Thankful Thursday: A Sense of Clean

Dear Lord; Happy Thankful Thursday Father!

Well Lord, once again we’ve come to that day of the week where I attempt to focus my thanks to You on one particular thing.  When I first started following this “theme day”, I thought it would be the easiest conversation of the week, simply because I’m Blessed in so many ways that I’d have an infinite list of things to be thankful for.  Funny enough, that ended up being the reason that Thursdays can be so difficult for me; too many Blessings to pick just one! 🙂

In today’s case, when I started to contemplate all the things I’ve been thankful for this week a seemingly bizarre one popped into my head.  I shook it off and tried to think of other, more important things but it kept coming back to the front of my mind.  I’m really not sure what prompted this one Father, but I’ll throw it out as long as you promise not to laugh:

Today Father, I’m thankful for Chlorine Bleach.

Ok, ok… Even I chuckle when I say this one.  Laughs are ok.

I use bleach on pretty much a daily basis Lord.  I guess it’s not as much the chemical itself, but the known bacterial and viral destruction it leaves in it’s wake.  From caring for a number of relatives who were seriously ill, very old pets with “control issues”, raising little boys with all the associated grubbiness (as my wife Shannon reminds me regularly, boys are gross… lol) and all the time we spent with Jonathan’s immune system being nonexistent I’ve come to rely on bleach as my “germ killing” solution to a great many problems.

I use it on our bathroom fixtures…

I use it in the kitchen sink…

I put some in the rinse water for our carpet cleaner…

I use it in the laundry rinse cycle…

I power-wash the house with a solution of it…

And the list goes on and on…

While there are absolutely many more important things I could praise You for Lord, this is what was in my heart.  No clue why, it just was.  Therefore Father, I thank You for the cleanliness that You bring to my life through this flexible and powerful chemical.  It helps to keep my home cleaner and my family less subject to infectious organisms and in my book, that makes it a significant Blessing.

Thank You for that sense of clean Father.

Amen.

~Phather Phil

Angels in Waiting

Dear Lord; Happy Wednesday Father!

This evening Lord, my heart is heavy.

As we’ve discussed a number of times before, a huge Blessing in Jonathan’s life over the last couple years has been his involvement with Kay’s Kamp.  It’s a wonderful organization, and it’s meant so much to Jonathan to have that connection with children who share and understand his medical situation.  The bonds he’s formed with that group have been amazing, and we’re very thankful to be part of their “family”.

Over the rest of the year when Kamp isn’t in session, the Kay’s Kamp staff is wonderful about keeping everyone in contact with each other, and in passing along any important events that may occur so that everyone can come together when needed.  Today, I heard from them… and it wasn’t happy news.

One of the Kampers’ medical condition has deteriorated, and he and his mother are in need of Your Comfort Father.

Whenever we come up against news like this, it hits us extremely hard Lord.  We’ve worn those shoes, and I believe it’s one of the most difficult things that anyone can deal with in this lifetime.  When I received the email, past realities flooded back to me and my heart caved knowing what they must be feeling.  Although we’ve been truly Blessed that Jonathan’s disease has stayed in remission so far, the fact it still lives in him becomes much more real when we see others in that situation suffering.  I realize we don’t have the “Big Picture” Father, and that You’re still in control even in cases like this, but those answers can seem very distant when our spirit cries for those in pain.

Heavenly Father, please bring Your Divine Healing to this little one and his mother.  Let them know Your Love and Comfort, and the Eternal Hope that Christ brought to us all.  Your Light is strong in these families Lord, and I pray that they see it and feel Your Peace in this time of turmoil and darkness.  Amen.

~Phather Phil

P.S. For further information on this remarkable little boy and his struggle, they have a web page at: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/dorianh .  Please pray for them.

Second Guessing Our Blessings

Dear Lord; Good evening Father!

As You’re aware Father, I’ve struggled with high blood pressure for quite some years now.  It’s one of the few true health issues I’ve had, but has always been reasonably well controlled through medication.  Therefore, other than the ritual of taking my pill each day I’ve for the most part been able to forget that the problem exists.

Until a month ago.

