Monday September 14th Update on Karen
“You Won’t Believe What She Was Able To Do!”

Those who know my Karen know that she is a private person. She is a lady of fewer words than her husband! When we first learned of the diagnosis of cancer I wanted to begin a chronicle of her journey with her. She was reluctant because she sincerely thought that people would be too busy than to keep up with her situation. Was she ever wrong! I have tried to space my updates apart just a little bit because I know that Karen would rather I not chronicle every event. This past weekend was a tremendous blessing and I just have to share a little bit about it with you.

Every year our son Jeremy, who is the associate pastor of the First Baptist Church of Wellington Ohio, organizes and hosts a men’s outreach golf tournament. Somewhere between forty and fifty men participate in this event and it is a wonderful time for the men. What I didn’t tell you is that Jeremy’s wife, Christina, prepares a delicious lunch for all the men. The last several years Karen has been making the macaroni salad for the guys. I would have no idea how much macaroni and veggies to cut up to make for fifty men! She has not only enjoyed making the salad; but she has also enjoyed working with Christina. To our thrill and amazement Karen was feeling so well that she was not only able to make the salad; but she was able to serve with Christina and another lady in feeding all the guys.

I want to truly praise the Lord and thank him for helping Karen to be feeling well enough to be able to do some of the things that she truly enjoys. This is one of the things that she truly enjoys and I am grateful that she was able to enjoy serving this weekend. This clearly demonstrates the Lord’s answer to prayer in the life of my Karen.

This Thursday she will undergo lab tests to make sure her levels are adequate for her to return on Friday for another round of maintenance chemotherapy. Please be praying that the awful metal taste in her mouth would decrease. Please also be praying that the Lord would use the medicine to begin to shrink the mass. The cancerous mass did decrease by 27% under the heavy rounds of chemotherapy. Now we want to see the mass decrease under the maintenance chemotherapy. We are overwhelmed with the love and concern from our family and friends. Karen and I count ourselves as blessed people because we know the Lord Jesus as our Savior and we experience the love of many who are concerned for us. Yes, we are truly blessed indeed.