, the ceremony, and the day in its entirety. The smile on Dan's face as he saw Ash in her dress for the first time. The tightening of Ashley's grip on my arm, the almost tugging sense that she wanted to hurry to his side. The loving glances they shared at the altar; the desire that was evident in both their faces, and ultimately the overwhelming sense of joy and relief that the day they had envisioned ~ a day that had been threatened to never arrive ~ had indeed arrived and they are now united as one.

I am overwhelmed myself with joy in seeing, as Jamie stated, the happiness in my daughter's whole being. She is in love and now they are together. Hallelujah!

"Rejoice in the LORD always. Again I will say, rejoice!" (Philippians 4:4)

Russ

wedded bliss arrives

I am truly at a loss to fully describe the joy we all experienced on August 9th. The wedding of Daniel Howen and Ashley Clifford was beautiful and so full of joy. The radiant looks on Dan and Ashley's faces as they were joined in the sacred relationship of marriage blessed me as a parent and there is not much that can compare to the joy of witnessing that deep happiness on your offspring's face. It reminds me of our heavenly Father and His joy in blessing His children with good gifts. Joy filled my heart all that day and continues though I am a bit tired. The happy couple are now in Hawaii for the week and will have a couple nights in Tahoe before moving to LA next week and starting school the week after!

Col 1:9 -12
And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,
so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.
May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy,
giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.

Happy Days are on their way

I better blog today or I will not find the time to do so in the coming busyness of life. Dan and Ashley are getting married Saturday the 9th at 3:00 pm and yes, the days and hours are being counted. We are all very excited, but not quite as much as the bride and groom:)
The plans are set and everything is going as it should. We praise the Lord that in His sovereign plan, He has brought these two wonderful people together. Dan looks great and other than some minor stomach issues related to the bead therapy he is feeling good. The doctor called recently and his tumor marker lab value is NORMAL!

We are rejoicing for all these many blessings. Thank You LORD Jesus! Praise Him with us.

Ephesians 5:31
“Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.”

Proverbs 5:18
Let your fountain be blessed, and rejoice in the wife of your youth.

1 month away

One month left until the day Dan and Ashley will be united in holy matrimony! We are rejoicing! A match made in heaven to be sure and I know the Lord will continue to greatly bless them. Dan is doing great! No side effects from his radioactive bead infusion into his liver. Since it will be mid September before he has a CT to evaluate his response, we wait and pray, and are asking you to join us in that effort. Please pray too for all the details of wedding, the move into their apartment, and especially Dan's landing of a media internship for his fall semester. His first choice is an internship in sports media, preferably football (duh).

Another young friend of ours, Tabitha, is battling breast cancer. We would appreciate your prayers for her and her family (husband and 2 young children). Her beautiful and thoughtful words echo many of my feelings:

Cancer is the most complex and challenging thing I have ever dealt with. It does not behave and stay in one part of my life. Instead its overall effect resembles its biological behavior. Rather than staying in the physical and medical parts of my life it has metastasized into everything else: my emotions, my relationships, my psychological landscape and my faith. The physical realities just point to deeper spiritual realities. It is really too much for me to fully understand now and I know the implications of this will unfold over greater time. Even as this has been incredibly difficult, I cannot help but thank God for what all this is teaching me. My life has been spared and I have been exposed to my own weakness and the comforting strength of those around me.

Words are inadequate to tell you what you have done for us. Thank you a hundred times over for your strong support and encouragement. We have not had to walk this road alone because you chose to walk with us. I will not remember this as a dark time, though there has been darkness. I will remember this as a time of special closeness with family, a time of walking humbly and weakly with God as He led me through a difficult journey, and as a time when I and my family were held in the strong arms of those who chose to hold us

Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us,to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3: 20-21

yesterday and today

the following are emails sent out yesterday and today:

6-12-08
Dan's procedure went well and he is right now still in recovery. He is not feeling well which is understandable. I think he is pretty nauseated and needs to take several medications that need to be taken with food. Please pray that he will be feeling okay and will not suffer any significant side effects from the radioactive beads. His pre-op labs looked great. He will not be getting a follow up CT for about 3 months so we will not know the results of today's procedure until then - more time to pray for those tumors to be completely eradicated! Blessings and love to you all, Jamie
I just got word from Ashley that Dan is having alot of stomach pain. Please pray!
Dan will be spending the night here at Stanford. He has had some more nausea and vomiting and they want to keep that under IV med control rather than let him travel 2 hours to Santa Rosa (to Ashley's). He has been getting pain meds too and thankfully the pain has decreased. Thanks for your prayers. I will let you know when he gets disharged tomorrow morning. We (Jessica and I) have not seen him yet but will a little later when he gets into a room in the hospital. Strong medicine to kill those buggers! Ashley will hang out with him tonight and Jessica and I will be nearby at a friend's home. We are keeping our eyes on our Lord Jesus.

