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..