I don't even know how to begin this blog tonight. "Let us consider one another"... is the theme of this blog so llet's begin there.
There is a fight between good and evil, between God's law and man's law, between what Satan wants or what God wants.
While we are trying to have a sane and sensible life Satan is hard at work trying to destroy the world... and he's doing a pretty good job at it. Fortunately he won't be successful, but he's trying any way
When I woke today my thought was to talk to Ted. Ted is a guy at dialysis that is ready to give up. He thinks life is worthless and has no future in it for him. A man without Christ would agree with him. He's sick all the time and has no hope for anything better.
The way dialysis seating is arranged you don't have much interaction with the other patients. They probably do it that way to keep annoying people like me from bugging you. But sometimes you just can't help it. I've been sitting next to a man I've talked to for several months. We have a small talk or two from time to time. He seems pleasant enough. He went to the Woodward Dream Cruise a few months back and really seemed to enjoy it. And just a few weeks ago went on vacation for a week and seemed refreshed when he got back.
I noticed he hasn't been there for a while and asked one of the tech's who know him where he's been. "He's been in the hospital. They're probably going to have remove one of his legs" Well, good morning dan!
Sin shows its' ugly head and reminds us that Satan and the effects of sin are not asleep. Just when you think that things will get better it gets worse! It shows me that man does not have the answers. Only God's through his precious Son does.
Now I'm not tryijng to be a purveyor of doom and gloom but things like this keep jolting me to the reality that life is serious and while we're having our cup of morning coffee there are some who are struggling with life and death.
What can we do about it? Well, first of all we must be saved. If you're not, everything else is useless. If you don't have the right relationship with Jesus Christ,, you're just spinning your wheels. Then, and only then, we must try to live each day in a way that brings honor and glory to God. This would include Hebrews 10:24 which says to CONSIDER one another on how we can ENCOURAGE others to love and to good works. For starters that would be to pray for Ted and now my next door dialysis neighbor Joey. Then as James says to put some legs onto our prayers. "Faith without works is dead". It's not enough to just think good thoughts we need to put some action into those thoughts. And oh, by the way, if you're feeling sorry for yourself, like I'm apt to do. "Get over it" like my uncle always says. We're not put on this earth for our self but to be a testimony for God.
The only way we can renew our minds is to stop thinking about what WE want is to replace those thoughts with what GOD wants.
One day we'll be with Christ and there will be no more tears. (Yahoo!) but for now we (me) need to focus on God and His greatness and His majesty.
Love, Dan
p.s. I'm doing okay. Going for sleep apnea tests and also for stomach poesis tests in the next weeks. Yippee!
Friday, September 28, 2007
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Tues. 09.25.07
Doing okay today. Sorry I haven't written for a while.
Kind of lost some ground in the last week, but better than usual.
What a privilege it is to know you and your encouraging words and prayers.
Please continue to pray for Ted at my dialysis center. He wasn't there today. Hopefully I'll see him Thurs.
I'm excited for Bill C and his reversal of surgery this week I think.
Ove ya, Dan
Kind of lost some ground in the last week, but better than usual.
What a privilege it is to know you and your encouraging words and prayers.
Please continue to pray for Ted at my dialysis center. He wasn't there today. Hopefully I'll see him Thurs.
I'm excited for Bill C and his reversal of surgery this week I think.
Ove ya, Dan
Saturday, September 15, 2007
Sat. 09-15=-07
Dialysis went fairly well today.
Actually I've been feeling pretty good the last few weeks.
I'm still reminded of the seriousness of dialysis when such things like a man in dialysis' legs went paralyzed after the last treatment. Not sure what that was all about. The EMS had to come and take him away.
Still thank you for your prayers and also for Ed which I just found out today is Ted. I've tried to stop by each day to encourage him. Thanks for your continued prayers for him.
Dan
Actually I've been feeling pretty good the last few weeks.
I'm still reminded of the seriousness of dialysis when such things like a man in dialysis' legs went paralyzed after the last treatment. Not sure what that was all about. The EMS had to come and take him away.
