One Word I Hate

One word that I hate ,despise and wish did not exist is cancer. It claimed another well known life this past week in the person of Patrick Swayze at the age of 57. Granted on the same day countless unknowns to the world lost their battles as well.Unfortunately I don't think there is anyone that has not been affected by this disease.

I lost my Mom to it back in 1992 at the age of 53 . Then just over 2 years ago my wife was diagnosed with the same cancer that my Mom had. Thankfully by the grace of God she is doing very well but it shook our foundations . It is a scary word that carries with it so much fear and uncertainty .

But it was also a blessing in our life because it brought us closer in our devotion to each other and God . It led to me turning my life fully back to Christ , after wondering in a barren wasteland of my own making for 10 years . We have grown in our faith and I have seen in my wife such strength from God that it humbles me and I thank God that he has given me such a woman.

But I hate that word . It is a wonderful thing to realize that one day it will never be uttered again . When Christ comes and makes all things new , the old will pass away and there will be no more death, no more pain and Jesus himself will dry our tears . What a glorious day for those who believe in Him who died for His sheep and rose again.

Revelation 22:1-4
21 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw a the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

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Rainy Days and Holiness....

Well we just had lunch after returning from Church. So since its a rainy day , I plan on just relaxing . Rainy days are God's gift to just chill and read a good book, take a nap or enjoy the company of your spouse or kids. I used to love the sound of rain on the roof growing up. You could hear it very clearly due the type of house we lived in.Good memories.

We have embarked on a study elective about the Holiness of God at my home Church . The series is done by R.C Sproul and is considered one of the best of all his teaching series. I have read the book many times and am always floored by it. We have a good class size , so interaction should be interesting. Looking forward to it.

Concerning holiness , I have been trying to come to a clear understanding of whether we as Christians need to adhere to a "holy' day which we say is the Lord's day ,or are we freed from that concept since Christ is our rest and each day is the Lord's. I will have more to say later as I work my way through God's word and the writings of sound theologians. So I know you will be waiting with baited breath.

...A time to be born and a time to die....

In this life we mark certain times in our lives as significant. Primarily they are days that are etched into our memories the rest of our lives.

We all remember the first day of school,the first kiss,first day at a job etc... We mark them in our minds and sometimes over time they can become a bit fuzzy . However certain days you can recall with clarity and if you think on it hard enough, you can almost be there again.

The birth of your children.I can still recall both of our boys births. Holding them in my arms , kissing my wife . Even the sights,sounds and the doctor are permanently etched in my mind.

Well today is one of those days . It was 17 years ago that my Mom succumbed to cancer. I recall where I was , what I was doing and how I reacted. But God in His wisdom brought my Mom to a saving faith through her ordeal. That is what is amazing about God , that even though we all will die , in Christ we have victory over the sin,death and the grave. I know she went to see Jesus face to face .

My Dad always dresses up and visits her grave. He is not a Christian and I long for him to have the same hope , that on that final day when he draws his last breath , Jesus Christ will call him home. We all are born to die . Death is not something that comes on us as a mystery . For some ,it comes as a if a unexpected event but if we are in Christ , we can at the very least have hope and not be taken by surprise.

So on days like today , I often become a bit more reflective and truly measure the real important things in life. I still miss her dearly and would have loved for her to see my boys grow up . But what more blessed place to be than around the throne of God worshiping her Savior .

Who Has Ordinary Days ?? Anyone ?

Once you become a parent , you never have a ordinary day. From the time they are little and do all the strange things they do that make you laugh .Plus the things that make you pull out your hair , well days are sometimes full .

But children are a blessing from God. The 2 wonderful sons my wife and I have parented over the almost 20 years ( one is 19 , the other turns 16 tomorrow) have been a delight to raise . There have been challenges along the way but its been well worth it.

