tuesday, may 24, 2011
Almost done!
One year ago, Dan and I were making some big changes in life. Dan was finally recovered from his surgeries and preparing for another one. I was graduating from nursing school, studying for the NCLEX and looking for a job. We were also looking for a place to live. As I hear about all the students graduating from Biola this weekend, I am glad that we aren't in such a topsy-turvy period of life. Yet, life has not slowed down yet!
Dan is now the one finishing up school, preparing to get his teacher's credential by the end of July. Actually, there will be a lot of changes by the end of July: one less liver tumor, one teacher's credential and one new hip. Good thing he has so much energy! Dan found out recently that he passed the TE (teaching event) and is nearly done with most of his assignments. Next step: finding a job. The search has already begun, so please be in prayer that God guides Dan toward the right job at the right time.
As for me, I am just working working working. Sometimes when I think about doing this until I'm 65, I get overwhelmed. Thank goodness nursing provides me with many options for refreshing my nursing spirit! I do like being a nurse, and I still feel that God has made me to take care of people. This thought is easier to remember at the end of a good shift with thankful patients...a rare combination! I am so very thankful that God is providing for Dan and I through this job and allowing me to learn so much every day.
This weekend will be the first whole weekend I have had off to spend with Dan without having work or family issues to deal with. We are thrilled! Time to sleep, clean, re-stock the fridge, snuggle, and maybe even take a day-trip. Yay!
Dan and I were slightly forced to take a trip home last weekend to attend my grandfather's funeral. It was obviously a very difficult week full of reliving memories and realizing that my papa won't be making new memories with us. As his death was very sudden, it still feels like a punch in the gut every time I think of the Dodgers or John Wayne or airplanes or old music. I can not even imagine how my grandma must feel right now and sincerely wish I could be home with her still. My prayer is that God is holding Papa tight now and that he is happy and right at home in Heaven.
We do apologize for the lapse in updates. As the title states, we feel like we are almost done with this phase of life called "School and beginning our careers". Hopefully, that means more time to focus on connecting with family and keeping in touch with everyone. Thank you for those of you who still keep us in your prayers.
Prayer Requests:
* Help on the job search for Dan--open doors and job offers soon
* Endurance for long hours at work and safety for me
* Successful tumor ablation (June 29th at Stanford) and hip replacement (July 28th in Whittier)
* Continued grace and peace as we seek God's will for our marriage and family
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Life and Death
I just got this from my friend who had asked us to pray for Brennan:
Brennan passed away last week. His uncle and wife who lives here (CA) were able to go to the funeral. The night Brennan died he told his mom that he wanted to give his "Mamaw" a birthday present. You see his "Mamaw"(his grandmother, his mom’s mom) is in heaven and that the next morning was her birthday. Well that little guy gave his Mamaw a gift - he gave himself and on her birthday.
Thank you for your prayers and please continue to pray for his parents, Kristi and Albert, that they will stay together and survive the struggle of losing their son.
Along with this news, my daughter-in-law's grandfather, Bill Kee, passed away this past Sunday morning. Bob and I were able to be with the family at the time of his passing from this earthly life to his heavenly one. Would you join me in praying for Peggy, his wife of 48 years, and the rest of the family who are already missing his presence with them.
It is such a sobering reminder of the finality of death. I pray that each one of you has accounted for this inevitable journey into eternity and you are ready for what lies ahead.
John 3:14-16 As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
John 11:25-26 Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?"
Brennan passed away last week. His uncle and wife who lives here (CA) were able to go to the funeral. The night Brennan died he told his mom that he wanted to give his "Mamaw" a birthday present. You see his "Mamaw"(his grandmother, his mom’s mom) is in heaven and that the next morning was her birthday. Well that little guy gave his Mamaw a gift - he gave himself and on her birthday.
Thank you for your prayers and please continue to pray for his parents, Kristi and Albert, that they will stay together and survive the struggle of losing their son.
Along with this news, my daughter-in-law's grandfather, Bill Kee, passed away this past Sunday morning. Bob and I were able to be with the family at the time of his passing from this earthly life to his heavenly one. Would you join me in praying for Peggy, his wife of 48 years, and the rest of the family who are already missing his presence with them.
It is such a sobering reminder of the finality of death. I pray that each one of you has accounted for this inevitable journey into eternity and you are ready for what lies ahead.
John 3:14-16 As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
John 11:25-26 Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?"
