TGIF

Angela began another round of chemo treatment yesterday. She did not have much fun yesterday, but today has been a bit better... no vomit!  She's discovered CBC's Vinyl Cafe with Stuart McLean. Wait until I get her on to David Sedaris (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5apZmwR9UI). Humour is good thing.

This week was one of our most difficult and we are grateful it's Friday. Coming off a busy weekend, then on to medical appointments, treatments, a sick support team, and an intense head cold left us exhausted this week. There were moments where there was no energy to get up, yet after a quick prayer requesting strength, we would somehow find ourselves up and going.

Each week I listen to a few sermons from pastors that I respect (because they wrestle honestly with the Word and and live a life of integrity). Two of my favourites (I listen to their messages just about every week) are Pastor Barry McGaffin (Kingsway Foursquare in Burnaby, BC) and Randy Remington (Beaverton Foursquare in Portland, OR). This past week, I listened to Pastor Barry's Jan. 27th message, "What did the blind men see?", and it has been feeding me for days. You can listen to it here: http://kingswayfoursquare.com/sermons/. Get in a place where you can listen (really listen) and you will be encouraged.

We are grateful for the countless mercies of God that He has extended to us in days past. We are grateful for new mercies today and we continue to seek His mercy. He is a merciful God.

Clergy & Chemo

This is a season filled with clergy and chemo duties. Friday and Saturday were spent preparing and celebrating with Chad and Charla. Charla has been a friend of ours for a long time, she was a doula at both our kid's births (saved my bacon at Ruby's birth), and has been the best tenant one could ask for (she's put up with our kids stomping around upstairs for over five years). Watching Charla and Chad grow in their love for one another has been awesome. Officiating their wedding was quite simply a lot of fun.

Tomorrow, I officiate a funeral for Diane's mom in Chilliwack. I always find funerals difficult and inspiring. My perspective and faith is always enhanced by remembering the life of a loved one.

I was very glad last night that I listened to Angela. A couple weeks ago she saw that my calendar had a wedding, Sunday sermon, and funeral back to back. She said, "you're crazy, get someone else to do that." So, I asked Isaac to take the sermon. I experienced fruit of her wisdom last night when I laid down to sleep and realized that I had a moment to breathe. Special thanks to Isaac for serving us so well. He opened the building this morning, vacuumed the foyer, played bass, and preached!

This week is also filled with medical treatments. We go to the Vancouver Cancer Agency on Tuesday, have fluid draining at Abbotsford Hospital on Wednesday, and then chemo on Thursday at the Abbotsford Cancer Agency. We're taking out one of the three chemo drugs this round as it is the least effective and causes the most side effects. We hope this will result in less fatigue and nausea. The two remaining chemo drugs are also supposed to help slow down the fluid build-up.

We have been so blessed by everyone's love and support. Thank you for your love and prayers.

  

A Big Thank You!

We had a special evening on Saturday night as we were treated to special show by the Connaught Skating Club in Richmond, BC. Angela's mom has been a ballet teacher with the club for sixteen years and when they heard about Angela their love for others went into action. 65 skaters and over 600 people turned out to enjoy the event and support Angela. Proceeds from the event were directed to Angela and will be used to help with medical expenses and care support.

Our family is very grateful to all the folks that showed up and all those who worked so hard to run this event. Thank you to the skaters, coaches, volunteers, and show organizers, Aundrea and Keegan! Your gift of time, talents, and finances towards our family is a special gift and we are very grateful. Knowing there are so many people who love and support Angela is a bright light in a dark time.

Thank you!
 
  

Life in the Tough Stuff

This last week was a tough one. Angela developed some recent health challenges including stomach pain, gall bladder pain, ascites (fluid build up in the abdomen), and dehydration. She spent Friday night and most of Saturday in the hospital on an IV and this morning she went in for a fluid tap (they drained 6L of fluid!). The rest of this week will be filled with rest, more scans, and more meetings with doctors.

I was the most weary I’ve been in a long time on Sunday morning… even after a long night’s sleep. I can’t imagine how Angela feels through all of this.

I really needed our Sunday gathering with our church and felt rejuvenated throughout and after. The body of Christ (the church) is such a needed part of life. Our church has been such a blessing: loving our kids, cooking meals, doing our laundry, bringing fresh flowers, and of course, praying like crazy!

On Friday, Elisa took Charlie to the zoo so Angela could rest. On Friday night, our dear friend, Renee, helped Angela in the ER which resulted in her being on the wrong end of some vomit. Angela's sister, Claire, stayed up with Angela on Friday in the hospital till midnight. On Saturday, Anna-Lisa watched our kids from 7:00am onward. And for the last two days, Angela’s parents have watched our kids so I could work and Angela could rest.

