Thank You Father!! Thank You, thank You, thank You!!
What a wonderful Blessing You’ve given us Lord… Such a beautiful way to start the weekend!
For those who follow our conversations and don’t know the source of my joy Father, please indulge me while I explain.
A couple months ago, we had Jonathan in for his yearly check-up with his pediatrician. It was a routine visit, but due to his complicated medical situation (Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis), doctor’s appointments always place some concern in our hearts. For the most part, everything went quite well; nothing obviously scary to report. Then the doctor examined some new “growths” that had popped up on him over the last year; up went the red flags, and down went our spirits. She labeled them as “suspicious”, and indicated that we should have them looked at by Jonathan’s oncologist as soon as possible. We tried of course to stay optimistic, but the seed of worry had been sown all the same.
The oncology visit didn’t yield much in the way of answers either, but added another round of “concerns” and a referral to a pediatric dermatologist for a specialized examination and if necessary, treatment and surgical intervention. The oncologist did however, indicate that the possible skin involvement was all that appeared out of the ordinary at the moment, and that all his other tests and scans looked perfectly normal. That news certainly eased our fears a bit, but based on past experience with this disease, our guard was still up nonetheless.
Today, Jonathan went to see the dermatologist.
They’re moles Father… All perfectly normal, and nothing to be concerned about. But You already knew that, didn’t You? 🙂
Please forgive my doubts Lord… I know he’s in Your hands no matter what, and I’m so thankful for that. But each time we have the specter of this disease rear it’s gnarled claws, it takes our hearts back to that terrifying time of uncertainty and fear, when the possible loss of our son was very real. And while I realize Lord, that this life is temporary and simply a step towards Your Eternal Kingdom, Shannon and I are selfish in that we love this little boy dearly, and very much want him to remain with us for as long as You’ll permit.
Apparently, that’s Your desire for the moment as well… And I thank You from the bottom of my heart for that Blessing!
In Jesus’ Name we pray,
Amen.
~Phather Phil
P.S. September is Histiocytosis Awareness Month. To learn more about this life threatening disease, and what you can do to help in the search for a cure, please visit : http://www.histio.org.
You know Lord, it always brings a smile to my face when I have one of those moments when I realize you’re trying to tell me something. 🙂
I spent some time today with a friend who’s been going through a series of rough personal situations over the last year or so. I’m not at liberty to go into much detail here as it was a private conversation, but You know who she is Father. We chatted for a while about the issues she’s been facing, how her life has changed over the past year, and the overall feelings of futility and frustration that have been troubling her as of late. I tried to give her an outside perspective of things, and reinforced the hope that she could look at these life-changes as opportunities, and to grow stronger from her trials. She seemed a little more upbeat by the time I left, but she certainly has a winding road ahead of her.
The one thing that stood out for me from our conversation though Father, was the lack of self-worth she portrayed. She’s a beautiful, sweet, intelligent lady but with all that she’s been through her impression of herself seems to have taken a pretty significant hit.
Back in my office a little later in the day, I sat down to write out some thoughts for today’s discussion with You, and suddenly I had a strong urge to see what I’d posted on this date last year. Although I hadn’t fully started writing full-length blog entries at that point Father, I was posting some “Quick Notes to God” on my Facebook wall every couple of days. The entry for August 31, 2010 read:
Dear Lord; Sometimes, when it feels as if the world is on our shoulders, it’s very difficult to see ourselves in a positive light. May all those in the throes of turmoil see themselves, if just for a moment, through Your loving eyes and know that warmth and peace. Amen. ~Phather Phil
I love it when You do this to me Father. 🙂
We all suffer from a lack of confidence and feelings of self-doubt now and again, but there are three very important truths we can use to combat those emotions:
1. We’re not alone. Friends, family and our Brothers and Sisters in Christ are some of Your most powerful Blessings to us Father. You gave us one another to lean on in times of trial, to mourn with in sadness, and to celebrate with in times of joy.
2. You believe in us. We are completely Your creations Lord; fearfully and wonderfully made, and You know what we’re capable of. Although our flawed natures may allow fear and doubt to creep in, You never lose confidence in us.
3. When we place our burdens at the foot of the Cross, You give us the strength we need. Sometimes it’s difficult to remember when we’re engulfed by stress, but we’re not meant to do this by ourselves. You’re bigger than anything we could possibly face, and when we open our hearts to Your guidance, we find the path forward.
Heavenly Father, please help us pierce the veil of self-doubt that can cloud our perception of ourselves. Wrap us in Your presence, and let us move forward with the knowledge that through all the trials we face in our lives, You’re always by our side.
We are special, we are loved, and we are Yours Father.
I love when You place things on my heart Lord… I gain so much perspective from those moments.
