Friday Coffee with PJ

It's FINALLY Friday of a week that has seemed to drag on and on and on. Why so? I will tell you in a moment ... but first, pour yourself a cup of your favorite coffee and join me for "Friday Coffee with PJ."

1. This week has seemed so long due to my son's SLOW recovery from his abdominal surgery of last Friday (brought about by his diverticulitis). What started out as robotic surgery, finished with the surgeon having to make a 5 1/2 inch incision to finish the operation. So instead of being discharged as early as Monday of this week, Tim was expecting perhaps a Wednesday discharge. But no. His body had other plans. As I write this, he is awaiting a procedure that will insert some sort of catheter into the area of his spleen to remove fluid that has accumulated and formed an abscess. Earlier this morning I was with Tim and his wife, Kelly, as a parade of specialists came through. First, the nurse practitioner with the gastroenterology group arrived to give an update based on the the results of the previous evening's CAT scan. Next, the infectious disease doctor, with the surgeon hot on  his heels. As a result, we had a pretty good idea of the plan to treat Tim's abscess and to get him back "on the mend." As I left Tim's room to return to the office, I reminded him that he was "in good hands.: Of course, I had in mind these medical professionals - all of whom impressed me with their knowledge and expertise. But more importantly I was thinking of the Great Physician. He is the one that works through these human physicians to bring about the ultimate healing that we all need from time to time. Aren't you thankful for HIS care?

Friday morning update (as I wrote this post on Thursday): Tim actually ate a little bit last night ... first time he has felt like eating anything since the surgery. They want to wean him off oxygen today and get him moving more to prevent pneumonia from setting in. He is still in quite a bit of pain. Thanks again for your prayers!

2. Yesterday I tweeted a quote that Hillary Clinton said while addressing the Women int he World Summit. These words were spoken in the context of same-sex marriage. "Deep-seated cultural codes, religious beliefs, and structural biases have to be changed."  Did you HEAR that? She is suggesting that those of us who hold religious beliefs concerning homosexual "marriage" must change what we believe to accommodate same-sex marriage. So ... given this statement, do you have any question as to where religious freedom might fall in Hillary's priorities? Not very high! Bottom line (and increasingly so in our society) "gay rights" trump all other rights ... even the constitutional right of religious freedom. That my friend is down right disturbing.

3. Finally, if faith comes by hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ (Romans 10:17), then it surely is encouraging to know that the Gideons have just distributed their two billionth Scripture (whole Bibles and New Testaments/Psalms). Wow! That is downright incredible. To read more about this milestone, click here.  Read, rejoice and pray about and for the ongoing ministry of the Gideons!

Thanks for stopping by . . .
pj