6-13-08
Dear Ones,
Thanks for your prayers. Dan is doing much better, no nausea or pain this morning and he is eating and moving around! There was a glitch in his pain management last night, but smooth sailing when that was cleared up. The doctor came by this morning and he and Ashley will be on their way soon. Jessica and I ended up not staying but drove home last night after Dan was settled in his room with Nurse Ashley:). So all is well and we are so very grateful.
I started reading an amazing book yesterday about a Chinese Christian man and the growth and persecution of the Church in China. It is impacting me in a tremendous way and would encourage you to read it -"The Heavenly Man", by Brother Yun (Monarch Books). You will not regret the time spent.
Blessings and gratitude,
Jamie

Treatment Thursday

We survived the "Relay for Life". I must confess I am not very good at these 24 hour events. Still a bit tired but I am recovering. I did sleep a few hours during the 24, and most of all it was a fun yet poignant time. I saw many friends who have survived cancer and many others who were there to honor friends and family who are in this struggle. Almost $200,000 was raised to fight the fight. I learned the ropes this year. The Squib Kicks will return next June!
Tomorrow we head to Sunnyvale and Stanford Thursday morning at 8:00 where Dan will get his injection of radioactive beads to bump off the remaining liver tumors. Pray the treatment will be effective. Updates to follow!


"For I hold you by your right hand— I, the LORD your God. And I say to you ‘Don’t be afraid. I am here to help you.'" Isaiah 41:13

relay for life

Relay for Life tomorrow
Well here is my last plug before we hit the track. Our
family would love to have you come and join us
sometime between
10:00 AM tomorrow (Saturday) morning and 10:00 AM
Sunday morning. We will be circling the track to raise
funds for cancer research and cancer patient support.
We are "The Squib Kicks!" and everyone who joins us
will get a custom designed T-shirt (made by Matthew).
If you would like to support our team with a donation
it is not too late (in fact, we can turn in money
until the the end of the month). We are one of 50
teams and 507 participants. Should be lots of fun and
beneficial for those who need help too.
Dan's SIRSphere treatment is scheduled for Thursday
morning at 8:00 AM. We appreciate your prayer for the
effectiveness of this treatment to destroy ALL the
remaining cancer cells in his liver and for the rest
of his body to handle any adverse side effects.
Join us in asking the LORD our God to bring complete
healing for Dan.

Eph 3:14-21
For this reason I bow my knees before the Father,
from whom every family in heaven and on earth is
named,
that according to the riches of his glory he may grant
you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit
in your inner being,
so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through
faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love,
may have strength to comprehend with all the saints
what is the breadth and length and height and depth,
and to know the love of Christ that surpasses
knowledge, that you may be filled with all the
fullness of God.
Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than
all that we ask or think, according to the power at
work within us,
to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus
throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen..

Wednesday went well

Thanks for your prayers for yesterday. The procedure went very well and although it was a long day, Dan did not have any complications or an unusual vessel configuration that needed embolization. He returns in 2 weeks for the SIRSphere implant. We so appreciate your continued love and concern and most of all your commitment to continue in prayer for Dan.
Lots of good things coming our way - Matt's graduation, The Wedding, some time to relax by the pool too. Come by and visit.

Rom 1:16 -17
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”

halllooooo out there

Well hello there. Yes I know I have not posted anything for awhile. Just got back from Jessica's (our oldest offspring) graduation from Biola University and we are heading to Stanford University on Wednesday at 6:00 AM for Dan's preparatory treatment for his SIR-Sphere (radioactive bead embolization of the liver tumors) treatment in two weeks. It might be a very long day at the hospital and we do appreciate your prayers for an easy, uncomplicated time.

Life is busy with graduations, birthdays, parties, treatments and "Relay for Life". On June 7 at 10:00 AM, "Relay for Life" in Lodi begins and it will end 24 hours later. There is much for me to learn about "Relay" but I am going to have fun and help at the same time. We will have some information about vitamin D and cancer at our team tent site and hopefully our team will have someone on the "track" all 24 hours. If you would like to walk with us or donate to the cause of cancer research and family support for cancer patients, we would love you to come and join our team, "the Squib Kicks" (so named by Dan himself- check out wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Squib_kick).

