Friday Coffee with PJ: Special Christmas Edition

It's hard to believe that Christmas Day is here! I am still trying to figure out where last summer went!
But, with the mild weather of this week, it sure doesn't "feel" like Christmas!

Pretty soon, my house will be filled with the sounds of little kids giggling and laughing as our grandkids arrive for our Christmas Day Smith family holiday celebration. But before they come, I am enjoying a couple of cups of my favorite coffee (San Fransisco Bay Fog Chaser) ... AND the peace and quiet of the day!

On this special day ... if you can make the time ... I believe your heart will be warmed and your faith will be strengthened by John Piper's reading of his book, The Innkeeper.

I hope you and yours enjoy a wonderful Christmas and a blessed new year! 

Thanks for stopping by . . . 

pj

Update on Central African Republic

The Central African Republic is one of the poorest countries on earth. The average person earns less than $2 per day, making the C.A.R. the third poorest in the world. It is also one of the most miserable, with political instability and violence still preventing any movement toward a better living for the five million people who live there (click here for an International Red Cross video, just released today, that will give you an idea of the conditions many people in the CAR currently face).  In the face of such suffering, what can we do?

1. PRAY! National elections are taking place this coming Sunday, December 27th. Pray that God, through the votes of the people, will put into office men and women who care about the needs of the people and the future of the country. Pray also for the ministry of my dear friend, Dr. Augustin Hibaile, who directs the Center International for the Development of Ethical Leadership). Augustin has access to government leaders at the highest levels. Pray that God would work through him to achieve HIS (God's) purposes!

2. GIVE! The people of the CAR are in need of all kinds of basic necessities of life. If you feel led to give, I suggest you go to the Encompass World Partners website. Click on the words, "Select a Project." You will see a number of projects listed for the C.A.R.

3. PRAY some more! God is sovereign. God is compassionate. And God does respond to the prayers of HIS people!

Thanks for stopping by . . .
pj

Friday Coffee with PJ

Sorry folks for the delay this morning. Last week I was on vacation, spending much of my time helping my wife and getting her out some to finish up our Christmas shopping. So being off last week got me behind for this week ... but I am ready, so pour yourself a cup of coffee (I am on my second cup) and join me for a few random thoughts.

1. I just heard that Pope Francis has approved sainthood for sister Theresa. Apparently some miracle of healing occurred that has been attributed to Theresa. Therefore the Pope has cleared the way for her to be canonized a saint. A couple of thoughts are floating around my head as I think of this. For starters, I cannot say definitively if this alleged miracle actually occurred. It very well may have happened for God does indeed heal today. But certainly not due to any prayers offered up to this woman (1 Timothy 2:5). But secondly, the Bible is clear that every single person who embraces the gospel and turns from their sin and rebellion against God is at that moment "set apart" by God for Himself. And therefore, the writers of the New Testament refer to their readers as "saints" (2 Corinthians 1:1; Ephesians 1:1; Philippians 1:1). If Sister Theresa was trusting in Christ alone through faith alone ... then she is already a saint. And the greater miracle in this story is how a fallen image bearer of God could and would sacrificially put the needs of others above her own.

2. As I was praying through the Psalms today (using the method suggested by Donald Whitney in his excellent book, Praying the Bible,) I came to the following passage:

Though I walk in the midst of trouble,

    you preserve my life;

you stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies,

    and your right hand delivers me.

8 

The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me;

    your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever.

    Do not forsake the work of your hands.

(Psalm 138:7-8)

If you are a regular reader of my blog, you know that my wife has been on a rather unexpected and extended journey for almost four months now. What was to be a "routine" total knee replacement has been anything but! A manipulation under anesthesia resulted in a broken femur which went undiagnosed for a week as her physical therapist worked with her for five of those seven days. Once it was finally diagnosed, she underwent a surgery to repair the fracture. Now for the past four weeks, she has not been able to bear any weight on her broken leg ... a restriction that will go for another three weeks. This, of course, makes doing life (even the simple every day tasks we do without much thought) difficult. So this morning, my heart was encouraged as I read and prayed these verses. It is such a comfort to know that as we walk in the midst of trouble, that we do not do so alone. Our God is with us. His hand is upon us. And he will fulfill his purpose for us! If you are going through difficult circumstances in your life, take heart from these verses. God has not forgotten you! 

Thanks for stopping by . . . 

pj 

Friday Coffee with PJ: Special Mid Morning Edition

Hope you have enjoyed your morning cup of coffee by now. I just finished my third and I think I am finally awake enough to share a few thoughts with you.

1. My wife had her post-op appointment yesterday. Although it is too early to tell if the broken femur is mending, the surgeon was positive about what he was seeing on the x-ray. Sharon will go back in four weeks at which time x-rays should be much more telling. Please pray for the mending of this bone (to help this along, Sharon will not be able to put ANY weight on her leg for at least the next four weeks). In addition, she will resume physical therapy next week to start working on motion in her knee. Would appreciate your prayers for her along that line as well. Sharon and I have found much comfort in our understanding that even though this caught the two of us by surprise, it did not catch our God by surprise. He has a plan for us and he is actively working that plan. Knowing this has helped us keep our sanity .. and our faith! There are no better hands to be in than those of our almighty and compassionate Creator and Father!