Monday, May 2, 2011
May 2
My Dear Family and Friends, May 2, 2011
A GOOD NEWS UPDATE!!!!!!!!!!!!
Dan passed his Teaching Event! (over 60 pages + video of his student teaching) Ashley and Dan came north for a few days and celebrated Passover with us at our church with about 200 people. Bob led the Seder and Dan was asked and honored to read the Hebrew prayers and he did a great job! Still to come for Dan after graduation in June is one more “microwave procedure” on the last tumor remnant and his hip replacement in July.
We celebrated the Passover, the LORD God’s deliverance of our people from slavery in Egypt so many years ago (about 3500). The Passover is such a significant event and it is referenced many times throughout the Bible. It is fulfilled in the death of Jesus the Messiah, who was called “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.”
In the Passover observance the element of the “Afikomen” is a picture of his death and resurrection. Its origin is unknown and indeed it is unusual that it is not explained in the Seder as everything else is! The tradition of the Afikomen started sometime after the prophet Malachi and before the time of Jesus. The middle matzoh of the three matzoh in the matzoh tash (bag) is taken out, broken in two, wrapped in a linen cloth, hidden or “buried” to be found by a child after the supper and the child who finds this hidden matzoh is rewarded.
Does this not sound like Jesus, who like the matzoh, was unleavened (without sin), pierced and striped, broken and buried. Those who “find him” are rewarded with eternal life. “Afikomen” is a Greek word, meaning “the coming one”. (What is a Greek word doing in the Hebrew Seder?)
Those of you from a Jewish background may want to ponder these things and ask the God of the Universe, Melech ha Olam, if these things be true!
Those of you not from a Jewish background and not sure about your plans for eternity could ask the God of the Universe too, if these things be so. He is ready to listen to any and every heart that truly seeks him and believes in the Passover Lamb of God slain for the forgiveness of your sins.
Certainly we live in unsettling times. One may wonder what in the world is going on with so many people in multiple countries rising up against their leaders and being killed by their own governments.
Continual pressure against the tiny country of Israel to become even tinier and give up land won in hard fought battles against countries that had vowed to wipe them off the face of the earth. (And are still actually talking about wiping them off the face of the earth. The Holocaust Remembrance Day, May 2, is a day to remember the past horrors of WWII and to never let that happen again.)
Tornadoes, earthquakes, tsunamis, weather changes! Is it global warming or is it a merciful God trying to get our attention and turn our hearts toward him? Are these events that Jesus predicted would happen in the end times?
Tragedies, accidents, miracles happening left and right and some of us march on as if there is no God!
The Good News of God:
3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Messiah died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 1 Corinthians 15
8 But what does it say? "THE WORD IS NEAR YOU, IN YOUR MOUTH AND IN YOUR HEART"—that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, 9 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; 10 for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, "WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED." 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him; 13 for "WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED."
Romans 10
I must comment on the talk of the day - justice! Everyone is celebrating the “justice” in Bin Laden’s death. Do we really have justice? Or more appropriately, do we really want justice? Of course we do, especially when we have been wronged. Do we want justice to be applied to our life? Or do we want mercy? I am sure none of us have committed sins as heinous as Bin Laden and we are definitely appreciating that he is not around to plot more wickedness. But truth be told, all of us have sinned and all of us will stand before The Judge of the Universe. We will all be found guilty of sin in varying degrees, whether in thought, word or deed; whether as huge as Hitler, Stalin or Bin Laden or as small as the “good person” who on the outside appears good to all of us, but is still a sinner before a holy God.
More good news: God loves us so much He sent His Only Son to bear the penalty for our sin and Jesus did that with His death. He became that Lamb of God sacrificed on our behalf. If we believe that Jesus died for our sins and resurrected to eternal life, we too can have that eternal life because the justice we deserve for our sins has been paid. Those who believe are given the perfection and righteousness of Jesus, the God-Man, who is Immanuel, (which means God with us) in exchange for our sin.
For him who knew no sin he made to be sin on our behalf; so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:21
So the choice before you is this:
The perfect justice of God for all you have even done, said or thought.
(Think of how much we as imperfect beings desire justice, how much more will a Holy God desire justice to be done)
OR
The amazing mercy and forgiveness of God granted to those who believe
4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. Ephesians 2
Hoping and praying that you will want His mercy, not His justice, and that you will believe in Him. If I can pray for you or pray with you, I would be honored to do so. With love, Jamie
A GOOD NEWS UPDATE!!!!!!!!!!!!
