Are you weary?

Are you burdened?

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
Matthew 11:28

It’s been somewhat of a roller coaster for Irene today.  Despite waking up this morning and feeling physically weary, she insisted on driving herself to and from dialysis treatment.  This afternoon she was energized with a delightful and encouraging visit from Bob and Susan Nishizaki.  This evening the nausea came on very strong, was very discomforting, and Irene took two medications to help offset the chronic trial.

We also learned more detail related to Irene’s recent testing at UCSF ….

Protein values are improving
Dr. Damon believes the amyloid value will continue trending downward
The next outpatient services at UCSF are scheduled in March

You overwhelmed the Egyptians and carried your people on eagles’ wings and brought them to yourself.
Exodus 19:4

We’re grateful that God PROMISES to overcome our challenges and carry our burdens …. especially on those days when fatigue and weariness are very, very real ….

Caminando con Fé

Dave

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From Puritan Prayers & Devotions …. The Valley of Vision

Christ-Alone

Thy main plan and the end of thy will
Is to make Christ glorious and beloved on heaven
Where he is now ascended,
Where one day all the elect will behold his glory
And love and glorify him forever.

Though here I love him but little,
May this be my portion at last.
In this world thou has given me a beginning,
One day it will be perfected in the realm above.
Thou has helped me to see and know Christ,
Though obscurely,
To take him, receive him,
To possess him, love him,
To bless him in my heart, mouth, life.

Let me study and stand for discipline,
And all the ways of worship,
Out of love for Christ;
And to show my thankfulness;
To seek and know this will from love,
To hold it in love,
And daily to care for and keep this state of heart.

Thou has led me to place all my nature and happiness
In oneness with Christ,
In having heart and mind centered only on him,
In being like him in communicating good to others;
This is my heaven on earth,
But I need the force, energy, impulses of thy Spirit
To carry me on the way to Jerusalem.

Here, it is my duty
To be as Christ in this world,
To do what he would do,
To live as he would live,
To walk in love and meekness;
Then would he be known,
Then would I have peace in death.

We received GOOD NEWS from UCSF today!  This afternoon they informed us that Irene’s amyloid blood test results are in ….

In June the value was 652, thus the stem cell transplant
In October, the value was 33, heading toward the remission target of zero (0)
On December 3rd, the value increased to 63
On December 17th, the value was 42

This is obviously very encouraging news!!!  No chemotherapy protocol; simply, answered prayer!!!  However, Irene did physically struggle today, with the nausea “manifesting” itself late this afternoon.

…. it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is

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He lives.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.  All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men.

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John 1:1-4, 14

Irene drove herself to and from dialysis treatment this morning.  Irene rested this afternoon with the balance of the day being used to thoughtfully and thematically decorate the house for the upcoming New Year!!  Irene said she couldn’t have done it without JoAnna’s “muscle”!!!

Irene loves the lyrics of this infamous Gloria Gaither song ….

Because He Lives

1. God sent His Son — they called Him Jesus,
He came to love, heal and forgive;
He lived and died to buy my pardon,
An empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives.

Chorus:
Because He lives I can face tomorrow,
Because He lives all fear is gone;
Because I know He holds the future
And life is worth the living just because He lives.

2. How sweet to hold a newborn baby
And feel the pride and joy he gives;
But greater still the calm assurance:
This child can face uncertain days because Christ lives.

(Chorus)

3. And then one day I’ll cross the river,
I’ll fight life’s final war with pain;
And then, as death gives way to victory,
I’ll see the lights of glory — and I’ll know He lives.

(Chorus)

Because He lives, we can boldly proclaim that our lives have context and purpose …. even when facing the colossal challenge named Primary Amyloidosis.

We can face tomorrow because our ultimate assurance is in Him.

Caminando con Fé

Dave

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