Testing

Loved Ones,

I've been reading some about Job. Here are the verses that are on my mind today.

One day the members of the heavenly court came to present themselves before the Lord, and the Accuser, Satan, came with them. “Where have you come from?” the Lord asked Satan. Satan answered the Lord, “I have been patrolling the earth, watching everything that’s going on.” Then the Lord asked Satan, “Have you noticed my servant Job? He is the finest man in all the earth. He is blameless—a man of complete integrity. He fears God and stays away from evil.” Satan replied to the Lord, “Yes, but Job has good reason to fear God. You have always put a wall of protection around him and his home and his property. You have made him prosper in everything he does. Look how rich he is! But reach out and take away everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face!”

“All right, you may test him,” the Lord said to Satan. Job 1:6-12

Some days feel more like tests than others.

Ray had another quiet day. His second round of chemo was finished at 2:30. Tiredness and loss of appetite seem to be his main chemo symptoms. His color looks good and he is hydrated, but we are anxious for his appetite to return -- he can't lose any more weight!

Some kind of computer virus/electrical glitch caused me to lose all my emails today. This was a bummer! They've been such a joy to us. We do have all the sent emails. So all the emails I've replied to are still there. But it was a disappointment.

Our praises for the day: We continue to research treatments, drugs and therapies for Ray. I had a wonderful conversation with a medical director that works with our doctor. He had nothing but praise for her. This is wonderful to hear.

Ray had a great visit with an old friend from DC. Another one comes tomorrow. These are great things that lift our spirits.

Our prayer requests: We continue to beseech the Lord for total healing for Ray. We are lifting up the side effects to the Lord as well: that they would be minimal so as not to affect treatment. We've been told that growing fatigue is very common as well as nerve issues due to the chemo. We are praying for protection for his nerves and from fatigue.

Our girls are really craving normal things. We are praying for energy and timing to do some things together as a family.

So back to the verses. The thing is, Job passed the tests. He was tested, and he didn't fail. So he was tested even more. And he still didn't fail.

So the Lord blessed Job in the second half of his life even more than in the beginning. Job lived 140 years after that, living to see four generations of his children and grandchildren. Then he died, an old man who had lived a long, full life. Job 42:12, 16-17

May we all pass our tests.

not alone and not afraid --

kristin and ray