This week’s a bit up in the air as much of our routine will be determined by Angela’s schedule and health. We’re getting more used to being flexible, but it’s still hard.

In other news, Ruby continues to love school. As a parent, you wonder about throwing your kid to the wolves (aka public school), but seeing her engage and grow amongst her little peers is an encouragement. I continue the prayers that my parents prayed over me, that our kids would have soft hearts to Jesus, understand and live according to Scripture, find good friends, find favor with teachers, be strong in the face of temptation, and know and do God’s will. It is my observation that good and wise parents not only pray this, but also live this out in the smallest details of life. I hope that our kids one day will call us good and wise.

Charlie is so much fun right now. He knows he’s a ham and takes full advantage of this gift. Yes, I call it a gift. He makes us laugh all through the day and that’s been a good thing for us.

I hope all is well in your world. And by ‘well’, I mean your life is wrapped around Jesus’ death, burial, resurrection, ascension, and soon-coming return. Each one of those accomplishments in Christ’s life and mission has critical significance in how we live life today and tomorrow. This is how I frame my day and it makes all the difference.

That’s enough preaching for now! Have a great day and a great week.

December Update

It's been a busy December, but I need to give an update on life as this is more effective than answering a thousand questions!

Last Tuesday, Angela and I went to a specialist at the Vancouver Cancer Clinic to go over the latest CT scan. It looks like there is nothing new to report since the surgery. There are still small tumors on her intestine that could stay like that for a while or grow larger and spread. We are going to wait until the New Year to decide when to go back on chemo.

Angela continues to heal from the surgery, it's a slow process, but each week she gets a bit stronger. She finds on days where she over does it, her incision begins to hurt again on the days following.

Thank you to all our prayer supporters out there! You are a blessing to us. While we still have moments in the each week and day where it is difficult, the vast majority is filled with peace and joy. Our kids are at such a fun stage of life that it's hard not to smile and laugh.

Angela, Ruby, and Angela's mom went to see the Nutcracker yesterday. They had lunch at Old Clayburn store and bought some candy for Charlie and me! Charlie and I did some man stuff (got the cast iron harp out of the piano I'm converting into a desk) while they were out.

Friday was a ton of fun as our Church built a float for Mission's Candlelight Parade! So many generous volunteers came out to help build, operate, and clean-up. It all came together quite well and turned out to be a fantastic evening. We faced monsoon-like rain, sleet, and hail, but we didn't give up! Much thanks to everyone for their help!

Today was a fun morning with Parkside Church! Our gathering felt a little more festive and filled with even more cheer. I'm always encouraged and inspired by everyone in our Church family... so many gracious folks!

On a sad note, I found out this morning that the Moses' are moving to Prince George in a couple weeks for work. Casey and Charmaine have been such a great part of our Church family. They have always been an encouragement to me and others. Our loss is Prince George's gain.

I have one busy week left as the College enters its last week of the fall semester, then it's time for marking and Christmas rest! Until next time, have a great week and Christmas!!
 
 

November Update

It's been over a month since my last post so I figured an update is needed. Thank you to all those who continue to pray for us! The last four weeks have been filled with transitioning back to "normal". With each week Angela is growing in strength and capacity. I've been transitioning out of superdad mode and Angela is transitioning back to supermom mode. We're about 75% there.

Ruby is in soccer twice a week and is learning to enjoy it. Charlie's skating has wrapped up and we were excited to see some progress in his skating. Angela was able to get out to the last couple skating lessons and came to her first soccer practice today!

We had another consultation with a GI cancer specialist in Vancouver this week. Nothing new to report. Angela goes in for some blood work and another CT scan in a week. Angela found the meeting encouraging as she was frustrated at the speed of her recovery from surgery, but was assured that her timeline is normal.

Need to thank all those who have been helping us so much over the past month. A bunch of ladies from our Church have been helping us with cleaning, meals, and laundry. We've enjoyed two of Calvin's meals as well! Pastor Dave helped hold down the fort at the Church for October and did a fantastic job. Many friends and family have helped with loving on our kids too!

Our Church family continues to increase in health and fruit. It's encouraging to see more ministry taking place through small groups, Hope Central, our youth ministry and new preteen ministry! There also seems to be an increase in organic ministry (folks simply loving on those in that cross their path). God has been so good to us!

I hope this post finds you and yours enjoying the hope we have in Christ. Have a great weekend.
 
