Tuesday, July 24, 2007

God is Explicitly Amazing

Oh my goodness. My friends Dan and Amy got married yesterday. I am sitting here crying out of joy for them. I knew Dan in college, was in Istanbul with him...was with him and Amy both in Istanbul...they went on their first real date in April and he proposed that night and now they are married. WOW!

I remember talking to Dan one night at ISU about his process of finding the one and his views on the whole thing. He lives in Qatar and Amy in India. And when God prompted him to do something, he did it!...and they'll figure out the details later! That's amazing. So amazing. God is so faithful. And what encourages me so much is Amy knew that Dan was the one for her. She knew. She didn't talk about it much, but she knew.

God is so good to us. I could not put two people more right for each other together. They are PERFECT for one another. So glad that Dan did something about it when God called him to!

I've added Amy's wonderfully updated blog to my list of must-reads. I can't wait to see what God does through their marriage. They are a power couple for our Lord!

Wednesday, July 18, 2007

Meet the MotorManiac

Tonight I was just pulling my truck out of the driveway. The traffic to the left had stopped for me and I had a clear gap in the oncoming from the right. It was one of those hours. Out of nowhere, it seems the traffic from the right was speeding at me so I excelerated so that they wouldn't have to slow down so much. Not a close call by any means.

When out of NOWHERE the motorcycle in the lead starts tailing me and comes up alongside my backend on the leftside of the vehicle, riding the double yellow line. He stays there. I'm thinking he's insane. He is. So then he passes me on the right and as he is he turns looks straight at me, puts his hand up to his face with his first two fingers pointing to his eyes (like Meet the Parents) and speeds away. Like, I'm watching you. Yeah okay Satan, way to try to scare me. I pulled into Trader Joes, got my milkshake goodies, a couple bottles of French reds and ran into wonderful Rob Roberts on my way out.

I know that person was clearly acting on some sort of demonic prompting. A lady told me earlier this week how her husband was in line at a store and the woman in front of him, really nicely dressed, turned out, looked him straight in the eye and said, "Your family is going to fail." She proceed to turn around, place her order and that was it. Kooky.

I remember before God really got a hold of me that I had similar outbursts. I would seemingly lose complete control of myself and be so rude or angry or just disgusting that I even shocked myself. God is good. Thank you for saving me.

Talked to Dad tonight. He is so cute. He sounds pretty ill, but he assures me he's not. His arthawrongis is hurting him...but he also assures me he is going to live many more years, well into age. I think I laughed. Would you look at his faith? Faith is not blind if it is based on something God told you. God must have spoken pretty clearly to him for him to remain so positive in the face of the continual barrage of bad news coming his way. God bless him and heal him.

I'm looking forward to Friday night as I am taking the youth group out to a play. Pretty exciting. We are going to AstroBurger first. Also, very exciting. And I've arranged for a backstage tour for them so they can ask questions or just understand it all a little better. The changes in the group structure and leadership have me wondering what God has planned. Tonight my pastor's wife really encouraged me and put many of my worries to rest. She said they were realising that youth group didn't have to be done the way it has always been done. That a woman can lead it...it doesn't have to be a man. That's incredible. We'll see, huh? No wonder Mr. MotorManiac was after me after that conversation.

I'm happy to be alive. God is renewing me. I have this sense of purpose because of this new endeavor with the kids...with LCi going well...dog walking is well, dog walking (great on the figure, but a bit tiring)...and my dad so up in spirits, he might just float away. I reiterate, God is good.

(Oh and Monday I went back to my old mentorship group that I hadn't made it to in 10 months. God re-confirming the direction, renewing my faith...in the unseen promises and reconnecting me with old friends. Just wonderful!)

Paix.

Monday, July 16, 2007

Nonsense & Nice Toe Nails

It's frankly too early to be up writing. But given that my back pain, which has turned into sore, stiff leg pain, has been not allowing me to sleep much...what choices do I have? Also, for those of you who remember two years ago and the ganglion incident, the subsequent double healing (and then praying over it at Asuza for sustained healing...which worked)...I am indifferent to report that the ganglion is back. Although it has moved slightly to the southwest of my hand...I noticed that my hand looked broken while driving the other day. Alas...it's back.

I'm finding the whole bucket of "getting older" pretty much sucks. I keep digging to find some gold that sifted to the bottom but I'm pretty sure that college were the golden years and I missed it...having had boys and alcohol on my mind. I missed it. What is with all the aches and pains where you were injured coming to haunt you as you age? What is with the wrinkles that get worse when you're stressed? Have things always been this way but I just have more time to notice these things now? Somedays I wonder if Adam and Eve hadn't failed, would I still be here? Am I at all a by-product of sin? So if I was still created in a perfect world, wow...aging would be wonderful!

