"Well-Done" (The Final Countdown)

"O trembling heart, look away, and look up! Your sorrows have been multiplied indeed, by looking at difficulties and second causes. Cease from all of this. Talk no more about walled cities and giants; about the rugged paths and dark valleys; about lions and robbers. But think of the love, the might, and the wisdom, of the Shepherd. Love that spared not its own blood! Might that made the worlds! Wisdom that named the stars! Your salvation does not depend on what you are, but what He is. For every look at self, take ten looks at Christ. Cease using the first pronoun, and substitute for it the third.

"Tell us no more of your tears, your failures, or your sins; but tell us, oh tell us, of the all-sufficiency of Jesus; and how your needs have been the foil of His deliverances. Sing again the old song of how all wants are swallowed up in the shepherd love of God. And emphasize each "He" as you say again the Psalm of childhood and of age. "

F. B. Meyer taken from the "Shepherd Psalm" on the 23rd Psalm

Well, tomorrow begins our final week of radiation!! Aaron will have a treatment every day, Monday thru Friday, and then he will be done(wellllll done). He is a bit anxious, as every radiation increases the heat and burn on his tongue, throat, mouth and neck. He described this past Friday as the "hardsest and longest" day of his life. He had two radiation treatments (6 hours apart) and at this point, it was brutal! We actually wound up spending a few hours at the hospital late Friday night in an effort to get fever, blood pressure, and dizziness under control. After a liter of fluid, along with some meds, he was able to go home. Thankfully, Saturday he was much improved and was able to get some much needed rest. Today started off a little 'rocky' but improved as the day progressed.

We are eager to get this last week behind us and begin the healing process. (although they say the week after your last treatment is actually the worst...painwise.) Please pray for strength for Aaron to endure these last 5 treatments. As I said, with every one, the pain intensifies. He has felt he has failed to keep the faith sevral times recently, when it gets so dark for so long. But once again, he was encouraged by the small but very sweet mercies of God that do eventually come. We know this week cannot be easy, but please pray that there will many of these new merices every day. Pray for Charlie, a fellow patient at UAB. Pray for my Dad, as he deals with recovery and treatment.

As always, we appreciate the love and support of so many. We know that your prayers are keeping us going! Our faithful "Shepherd" IS supplying all our needs.