Dan passed his Teaching Event! (over 60 pages + video of his student teaching) Ashley and Dan came north for a few days and celebrated Passover with us at our church with about 200 people. Bob led the Seder and Dan was asked and honored to read the Hebrew prayers and he did a great job! Still to come for Dan after graduation in June is one more “microwave procedure” on the last tumor remnant and his hip replacement in July.
We celebrated the Passover, the LORD God’s deliverance of our people from slavery in Egypt so many years ago (about 3500). The Passover is such a significant event and it is referenced many times throughout the Bible. It is fulfilled in the death of Jesus the Messiah, who was called “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.”
In the Passover observance the element of the “Afikomen” is a picture of his death and resurrection. Its origin is unknown and indeed it is unusual that it is not explained in the Seder as everything else is! The tradition of the Afikomen started sometime after the prophet Malachi and before the time of Jesus. The middle matzoh of the three matzoh in the matzoh tash (bag) is taken out, broken in two, wrapped in a linen cloth, hidden or “buried” to be found by a child after the supper and the child who finds this hidden matzoh is rewarded.
Does this not sound like Jesus, who like the matzoh, was unleavened (without sin), pierced and striped, broken and buried. Those who “find him” are rewarded with eternal life. “Afikomen” is a Greek word, meaning “the coming one”. (What is a Greek word doing in the Hebrew Seder?)
Those of you from a Jewish background may want to ponder these things and ask the God of the Universe, Melech ha Olam, if these things be true!
Those of you not from a Jewish background and not sure about your plans for eternity could ask the God of the Universe too, if these things be so. He is ready to listen to any and every heart that truly seeks him and believes in the Passover Lamb of God slain for the forgiveness of your sins.
Certainly we live in unsettling times. One may wonder what in the world is going on with so many people in multiple countries rising up against their leaders and being killed by their own governments.
Continual pressure against the tiny country of Israel to become even tinier and give up land won in hard fought battles against countries that had vowed to wipe them off the face of the earth. (And are still actually talking about wiping them off the face of the earth. The Holocaust Remembrance Day, May 2, is a day to remember the past horrors of WWII and to never let that happen again.)
Tornadoes, earthquakes, tsunamis, weather changes! Is it global warming or is it a merciful God trying to get our attention and turn our hearts toward him? Are these events that Jesus predicted would happen in the end times?
Tragedies, accidents, miracles happening left and right and some of us march on as if there is no God!
The Good News of God:
3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Messiah died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 1 Corinthians 15
8 But what does it say? "THE WORD IS NEAR YOU, IN YOUR MOUTH AND IN YOUR HEART"—that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, 9 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; 10 for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, "WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED." 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him; 13 for "WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED."
Romans 10
I must comment on the talk of the day - justice! Everyone is celebrating the “justice” in Bin Laden’s death. Do we really have justice? Or more appropriately, do we really want justice? Of course we do, especially when we have been wronged. Do we want justice to be applied to our life? Or do we want mercy? I am sure none of us have committed sins as heinous as Bin Laden and we are definitely appreciating that he is not around to plot more wickedness. But truth be told, all of us have sinned and all of us will stand before The Judge of the Universe. We will all be found guilty of sin in varying degrees, whether in thought, word or deed; whether as huge as Hitler, Stalin or Bin Laden or as small as the “good person” who on the outside appears good to all of us, but is still a sinner before a holy God.
More good news: God loves us so much He sent His Only Son to bear the penalty for our sin and Jesus did that with His death. He became that Lamb of God sacrificed on our behalf. If we believe that Jesus died for our sins and resurrected to eternal life, we too can have that eternal life because the justice we deserve for our sins has been paid. Those who believe are given the perfection and righteousness of Jesus, the God-Man, who is Immanuel, (which means God with us) in exchange for our sin.
For him who knew no sin he made to be sin on our behalf; so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:21
So the choice before you is this:
The perfect justice of God for all you have even done, said or thought.
(Think of how much we as imperfect beings desire justice, how much more will a Holy God desire justice to be done)
OR
The amazing mercy and forgiveness of God granted to those who believe
4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. Ephesians 2
Hoping and praying that you will want His mercy, not His justice, and that you will believe in Him. If I can pray for you or pray with you, I would be honored to do so. With love, Jamie
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