Still thank you for your prayers and also for Ed which I just found out today is Ted. I've tried to stop by each day to encourage him. Thanks for your continued prayers for him.
Dan
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
Wed. 09-05-07
Hi All,
Doing Great! Best I've felt in two months!
Thanks so much for your prayers. It means a lot to me.
Please continue to remember Ed at Dialysis and for my continued opportunities there.
Also, remember Bill C. and Carolyn (Ken's sister) , and Janet W.
Dan
Doing Great! Best I've felt in two months!
Thanks so much for your prayers. It means a lot to me.
Please continue to remember Ed at Dialysis and for my continued opportunities there.
Also, remember Bill C. and Carolyn (Ken's sister) , and Janet W.
Dan
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
Tues. 09-04-07
What a blessing!
Had 4 pretty decent days in a row.
Dialaysis machine had problems today for about 2 hours , but got through it okay.
I'm on my way to go trial camping for a day at my sisters' house. I went Sun. afternoon and Monday and it went pretty well. Just trying to find the right equipment for sleeping.
To God's praise Ed, the patient is still taking treatment! He was sleeping when I left, so I didn't get an opportunity to talk to him. Please continue to pray for him. He has no support at all. I don't know how any one can do it without knowing the Lord.
We're not hear for our benefit... What is God wanting you to do?
Had 4 pretty decent days in a row.
Dialaysis machine had problems today for about 2 hours , but got through it okay.
I'm on my way to go trial camping for a day at my sisters' house. I went Sun. afternoon and Monday and it went pretty well. Just trying to find the right equipment for sleeping.
To God's praise Ed, the patient is still taking treatment! He was sleeping when I left, so I didn't get an opportunity to talk to him. Please continue to pray for him. He has no support at all. I don't know how any one can do it without knowing the Lord.
We're not hear for our benefit... What is God wanting you to do?
Sunday, September 2, 2007
9-02-07 12:51 am
I'm back.
It's good to be back. Some of you may wonder why I have to tell everything. Because I feel it's my obligation so it may help you not to make the same mistakes I do. I've tried in these blogs not to bring anything bad to my family or friends and apologize if I did.
Through these last years and especially these last months I've realized that other than working to bring honor and glory to God, nothing is about me. It's about God and His greatness and how He is so good to us.
As I have gone down this road kidney failure it has been increasingly hard to have a good day or even a half of day. Spending most of my day in dialysis 3 times per week and seeing doctors once or twice a week and then averaging being in the hospital every 2 weeks for 3-5 days has consumed most of my time. When I was first diagnosed as having only 5 percent kidney function many of the doctors and nurses wanted to know if I was depressed and needed pills or psychiatric help. "No!" I responded. Why should I? There was too much going for me. My faith in God, my family, my church. But as the weeks went into months and not having any good days any more. Feeling nauseus and vomiting most days I started wondering if it would be better to give up. Yes, I know that's wrong, but I'd be a liar if I didn't admit it. Expecially these last weeks it's really been on my mind. But just when I was at my worst, the staff at the hospital were so nice to me. In fact they were so nice that it made me wonder if they knew something I didn't!
I'd get a call or card or visit from someone that would encourage me. My sister who came and stayed with me several days. My daughters who have been angels to me supported me more than I deserve.
So gradually this week I began thinking that "quit feeling sorry for yourself" and start doing something for someone else.
And then, I got home from the hospital. As I lumbered up stairs the girls and my sister were there before me with a video camera. you see, the girls had been working for several months to get me a new tv. Now I'm a gadget guy if anyone is, but it wasn't the TV that got to me as it was my daughters selfless love for me. And that put another notch on the fact that God loves me and no matter what my circumstances He takes care of me. God for some reason has brought to me people that care for me and pray for me and it's the least I can do to reciprocate it.