 

Settling In

Angela got home on Thursday night and we are still settling in. The kids love having their mom back, but are having to adjust to a Dad who is adjusting. Angela's pain is livable and she is working on getting her digestive system up to speed. Every morning I get to give her a shot, which I enjoy a little too much.

Angela spends most of her day resting, eating small amounts, and watching the kids play. I am trying to figure out Angela's schedule... between getting Ruby ready for school, Charlie's hockey, picking Ruby up, Ruby's soccer, meals, and everything else, it's a steep curve, but I'm up for the challenge. So far my meals have been limited to toast, grilled cheese, and beans and wieners, but I'm tackling a turkey dinner today! Hoping to milk the leftovers for a long time.

Angela's recovery will be about another three weeks and then she'll be able to do most things except lift objects over five pounds. Charlie and I went to Willow View Farms yesterday with some of his friends and we picked up some pumpkins for the hallowed front door decoration. Apparently my decorating isn't sufficient so Angela has invited her mom to come over and do it up right.

We haven't made any decisions about future treatment options. We'll wait until she's recovered and then prayerfully consider our options. Many thanks to all those who have prayed and fasted for us. God's peace and strength have been evident. Your kind words have lifted our spirits.

Again, both of our moms have been rock stars. Angela's mom was with us in Calgary for most of the time and brought Angela home on Westjet. My mom watched our kids for two weeks and to top it off our dishwasher broke so it was back to the old days of washing dishes by hand! Charlie only lost one tooth under her care due to a bike crash, so she's feeling pretty bad, but we think he just looks cuter. He enjoys sticking his tongue through the gap and I like the look when he puts on his hockey helmet and grins.

Angela was really excited to get out of the hospital. All the private rooms were booked with quarantined patients so Angela was in a room with three old men who either had colon cancer or prostate cancer... yeah for sharing a bathroom!? Because the surgeon did less than expected she only needed to be in the hospital for a week. The first couple days were pretty rough, but each day got better. One of her highlights was watching me paint her toenails. That was a first for me, but after six toes I started to get the hang of it.

We'll have a low key Thanksgiving weekend and then begin to get back into the swing of things on Tuesday. Even in the midst of everything, as I was washing dishes by hand this afternoon, I couldn't help but think how blessed we are. God has given us a home, two amazing little munchkins, a loving family and Church family, and hearts that know and love Him.
 
 

Surgery Recap

Well, we didn’t get the news we were hoping for yesterday, but there was good mixed in with the bad. The surgery ended up being much shorter (4 hours) than expected (6-9 hours) due to the high number of small tumors (less than 1 cm) on her small intestine. The surgeon felt that to cut out the entire intestine affected would be of great risk to Angela’s life. He discovered one section that was only a week or two from becoming completely blocked by tumors (which would have required an emergency surgery anyways). They removed that portion of her small intestine and that is the part (along with the long incision) that will require some recovery time. She’ll be able to return home in a week, which we are excited for as we miss our kids very much, and then will finish recovery at home.

Her prognosis is months to a year without chemo and months to years with chemo. We’ve talked with many experienced doctors and even a naturopath doctor that specializes in cancer about alternative options, clinical trials, and the too-good-to-be-true claims on the Internet, and have resolved that there isn’t much earthly hope for Angela.

Through out all of this, and especially on days where earthly news is so difficult to hear, we are even more grateful that every day in Christ is a good day. No matter what happens to us, the Good News always outweighs the bad.

We are also very grateful for loving family and friends. We have received many little notes of encouragement and support. We have been blessed with a place to stay within walking distance of the Hospital and a lovely couple who are such gracious, faith-filled hosts.

I’ll close this post with a couple excerpts from some of our support team:

Catherine Dagneau wrote this yesterday:

“The night before last, as Eugene and I were walking and praying, one of us said, "Poor Angela" and immediately I got the sense that this was not the correct perspective. I had previously shared with Clint and Angela that I felt convinced that this painful journey that they had been called to walk was going to be very powerful in the growth of the Kingdom and for our church. So that evening, I felt the Spirit saying, "We don't say, 'Poor Paul' when we read about the hardships he endured: the violent attacks, the shipwrecks, the imprisonments. We say 'Brave, heroic, obedient Paul' as he forged ahead for the sake of the Gospel." So I now say, "Brave, heroic Angela" who is called to walk such a dangerous, frightening path. Then this morning, I was feeling so small and powerless after the news of the returning cancer, which seems to have a mind of its own, and like a storm, cannot be tamed by the hands of man. How humbled we are in the face of a hurricane! All pride drops off. Our best ideas and efforts are of no effect. All of a sudden we see ourselves as we are and we see God as He is- our only Hope. We cry out. We grab a hold of him and wrap ourselves around his legs and we cling to him for our safety. He is Almighty. He has the power to still the storm. But sometimes He allows the storm to continue.

