nKurEdge

We have had a most interesting and productive day:

First of all, Lois is feeling much better. Last night she slept the best in a long time. She has not had a temp over 101 today which is a major improvement.

Secondly, we’ve continued to work with Palliative Care on managing pain and the Chemo “cold” – the almost constant sinus drainage. We’ll begin using a nasal steroid tonight which should help a lot with that. Last night Lois started taking a long-acting morphine which will help with the achy pains that will certainly increase if the liver tumors continue to grow.

Third, we transitioned all Lois medication to be taken orally as part of the process of preparing to go home.

Fourth, in consultation with the Staff Dr, the Resident Dr, the Palliative Care Dr, and our oncologist, Dr Halfdanarson, we are moving ahead to get Lois ready for a Chemo treatment on May 12. There is a lot of hope that we can slow the growth of the tumors with a Chemo “cocktail” generally known as Folfiri and that’s what we will begin next week. In order to accomplish this Lois needs to be stronger.

Even though her numbers from the lab work have been consistent since Saturday, they are all on the low side of normal or just a little below the established benchmarks. So, as I am writing this, Lois is getting the first of two units of blood. Conventional wisdom is this will boost her system and bring all the numbers up so we can do the first infusion of Folfiri.

When the blood transfusions are complete – about 8 pm – we anticipate Lois will be discharged. Getting home is a key component in helping her body be ready for Chemo next week.

God continues to be faithful and trustworthy! Being able to go home this soon is a great answer to prayer! Undoubtedly, we face more road bumps in this journey, but we are confident as we place our dependence and hope and future in God’s hands that He will never give up on us! We are trusting God to be God.

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Lois is sitting up in a chair right now. The medication (and prayer) is doing a great job staying ahead of the pain. She is quite drowsy but will wake up and carry on very lucid conversations.

The abdominal drainage tube is working so well that the collection bag has to be emptied every couple of hours.

They’ve reduced the amount of oxygen and expect to wean her off that by the end of the day.

The only thing Lois can have by mouth are a few ice chips. In order to keep electrolytes in balance, they just hung a bag of Potassium Chloride along with a pretty aggressive antibiotic.

There is some concern about urine output – its borderline the past 8 hours – so the Dr has ordered extra fluid. We are all watching carefully for signs of leakage or infection where the bladder was repaired.

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Three consecutive phone calls, presumably all about the same subject, from three people with a different version of the same event. Each one claims to know the “truth.” How can that be? There are three varying recollections of “who said what” with the individuals involved calling the others “liars.”

If this were an episode of “The Office” or a wild experiment on “Mythbusters,” we would laugh and probably say, “That’s the way it is.” However, the scenario is not a TV show but a real-life situation in a church. How sad.

If we could make a 10% improvement in our communication between brothers and sisters in Christ, there would be a 50% reduction in conflict within the Church. Yes, I’m talking about YOUR CHURCH!

Here are some practical suggestions:

Tell the WHOLE truth. Leave out a few facts and any account becomes fiction. Somehow we’ve fallen into the media trap of “spinning” a story for our personal benefit. Give all the facts without leaving anything out. Taking part of the truth and then embellishing the story is just as wrong. Telling part of truth still makes a whole lie! “Change my heart, O God, make it ever true.”

Learn to listen. Listening is a lost art. Most of the time, if we are honest, when someone is talking to us, we are thinking about what we’re going to say next. Look at people when they talk to you. When I’m on the phone, I take notes to help me stay focused. (OK, sometimes when I’m driving there’s too much traffic to write . . . ) Pray that God will give ears to hear and a heart of understanding!

Think before speaking. Life moves at an unbelievably fast pace and trying to keep up leaves us with precious little time to think before we open our mouths. It’s “OK” to have some long pauses in a conversation because it takes time to really listen in order to formulate a response. Choose words carefully; once spoken they cannot be put back in the mouth! Pray that God will control our tongues.

