Ended up taking the entire week off from work.  Last year I only had 1 sick day!  My goal for this year was zero.  But, already I have had 5!  So much for meeting that goal.

Gonna just try and take it easy this weekend and Monday.  Hopefully feeling better on Tuesday where I can get back on the grindstone.

In Him, Keith

We had a great Christmas.  Just spent time around the house for a few days and went to Fairhope and Tuscaloosa for a few days after Christmas to visit the mom’s.

Of course today I had to go back to work after a couple of weeks off.  What a rude awakening.

I am so looking forward to this year.  Last year I only had to take 1 sick day the entire year!  Only one.  I am so happy yet so humbled.  I hope and pray that I used my blessings last year to help further the kingdom of God?  After the two previous years where I had 6 surgeries and chemotherapy, last year was a great relief.

Every time I start thinking that I can “do it on my own”, I get slapped in the face by God’s Word.  That’s an awesome feeling when God reminds you that it is not by your strength or anything you can do.  It is by God’s Will for your life.  No more, no less.

Ephesians 6:10-18 reminds me of God’s Grace and Glory every day.  Be strong in the “Lord and His mighty power” not in “Keith’s mighty power”.  Put on the “full armor of God” not the “full armor of Keith”.

“ 10Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. “

What an awesome, awesome word picture of God and His Grace.  As I read through those verses I feel so covered with God’s  wonderful power and protection.

I go to UAB for my every 4-month MRI on January 25^th.  Keep us in your prayers as that day approaches.

In Him,

Keith

I can tell you without a shadow of doubt that God works miracles every day! I know first hand.

In Him, Keith and Family

We (my family and I) spent the last 3 years going through 6 surgeries, a year of chemo, and living with a foot seizure from the surgery.  A long, long 3 years.

We also spent the last 3 years speaking to other cancer patients.  Helping them go through their ordeal.  Speaking to the American Cancer Society.  Speaking to Churches and youth groups.

As bad of a “life crisis” as this has been, I don’t think I would have missed it for the world.  That may sound like a totally absurd statement to say that I wouldn’t have missed having Cancer.  Before I was diagnosed, I would have said the same thing.

But, living through this experience has given me a new perspective on life.  It has taught me that my God, our God is one AWESOME God!  I knew he was a great God, but I have seen Him first hand. I have seen Him use me like I never thought I would ever be used.  I have felt Him during my times of need.  I have prayed to Him with a much more personal understanding of His greatness.  I don’t just talk to Him like I have done my duty for the day.  I pour out my heart to Him and eagerly await His response.  Good or Bad. It doesn’t matter.

I lay in bed at night and just wonder if I had been a good servant, a good witness for God that day. I pray that I didn’t miss something He wanted me to do.  I pray that I walked through that day with my eyes wide open for what HE had in store for me, not what I had in store for me.  I pray for just one more day of life to spend with my family.

Tonight as I write this entry, I am preparing to go to UAB tomorrow for my 3 year checkup.  I’ll get an MRI in the morning then see my doctor.  With confidence in the saving Grace and Mercy of God, I say that not IF but WHEN everything looks fine, the doc is going to stretch out my visits to every 4 months.

I have always believed, since day 1, that God had more for me to do in this life on Earth.  I have never believed otherwise, and refuse to believe otherwise.

Our God is a mighty, gracious, merciful, omniscient, omnipresent, sovereign God.  He has a will for each and every one of our lives.

I can relate to Job and his life story.  It is such an awesome, uplifting story.  His faith was so strong that God allowed satan to attack him.  His faith was so strong that he didn’t, not one time, cuss God or ask why God forsook him.  He did not give into his wife or friends who tried to bring him down.  He lifted them up and witnessed to them through his ordeal.  God blessed Job in the end.

I would ask that you pray for myself and Mary as we go to UAB tomorrow for my checkup. Pray for God’s awesome healing power to be placed on us. Pray for our doctors.  Pray that through it all, people will see God in our actions.