2. In the midst of this violent world, where people so coolly and calmly kill others, it is a comfort to know that Christmas is all about the birth of the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6). Jesus Christ offers to us peace WITH God (Romans 5:1). He is able to do so because on the cross he died to pay the wage we owed God for our sin and rebellion against him. Therefore, Jesus is able to offer us forgiveness for our sin and new life in HIM! This is something only he can do (Romans 6:23). He also offers to us the peace OF God. This is promised to us as we, clothed in the righteousness of God, take all of our needs to the Father in prayer. When we do this ... we will experience an inner peace ... even in the midst of the turbulent world in which we live (Philippians 4:6-7). There is one final peace that Jesus Christ offers, but this is still future. It is the universal peace that will one day reign upon the earth. Jesus Christ will usher in this peace as he begins his reign as King of kings and Lord of Lords (Isaiah 9:7; Revelation 21:4). So as you celebrate the Christmas season ... rejoice in Jesus the Prince of Peace! Are YOU experiencing the peace he gives?

3. Recently my youngest daughter wanted my wife and me to see how her kids were learning about God using the little book, My First Book of Questions and Answers (I highly recommend this little book!). Kate looked at her two year old and asked, "Who made you?" "Gawd" little June replied. "And why did God make you?" my daughter asked. "To bwing gwoly to him," June answered. So far so good! Then Kate asked, "June, who is in heaven?" Without hesitation June responded, "God, Jesus and Santa Clause!" OK. She got the idea of the trinity down, but a bit off on the identity of the third member!  If you are a parent with young children, it is never to early to start teaching your children the truth of God's Word. Remember, your kids are not yours. They have been loaned to you by their Creator. So train them in the way they should go! That's your responsibility and joy!

Thanks for stopping by . . .
pj

Friday Coffee with PJ

Now that Thanksgiving Day is over, it's time to pour yourself a cup of hot coffee for breakfast. Skip everything else. You probably ate enough calories yesterday to get you through the rest of the month. And if you are planning on going out shopping today (or just getting back), please be wary of getting caught up in the pervasive consumerism of our day!

1. In case you might fear that you are drinking too much coffee, relax and read about the 7 Surprising Health Benefits of Coffee, So Drink Up (not that I need any encouragement to do so!).

2.  "Christianity is much more than getting your doctrine right. But it is not less."  These are the opening words of Kevin DeYoung's recent post, "Doctrine Matters: Eternal Life Depends Upon It."  In a day and age when so many in the church find doctrine dry and boring, these thoughts of DeYoung are definitely worth the few minutes it will take you to read them.

3. Finally, an update on my wife Sharon. According to her surgeon, the surgery of last Thursday to repair her broken femur went well. After getting her pain under control and going through a couple of therapy sessions, Sharon was discharged on Sunday evening. As I climbed out of bed Monday morning, I prayed to God, asking him to help the day to go smoothly. There were several things to work out concerning her care. The first and most important was to get her prescription for lovenox filled. This medication (which is taken by injection) is designed to prevent blood clots from forming. Sharon's surgeon wanted her on this medication given what he had to do in the surgery and given Sharon's inactivity. The problem with this medication is that even with insurance, it would have cost us over $1000. So the doctor prescribed a less expensive alternative. This alternative would have required Sharon to inject herself 3x each day (vs. just once a day with the lovenox). But it was MUCH less expensive. However, as the nurse called to numerous pharmacies, not one carried the drug! Hmmm. So we committed it to prayer. If we had to bite the bullet ... we would do so. But God had something else in mind. It began when a case worker walked into Sharon's hospital room with a coupon. It was a Walmart coupon which would allow us to purchase 25 doses of lovenox for $157 (which sounds like a lot when standing alone ... but sounds like "a litttle" when compared to $1000!). The caseworker had called Walmart to verify the validity of the coupon . . . and they informed her that they would indeed honor it! And since this was five doses less than the doctor ordered, the case worker told us that the hospital would provide five FREE doses at the hospital's convenience pharmacy. SO ... on my mind on Monday morning was the nagging question, would all go smoothly at both the hospital's pharmacy and Walmart? As it turns out, I never made it beyond LGH's pharmacy. When I stepped up to the counter to get the lovenox, the pharmacy tech told me there were 25 doses in the bag. "But I thought I was getting only 5?" I responded. She informed me the script was for 25. So I asked (with a bit of fear in my voice), "How much does this cost?" Her answer almost made me jump for joy, "Ten dollars" was her response. I paid the price, grabbed the bag, and thanked God as I walked out to my car. Wow! We went from over a thousand dollars to $157 to $10! We are so thankful for God's provision in this!

As you think of my wife, please pray for her. This will be a long journey (which has already stretched for nearly three months). And the final outcome as to her leg and knee are yet to be determined.

Thanks for stopping by . . .
pj

Happy Thanksgiving!