Ask for instant replays. And volunteer them, too. One of the best communication tools is ignored most of the time. Simply asking someone to repeat back to you what they heard you say is powerful. If you’re in a conversation with someone, and items of importance and sensitivity are being shared, ask them if you can repeat the statement or question in order to make sure you have it right. This is not an exercise to test memory; rather it deepens understanding. My wife and I discovered this tool early in our marriage and, after almost 33 years, we still use this technique almost daily! God, help us to grasp what people are really saying, even they have a hard time expressing themselves.

Don’t wear your feelings on your sleeve. To quote Rick Warren, “It’s not about you!” What you and I feel is rarely important. Truth, facts, Biblical principles – that’s what is crucial. In emotionally charged conversations, emotions can’t be trusted. Ask for 3 minutes to “cool down.” Wait to respond to that phone message. Click out of the email be firing off a response. Moses didn’t feel like going back to Egypt; David didn’t feel like facing Goliath; Jesus didn’t feel like going to the cross.

Don’t trianglize. If person A has a problem with person B, the situation becomes even worse when A decides to talk to person C instead of practicing Matthew 18 principles. And its totally unacceptable to share all the details in a “prayer request.” Scripture labels that gossip. Unfortunately, many prayer meetings devolve into sin because we would rather talk about the person we should really be talking to. Forgive us, Lord.

Avoid emotional letters and emails. When words come out of our mouths they cannot be put back but when we write a letter or email that becomes positive proof. What is written is often the basis for charges of libel and slander. IF something needs to be written, ask someone who can be trusted, who is unrelated to the situation, to look over the text before it’s sent. Lord, I need self-control.

These are just a few suggestions which could change the way we communicate with each other. What a difference we could make in our churches and communities by improving our communication.

Jim

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My Mom, Clarice, had surgery yesterday and it went well although she is still in Intensive Care. She has four screws in her neck, two from C-1 into C-2 and two from C-3 holding C-2. She only has the wear the neck brace when she gets out of bed. The challenge came when they tried to remove the breathing tube. That didn’t work and she ended up on the ventilator all night. They removed the breathing tube this morning and Mom is breathing on her own and her vitals are stable.

The plan is to continue to stabilize her by weaning her off some of the medication, dealing with a little bit of drainage from the incision, and helping her swallow. If all this goes well she could be back on the Neurology floor before nightfall or at least by tomorrow morning.

Mom will spend 3-4 days at the University Hospital before transferring to skilled care at the Keokuk County Health Center in Sigourney. That will be close to family.

Thanks for praying

Jim Eschenbrennner

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My Mom, Clarice, fell in the early hours of Wednesday morning and broke her neck. As I write this, I am in her room at the University of Iowa Hospital in Iowa City where she is receiving wonderful care. Fortunately there is no evidence of damage to her spinal cord and no loss of feeling or movement. The Dr. has given the options: either have surgery to fuse the vertebrae or wear a neck brace for the rest of her life.

Mom is very anxious and uncomfortable. She was unable to sleep at all last night – just can’t deal with the neck brace and all the limitations. She’s also very sore from the fall. It’s very difficult to sit or lay in one position for more than 15 min without an overwhelming desire to move. This afternoon they did a swallowing test because that has become a problem. Soft, pureed foods only for the foreseeable future.

After prayer, talking with family members, and consulting with several friends, Mom has decided to pursue surgery. Right now they are working to schedule surgery for Monday or Tuesday. There is some swelling in Mom’s neck at C2 & C3, where the break is, and they have to give that time to go down. Please pray for surgery at the earliest possible time.

From what we understand, Mom will be at the University Hospital for three days following surgery before being transferred to skilled care in Oskaloosa. From there we just don’t know what the plans might be.

Many thanks for all your prayers and calls.