My youngest son Jordan, has a chronic disease . He was diagnosed as a type 1 diabetic right after his 6th birthday . It has been almost 10 years . Needless to say it has marked our families lives since. It would take a very long blog to respond to all the myths and misinformation. The only one I would like to address is the seriousness of the disease. It can be deadly and lead to many complications early in life if not monitored well. Even at the best of times it is challenging.

We have had numerous close calls when he went into a diabetic seizure , triggered by a low sugar. Those were scary . Each time that happens it can lead to brain damage or even death . You realize how much you love your kids , when they are in distress. You pray and hope for the best . It has caused many a late night but what I marvel at is my son's handling of all the things he has to do.

I know he gets annoyed with me at times for being very vigilante and sometimes I admit I had to really stress the seriousness of a low sugar but he has endured the needles,blood test , changing schedules , the demands of school (eating at the right times) etc..and still manged to laugh,grow and be a kid that is fast becoming a man. I'm very proud of him . I love his hugs , his goofy humor and his compassionate heart.

Both my sons are special , I love them and will always be their Dad even when I'm in my gray years. God has indeed blessed me ....so happy Birthday Jordan Kane Schofield!

Heroes of the Faith

Some 250 years ago William Wilberforce was born(August 24,1759-died July 29 1833) . His story is one that everyone should be familiar with. It is a tale full of perseverance and trust in God . His battle to stop the sickening slave trade is one of epic victory. One man against a system that held onto this horror . The movie Amazing Grace is an excellent introduction . Plus check into Pastor John Piper's brief book called Amazing Grace in the Life of William Wilberforce.It is a quick read full of some excellent insights concerning this extraordinary man. So check out this hero of the faith and read how the gospel of Christ worked itself out in this devout God fearing man .

Things I'm Looking Forward to ...

If you know me ,then you will know there is one artist I play more than any other. That artist is SCC , short for Steven Curtis Chapman.I have loved his music for almost I think 16 years. It has helped me get through some pretty hard days , convicted me and ultimately given me much . His heart to serve God and the gospel of Christ has always moved me.

Last year in a tragic accident, He and his Wife lost their little girl Maria.Needless to say through a very raw and painful time of much grief and wondering what he would do next , a new album of material will be released on Nov.2 . The single is playing now called Heaven is the Face. It is a beautiful song of hope and joy, longing and questioning but ultimately one of triumph. It is very personal , as Steven opens up his heart about his beloved little girl. It moves me to tears as I reflect on the ultimate victory in Christ over sin and death.

The album is called Beauty Will Rise . It will be a very raw and emotional album . Possibly the most important of his career. I can't wait.

Sometimes You Wonder...

Last week our local village had a fireworks display. Now from our house you can see them above the tree line. So as has been the yearly tradition since we have lived here , we all go to the yard and watch. The show is quite spectacular. The explosions of color , the unique formations all dazzle your eyes and senses. After its all said and done, everyone will say , whoever put that show on is talented. Compliments concerning the time and effort to make it all make sense are passed around.

But as it was going on , I looked up . It was a clear night. Not a cloud in the sky. Stars adorned the heavens and the moon was a almost full. As I surveyed the sky and looked at those who had just went gaga over the fireworks , I noticed none looked up at the heavens . But if they had would they have pondered the beauty and grandeur of God's handiwork. Most probably wouldn't even think twice that all that beauty and wonder , they have been taught was the result of time plus chance , evolving over billions of years. But as they watched the fireworks they knew that someone had planned it,built them and fired them. It was not some random fluke.

That is why when the day of judgment comes , no one will have an excuse to say I didn't know you existed God. If you had just shown me . Romans Chapter 1 starting at verse 18 reads ,"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. 19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse."

His majesty and power is on display everyday . From the rising of the sun , nebula's, animals and the wonder of a new born baby , God screams ,I'm here and you have no excuse. Who looks at a painting and thinks there is no painter . But sin darkens the mind and soul . We do not see because we don't want to see , and apart from God's amazing grace , we would be left being thrilled about man made fireworks.

So look up and see , there is a God and He has revealed Himself through His creation so that no one has an excuse to say , there is no God.