Please pray...
Another post on the topic of things we don't understand...some of you may have read Mark's xanga about John Bush, the dad of some of the kids he teaches who is unfortunately in quite a battle with cancer right now. It was first discovered in the lungs, and has also been found in the liver, bones, and now a few small lesions have been discovered in his brain. :( Please, please keep this family in your prayers...John, his wife Nancy, and their children Maggie, Jack and Henry. They are facing this struggle with courage and optimism (he is a very gifted and funny cartoonist, and apparently is still holding tightly to his sense of humor through it all), but it's obviously a very sad and difficult situation...and things just don't seem to be going very well right now. :(
Tanja
Tonight I chatted online for a little while with an old friend named Tanja. I first met Tanja as a camper at Covenant Pines, then got to work with her (and her whole family, actually) for a summer there back in 2001. She has quite a story. Essentially, almost as long as I've known her, she has suffered from a number of health issues (to read about them go
here - it was written a few years back, but gives somewhat of a basic outline of her health struggles). When we worked at camp together, she wasn't in the greatest of health...but she was able to work as an office assistant, play guitar in chapel, and do what she could around camp. She was always very frank about her illness and it's effect on her, but faced it with humor, selflessness, and a never-ending desire to praise God...so much so that you'd sort of forget she was really sick! Unfortunately we sort of lost touch over the last couple years...I don't know why, but I just assumed she was getting better...then I saw her online tonight so we chatted. Sad to say her health has not been that great...she has been in the hospital over 20 times the past year, has had 2 surgeries, has undergone some chemo, has tried new meds, and not much is working...her disease is just progressing, and these days she spends much of her time in a wheelchair. :( So what is she doing with her time? She's working part time leading a children's ministry at a church, and going to school part time to minister to people in hospitals. Her attitude is astonishing to me. Even when we were chatting, she didn't mention her health until I asked her about it. And then she went right on to ask me about my life!
Life can be so difficult to understand sometimes, can't it. Illnesses...tragedies...pain. Sometimes I admit I just don't get it. I am so humbled, blessed and inspired when I see someone deal with their circumstances with the courage to persevere through them all for the glory of God instead of choosing bitterness. Who do you know who's done that?
The Great North
Oh, how I love northern Minnesota in the summertime! I'd forgotten just how much until this weekend. Mark and I just returned from 5 fantastic days "up North" - 1 day at my old stomping grounds at Covenant Pines in McGregor (where I had a gig on Thursday night), followed by 4 days in Grand Marais. We stayed at a little lodge right on Devil Track lake (on the Gunflint Trail, just a few miles north of Grand Marais), and had a great time. Some of the highlights included:
- Getting to spend a summer afternoon at Covenant Pines - seeing friends there, going to chapel, playing a gig at a Sr. High coffeehouse, and seeing a beautiful camp sunset
- Driving up the Gunflint Trail (we went about 30 miles up)
- Hiking to the "Devil's Kettle" (a really cool and mysterious waterfall)
- Driving up to Grand Portage (near the border), visiting the Grand Portage National monument and learning a little about the Voyaguers
-Hiking up to the "Moose Viewing site" only to not see any moose (we're thinking this may have to do with the people who left their car alarm going off in the lot, as well as the people sitting on the lookout point talking loudly and throwing their beer cans over the edge of the lookout...)
-Eating at the "Angry Trout" restaurant (very similar to a Sanibel-type restaurant)
-Looking for agates
-Eating at the historic Nanibojou lodge
-sitting outside, reading :)
-kayaking on Devil Track lake
-hiking up to a BEAUTIFUL "vista" called Honeymoon Bluff
-and finally (but best of all)...
...celebrating one year of marriage to the greatest guy God could have blessed me with! :)
Another Alex P. Keaton in the making?
This is one of the funniest, cutest, and slightly more disturbing new stories I've read in awhile. :)
Slice of Cynicism
I have a love/hate relationship with this site:
sliceoflaodicea.comWhile I appreciate their willingness to stand for truth, the site is laced with so much cynicism, sarcasm and negativity that I have difficulty wading through it all. They don't seem to like anything. And it seems that almost anyone who asks a question or expresses a disagreement on ANYTHING gets questioned on whether or not they really know God. It's a shame, really, because content-wise, so much of it is on track!
Anyone else have any thoughts?
State Fair!
I just found out I'll be playing at the infamous Crossroads Chapel at the great Minnesota get-together on Monday, Aug 28 from 5-6:15 pm. I'm kind of excited/nervous! Should be fun! :)
Check this out...
http://www.desiringgod.org/media/video/national2006_fullpromo_high.mov
This trailer gave me the chills. :) I'm hoping to go to this - looks to be a fantastic conference!
Thought for the day
"I'm an early bird and a night owl. So...I'm wise, and I have worms." --Michael Scott
Hope this means it's gonna be a good day...
For some inexplicable reason, this morning I have the theme song from "Punky Brewster" stuck in my head. Seriously, get that one in your head and it won't get out. Oh well! Happy Monday! :)
