Link to Check on Jenny

For updates on Jenny, you can go to the following link. The next 24-48 hours are critical. All her systems are shutting down right now. She has been given a 50-50 chance of survival.

Please continue to pray. But let me tell everyone: No matter what happens -- God is good and deserving of our praise.

Calling for Prayer

I am crying out today to YHWH-Rapha, and am begging you to join me in pleading with the God Who Heals. My daughter is in very critical condition this morning. Her body is racked with a staph infection, and is in sepsis. The doctors are being very guarded in their prognosis, and have told us that the next 48 hours are critical.

Please pray for Jenny, her husband David and my granddaughter Malaya. Also, Beverly and me and the family. This has really blindsided us.

Please Pray!

My daughter has been sick with the flu for about a week. As I write this, she is at the doctor's office with real severe chest pains. Please be praying for her body to fight off this virus, and for her to be well quickly. Thank you so much.

Crazy Love

What I am about to write is not to bash Michael Jackson, OK? As I have written before, he was one of the most talented showmen in my lifetime. Rather it is to question those who are trying to shape his legacy. I keep hearing it said that his body of work had one message: Love. And while admitting that I never had a recording of his, I am fairly familiar with many of his hits. So I am thinking which ones these people are alluding to? "Billie Jean"? Or "Thriller" or "Beat It"? Or maybe the weird ballad to a rat named "Ben"? Just wondering.

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Interesting lines from the book I am currently reading, Crazy Love:

Quoting Fredrick Buechner: "Intellectually we all know that we will die, but we do not really know it in the sense that the knowledge become a part of us. We do not really know it in the sense of living as though it were true. On the contrary, we tend to live as though our lives would go on forever."

From the author, Francis Chan: "When I am consumed by my problems -- stressed out about my life, my family, my job -- I actually convey the belief that I think the circumstances are more important than God's command to always rejoice. In other words, that I have a 'right' to disobey God because of the magnitude of my responsibilities."

Then, speaking of worry and stress, he says: "Basically, these two behaviors communicate that it's okay to sin and not trust God because the stuff in my life is somehow exceptional. Both worry and stress reek of arrogance."

Church, Football and Golf

Yesterday was a great day for our church. I am so appreciative of our shepherds who are taking such a proactive position in encouraging strong marriages. And then as Mike shared highlights from 2009, and things to look forward to in 2010 -- it was just exciting. I am currently serving with an eldership and staff that most ministers only dream about. Unbelievable! And I'm coming up on 5 years here!

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So who wins the Super Bowl? I feel like the Colts will win, but I'm pulling for the Saints.

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Golf isn't experiencing its best days right now -- with the Tiger fiasco, and now Phil Mickelson has been accused of cheating by using wedges that are outside of the rule change.