Our team website is:

http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR/RelayForLife/RelayForLifeCaliforniaDivision?team_id=292637&pg=team&fr_id=9802

For more info on what "relay for life" is go to:

http://www.relayforlife.org/relay/whatisrelay

Thanks for all your love and support and most of all your prayers for Dan's healing. Our LORD God is good and merciful and we praise His Holy Name.

Ephesian 3:20-21
Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us,
to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

surgery went well

Thanks for all your prayers for my mom. Her procedure went well. The doctor found a very tortuous kinked ureter that he opened up with a balloon and placed a stent in. She tolerated the anesthesia well; I just spoke with her and she is somewhat groggy but is able to talk and is eating jello. Hopefully she will be able to go home within a few days. Thank you Lord for hearing our pleas on her behalf.
This morning at Bible study we complied a list of what the 5 chapters of I John records as the characteristics of God, what He does for us and who we are as believers in Him. I cannot resist sharing it with you:
He is from the beginning
He is the Word of life
This life appeared
The eternal life was with the Father
We can have fellowship with the Father and His Son Jesus Christ
The message from God: God is light
He is in the light
The blood of His Son Jesus purifies us from all sin
He is faithful and just
He forgives us our sin
He purifies us from all unrighteousness
Jesus Christ, the Righteous One, is our Advocate and speaks to the Father in our defense
He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins
He is the true light
we are forgiven on account of His Name
We can know the Father
The word of God lives in us
God has a will for us to obey
We have an anointing from the Holy One which teaches us
Jesus is the Messiah (same word as Christ)
Whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also
We can remain in Him
He will appear
He will come
We have been born of him
When He appears we shall be like Him
We shall see Him as He is
He is pure
He appeared to take away our sins
In Him is no sin
We live in Him
He is righteous
the Son of God appeared to destroy the works of the devil
We can rest in His presence
God is greater than our hearts
He knows everything
We have confidence before God
We receive from Him what we ask because we obey His commands
He has commands which are not burdensome
He gave us His Spirit
Jesus Christ has come in the flesh
The One in me is greater than the one in the world
Love comes from God
God is love
God showed His love by sending His one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him
He sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins
God so loved us
God lives in us
His love is made complete in us
He has given us His Spirit
The Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world
Jesus is the Son of God
God lives in the person who acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God
He first loved us
God has a testimony about his Son and he who believes in the Son of God has this testimony in his heart
This is the testimony: God has given us eternal life and this life is in His Son
He who has the Son has life
We can approach God
He hears us if we ask according to His will
We know we have what we have asked of Him
The Son of God has given us understanding
we know Him who is true
we are in Jesus Christ
He is the true God and eternal life

my mom is having surgery tomorrow- pray!

Well, I was sure my mom would not be needing surgery tomorrow. So sure that I came back to Lodi today. She seemed to be getting better, having less pain, but the urologist going to scope her tomorrow morning at 7:30. So guess what, she needs your prayers. Prayer warriors to the spiritual battlefront for her body and soul. I am still asking our Lord for her salvation too. Thanks for your persistence; remember the widow of Luke 18.
Psalm 34
I will bless the Lord at all times;
his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
My soul makes its boast in the Lord;
let the humble hear and be glad.
Oh, magnify the Lord with me,
and let us exalt his name together!
I sought the Lord, and he answered me
and delivered me from all my fears.
Those who look to him are radiant,
and their faces shall never be ashamed.
This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him
and saved him out of all his troubles.
The angel of the Lord encamps
around those who fear him, and delivers them.
Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!
Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!
Oh, fear the Lord, you his saints,
for those who fear him have no lack!
The young lions suffer want and hunger;
but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.
Come, O children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
What man is there who desires life
and loves many days, that he may see good?
Keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from speaking deceit.
Turn away from evil and do good;
seek peace and pursue it.
The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous
and his ears toward their cry.
The face of the Lord is against those who do evil,
to cut off the memory of them from the earth.
When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears
and delivers them out of all their troubles.
The Lord is near to the brokenhearted
and saves the crushed in spirit.
Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
but the Lord delivers him out of them all.
He keeps all his bones;
not one of them is broken.
Affliction will slay the wicked,
and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.
The Lord redeems the life of his servants;
none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.