Jim

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Maintain. Now there’s a word that should be permanently deleted from the vocabulary when talking about church. The dictionary defines maintain, “to keep in existence; to preserve; to keep in a specified state.” I’ve had pastors and leaders describe the church as “maintaining services” or “we’re maintaining our Sunday School.”

Honestly? That makes me sick! The last thing we should be doing is “maintaining.”

OK, so I’m on a soapbox. I admit it. And I recognize that many times the term “maintain” is used and the speaker really doesn’t mean that the church is preserving a program or a building. But think about this with me.

If church attendance is the same now as it was three years ago, what is happening? How could we possibly say we’re being obedient to Matthew 28:18-20? Or, if the only growth the church has experienced is because the 20 somethings are having babies, is that actual growth?

What are we doing to reach the people in our communities who are far from God? This is not the sole responsibility of the pastor – it rests on everyone. We are all responsible for building relationships with people who are outside the household of Faith.

And what about our church buildings? Are we concerned about “maintaining” them or using them up? Wearing them out? Maybe we ought to think of our facilities like a ream of paper for the copier. We keep the paper dry and store it so it stays flat – we treat it with care. But we also use it up!

We need to change our perspective and attitudes. If Sunday School isn’t working don’t maintain it – do something different! If we’re not building relationships with people who are far from God, then something is wrong. If we treat buildings as if we are preserving them for future generations then we need to revisit the definition of idols.

I might make one exception to using the term “maintain” if one is speaking about keeping the church van in safe, running condition. But even the van ought to be viewed as a resource that is eventually used up for the sake of the Kingdom!

Together in Christ,
Jim

On a personal note: Lois and I are privileged to be the lead chaperons for our local high school music department trip to New York. We’ll be leaving Thursday evening and returning Tuesday morning. We’re looking forward to spending significant time with this group of 80 teens and adults – some of whom have been turned off regarding church.

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Our scriptural home base for the “Restoring Balance” series has been Isaiah 30:15, Only in returning to me and waiting on me will you be saved.  In quietness and confidence will be your strength.

These words were God’s personal call to Israel to change their ways and adopt a posture of patient trust and rest in Him.  The words that follow this invitation to the people of God are a warning against stubbornly pursuing their own ways of handling their problems.  But you would have none of it. You said, “No, we will get our help from Egypt.”  God responds with the consequences of rejecting His way.  You will be left like a lonely flagpole on a distant mountaintop.

Present day followers of Jesus take heed.  It is not an option to make learning from and listening to Jesus our life’s priority.  It is not an option to build times of quietness and prayer into our daily schedules.  It is not an option to observe a weekly day of Sabbath.  And if we treat these spiritual essentials as such we will suffer the consequences.

That is just what is happening in the lives of many Christians.  They are frenzied, fatigued, and frustrated.  They are dissatisfied, depressed, and discouraged.  They are hurried, harassed, and hope- deprived.  They feel like that lonely flagpole on a distant mountaintop.

There is one solution to this situation.  Return to God and adjust life to His intended balance.  And that means setting aside daily times of quietness before God.  It means taking a weekly day of rest and renewal. It means making our relationship with God the one thing, the main thing.

Only in returning to me and waiting on me will you be saved.  Deliverance from the cultural taskmasters of stress and hurry and busyness and the emotional tormentors of anxiety, depression, and frustration will come if we choose to do it His way.  There are no other options.

Pastor Mike Polo

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Hi There!

I finally found a way to contact you.  All is well here.  All of my travel went smoothly and on time. Compared to many of the others here that is a miracle.  We have people who were held up for 24 hours at border crossings, missed flights and were delayed 24 hrs., luggage still missing, and other travel difficulties, so I have a blessing in having everything go so well.