After all this thought, I picked up my Bible to continue my reading of Acts and today's passage was Acts 27 (Paul’s shipwreck). Brave, heroic Paul as he obeyed his calling! Imagine the emotional roller coaster he was on! The Spirit told him they should not sail- it was too dangerous- but despite Paul's warnings, the powers that be decided to set out. I'm sure Paul must've thought, "This is it then. We will die." But his mission was not yet complete. Though the storm destroyed the ship, it did not destroy the Gospel mission Paul was on. In fact, it became part of the evidence… evidence which glorifies God to this day!

How brave and heroic Clint and Angela are in this storm! So humbled and powerless; so dependent on their God to see them through. Take courage in this: God had forewarned Clint last fall that hard times were coming, just as He warned Paul of the storm. As shocked as we all have been with each turn of events, God is not.

Church, now more than ever we need to be earnest and diligent in prayer for them, just as the early church supported Paul with their prayers. And Clint and Angela will be strengthened to endure this trial and Parkside Church will grow in faith and love and God will be glorified in unimaginable ways. Let us be faithful!

My cousin, Tanya, sent us some encouraging words and Scripture:

Don't be discouraged.

"You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow and the Lord will be with you."

Don't quit.

"Then Jesus told his disciples a parable (about the persistent widow) to show them that they should always pray and not give up."

Surrender to God.

"Do not LET your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me."

Be thankful.

"Be joyful always; pray continually, give thanks in ALL circumstances for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

This is not over.  We have so much more than "earthly hope".

   

Surgery Tomorrow

After some tests and orientation on Monday then some medicine today we are ready for Angela's surgery. It's happening tomorrow (Thursday, September 27) at 7:30am. The surgery will most likely be 6-9 hours long. Thank you to all the folks who are praying for Angela. 

We spent the last 36 hours visiting family in Vegreville, AB (home of the world's largest Psynka Egg). It was a nice brain break from the medical world. On the way back to Calgary we stopped at the world's slowest Tim Horton's (Vegreville) and Starbucks (Springs Rd in Airdrie) then I broke my diet and had pulled pork poutine in the CrossIron Mills Mall (as far as malls go, that one is pretty sweet).  Angela has to fast today in preparation for her surgery so I've taken on her daily calories.

Calgary Bound

Things have continued at a fast pace, but there has been a peace through it all. Angela and I are gearing up for her surgery in Calgary next Thursday. We head out this Sunday afternoon.

We had a potluck dinner with our Church Elders last night. It was really nice to take a break and enjoy a meal for once. Dave shared something that was on his heart... to start asking others the question, "What can I do for you?" It's one of those questions that we like to ask, but at the same time hope others don't take us up on it. This really resonated with me not only personally, but for us as a Church. Over the next few years we will need to begin asking this question a whole lot more... I think this is what many Churches (including ours at times) have stopped asking others. Our Church needs to be known more for what we do for others than what we do for ourselves. Our Elders also prayed for Angela, our family, and our Church in earthly and heavenly languages. It was an encouraging time.

I'm looking forward to being with our Church family this Sunday. We've missed the last two gatherings and we'll be missing the next few as well. Some people find "going" to Church every week an obligation, but it is the highlight of my week. I love singing songs of praise, sharing in the Word, and knowing the testimony and beauty of God's purposes for all who gather.

I will be away for most of October so Pastor Dave will be our interim pastor for the month. He and our Elders will be available to bring pastoral care and leadership to our Church.  They already provide the majority of care to our Church family, so I don't think it will feel any different.

In other news, I have been eating healthy for five weeks (except a Triple O burger last Friday and our Elders dinner last night). I have lost 23 pounds and have appreciated an increase in health (no heartburn and more energy) and greater maturity in learning better self-discipline. In the months to come I will continue to eat healthy and add more exercise.

Last weekend, Angela and I went up to Rockridge Canyon for PLBC's annual Fall Retreat (see above photo). It was a great weekend filled with praise, ministry, rest, and relationship building. We also had three Parksiders serve on our volunteer work crew: Dave, Raelyne, and Faith. They scrubbed pots, prepped meals, and cleaned up. Isaac was the Retreat's "Minister of Fun" leading great group activities to foster fun and community. All of our Parksiders served smashingly well... great attitudes, great work ethic, and great skill.