we need your prayers

Sorry if my last blog was a bit vague. I will explain more on the "Relay for Life" in a bit. My mom is in the hospital again, this time with a kidney stone. I happen to be in LA for a weekend visit with her and last night she developed severe pain, so off to the ER for a sleepless night! She is getting some relief from medication and I am asking for all of you to pray that this stone will pass easily and quickly on its own. So my weekend visit is stretching out to who knows when. Pray that she will know Jesus and His salvation, love and comfort for her at this difficult time. Thanks for loving our family.
Now for "Relay":
"Relay for Life" is a national fundraiser for the American Cancer Society. We "relay" walk for 24 hours June 7-8 (10 a.m to 10 a.m.)in Lodi. Yesterday my niece "relayed" in Santa Barbara. Relays occur in 4000 cities across the nation. I keep hearing that it is a fun event. I am in need of volunteers to "relay" (especially in the wee hours). We will have a tent on site to decorate according to our team name "the squib kicks", a football term for an on-sides kick.
Speaking of football and those who love the sport, Dan and Ashley came for dinner yesterday and he is doing fine. He is in the midst of scheduling his procedure with the Stanford radiologist (as well as finishing up the semester at Biola). The first part of the procedure will be in late May and 2 weeks later in early June will be the actual seeding portion of the procedure. Pray for its complete effectiveness in killing any and all remaining tumor cells in his liver.
Thank you from the depths of my heart for all you have done and are doing for our family.

relay for life

I have just sent you all a forward from "Relay for Life". I hope you don't mind. I am "relaying" for the first time. I really do not know what I am doing, but I am compelled to help others with cancer and help fund research for cures. Dan and a young friend who is a "survivor" have agreed to open the relay event in the survivors lap. I am also lighting a "luminary" in honor of my dad who had prostate cancer and passed away almost 25 years ago. Our family has been the recipient of help from the American Cancer Society and I know many others have been helped by them. When you receive, you want to give back. I have learned more about cancer in these past 10 months than i ever knew before. I know that it affects many, many people and my heart's desire is to help find better ways to treat it. So I am "Relaying". Hope you can help too. Join us in our "Relay" on June 7 and 8 (10 am to 10 am) or help with a donation. Thanks. I appreciate whatever you can do.

April 24

Almost a month since I have written! No news is good news. Dan is doing well after completing 2 chemo therapies in the last couple months. To follow up, Dan had a CT done April 18 and he sent us a copy. I will be delivering it to his Stanford radiologist who is planning to perform the SIRSphere treatment in early June. Of course, Bob and I took a peek at it and it looks somewhat the same as his last scan, if not a wee bit better. (Please remember we are not radiologists). As always we love to hear that you are praying for Dan, his health and his upcoming marriage- may our Lord grant Dan and Ashley a long happy fruitful life together. Thanks for your love and concern - you are appreciated!
In studying and celebrating the Feast of Unleavened Bread, we read the Hallel psalms. The following is a portion of the last Hallel psalm:
Psalm 118:19-29
Open for me the gates of righteousness;
I will enter and give thanks to the Lord.
This is the gate of the Lord
through which the righteous may enter.
I will give you thanks, for you answered me;
you have become my salvation.
The stone the builders rejected
has become the capstone;
the Lord has done this,
and it is marvelous in our eyes.
This is the day the Lord has made;
let us rejoice and be glad in it.
O Lord, save us;
O Lord, grant us success.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
From the house of the Lord we bless you.
The Lord is God,
and he has made his light shine upon us.
With boughs in hand, join in the festal procession
up to the horns of the altar.
You are my God, and I will give you thanks;
you are my God, and I will exalt you.
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his love endures forever.

March 28

Yep I am still here; haven't dropped off the edge of the earth yet. Hope you who did celebrate, had a wonderful Resurrection Day. Bob, Dan, Ashley and myself headed over to Stanford last Monday and met with a gastroenterologist who works with the transplant team. Good news, Dan's liver does not need to be removed - it is functioning very well. The doctor did recommend that Dan have a surgical consult for a possible partial pancreatectomy after he undergoes the SIRSphere treatment in May/June. Much food for prayer and thought.
A dear friend reiterated to me yesterday that I need to remind you to continue in prayer for Dan' healing and for the upcoming wedding of Dan and Ashley in August. The wedding is a good stress but a stress nonetheless. It is so fun to watch Dan and Ashley plan their wedding and life together. What joy!