This last Thursday at dialysis I was in a different location in the center and there was a man who was so discouraged about his situation that he just wanted to give up. In fact, he insisted the nurses unhook him so he could just go home and die. Once you discontinue dialysis you have typically about 1 to 2 weeks to live. I prayed to ask the Lord to give me the right words to say, as I probably would never see him again. "Ed, don't give up. I'll pray for you". and so, we talked for 15 minutes or so about how God loves us and that life isn't about us. we need to set the example for others to show them how to live so they don't have to go through what we did. The easy part is to give up, but then it teaches those around us that when the going gets tough we give up. But that's not God's way. He allows circumstances in our life to test our character, to show us our true attitude toward him and so many other things.
Coincidence Ed was going through this and I was there, I know it wasn't. Saturday at dialysis as soon as I got done I went over to where I saw Ed last Thurs. and to God's glory he was there! Still suffering but he was still there!
I ask you to pray for Ed that he could get the right medical care to help him feel better, but most of all that he would come to know the Lord and the joy He gives to all who proclaim Him as Lord and Savior.
So, Im still here. plugging away and looking for opportunities to bring glory to our great God and Savior.
See you in Church!
It's good to be back. Some of you may wonder why I have to tell everything. Because I feel it's my obligation so it may help you not to make the same mistakes I do. I've tried in these blogs not to bring anything bad to my family or friends and apologize if I did.
Through these last years and especially these last months I've realized that other than working to bring honor and glory to God, nothing is about me. It's about God and His greatness and how He is so good to us.
As I have gone down this road kidney failure it has been increasingly hard to have a good day or even a half of day. Spending most of my day in dialysis 3 times per week and seeing doctors once or twice a week and then averaging being in the hospital every 2 weeks for 3-5 days has consumed most of my time. When I was first diagnosed as having only 5 percent kidney function many of the doctors and nurses wanted to know if I was depressed and needed pills or psychiatric help. "No!" I responded. Why should I? There was too much going for me. My faith in God, my family, my church. But as the weeks went into months and not having any good days any more. Feeling nauseus and vomiting most days I started wondering if it would be better to give up. Yes, I know that's wrong, but I'd be a liar if I didn't admit it. Expecially these last weeks it's really been on my mind. But just when I was at my worst, the staff at the hospital were so nice to me. In fact they were so nice that it made me wonder if they knew something I didn't!
I'd get a call or card or visit from someone that would encourage me. My sister who came and stayed with me several days. My daughters who have been angels to me supported me more than I deserve.
So gradually this week I began thinking that "quit feeling sorry for yourself" and start doing something for someone else.
And then, I got home from the hospital. As I lumbered up stairs the girls and my sister were there before me with a video camera. you see, the girls had been working for several months to get me a new tv. Now I'm a gadget guy if anyone is, but it wasn't the TV that got to me as it was my daughters selfless love for me. And that put another notch on the fact that God loves me and no matter what my circumstances He takes care of me. God for some reason has brought to me people that care for me and pray for me and it's the least I can do to reciprocate it.
This last Thursday at dialysis I was in a different location in the center and there was a man who was so discouraged about his situation that he just wanted to give up. In fact, he insisted the nurses unhook him so he could just go home and die. Once you discontinue dialysis you have typically about 1 to 2 weeks to live. I prayed to ask the Lord to give me the right words to say, as I probably would never see him again. "Ed, don't give up. I'll pray for you". and so, we talked for 15 minutes or so about how God loves us and that life isn't about us. we need to set the example for others to show them how to live so they don't have to go through what we did. The easy part is to give up, but then it teaches those around us that when the going gets tough we give up. But that's not God's way. He allows circumstances in our life to test our character, to show us our true attitude toward him and so many other things.
Coincidence Ed was going through this and I was there, I know it wasn't. Saturday at dialysis as soon as I got done I went over to where I saw Ed last Thurs. and to God's glory he was there! Still suffering but he was still there!
I ask you to pray for Ed that he could get the right medical care to help him feel better, but most of all that he would come to know the Lord and the joy He gives to all who proclaim Him as Lord and Savior.
So, Im still here. plugging away and looking for opportunities to bring glory to our great God and Savior.
See you in Church!
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