Due to a series of unfortunate circumstances, Shannon and I lost our health care insurance effective the beginning of April.  We’ve been researching a number of options to correct it, but so far none have been found that fits our needs or our budget.  Thankfully, Shannon’s medications are all generics and therefore reasonable to purchase without the insurance, however my blood pressure prescription is not which makes it a bit expensive.  On top of that, our Primary Care Physician closed his practice at the end of February, so my options for looking into alternate medications are extremely limited.  Weighing all these items in my head, I therefore made a decision to try and go without the blood pressure pills for a while, and see how I made out.

This was not one of my better ideas Father.

Over the course of the next couple weeks, my BP slowly began to rise and I started reverting to the pre-medication days where ringing in my ears, headaches and uncomfortable chest pains were the norm.  I of course prayed for relief Lord, oh I prayed, but the symptoms continued to get worse.

Then I realized Father, You’d already given me relief, I’d just decided to stop taking advantage of it.

Your solution for me hadn’t changed Father, I was simply trying to second guess You by looking for an “easier” option.  Just because the remedy was a more difficult path than it used to be didn’t mean it still wasn’t the proper choice.  As the Apostle Paul reminded us in First Corinthians:

“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.” – 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (NIV)

Needless to say, I went and bought the medication and started taking it last Saturday.  It’ll take a week or so to level me out again, but I’ve already started feeling somewhat better.

Heavenly Father, please help me keep focused on Your Blessings and true plan for me each day.  Guide my decisions to honor Your Will, and direct my gaze to not seek answers outside Your Wishes.  Amen.

~Phather Phil

Come to me, all you who are weary

Dear Lord; Good morning Father!

Well Father, it feels a little odd to be writing to You on a Saturday morning.  As You’re aware, I’m a reasonably schedule-driven person, so when I got home last night and heard You tell me to “just rest” it went against my grain just a bit.  But I listened, and I’m thankful for Your Guidance.  Between sleep deprivation from a week of insomnia, hectic work schedules and the daily family and household duties, I was truly wiped.  It was wonderful to have the opportunity to just curl up on the couch with the kids and enjoy a movie together.  I’m glad You always know what I need, especially when I’m too stubborn to admit it.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”  – Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV)

What a beautiful and powerful promise Lord!  Only in You do I find the comfort and rest I need for my tarnished spirit.  Thank You so much for Your Faithful Care of us all.

Heavenly Father, I thank You for Your Guidance and Support in this season of my life.  I pray that we all can experience the rest You Provide us, and find strength and delight in Your Divine Presence.  Amen.

~Phather Phil

Thankful Thursday: Children’s Tylenol

Dear Lord; Happy Thankful Thursday Father!

Tonight Father, my prayers of thanks are directed towards Children’s Tylenol.

Earlier today, I received a call from the school nurse that Jonathan was in her office.  She explained that he’d come in a little while ago with tears in his eyes, complaining that his head was really hurting him and that when she’d checked he was indeed running a low-grade fever.  She promptly called me, and while I drove over to the school to retrieve him she gave him some Children’s Tylenol to try to knock down the fever and the associated headache.  By the time I got there, he was still not a happy camper but he said his headache seemed a little better.

I had a series of booked appointments already scheduled, so we headed back to my office and he quickly laid down on my couch and fell fast asleep.  The fever appeared to have subsided at that point, and he was able to get some much needed rest.

By the time we got home this evening, the fever had returned with a vengeance.

We got some liquids and food into him, along with some more fever-reducing medication and once again his temperature eased back and he was able to relax a bit.  By the time he headed to bed, he was holding close to normal once again.

“The Lord sustains them on their sickbed
and restores them from their bed of illness.” – Psalm 41:3 (NIV)

Thankfully, Shannon was able to take tomorrow off from work so she can get him over to the doctor to be checked out.  From the symptoms, it seems to be a nasty sinus infection, so with Your Healing and some antibiotics I suspect he’ll feel much better in a couple days’ time.

Heavenly Father, I thank You for the Blessings that modern medicines afford us.  When our little ones are hurting, there’s truly nothing more miraculous than some respite to their pain.  I pray that You will please grant Jonathan some relief from the discomforts of this illness, and that You hold him closely in Your Embrace while he recuperates.  Amen.

~Phather Phil