In our Daniel study, there are some very interesting observations on prayer. Daniel set his heart to understand and humbled himself before God. An angel tells Daniel that his prayers were heard 21 days ago, but there was a battle going on that prevented this angel from coming to Daniel. What an example of a prayer warrior for us to follow.
Lately I have been convinced that we need to know the Word of God more thoroughly in order to discern truth. After all when a bank teller is being taught to recognize counterfeit money they study "the real thing" so that when a fake comes along they are able to spot it easily. May we discern God's truth according to His Word.
after all we Jews are "the People of the Book". Shouldn't we know the Book?

Dan 10:12 -14
Then he said to me, “Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words.
“The prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days, but Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I was left there with the kings of Persia,
“and came to make you understand what is to happen to your people in the latter days.

Thank You Lord for Your goodness to us

Wow, it has almost been 2 weeks since I have written - time flies these days. Today Bob and I viewed Dan's last scan with 2 local radiologist friends. We were curious about the pancreatic tumor situation and asked them to review the scan with us. The pancreatic tumor is not visible on the scan and we did compare it with Dan's original CT where it was quite visible. The head of the pancreas does have a slight bulge or edema present which could be something, but there is no obvious malignancy there. Shocking is the only word available when looking at Dan's original scan of last June. Gratitude and amazement are the words that come to my mind as we see how far Dan has come in these last 9 months.
Dan and Ashley are coming up for Easter, the day we celebrate the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus. We are having a family gathering in the afternoon minus our Jessica, who is off to Latin America again - Mexico this time. She has been somewhere in Latin America for the last 3 Easters. Hmmmmm.... are we seeing a trend here or what?
On Monday Bob, Dan, Ashley and I will meet with the Stanford transplant team to discuss that option. Should be interesting.
More on that later. Hoping your weekend will be filled with the joy and knowledge of our victory over sin and death through Messiah. He has risen!

The last chapter of Matthew:

After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.
There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.
The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.”
So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”
While the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened. When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, telling them, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.’ If this report gets to the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this very day.
Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Back in Lodi

As I write Dan and Ashley are heading down the highway back to Biola. Dan received his chemotherapy this afternoon with the doctor decreasing the dose of one of his drugs so that his platelet level won't drop as drastically as before. All his labs look great today. Yesterday we met the interventional radiologist who will be conducting the radioembolization in June. He was very informative and explained the procedure thoroughly and discussed Dan's situation in general. We all came away with feeling like this is the way to go and this doc knows his stuff. So Dan will get 2 more chemotherapy treatments (today and in 3-4 weeks, followed by another CT scan and then proceed with the radioembolization treatment after Biola's semester is finished at the end of May. Wedding plans continue to unfold. We are so happy for Dan and Ashley and their future together! May the Lord continue to do His marvelous work in their lives. Thank you, as always, for your love and prayers. We are so blessed that you are praying.

1 John 4:7-10
Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.
Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.
In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

life is fragile, handle with prayer

We are heading out to Stanford in the morning for Dan's appointment with the radiologist for consultation on the radioactive sphere treatment of his liver tumors. Friday Dan will be having an appointment with his regular oncologist followed by a chemotherapy treatment, his first since the beginning of January. His last platelet level was great! We would appreciate your prayers for wisdom and knowing all the right questions to ask.
Also I would ask for your prayers for our dear friend Brian who is one of the pastors at our church. His 44 year old wife suddenly passed away last Friday. Tomorrow is her memorial service and he will be speaking. They have 3 children, 12, 14 and 16. They all need your prayers.

John 11:25-27
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live,
“and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”
She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.”

Feb 28, 2008

Hey, where have I been? (Not blogging but I am now) Just heard from Dan - his platelets are up over 100 but his WBC's are low and so no chemo today. He is doing fine though and we are grateful for that! No more kidney stones issues as everything has passed without difficulty. I am going to LA soon to celebrate his 21st birthday and my mom's 80 something birthday. It will be a fun weekend and we are even throwing in Matt's 18th birthday which occurred last Sunday. Yikes, I was informed I no longer had any "children". They are all "adults". (But they will always be my children in my heart- don't tell them I said that) Dan and Ashley and I will be driving up next Wednesday and we (along with Bob) will be meeting with the interventional radiologist at Stanford to discuss the upcoming treatment of the SIRSphere. So that is all the news on that side of things.

Spring is springing and the promise of new life is all around us. I am so thankful for God's promise of eternal life in His Word which is the truth. May we all have ears to hear Him and an open heart to receive life eternal through Messiah Jesus.