I will keep you updated through this blog while we are away in Calgary so you can be aware and know how to pray. We appreciate your prayers so much... it's the most practical thing you can do for us.

Surgery, Scans, and September

Well, we have Angela's surgery date: Thursday, September 27th. It's sooner than expected due to a cancellation that bumped us up. We'll be going up on the Monday or Tuesday before for some pre-surgery meetings and tests. Our local oncologist also ordered a bone scan for today in preparation and as a precaution.

Combining scans and preparing for surgery with the busyness of September and things are anything but slow. At PLBC we've moved in a record number of residents and welcomed our largest freshman class. This weekend is our annual college retreat.  It's busy and exciting at the College right now.

Last weekend we zipped over to Courtenay to celebrate with Northgate Foursquare Church (my home church) on their 75th Anniversary. I was humbled to share some thoughts on Psalm 23. I was moved by the humble beginnings, sacrifice, and faith of the planting pastors of this Church. Their church planting budget was $60 and the first offering totaled 27 cents. One by one people came to know Christ and 75 years later we look back and see a huge history filled with 'wondrous things'.

I just listened to Pastor Dave's sermon from Sunday and found it very encouraging. I've also been enjoying reading through Acts again and hope you are too! I've been finding re-reading Acts very encouraging and it almost makes me want to go through it again as there is so much in there that we skimmed over (we'll leave for another time).

Now that school's back in session, Isaac and I are driving in together most days and I enjoy his company and our chats. Ruby's enjoying kindergarten and Charlie's getting used to his best friend gone for most of the day.

Have a great week/weekend and thank you for your prayers!
  

Round Two

We just got back from a trip to Seattle with Angela's parents. We had a great time at Woodland Zoo and Pike Place Market. We paid homage to Claim Jumper's and ravaged the breakfast bar at the Holiday Inn. Charlie got his arm stuck in the automated door at Cabela's. Ruby fell face first into a deceiving window at the penguin exhibit. It was a memory-filled trip.

We got back just in time for our family doctor to come over and give us an update on Angela's most recent stomach scope. The results are not what we hoped. They discovered some new cancer cells back in her stomach. The news is obviously deflating.

The silver lining in the matter is this makes our decision regarding an optional surgery in Calgary much clearer. The surgery promises odds as high as 35% that Angela will live a long life (with this type of cancer odds are usually about 1% with other options). The surgery will most likely take place one to three months from now in Calgary. It is quite invasive and risky in and of itself (lasting 5-10 hours). There is a very high possibility that Angela's stomach and other parts of her body may be removed (they won't know for sure until they have made the incision and look inside). Once they complete the operational part of the surgery they will wash out the inside of her abdomen region for an hour with hot chemo and then repeat the chemo for five straight days.

The recovery from surgery will be just as brutal. She will be in the Calgary hospital for three to four weeks recovering and adjusting to life without whatever organs/parts they remove.  After that we can transfer her home where she will be light duty for three months.  After the recovery from surgery there might be a bit more chemo, but they are not sure at this point.

This is obviously a huge undertaking for Angela, but we feel the reward and possibility of a much longer life warrant the risk of the surgery, pain of recovery, and discomfort of adjusting to a different body. It's not what any of us wanted or expected, but we will continue to lean on God and look to Him for strength, wisdom, and healing.

What about God? While we obviously hoped and believed that all of this was done and over, we cannot deny God's goodness in and through out our journey. We are grateful to Him for the last nine months and especially the last three. James 1:17 says "Every good and perfect gift is from above.."  We thank God for the good work He did and through her body... the last nine months have been filled with miracles. We are grateful to God that we have the option of this surgery. (This surgery is quite new and our surgeon is the nicest man who is also a pioneer in this surgical process [many doctors are studying under him to take this option to other parts of the world as many people are clamoring for it] and has performed over 300 of them.) We are grateful to God that no matter how long we live or what our quality of life we may have, because of Jesus the best is always yet to come. We are grateful to Him that we can pray in faith for Angela's complete healing.

We know that thousands of hours have been spent in prayer over Angela and would love for folks to continue to pray. As we begin what will hopefully be the last round we need strength, wisdom, peace, and healing.

It's like the last three months have been a chance to catch our breath and get ready for the next leg of the race.

Hebrews 12: 1b-13 NIV "...let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."

   

Blog Block

I've attempted to blog a few times over the past month, but have struggled. So much going on internally and externally that I've experienced a case of writer's block. I still have no idea what to write so I figured that I should simply start and see what comes out.