As You know, I’ve been in “worry mode” lately Father; worried about the business not doing as well as I’d like, worried about the kids being prepared to go back to school, worried about not having medical insurance at the moment, and worried that all this worrying is getting in the way of my hearing You clearly. And although I’m usually able to squelch those feelings by focusing on the many Blessings in my life, I’ll admit to having allowed those negative emotions to overwhelm me more than once in recent days. This morning was one of those instances.
Thankfully, You decided it was time to get my attention.
Driving to an appointment this morning, my thoughts were churning; systematically cycling through all of the complications the past month had brought. I felt weighted, and edgy, and my temples throbbed in sympathetic rhythm with my pounding chest. I’d almost reached my destination, when You abruptly interrupted my train of thought…
“Turn your worries into prayers.” You whispered.
“But I have prayed about them…” I thought to myself. “Haven’t I??”
And then the light bulb went off… Ouch.
I realized that although I’ve been praying Father, it’s not always been from the right perspective. Instead of first giving You thanks, and then praying for Your direction in fulfilling Your desires for my life, I’ve instead allowed my worries, fears and anxieties to dictate my prayers. I’ve prayed for what I believed would be the best solutions to my problems, when I should have placed these situations fully in Your hands, and listened for Your guidance as to the proper path to take. I was praying for what I wanted to happen, instead of to be a part of what You wanted to happen.
I hadn’t realized I was praying in arrogance Father… Please forgive me.
Heavenly Father, please fill me with Your divine perspective that I may look to Your counsel first, and then act on Your behalf. I’m very much a work in progress Lord, and my deepest desire is to grow closer to You with each passing day.
With hurricane Irene looming to our South Father, folks around here are very much consumed with preparing themselves for a difficult and potentially dangerous weekend. We’ve made basic preparations ourselves; ensuring adequate supplies of food, water, propane and medications, as well as taking in any loose items from the deck and yard. Tensions are running high for many people on the East Coast right now Lord, but Your Presence brings comfort to the chaos. I pray that Your peace is felt by all those living in the shadow of fear, and that they can rest easier knowing that even in the midst of seemingly uncontrollable forces, Your sovereignty never falters.
To help combat the “dark clouds” on the horizon Father, I thought I’d end the week on a lighter note. I came across a video today that just gave me a chuckle, so I decided to share it…
I was never a fan of the original song (I truly disliked it actually), but this version works for me! 🙂
Thank You Father, for all the Blessings You’ve bestowed on us this week. Please calm the swirling winds, and shelter those in harm’s way in Your protective embrace that they may know Your might.
Well Father, You’re certainly providing us with an eventful week here in Delaware. Between the earthquake that we experienced on Tuesday and the impending arrival of hurricane Irene this weekend, we’re very much “on our toes” around here. And while we’ll of course be preparing as best we can for the potential effects of the storm, my fears are allayed by the knowledge that we’re in Your capable hands.
It’s been a slightly stressful week for me Lord, however as always Your Blessings in my life shine through that haze. To continue my Thankful Thursday list, this week I’m especially grateful for:
211. The sounds of crickets serenading me as I sit on our deck at night.
212. Jonathan and Aidan having a great first day back at school.
213. Shannon having a wonderful first day of work.
214. A smooth server installation for a new client today.
215. No damage or injuries from the earthquake that happened this week.
216. The soothing effect Praise Music has on Jonathan when he’s stressed.
217. Feeling more “in-tune” with Your Presence each day.
218. A significant surge in business this past week.
219. Having a dedicated Service Manager (and close friend) who keeps my business going.
220. Melatonin supplements to help with getting my sleep cycle back on track.
221. Fabric Softener.
222. The inner peace I draw from Your Presence.
223. Port wine cheese spread on Ritz crackers.
224. The fact that my kids still like to snuggle up with me. 🙂
225. Neighbors that keep a watchful eye on our home, and let us know when they see something that may be wrong.
And I’m just getting started Father. 🙂
Heavenly Father, I pray that the peace of Your presence is felt by all those gripped by fear as this hurricane heads towards us. Please keep those in harm’s way in Your watchful gaze, and bring us all safely through the storm.
Hi, I’m Phil Malmstrom, a.k.a. Phather Phil. I’m self-employed, father of two wonderful young men, an ordained minister who delights in spreading Jesus’ Message of Hope and Love, a science-fiction junkie, an aspiring photographer and above all that one of God’s Children who rejoices in His Blessings each day.
Hi, I’m Phil Malmstrom, a.k.a. Phather Phil. I’m self-employed, father of two wonderful young men, an ordained minister who delights in spreading Jesus’ Message of Hope and Love, a science-fiction junkie, an aspiring photographer and above all that one of God’s Children who rejoices in His Blessings each day. 