Just finished teaching the AM session on Tues.  The first few days have gone so well. I arrived here right on time on Thursday.  Was met at the airport by the Blands, Kathy Vanderpool, and Matt & Henne Wiley.  The Wileys are field coordinators for Malawi.  They oversee a total of nine orphan units each staffed by two facilitators,  5 staff members and 15-20 BMW Students.  They own 160 lake front acres here at the base.  They oversee a farming operation that grows maize (a type of corn) pigs, goats, chickens, ducks and fish. Each unit also has some land where they grow some agricultural things to generate income and help feed the people.

On Friday I went to visit 3 of the orphan units up in the mountains about 3 hours away.  It was so beautiful!  Kids came to greet us at each stop.  At one place they stopped school and all the kids came out to sing for us.  At another the chief dressed up in his best ceremonial garb and came out to greet us.  They were all so impressed to have Mr. Bland the big Director from America come to visit. And rightly so, the more I am with him the more I am impressed too.  They are doing an amazing work here.

Saturday was spent mostly in rest, prayer and study.  On Sunday AM I preached in one of the local churches.  Then in the PM I preached at the opening rally for the summit.  Monday preached twice and twice today.

It is warm here,  probably near 90.  It is the rainy season so we see some rain most days.  Sometimes a lot of it.  It is a beautiful place.  Monkeys run around the base daily.  If we don’t watch them they try to steal food from the pots when they set up the serving line for meals.  I have seen a mongoose twice and various lizards and birds.  I went to the garbage dump and ran into a three foot monitor lizard.  Boy did I scare him.  Hippos come up from the lake at night and eat grass on the property.  Have not seen them but we see where they have been the next morn.  Sometimes jackels come around the animal barns at night looking for a goat or baby pig.  Some of the students sleep down there just in case.

The people are very open to truth.  This conference is designed to help each staff member be more effective in their work.  There are about 100 of us here,  85% African, it is a great thing to be a part of.

Give my greetings to all.

Chuck Whitmire

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B from OHIO called about the tragedy at New Life Church: I’d like to know if they usually have armed security or if they had weapons only because of what had happened during the night at the YWAM place in Denver. IF a church needs security they shouldn’t carry loaded weapons.

K from MO writes: Loaded weapons in a church? No way! Too risky.

C spoke to me on the phone: Satan is attacking the church in more ways than one. Ushers should have a Taser and know how to use it.

J sent this email: My heart goes out to all those who’s lives were forever changed by what this young man did.  I also want to say my heart goes out to the young man who obviously had a lot of pain and struggle inside.  I do believe that this situation brings us to at least one moral dilemma, if not more.   . . . if a person believes in police protecting them (or any one else) with the use of force outside of the church building, then why on earth would it be wrong for someone to do the same inside the church building.  The argument, I know, is that we should trust God to protect us and I agree but the Scriptures are full of times where God used people to protect others by using force.  Trusting God does not mean we should pass up all physical means of protection while waiting for His supernatural protection.  Now some would say, “I just don’t think we should have guns in church.”  I am not saying we need to all pack a hand gun to church but if there is a threat and there is a gun there, then by all means, save lives with it.

D from OH writes: I keep a loaded shotgun in the pulpit. (Just kidding!) But maybe we ought to consider being armed to protect our selves from these crazies.

D responded by email: Your comments relative to the tragedy at the Colorado Springs church were provocative to say the least.  What would I do?  That probably can’t be answered clearly until one finds himself in that situation.  For myself I have a license to carry a concealed weapon. No one knows when I carry it or needs to know but I have it to help out in just the situation you are discussing.  I am not so much concerned about my own safety as for my wife and family or those around me who may not be able to protect themselves.

F from MN writes: The shootings at both the YWAM house and New Life Church come from the bias toward Christians from the media. If it weren’t for the godless liberal news we wouldn’t have this problem. How much do metal detectors cost? Much more, I think, than most churches could afford. Most people will get a gun inside church if they want to.

M from OH in a phone conversation: This is why God never meant for churches to be so huge. That way everybody knows everybody. These big churches are just asking for trouble because it gets the troublemakers on TV.

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