On this Thanksgiving Day, two quotes concerning gratitude which grip my heart every time I read them:

 From Nancy DeMoss – Choosing Gratitude: Your Journey to Joy

“Gratitude is not merely a second-tier virtue in the Christian life – it is vital. And it is transformational. I truly believe a grateful spirit, rooted in the soil of God’s goodness and grace, will radically impact how you view and respond to everything in your life.”

From Ellen Vaughn - Radical Gratitude: Discovering Joy through Everyday Thankfulness

“Cultivating a grateful heart is not just an add-on nicety, a civil tip of the hat to God as we steamroll through our day. A posture of purposeful, perpetual thanks to God is absolutely central to Christian character. It gives glory to Him. It is the key defense against Satan’s temptations to despair, distrust, dysfunction. It protects us from sin and self. It is the hallmark of heaven. It does not exist in hell.” 

Thanks for stopping by . . . 

pj

Friday Coffee with PJ

Thanks for joining me for a cup of coffee and some random thoughts ...

1. I am now in my 27th year of pastoring Grace Church at Willow Valley. Across the years I have seen people come and go, preached well over a thousand times, sung innumerable songs in worship, prayed I don't know how many prayers. I have lost track of the weddings officiated and the funerals conducted. But one thing I have not last track of is the greatness and goodness of my God. To say that our God is an awesome God doesn't seem quite enough. But I can't think of anything better to say about him. He is awesome in holiness, love, mercy, grace, faithfulness, truth, justice, and on and on it goes. I am so thankful that over 26 years ago he led me to Grace Church. From the first Sunday here I began to fall in love with the church family. It surely looks different today then back then, but my love for the church has only grown. SO ... if you are a part of the family at Grace ... know this: God in Christ loves you ... and so do I!

2. My wife has been on a journey which began last December. An MRI revealed that what little meniscus remained in her right knee was shredded The orthopedic surgeon, wanting to avoid a knee replacement given Sharon's "younger" age, suggested a process of injecting a substance into her knee which would lubricate the joint and relieve the pain ... supposedly. "Fifty-fifty" were his words for a successful outcome. So in January -February she underwent the injections (three of them, one week apart). Within two months it was apparent that she fell in the "50%" of unsuccess. So began the process of second opinion and ultimately surgery for a total knee replacement (which took place on September 4th). From the get go, Sharon faced more difficulties than most. Somehow, she fell between the cracks when she moved from in-home physical therapy (pt) and outpatient. So she lost a week there. Then she had a negative reaction to the pain meds she was on ... and lost a few pt sessions there. Across the weeks, scar tissue built up to the point she could only bend her new knee so far. The orthopedist recommended "manipulation under anesthesia" (see previous post for explanation). The condition Sharon was suffering, known as a "stiff knee" is experienced by a very small % of TKR patients. As the orthopedic discussed this option, he mentioned the risks, such as the risk that comes with the use of anesthesia, which is true for all surgeries. He then mentioned that there was a very small risk that during the procedure, a bone in her leg could break. He downplayed this as a very remote risk, especially given that my wife did not fall into any of the "high risk" categories for the procedure. Sharon and I shrugged any risk off ... having experienced surgeries and procedures in which doctors have to mention the risks (and then you, the patient, have to sign of on). No big deal.

No big deal? Perhaps for the 99+% of manipulation patients. But it became a very big deal for my wife. From the time she stood up after the manipulation, she found it quite difficult (and at times impossible) to put weight on her right leg (I had to use a wheelchair to transport her into the pt department for her first pt session after the manipulation).  For 7 days, she endured the pain as she had to go to pt for five of the first six days. We finally made an appointment with the orthopedist. After briefly meeting with him, Sharon was taken for an x-ray. Once back in the room, we waited for the doctor. When he walked in, his whole demeanor had changed. "We now know why you cannot put weight on your leg. Your leg is broken." At that point, my heart broke for my wife. She had endured so much ... and now its back to the OR. And what this means for her ongoing rehab for her new knee? The surgery went well. The surgeon was able to repair the break. She is now in a knee immobilizer. This will be her constant companion for the next two weeks. For at least the next six weeks she will not be allowed to put any weight on her leg. Total healing time for her leg to totally heal will be about six months. What this all means for the rehab of her new knee I do not know.

Yesterday morning I pulled my copy of the book of Psalms out of my office bag. Randomly opening it, I found myself reading Psalm 67:1, "May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine upon us."  "Yes, Lord," I prayed .. "please do so today. Upon Sharon, upon me, upon the surgeon .... " Then I went on to read the next verse: "that your way may be known on earth, your saving power among all nations." As I read those words, I thought of what happened after the doctor informed us of my wife's broken leg. She looked at him and said (as he was visibly upset), "I don't want you to blame yourself for this. We realize things happen for a purpose. Our God will take care of us." I sat in amazement as I heard my wife give glory to God and voicing her trust in him.

Certainly one of the reasons that we are on this difficult journey is that we might be able to give glory to him and point others to him. This is not to say that our faith does not sometimes falter. And it is at those times we cry the prayer of the father of the demon possessed son, "Lord I believe, help my unbelief!" (Mark 9:24).

Thanks for your ongoing prayers for my wife and ..../

Thanks for stopping by . . .
pj