John 3:14-18
“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
“that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
“For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
“Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

feb 19

Thanks for all your prayers. God has been my help these past 2 days as I survived my re-entry into the hospital scene. I am even going back next week! The first day was difficult emotionally, but it was good to see my buddies and update them on Dan. Many of them had been with us during our summer excursions to the local hospital and giving them all the good news of Dan's health and upcoming wedding:) encouraged us all. To top it off, I think the events of this past year have made me a more empathetic nurse towards my patients and their families as I remember being in their shoes.

Just spoke with Dan and he is doing well. No news there.

But I do have a very special request for all my prayer buddies: a medical doctor friend of ours, Yang, from many years ago recently emailed me that he has been diagnosed with Stage IV lung cancer. He is about my age, married with 3 kids, 5-16 years old. His cancer is going to be treated with radiation, chemotherapy and PRAYER! Apart from God's intervention, his prognosis is not great. His comments in the midst of their trial so speak of God's grace:

In this journey Alice and I are experiencing God's peace which surpasses all comprehension (Phil 4:7). This is not something that can be explained; it can only be experienced as we walk with Him through the dark valleys. From the moment I got the call that the chest x-ray was highly suspicious for metastatic cancer to this juncture in our journey, Alice and I have not experienced a moment of panic, fear, or abandonment. We rejoice in this reality not because we are spiritual giants, but because we know God loves us and He is trustworthy.

May the Lord have great grace and mercy upon His child Yang.

quick note

5:52 am and I am getting ready for my first day back at the hospital in over a year. I would appreciate your prayers on my behalf especially since I woke up with a headache (I don't usually get headaches) after not sleeping very well last night. I spoke with Dan last night and he is doing well. Little pieces of the kidney stone are making their exit. We are grateful for that! Much more to say and no time. I leave you with a few verses:

John 20:24-31
Now Thomas, one of the Twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came.
So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.”
Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.”
Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.”
Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!”
Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book;
but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

Ashley's upbeat update

Dan actually didn't end up needing any pain meds through IV yesterday. He walked into the ER with 9 pain and amazingly, the pain diminished to just 2 without any treatment whatsoever. We just waited in the ER for a long time, since the hospital was so full. For a time, we argued to go back home(biola) since Dan wasn't in any pain, but the urologist had already planned on stopping by first thing in the morning. He did come by with Dr. Tisman, we set up an appointment for an outpatient procedure and Dan was discharged. Extraordinarily smooth process, though it took a good deal of time.
Dan and I are going to classes today and tomorrow, until he has the procedure in the afternoon.
To be a bit encouraging about the SIRspheres, the radiologist is very enthusiastic about Dan's treatment and reaction. He hopes to schedule a consult in the next month or so when Dan and I have a break. Then, he wants to proceed with the procedure in early summer. The radiologist feels that a sense of urgency is unneeded as of yet, and hopes to have Dan back in great strength for the wedding. (The wedding date has been moved to August 2008!) He also wants Dan to be able to focus on school this semester, which is a nice reminder that we are living a fairly normal life.
Please be encouraged. God is doing great things in Dan. Rather than just praying to God, we must remember to praise God for all He is doing.

In the hospital again

Hello dear friends and family, Dan just called me and let me know that he is spending a couple of days in the hospital in Whittier. His kidney stone in fact is still inside his body and causing pain. He has needed some IV pain medication and will undergo lithotripsy, a process by which the stone is broken up with sound waves. Apparently this can't be done until Tuesday and so he will stay until he can receive that treatment. Also the Stanford radiologist called Dan least week and will schedule a consultation before he will undergo the radioactive bead treatment on his liver tumors. We are still awaiting to hear exactly when that will be, but hopefully it will be soon.
I was encouraged by a friend last week to ask all you dear prayer warriors to not only pray for Dan, but as you are led to, to fast for Dan. That fast may be only a meal, or a fast from solid food or however the Lord leads you to fast.
That suggestion seems to be even more important at this present time.

Ephesians 3:14-21
For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named,
that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being,
so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love,
may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,
and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us,
to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever.
Amen.