Over the last few weeks, I've discovered that this past season of Angela's stomach cancer took a lot out of me. In hindsight I think a combination of adrenaline and strength in God got me through. Now I feel tired.  It hit the night before we had our big celebration. The last couple weeks have consisted of sleeping a lot and not getting much more than the essentials accomplished. Call it a funk, burnout, or the result of going through a difficult season, I am being to recuperate.

Angela and the kids are doing remarkably well in spite of us being at another medical crossroad. On July 2 we drove to Calgary to see a specialist about Angela's case. He said that in his experience, even though we have this good news, the cancer will come back. He advised us to engage in a proactive surgery where he would cut out parts that had the cancer. It would be a pretty invasive surgery that might result in her losing her stomach.  The recovery required would include spending three weeks in the Calgary hospital and another 3-4 months at home on light duty. His surgery tactic is cutting edge and reports say that many surgeons are learning from him and a few others on how to offer this to their patients. Since this approach is new(er) there isn't much data, but in his 300+ cases they have seen exceptional results.

We have as long as we want to consider this option. In dialogue with our local oncologist, scope doctor, and family doctor we are beginning to weigh all the data. Angela goes in for another scope this Tuesday to collect more information.

We haven't made a decision as we are still considering all the options. We continue to seek God's wisdom and leading. Please remember us in prayer.

In other news, summer is in full swing. Ruby enjoyed a VBS at Northside Community Church this week, Angela picked three gallons of raspberries yesterday, and Charlie is having "fun" learning how to live life without a diaper.

Intern Isaac is working on lots of different projects and doing a great job. Yesterday he helped Peter install fence posts around our five apple trees to protect them from bears. He learns more in an hour with Peter than he does with me in a month.

Life with our Church has been awesome. I love our Church family so much. I haven't laughed so hard as at our "Moose the Dam Over" game. It makes me look forward to our disc golf tournament this Sunday and even more so to our water fight on the 29th.

Things are beginning to heat up over at Pacific Life Bible College as we've begun a dorm renovation and as we ramp up for another great year of seeing men and women further equipped for ministry. I love being a part of what this school is and does.

Well, hopefully the blog block has been broken. I hope you have a fantastic weekend.

Sunday Potpourri

Really enjoyed our gathering today.  Chad and the music team did a bang-up job of leading us in worship. Our time sharing in communion moved me. Our Sunday School teachers served so graciously... again. Then Rob & Donna George shared their story and involvement with the Christian Motorcyclists Association (CMA). Every summer they give most of their weekends to traveling to wherever bikers gather and then spending their time in loving and sharing the Gospel. Following the service, CMA hosted a hot dog lunch and the 'dogs' were delicious.

I'm already looking forward to next Sunday! Folks from our Freedom Session series will be sharing about their experience. Eugene & Catherine have generously served as leaders of this worthy, but costly, investment. In fact, as I look at the speaking schedule, I see that the next three Sundays will be covered by Freedom Sessions, Isaac, and Dave. This means that I don't get to preach until July 1st. What I love about this is that: 1) it allows a different voice to share God's Word; 2) we become less leader-centered and more Jesus-centered; 3) it gives new speakers an opportunity to grow; and 4) it allows me to work on some other projects.

We've also set a date for our celebration night to praise Jesus for His good work in Angela's body. We will be gathering on Sunday, June 24th, 7:00pm at our Church building. We'll share some Scripture, sing songs, and end in prayer for outstanding prayer items. It will be a good night and everyone is invited.

On Saturday we did a bunch of miscellaneous stuff. Ang took the kids down to Heritage Park and Ruby fell in the creek (see photo above). It was only about knee deep, but due to her panicking, got much more wet. She kept screaming... "Aaaaahhh, duck poo's in the water!"

I had another successful experience towards getting rid of my two years of poor conversation skills. (For those that didn't hear the message from last Sunday, I proposed that most people have two years of poor conversations that just need to be worked out before we turn the corner and getter better at this part of life.) I engaged a stranger in conversation at the hardware store by sarcastically commenting on his nice purse. I thought he was holding a purse for his wife (who I presumed was the woman standing next to him), but it turns out it was his 'medicine bag'. I tried to back pedal, but it didn't go so well. Thinking I could cut my losses and hoping that I would never see these people again, a girl I know comes around the corner and says, "Oh! Hi, Clint. Have you met my parents? [pointing to the people I offended]. This is Clint, my Pastor at Parkside Church!"

In other news, we have a new cat in the neighbourhood that comes over to our yard way too often. I'm racking my brain to try and come up with a Christian way of getting rid of the cat... nothing yet.

