Celebrations

I have been well over the Thanksgiving holiday. Fatigue right after the last treatment the continued into Wednesday gave way over the last four days. Other physical things I am experiencing have been super mild, while still being an irritant. We have a scan on Monday that we hope will show some significant reduction of the cancer all over. I would especially like to see that the liver masses have decreased, and that the L1 mass is almost healed if not completely.

Tomorrow we are looking forward to celebrating Christ, as we do through worship. Earlier this week, Cynth had said, as she has said before, "We have so much to be thankful for." She went on to comment that thankfulness is often an afterthought. She acknowledged that each day begins in thankfulness to our God and Savior for his bountiful goodness and blessings poured out on us each day. And together we praise God for the manifold blessings we have received through him during this chapter. So each day is made a day of celebration of the God who loves us and his Son who justifies us and the Spirit who sanctifies us.

We celebrate God for all that he has done. From before creation (we have a glimpse of his eternal existence throughout his word) and continuing, God works to have relationship with his creatures - us - and so his word demonstrates his love, our great need and his provision. We always ought to celebrate (not in any particular order) his wisdom, his infinitude, his faithfulness, his sovereignty, his holiness, his trinity, his omniscience, his love, his omnipotence, his self-sufficiency, his self-existence, his justice, his immutability, his eternal being, his mercy, his omnipresence, his goodness and his graciousness. A look over this list should be quite enough to demonstrate how completely other we are from God.

Tonight celebrated the birthday of a friend. You all have been praying for Alan. Please continue. He turned fifty this week, and he is battling cancer. I first met Alan years ago when we joined a church after moving to northern Virginia in 1998. Alan led our music, and one song reminds me of Alan whenever I hear it: "God is Good , All the Time." The words follow:

Chorus:
God is good all the time
He put a song of praise in this heart of mine
God is good all the time
Through the darkest night, His light will shine
God is good, God is good all the time

If you're walking through the valley
And there are shadows all around
Do not fear, He will guide you
He will keep you safe and sound
'Cause He's promised to never leave you
Nor forsake you and His Word is true

Chorus

We were sinners - so unworthy
Still for us He chose to die
Filled us with His Holy Spirit
Now we can stand and testify
That His love is everlasting
And His mercies - they will never end

Chorus

Lord I may not understand
All the plans He left for me
My life is in your hands
And through the eyes of Him I can clearly see

Chorus

Tonight, Alan expressed thanks for so many friends that had gathered to celebrate this birthday with him. In his remarks, he mentioned an oft used phrase about choosing friends. But he quickly commented that God is the conspicuous arranger of our relationships, constructing the when, where, how and who of our friends, just as I believe he ordered our steps to be with the doctor team we are with now, and just as I am confident that he is working all things for his glory, the benefit of those who need encouragement and/or salvation, and our growth.

Happy First Sunday of Advent. May your day of worship tomorrow be filled with praise for who God is as he has revealed himself to be in his word, and a provision of his love, mercy and peace.