So...deterioration is normal. My pastor was telling us in a staff time that he's got to have knee surgery because he was something like 5 tares...and he pretty much lives with pain all the time. I remember in my idiot-ness of my youth I judged my mother because of her frality, her sickness and her pain. I judged her all the time. I encouraged her to get over it. Granted, she could have complained less...etc...but I had NO compassion for her whatsoever that her pains and sickness were real. It seems I am finally getting a glimpse of how dumb and rude I've been all these years.

Something happened last November when I found out that Superman/the Bionic Man/my dad had a tumor and my gut knew it was cancer. Suddenly my fantasy world, which he had built for us both, with his own two hands of predictable, "I'm healthy, always healthy" or "Never felt better" replies were given for simple "How are you?" exchanges. His world of denial, his bottles of Advil a week and my belief that it was possible to be totally healthy and never experience pain even into your 60s were brought into light. The following week I got into a pretty bad car accident and still feel the effects. (Talk about bringing a lesson home!) I hope every morning that I will wake with my body feeling like it did when I woke up at 14...but every morning I am reminded that this life is temporary. Every morning (and the subsequent frequent awakenings due to my back pain during the night) I am reminded that my time is short and I'd better live for something important because I don't know what next year holds.

My dad has become real in the last 7 months. I wish you knew him. I wish everyone knew him. He's a little Robin Williams and not really comparable to anyone else because he's really unique. He's Scott Williams Sherk and I fear he's not got long. That's so hard to write, so hard to say. The doctors told him he can quit chemo at any time he chooses...bascially, it's not working. I wrote a couple poems last week. I'll post them here to share with you.

You Weren't Meant to Die

The guttural groans
sound like old cedars
swaying in the wind
crying out against the pull.
In protest they long for
the stability of their youth
the strength, the brute tenacity
of reaching for the stars
as roots dug deeper
and water was easily found.

The salty streams
flow downward nocturnally
seeking out the lower grounds
needing a balm that heals.
So raw the places in these depths
like caverns undiscovered
full of sharp-edges and bright colors
waiting for some light to reveal
their incomparable beauty
that just the sound of the oncoming flood
brings unprecedented uncertainty
with tenderness shrinking
yet in bravery pulsing
at the thought of what change
might mean.

--Kristin Jo Sherk, 07.10.2007

Calling

I’m sad without you, baby.
Your petname is still up for debate.
How would you like to be called?
I’ll take it into consideration.

Honey, what’s Friday look like for you?
I’ll take Friday and Saturday and Sunday, too.
Can you drive a little faster, dear?
It’s lonely without you.

You missed another birthday, bear.
And Christmas wasn’t the same without you.
My daddy’s sick, honey.
Please come quickly, we haven’t got long.

--Kristin Jo Sherk, 07.10.2007

So lastly, a moment of appreciation for some concerted effort and wisdom from age. Simply that...painted toenails are very lovely. Seeing my own toenails growing and painted brings me simple joy that I didn't know I was being robbed of for so long...I had no clue! Happy to report I love having long(er) toe and fingernails. Totally nonsensical...but life's simplicities, created by God, are there for the taking. And I'm taking.

Have a wonderful day! May you know Him more and in knowing Him may you know your purpose.

Monday, July 09, 2007

A Little's Enough

Angels and Airwaves. Has anyone thought about their bandname? Anyone thought about the significance of both angels and airwaves? The significance of them together?

I now digress. I've been thinking a lot about Kingdom. The King's Domain. I've been thinking about the hope of the future. The eternal perspective of where I am right now, living in the modern-day Babylon, at a church being activated in the gifts. I've been thinking about my dad and the fact that there is no dilemma really. It's damn tough to see him going through this. And my physical eyes rarely get to behold him. But, even hearing his voice somedays is enough to bring tears to my eyes. There it goes...just the memory of it, though we spoke just hours ago, brings fresh water. Water to heal. The pain is real. It's real in this present time. The sorrow of the thought that I will live part of my life without him. It's real. It cuts deep. He is one of my great heroes, unsung for sure. But, by the day, his saintdom grows. With every flower he plants, every smile he shares, every time he laughs, he brings life, shares the hope of what's to come, he bypasses the temporal in exchange for the eternal. He is a hero and I wish he could be out and about to let more people see his bravery in the face of this beast.

There is no cancer in heaven. I long. I lonnnnnnnnnnnnng for him to be healed. Just one touch, Jesus. Just one. Just the faith of a mustard seed, tomorrow could be the day. Or, this may be the thing that takes him to be with his Lord. This may be it. I want more years. I want more time. Oh God, we want more time together! There simply is no cancer in heaven, so it can be that way here. I believe this with all my heart. Faith is the evidence of things unseen...faith is the stuff that proves that something else exists. I believe therefore it is possible. That's what the word says.

