The Venable Family: First of Thirteen Done

Tuesday, June 26, 2007

First of Thirteen Done

Greeting to you all -

Yesterday (Monday) Michelle took her first "triple-dose" of Herceptin, which she will do every three weeks for basically 13 treatments (39 weeks). If yesterday was any indication, apart from the possible effect the drug can have on her heart function, there was no apparent side-effects - it was just as if she had not taken the drug at all. Praise the Lord for that!!! For those of you who got into the "blog" late, Herceptin is a specific kind of chemo drug that only targets one thing, the HER2-NU receptor gene which can either exist (positive receptor) or not (negative receptor) in cancerous tumors - you are a candidate for Herceptin if you are "positive HER2-NU", which Michelle has been in both instances. What the drug does is "block" the receptor(s) so that any possible cancer cells cannot replicate! They did not have this drug her first go 'round, so we are thankful they do now. Since it is a "targeted" drug, there is typically no apparent side-effects except that they have seen in some cases the heart function being adversely affected, but this has been temporary and usually reverses itself once treatment is completed. This is why Michelle has to have regular MUGA Scans (another one today) to test her heart function... okay, enough "rehashing" old news! Michelle is doing pretty well, other than still having some low-grade headaches and not sleeping well... pray for her on both of those fronts!!

So, in other news - packing continues and we are ramping up for next weeks relocation. In the meantime, Sarah and I leave tomorrow on our road trip West to get my truck out there and leave us just the Expedition here. That way, Michelle won't have to drive one of the vehicles out next week and gives Sarah and I the blessing of making the road trip twice!!! Pray for us!!!!

Okay, gotta go for now - thanks again for ALL your prayers... we are praying for you! Blessings and we love each of you dearly! - 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, June 26, 2007

First of Thirteen Done

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