The Venable Family: Doing Okay

Tuesday, May 15, 2007

Doing Okay

Just a quick update for you all...

The bone/muscle/skin pain returned overnight, though it is a little less than last week it seems. Still, Michelle doesn't feel all that well, so please pray for quick relief. We are trusting that by tomorrow it will be manageable.

Overall, we continue to praise the Lord for the way He is so obviously ministering in the midst of this journey He has us on. We have learned so much about His faithfulness and how He TRULY is a God who is in complete control of all things! Nothing occurs, I mean nothing, that He is not in control of!!! This would include even those things that don't seem to make sense... such as, Michelle's MUGA Scan ejection percentage going up when at best it should have remained the same, OR her blood counts continuing to get stronger and more normal when they should be dropping... truly an amazing God is He!!!

One additional prayer request beyond the usual (blood counts, sickness free, bone pain, and her hair!) has to do with her blood sugar levels. We noticed quite a while ago that on some of her early panels her blood sugar level seemed to be pretty elevated which caused us some concern, but no one else seemed to be concerned so we figured we had enough other things to worry about and just let it go. Well, today Dr. Hantel's nurse called to schedule Michelle for a blood sugar panel today because he is a little concerned with the elevation. This was triggered because he was looking over her file again due to some of the low-grade headaches and "swimmyness" she has been feeling off and on the last few weeks. He believes it might be directly attributable to the steroid Michelle has to take while on the Taxol... if not that, then it is most likely just due to all she is going through. There is a remote (everyone say REMOTE!) chance it could be the onset of a temporary or permanent diabetes due to all the "poisons" she has had pumped into her system from last time and this. Anyway, another of the lessons we have learned is to covet prayer for EVERYTHING. So, please pray that the panel shows nothing abnormal or, at worst, that it is all just directly attributable to the steroid and that they will be able to make the adjustments necessary to minimize it. If they can lower the levels they believe it may reduce some of the side-effects Michelle feels in her head at times.

Thank you again for all your faithfulness to be in prayer for us!!! We so appreciate it and love you all... - Steve and Michelle -

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Trust, Lean, Acknowledge

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths." (Prov 3:5-6)

An alternate rendering of "He shall direct your paths" is that the Lord will make your way smooth and/or straight. This can seem so contrary to life experiences, which at times appear to be anything but smooth or straight. Yet, as we trust in the Lord and not in our interpretation or thoughts on what is "happening around or to us", acknowledging that He is in control and nothing escapes His knowledge including the trials of life, relying on Him for even our very next breath, He truly provides "shock absorbtion" for the bumps and potholes of life; and what seemed to be a dramtic turn in the road is nothing more than Him redirecting us down a path for our edification and growth. It is not always easy and many times doesn't seem to make sense, but in the Lord it is ALWAYS for our good.

Trust in, lean on and acknowledge HIM... He will guide you through even the most difficult of times of life. Today, even if you are in the midst of the fiery trial, like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, in Jesus you will come through it not singed, without even the "smell" of fire on you (Daniel 3:27), purified for greater service unto Him and bringing glory to His name alone.

Pause and Ponder (Selah):

"Come now, you who say, 'Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit'; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say,'If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.'" (James 4:13-16, NKJV)

At times like the one Michelle and I find ourselves in at the moment, it amazes me how simple life really becomes. Yes, things can seem on the surface complicated when you think of tests, surgery, radiation therapy, possibly chemotherapy; but in actuality, as life becomes more focused on the immediate and more critical, it slows and everything just seems a little more uncomplicated. You can't really make plans for tomorrow, next week, next month, or even next year to some extent; you literally have to live life moment to moment, day to day. This brings about a re-evaluation of ones life, causing that which is truly important to come to the forefront.

It makes me wonder how many times we, even as Christians, fashion our plans, establish where we are heading, and detail out where our life is going and then, once we have come up with it all, ask God to bless OUR endeavors having never sought Him in the process. How much struggle do we bring into our own lives because we didn't first seek Him as we were coming up with our "plans"? I am reminded again that is is okay to make plans in the Lord for our future, but in the end it is the Lord's will that matters most. To paraphrase Henry Blackaby from Experiencing God, we are really here to simply participate in what God is already doing around us!!! As the Word says, don't get caught up looking to tomorrow because you have no control over what it holds and sufficient for the day (today) is it's own trouble (or "stuff" to deal with!). Oh yeah, and don't get hung up looking back at yesterday either because you can't change it!

Keep an eye on where you are heading in the future, yes, trusting in Jesus each step of the way as you make your plans. But be sure, in the midst of the "road trip", to give your ALL today in serving the Lord, giving Him the "steering wheel" as HE guides and directs you into the future HE has planned for you. It is better than anything you could have come up with anyway!!!

The Venable Family

Tuesday, May 15, 2007

Doing Okay

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