Angels and airwaves. They are both invisible too. But most people would admit they are there. It doesn't take much faith to believe that. In fact, who on this earth honestly believes that this world is it? Really? Really, do you? No, I doubt you do. If you believe in airwaves, you can believe in God. If you believe in airwaves you can believe that a man's time is not up yet and his healing will come through the prayers of the saints. It takes no more faith than listening to a song...and believing airwaves are real.

Please pray for my dad.

Thursday, May 24, 2007

Wrinkles

3 months without a post on here. Of course, my journal and other blogs hold those things. But as far as Dad's cancer updates go...they've been few and I haven't felt like writing about them.

I suppose there is a fine line between avoidance and giving something to God completely. They look the same. How can the people who really care about me know that I am not avoiding this subject? I've thought about this a lot. And what it comes down to is the fruit of the Spirit and consistency over time. It's okay to be down about it...but the truth of the matter is those times are so few and far in between now. Most days, when I think about my Dad I am filled with hope, peace, love and joy. That's how I know God delivered me from the obsessing, overwhelming need to talk about it all the time or to ask people for prayer all the time. Nope, God delivered me. I am not avoiding the cancer or death...I've just given it over to the only person who can do anything about it. Jesus.

Tuesday, February 20, 2007

Pea Soup

What a crazy day! Something was up spiritually today. Actually, something's been up for the last 6 months...but beyond that. I'm realising that this gift of intercession I've got wipes me out at times. Seriously...today I just felt burdened and heavy. And what did I do about it? Not much...should have done more. But today just feels thick. Like pea soup fog around my whole body.

But inside me, warrior me is crying out, "Fight!" I don't know. I've got this sense that the other side is right over there past the split peas and but it's so heavy (or at least apppears to be) that most times I can't raise my sword. So this battle is taking a lot longer than it should.

Could it really be all that simple? That one day this season will be past. The ice will have melted (unless of course it's a berg, then we're all in for a flood) and spring will have sprung. Is it that simple? Will the car work? Will I have a new one? Will my dad be healed? Will I have a job that fits and challenges and brings me joy? Will all the other stuff fall into line like he's promised, just like that? Seems to so easily when God's involved. But up until that moment, it's just crazy in the fog.

I like pea soup...but living in it for 6 months kind of makes you nauseous.

Talked with my pastor last night. He was just speaking about what hit the staff from this conference they are at...it hit me too. We're on the verge of something huge. That's why we are all going through so much right now. Just stay the course, though it be long. God is testing us to see if he can really count on us.

So I guess...despite the fact that I feel like I am waiting for a miracle in everything about my life...God's testing me in this time. You know? There isn't much he is requiring me to do. I have very little responsibility right now. But that's exactly it, isn't it? Will I be faithful with the little he has given? All these hours every day that I pass...how am I choosing to pass them? For myself? For others? For the Kingdom?

I realise this has nothing to do with my dad. As you can maybe tell I have been struggling with having any emotion about that particular part of my life at all. I cried a bit today, I think it was...just thinking about maybe having to leave next month if the chemo isn't working. I pray it's not going to go down like that. I don't want to sit and watch him die. I don't want to have to leave LA...I want him and mom to come visit and see my life here.

I'm so random right now. Sorry this isn't making as much sense as I normally might. It's the peas...they're freaking taking over!

Monday, February 12, 2007

Shenanigans

Talked to Dad today. He was so chipper when he answered the phone. But, I can tell he's really doped up on something. A little loopy lad was he.

I'm still wondering if I should go home for his birthday in March. He's wanting to start traveling in May. I guess we'll have test results by his birthday...there just may not be any free travel rewards seats left to Iowa by that time. Yes, that's right! I've got another free round trip ticket in my possession...or at least, in the account. It's not actually in my hands yet.

My friend Bobbi got him a prayer cloth which was prayed over by her sister's pastors. I guess the church took time to pray for him too. Where is this church? I don't know. But that's SUPER cool and really blessed my dad's heart.

He's a bit worried about the chemo not being over in a few weeks and having to go through round 2 or series 2, I guess I should say. He's had conversations with other people and they've told him he'll get sicker...etc. Just put a bunch of worrisome thoughts in his head. If they've got to do another series, then they do. God's still in control and using this to refine him like gold. Praise God for his infinite wisdom.

In my own life, today I've planned a big shenanigan. So I'll time this post to be posted after it's possible that Jesse could read it. But I've been pretty stressed out today because of all the planning and honestly, worrying. Who wants to worry over a birthday party? Maybe if I didn't make it so hard I wouldn't be worrying. But, always take the harder path...bites back sometimes. So Jesse...hope you liked the party. And since I am writing this before I know what you're planning in retaliation...I hope you got on the bus! Nice interrogation yesterday...by the way...you should join the FBI or at least play one on TV.

Well...that's all for now. I've got gads to read and gads to do! =) Life's good.