I created Isaac's summer to-do list tonight. This is the second summer that he will be working for our Church as an intern. I'm changing up a few things this year to facilitate his maturing as a leader. Contrary to popular suggestion, he will not be doing more manual labour than last year. One big change is that he will no longer be given a work schedule.  Last year he had to check-in and check-out according to a weekly schedule. This year, he will be given a set of tasks and objectives, but no schedule. He will need to learn how to manage and track his time. This will teach him the critical life and leadership lessons of prioritizing, self-starting, and self-managing. We'll touch base each week to review and recalibrate. I have no doubt that he will do well.  He is a gift to me, our Church, and our world.

Newly licensed Dave Parsons solemnized (love using that word) his first wedding on Saturday! I heard it went very well. We will have a formal time of ordination in front our Church family during our morning gathering on Sunday, June 17th. Dave has a call of God on his life for Church leadership, has been faithful to develop that calling, and it is with great joy that we get to facilitate this formal step towards the next step of his calling. Dave is a gracious servant to our Church family. He serves us as an elder, council member, Sunday school teacher, preacher, after-service coffee server, and kid's camp councilor. All as a volunteer! Wow!!

I hope you have an amazing week filled with trust in God and awkward, but necessary, conversations!

Friday Mashup

I hope you had a great week filled with God's grace and power! This week was real mashup of College, Church, and personal activities. Throughout the week I tuned in to the Foursquare US's Convention in Phoenix, AZ. It featured speakers like Wayne Cordeiro, Ted Olbrich, Ed Stetzer and many more. I was really encouraged by their example and their words.

On Wednesday, Angela and I met with her oncologist and stomach scope doctor (still not sure what he's supposed to be called). They both reiterated how rare her response was. The oncologist said this is what they call a 'complete response' and is rarely seen. The new path we are on is to go in for a CT and stomach scope every three months to monitor the body. They did not recommend having her stomach removed (we were told before this might be their recommendation). We left both appointments relieved and encouraged (see photo above).  No more chemo!  Our Church is planning a night of celebration and it looks to be on June 24th.

At the College, a volunteer demolition team from Northgate Foursquare completed their good work of tearing down the old facade of the dormitory building. A construction crew has now descended and has begun the new look.

Last night I picked up my old joiner from a friend who was storing it for me. I am also storing a few tools for another friend so I have a pretty sweet wood-shop now. On second thought, I don't think that this new reality is a good thing for the 'Honey Do List'.

I met with Calvin this morning for coffee and we had a good chat about the future of his role with YFC/Youth Unlimited here in town. I met with Isaac for lunch and we planned out his summer internship with our Church. He'll be doing everything from maintenance to preaching.  The rest of the day consisted of calling in the Bugman (pavement ants near the Church kitchen), emailing, planning, and scheduling.

Hope you have a great weekend!  If you're in town this Sunday, stop by our Church family at 10:00am and join us!

More Good News

We just got a call from our family doctor where she debriefed us on the PET/CT scan report from last week.  Good news... there is nothing in the report to cause us any concern whatsoever!

We now need to meet with the oncologist and the stomach scope doctor to get an updated monitoring plan.

Thank you everyone who prayed and fasted for Angela.  The doctors are hesitant to call this a miracle due to the rarity and newness of the whole situation, yet five doctors (two cancer surgeons and three oncologists) said that there was no possibility of the cancer retreating to this point and that death was but around the corner.

I believe this was the power and grace of God, found in the Good News of Jesus, on display through the faithful prayers and fasting of His Church.

Thank you to everyone for your prayers, fasts, love, and support.  Thank you, Jesus, for your mercy and grace through healing!

Please continue to pray for us and our doctors.  Our doctors need wisdom on how to proceed.  We will continue to pray for a cancer-free body.  We will pray that this news will be an encouragement to your faith.

"Praise the LORD, O my soul;
all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
Praise the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits--
who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion,
who satisfies your desires with good things..."
Psalm 103:1-5a NIV

Much love to all of you!
  
   

Biopsy Results

Angela and I had a meeting with the oncologist today where we received the pathology report from last week's stomach scope. All the biopsies came back clear! There is no sign of cancer at 'ground zero' where there used be a giant ulcer/tumour thing.

Angela will have a PET scan done in Vancouver in a few weeks which will give the doctors another angle, but our oncologist was surprised at the change. After the PET scan, our oncologist will meet with the other specialists in BC to go over Angela's case and determine a new recommendation for monitoring or treatment.

