Brief Update

Friends and Family:

First of all, thank you so very much for continuing to visit the site. You may have noticed that I installed a site meter on the blog to measure traffic. Honestly, I was astonished when I visited the site this evening and noticed that we've had almost 200 visits since I installed the counter on Saturday afternoon.

I am very humbled by this, and at the same time, deeply grateful. It reminds me that so many of you are carrying us on your hearts. I am also aware that many of you are diligent to lift us before the Lord - both as you visit, and in the in-between time. I wish that I could reach out to each one of you to express my profound gratitude for caring for us in this way.

The other effect that this kind of traffic has is that it increases the pressure (in a good way) I feel to update more consistently. I have many thoughts to share relative to what we are walking through - I have been keeping hand-written notes on these thoughts and hope to compile them in the next day or so. Keeping up has been difficult. Even though the activity level for us as a family has slowed a bit, we still find ourselves "compressed at the margins" of life. I'm certain that each of you can relate to this. However, just as you are so faithful to "check-in" on us, I want to be faithful to provide fresh content.

I want to share with you a bit about where we are walking these days. I will "unpack" these thoughts in more detail later. As I wrote earlier, the cycle-time between the onset of the effects of the chemotherapy and Muggs' recovery was much shorter this time around. What does seem to have lasted is the fatigue. Muggs tires more easily, and finds that she does not have the stamina to keep her normal pace of life. Both Muggs and I often get discouraged when we ponder what we are facing - in terms of duration. We are aware that this is a longer-term battle, and that's discouraging.

Yet, at the same time, it is possible to grow familiar with one's trials, and lose site of our desperate need for God's intervention. (This is what I will discuss in a later posting) But we are desperate - not only during seasons of trial, but every day. We never really move on from our desperate estate - we just grow self-sufficient. And, when we become self-sufficient, we necessarily fail to depend fully on Christ as our all-sufficient Savior. So this is one tangible way that you can pray for us: That we will constantly be aware of our desperate need, and refuse to rely on our own strength. I was reading this morning from a book containing the writings of Charles Spurgeon. This morning's reading contained the following thought: "God's rest and God's presence is a ring of finest gold set with the choicest pearl." During my most difficult hours, I have found this to be true of my experience - and I never want to move on from His active presence and rest.

There are also a couple of other prayer requests - specifically for what we are facing this week:

• Tomorrow, Muggs has a CT Scan to measure the tumor and evaluate the effectiveness of the chemotherapy. Please pray that we would experience God's peace, and freedom from anxiousness as we await the results. We will discuss the scan results with the doctor on Thursday afternoon
• Please pray that the chemo would have its full effect and that it is effectively killing any cancer cells, and attacking the tumor.
• Pray that Muggs would experience a lifting of the fatigue that she is experiencing, and also relief from some aches and pains resulting from the chemotherapy.
• That God would grant us victory over discouragement, and instead, fill us with His joy.

In closing, thank you again for carrying us on your hearts, and for praying for us. For those of you who are posting comments, they are a steady source of encouragement to us, and a reminder that God is actively caring for us through you. We thank God for you on a daily basis.

For the family,

Andy

"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble" Ps 46:1