Tumor Board Report

Dan's case was presented yesterday and teh board is looking into the feasibility of using SIRSpheres to attack the liver tumors. Those are radioactive "beads" that are injected into the liver artery. So the interventional radiologists are taking a look at whether that would be a good treatment for Dan. The board was very impressed with his progress on chemo. So we wait a bit more. There was also mention of a possible transplant, but I am thinking that is not the first line of treatment to consider. Thank you for you prayers for yesterday. We will keep on doing what we can, praying and thanking God that He ultimately is in control. we rest in His loving hands.
Blessings to you all


Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life…
Psalm 23:6

Update on Dan

Thanks for your prayers for Dan. I spoke with him today and he is doing well although his platelets
continue to be low (40,000). They are up from last Saturday's level of 33,000 which is good, but the doctor wants him to wait for a month to allow them to increase even more before he has any more chemotherapy. I suppose that is good for
his body to have a break from those caustic drugs. “Breaking News”: His kidney stone seems to have
broken up into little pieces and passed as far as we can determine. He has had no more pain since last Saturday when he first realized something was going on. Hallelujah and thank you Lord for a BIG answer to our prayers. Spring semester is underway and he is toting a full load again. We would appreciate your prayers for the meeting of the Tumor Board next Tuesday at Stanford.
May the LORD our God give these doctors wisdom to determine the best course for Dan at this point. I would love to hear his doctor say one day soon, "Dan, you are cancer free!" May God grant that desire of all our hearts.

2 Peter 1:16-21
For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.
For when he received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory,
“This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased,”
we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain.
And we have something more sure, the prophetic word, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts,
knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone's own interpretation.
For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

A setback of a different kind- please PRAY

After such good news..........
Dan called this morning to say he had pain in his lower pelvic area. Bob sent him to the ER thinking he had a kidney stone. Sure enough it turns out he has a large stone, lots of pain and a platelet level of 33,000. Platelets that low are not at a critical level, but they are very low. He is resting comfortably with IV pain medication. I told him I wished I could be there and would do whatever I could for him. He asked if I could dissolve kidney stones from a distance and since those powers have not yet been developed in my brain the next best thing (or really the FIRST best thing) is to ask you all to pray for him right now that this stone would pass easily and quickly. Our God is a BIG God and he is doing mighty things in Dan's life and body.

Luke !!: 5-10
“Suppose one of you has a friend, and he goes to him at midnight and says, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread,
because a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have nothing to set before him.’
“Then the one inside answers, ‘Don't bother me. The door is already locked, and my children are with me in bed. I can't get up and give you anything.’
I tell you, though he will not get up and give him the bread because he is his friend, yet because of the man's boldness he will get up and give him as much as he needs.
“So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.
For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.

Oh HAPPY DAY

Thank You LORD! Tears of joy and thanksgiving have freely flowed today with big sighs of relief, shouts of HALLELUJAH, laughter, hugs and kisses! We met with the doctor today at Stanford and she had a big smile on her face. Dan's CT of a few days ago was compared with the one in November and the news is: the tumors are shrinking, shrinking, shrinking. They look sick and dying and one is almost completely extinct. Bob just highlighted Dan's tumor history to me with a slide show of scans from last June (unbelievably ugly) to January 22 and it is a MIRACLE! The liver looks a normal size and much healthier with only 3 small tumors and even the mass on the pancreas looks smaller. The big ugly tumor which initially measured 10 cm is now down to 2 cm. Dan's doctor will present his case before the tumor board on February 5 and the discussion will be "what next?" There is a possibility of surgical resection of the pancreatic and liver masses or other types of treatment such as chemoembolization or radiofrequency ablation or use of the cyberknife. If all that sounds complicated, it is, and I am glad there will be a group of doctors checking out all the possibilities and making their expert recommendations. There will likely be more chemotherapy to get the MOST good out of that treatment, but the doctor may reduce one of the drugs that has been having the greatest effect on his platelet production. In spite of the low platelets Dan is having no adverse effects and is feeling great. As I write this he and Ashley are already back at Biola getting ready for their next semester which begins Monday.

We shout Praises to our LORD God, Jesus the Messiah of All, for His mercy and love toward us. A HUGE THANK YOU to all who are praying for Dan. The battle plan is working. We are rejoicing!

Psalm 105:1-4
Give thanks to the Lord, call on his name;
make known among the nations what he has done.
Sing to him, sing praise to him;
tell of all his wonderful acts.
Glory in his holy name;
let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.
Look to the Lord and his strength;
seek his face always.

the original Daniel in the lion's den

Yesterday our Daniel Bible study reached the well known chapter 6, Daniel in the lion's den. What a great chapter on integrity, implicit (with no qualification or question; absolute) trust in God, and man’s power versus God’s power. A few thoughts on this chapter -

Daniel became distinguished above all the other leaders, because an excellent spirit was in him. And the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom.

Daniel, by his example of integrity, wisdom, and being anointed by God, received favor from the king.

His rivals could find no ground for complaint or any fault, because he was faithful, and no error or fault was found in him. They plotted against Daniel knowing the only way they could destroy him would have to do with his devotion to God. They had the king decree that anyone who prayed to a god or man other than the king in the next 30 days would be cast into the lion’s den.
When Daniel knew that this document had been signed, he went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously.

