Keep The Faith

Nothing but #thankful hearts here. Many of you joined us in prayer that my health would get us to a gathering with our kids and grandkids planned for the third week of July. If a picture is indeed worth 1000 words, then below are 12,000 words of thanks for five days of beautiful chaos! (NOTE: None of these pictures show all 19 of us at once. We did have some professional family photos taken, but they have not arrived yet)

One of our devotional readings this week was from Psalm 46. I think you know at least part of that one: “ Be still and know that I am God;” vs 10.   Author, pastor and speaker Skye Jethani* extended my understanding of that verse which I have heard (and sung!) countless times. He seemed to know me when he wrote, "‘Be still’ is often interpreted as a call to simply not panic and trust God.” But he points out that there are other layers in the Hebrew phrase. “The command can also be understood to mean ‘be weak’ or ‘surrender.’The psalmist is inviting us to stop trying to control what is beyond our power and accept that we are too weak to overcome the chaos that is unfolding.... Be still so that you may know I am God." This reminded Kathy and me of our very first visit to the Cross Cancer Institute at the end of May 2018. We were frightened and nervous.  Our first stop was the Admissions Desk.  There on the window was this computer printed sign: It hasn’t been easy for Kathy a