This is another great step forward towards a miraculous healing! Thank you for your past, present, and future prayers! Thank you, Jesus, for this good report!!

Update on Angela

Angela had her stomach scope today and it went well.  She is home now and a bit tired and light-headed, but in good spirits.

The doctor had to leave right after the scope so we just saw his scribbled notes and heard the nurse's interpretation.  The biopsy report and follow-up meeting with the doctor will be in 3-6 weeks  This report and meeting will be a much more definitive analysis.

That being said, the visible ulcer-looking part of the tumour wasn't there, only a reddish area (of which they took a biopsy).  Everything else looked normal!

It definitely looks like progress and hopefully the completion of a miracle.

Thanks to everyone for their support and prayers.

Monday Morning Thoughts

Had a fantastic weekend. I spent Saturday observing the honouring of a few people.  Sharon Ens (mother of Christy W.) is now with Jesus and we got to celebrate the Good News of Jesus by the reality that death is simply a promotion to an eternity with our Creator and Savior.

On Saturday night, the Lambert's celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with friends and family. What was cool about this celebration is that the celebration centered on the grace and power of Jesus in their marriage, not on their ability or self-righteousness. Their testimony of the change Jesus brought to their lives and marriage is simply awesome!

We had a great gathering on Sunday morning. The Humphrey's welcomed and served us with breakfast, Chad lead us in worship, and Dave blessed us through the Word. I got to serve our Grade 4-6 students in Sunday School and the opportunity blessed me so much.  It had been too long since I got to serve Jesus in this way. I enticed my class with a $5 reward for each one that comes to me next Sunday and recites their memory verse. They thought I was crazy, but I'd be crazy not to take the resources God has given me and invest it in them for their blessing and the blessing of others. I hope to have an empty wallet this Sunday.

Sunday afternoon we went over to the Friesen's for a bonfire. It was nice to relax around the fire, chat about various things, and watch some of the skinnier guys try to climb on Jon's stucco. The kids rode bikes and played road hockey. I hate how busyness and life circumstances sometimes creates great gaps in time between meeting up with good friends.

Towards the end of last week we got news back from Angela's last CT scan. The scan reported that there wasn't any sign of new cancerous growth. We are pretty excited about that news. Tomorrow, Angela goes in for a stomach scope, which is the most accurate test. Her stomach is 'ground zero' for the cancer and the scoping tool should be able to take a tissue sample for biopsy. The doctors consider the situation hopeless, but we are asking God to do the "impossible".

My mom sent me this verse this morning and I was encouraged by it, "He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD." (Psalm 112:7).  No one but God knows what this week will hold.  No one but God is worthy of my complete trust.  To Him, I give my life, my wife, my family, and this week.  Through Jesus, the best is always yet to come!

Merry Monday

Two busy weeks down and one more to go!  It's a fun and busy season at our Church and the Bible College.  We've wrapped up Easter and are now preparing for Spring and Summer.  Angela began her sixth round of chemo last Tuesday.  She is doing much better this round, even though scientifically it should be the worst.  Praise God!

I need to go into an 'Oscar' speech and thank many people who are so filled with God's love that it gushes out into loving others.  First, my two mothers are awesome... they have been on full-time duty, taking care of our kids and helping Angela.  Our Church family continues to make meals for us (it's been six months) and they (the meals and the people) are awesome!  On Friday, a bunch of energetic adults and youth set-up and ran the Lower Mainland Kid's Camp Rally... thank you for your investment into our kid's!  On Saturday, about 10-12 volunteers helped set-up and host Jim Moses' memorial... thank you for your love given to the Moses family.  On Sunday, as usual, we had a great number of gracious people serve in our Kid's program, main service, breakfast, and after-service coffee!  On Sunday night, we held an evening of prayer and worship.  It was awesome.  Around 40-50 folks came out to pray for the needs of our Church family and for one another.  We laid hands on the sick; interceded for others; shared words of encouragement; gave words of wisdom; and worshipped Jesus.  Thank you to those that came out, shared in faith what God laid on your heart, and gave of your time! Throw in a birthday lunch for my mom and the first mow of the year and it was a full, but great weekend.

This week will be busy getting ready for the College's graduation weekend.  We have a banquet on Saturday and a ceremony on Sunday night.  At the Church this week we have a family movie night on Friday, bake sale prep on Saturday, and then the actual bake sale on Sunday. Proceeds from the movie night and bake sale go to our summer camp bursary program.

I hope you have the best week of your life!   Wrap your heart around Jesus, surrender to His way of life, and you'll live a life without worry or regrets.