He prayed and gave thanks to the One he knew and trusted in, the Lord his God. Sustained by God in this difficult hour, Daniel’s intimate knowledge of the Holy One of Israel superseded any fear of man or of death.

Then the king commanded, and Daniel was brought and cast into the den of lions. The king declared to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve continually, deliver you!”

After a fretful night for the king-

The king declared to Daniel, “O Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?”
Then Daniel said to the king, “O king, live forever!
“My God sent his angel and shut the lions' mouths, and they have not harmed me, because I was found blameless before him; and also before you, O king, I have done no harm.”
Then the king was exceedingly glad, and commanded that Daniel be taken up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no kind of harm was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.

Daniel trusted and God, the One who created the lions, closed their mouths. The king recognized God’s power and rule over all and NOW decreed:

Then King Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth: “Peace be multiplied to you,
“I make a decree, that in all my royal dominion people are to tremble and fear before the God of Daniel,
for he is the living God, enduring forever; his kingdom shall never be destroyed, and his dominion shall be to the end.
“He delivers and rescues; he works signs and wonders in heaven and on earth, he who has saved Daniel from the power of the lions.”
So this Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian.


God chose Daniel not only to endure severe trials, but to also reveal amazing truths about the future, such as the exact time of Messiah’s coming (Daniel 9), the succession of the world’s powers (Daniel 4 & 7), and end time events. Daniel 7 also reveals the Ancient One on the throne approached by a “son of man” who "was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed." The book of Daniel is such a rich treasure.
We all know life is full of busyness. But the activity that should be a part of our lives, knowing God and seeking to know Him more through prayer and study of His Word, often gets pushed aside by a myriad of the necessary and the unnecessary. But truly, there is only one thing that is necessary (ask Martha).
Brothers and sisters, let us encourage each other to know the Lord Jesus our Messiah, the King of the universe, the true lover of our souls, and once we know Him to pursue a closer, day by day relationship with and knowledge of Almighty God. Then we will be like our brother Daniel, full of integrity, an excellent example to the unbelieving people around us, and one who fears and reverences God, not man. Thank God that He will graciously help us to accomplish this and that His mercies, new every morning, are more than enough for all our trials and sorrows.

The sun is still shining, even though we don't see it

Dear friends and family,

Gray days, rainy days, cold days.........it must be January! Praise the Lord for the promise of spring.
Dan was able to have his chemotherapy treatment on Tuesday even though his platelets did not come up to the desired level. His doctors are now thinking that it would be better to extend his treatment cycle from 3 weeks to 4 weeks in order to allow his platelets to achieve a normal level. He is scheduled for another CT scan on the 22nd and will take that up to to Stanford on the 25th for his appointment with his doctor. As soon as we have any info we will let you know. By the way, my mom continues to make excellent progress in the healing and strengthening of her fractured hip. Thank You Lord.

2 Corinthians 1:2-4
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,
who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction,
with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

January 3, 2008

Happy New Year, my friends! 2 weeks and 2 holidays later….
We are in the post-holiday recovery mode. The beautiful Christmas decorations are put away (thank you Bob and Matt), and Jess, Ashley and Dan are back at Biola: working (Jess) and possibly working (Ashley) & taking a Spanish class (Dan) plus possibly working (Dan). By the way, Dan finished his last semester, carrying 16 units plus traveling to Stanford every 3 weeks for chemotherapy, with straight A’s. I am impressed – just had to pass that along (hope you don’t mind, Dan).
Dan was scheduled to have another round of chemo today in Whittier, but his platelet level was too low again, so the doctor will check the level again next Tuesday. If they have come up to a reasonable level (100K), he will have his chemo then. Other than that, Dan has been doing great, the wedding plans are progressing, and a year from now there will be a Mr. and Mrs. Dan Howen on the scene. We are all very excited.
Again, please pray for his chemotherapy to do its job of killing the cancer cells completely and for Dan to be able to land a summer internship (He prefers northern California, and sports related (football would be ideal)), which will pave the way for him to graduate in December, a semester early. Thank you again for all your love, concern and prayers.

These have been some of my all-time favorite verses and the word “stayed” in the Hebrew means “to lean against or rest on”. One of my goals for this new year ahead will be to live out these concepts.
Isaiah 26:2-4
“Open the gates, that the righteous nation that keeps faith may enter in.
“You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.
“Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.