From Karen:

Just a quick update--my dear hubby scheduled an appt. with a nutrition specialist (referred by our radiation oncologist) this Tuesday morning so we can try to correct my continuous problem of losing weight. (I never in my life thought I would have this problem!) In the meantime, I keep trying to follow various advice I receive from many concerned. It's easy to not do well in that area when I'm scrambling around just to make sure my family's meals are provided for them. I need to work harder at planning more wisely on my intakes.

The Lord humbles me with things like taking my high singing notes away for a few days. (By the way--I never said "ME ME MEEE" in the shower!! It was more like eeee's oooo's and aaaah's. David wrote that paragraph.. :-P ) Today in the worship service, some of the melody notes just wouldn't come out. I must be careful to praise Him with my singing and to be patient with His changes in my body right now.

It's been about a month since my head fuzz started growing again, and it is VERY slowly improved. I still have a pretty thin area down the middle of my head that looks like a skunk stripe (hopefully I don't smell like one). Now that the weather is getting warmer, I'm trying to be patient for it to start looking a bit more normal again so I don't always need a hat or wig.

Despite all of these continuous small difficulties upon which I hope for improvement, we continue to hear of other beloved ones who are encountering major difficulties, illnesses, and challenges. It reminds us of our need to pray for many and to care for those around us who are deeply in need. We MUST remember how the Lord works through us in our struggles for His own will and glory.

Love Karen
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From Dave:

I’ve been busy now that I am 100% back to work so I’ve had ideas for things to write on the blog but with no time to write them down they’ve remained ideas and eventually left my mind completely. Today, however, seeing as it is Easter and that we had the opportunity to simply chill at home after church today I got it in my craw to write a little something. That is one of the many blessings of resting from your daily work on the Sabbath, it gives you a chance to do what you would like to do everyday but simply don’t have time for. I love the Sabbath!

The familiar verse of scripture “What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?” found in Mark 8:36 has been coming to my mind a lot recently but in the context not of riches but of our health. When you are faced with physical challenges it is easy to fall into the trap of making your physical health the most central part of your life and thoughts. But for the Christian our physical comforts or even our physical well being and health are not the penultimate goal for each of us to pursue.

God's word is clear that though the world he created originally was “VERY good”, that due to our sin the world we see around us today (including our own bodies) are only a dim reflection of the garden world that he originally created. There are still many good things to enjoy around us, but the Christian knows that the ultimate and unnatural end for each of us is the grave. No matter how organic, or genetically modified, or raw, or cooked, or balanced, or Atkins our diet may be, the results of our sin will lead us to the grave.

This is just as true when I consider the wonderful answered prayers regarding Karen’s own healing. God has been faithful, has heard our cries and yours and has seen fit thus far to bring health and vitality progressively back to Karen’s body. In the ultimate analysis, however, what would it profit Karen to gain all of this health now (the whole world) and yet in the end to stand before her creator and to hear “depart from me for I never knew you” (to lose her soul).

For the Christian our hope is not in temporary and partial healing that God brings today through medicine, doctors, healthy diets etc. Our hope is in the total healing that Jesus Christ purchased for his people once and for all in history when he conquered sin and death in his resurrection. Those who God has been gracious to call to himself have not only been granted a reconciled relationship to God and have not simply had their sins washed away, we also have the promise of the resurrection. This is an oft overlooked and undervalued reality to our salvation. One day the work Christ began on the cross will be completed when our bodies are fully restored and every mark and stain of sin in the creation is totally washed away.

I doubt Karen or I will still be alive for Christ’s 2nd coming and so I expect we will die and our bodies will return to the dust. But this reality holds no fear for us because we know that this life is not the end, and heaven is not the end either. We have the hope of the resurrection and the contented expectation of a world renewed and in which we can worship our Heavenly Father “walking with him in the cool of the day” for all eternity. (Genesis 3:8)

Happy Easter, Happy Resurrection Day.