I will update this tomorrow night.

In Him, Keith

God has been unbelievably gracious and merciful to me and my family. Looking back, I can see His hand on everything that we have been through in those 3 years. Looking forward, I cannot see a time that I would ever doubt that He is with us.

Many lives have been touched by our ordeal with the “Big C”. Ours more than anyone’s.

We have no idea what tomorrow holds for us. ( Psst. Neither do you. ) Every night I pray for one more day of life. Just one. I pray that God will use me any way He sees fit to honor and glorify His name. Any Way. I thank God for that day and pray that I HAVE been able to further His Kingdom. I open my eyes in the morning and if I see the window, the ceiling or my wife, I know God has answered that prayer. I just pray that I can uphold my end. It’s just that simple.

As much as I want to be completely healed from the “Big C”, that is only what “I” want. It’s a selfish thing. I lean on God and do what He wants. He wants me to be faithful in His Word. He wants me to know how much He loves me, no matter what. He wants me to fight the good fight and not give up on Him. Just as Job did. He wants me to honor His name in everything I do.

All my reports from the doctors have been great over the past year. It is an indescribable feeling to go through all the anticipation of a checkup just to hear the doctor come in and say all is well. I just don’t know of any other event or activity that I could use to compare it too. It is a morning filled with such anticipation that it builds and builds on your shoulders until you feel like you are carrying the world. Laying in the MRI machine feels like an eternity with walls closing in on you. Waiting in the patient room for the doctor to come in and give me the thumbs up. (By the way, me and the doc have an agreement. When he walks in the door, he lays it on me, good or bad. That gets the anticipation over with.)

I have that anticipation over an earthly thing. A health thing. It is a worried anticipation.

I have a different kind of anticipation about going home to see Jesus and living my life dancing with angels and singing to God! I’m ready to go! I know my family will join me there someday. No doubt. I have a hopeful, happy, joyful anticipation of eternity in heaven.

Now don’t get me wrong. I am NOT hurrying it!!!!

There is a song by New Song called “Fingertips and Noses”. It goes something like this:

“Up in the hills somewhere in Kentucky.
In a little old school way back in the nothing.
Where special kids born with special needs, are sent to learn life’s ABCs.
Their teacher, Mrs. Jones, tells them all about Jesus.
How in the twinkling of an eye He’s coming back to get us.
About streets of gold and pearly gates.
How they want to go, they just can’t wait.
And she can’t keep them in their seats.
They’re all at the windows straining to see.

And it’s fingertips and noses pressed to the windowpanes.
Longing eyes, expectant hearts for Him to come again.
All they know is that they love Him so, and if He said He’d come, He’s coming.
And they can’t keep their windows clean for the fingertips and noses.

She tried to explain to the kids about His coming.
She tried to calm them down, but they just wouldn’t listen.
They just giggled and they clapped their hands.
They’re so excited that He’s coming for them.
And the first thing you know they’re out of their seats.
Back at the windows straining to see —–

Where will Jesus find us when He comes again?
Will we be like little children waiting just for Him?

With our fingertips and noses pressed to the windowpanes.
Longing eyes, expectant hearts for Him to come again.
All we know is that we love Him so and if He said He’d come, He’s coming.
And we can’t keep our windows clean for our fingertips and noses.”

I love that picture image of all these kids pressed up against the window, pushing for the best positions. Giggling and laughing. Hands all over the windows. Faces pressed up against it just looking up in the sky for Jesus! That is such an awesome, awesome word picture.

Let me go. Time to eat some tacos and some of my special hot banana pepper sauce!

In Him, Keith

I continue to make my recovery. Went to see my neurologist last week. He is continuing to change my meds so I still CAN’T drive for a while. Oh well. In God’s time.

I go back to UAB for my next checkup on September 26. WHEN I get a good report, my doc is going to stretch out my visits to every 4 months. I also go back to my neurosurgeon in September for my annual checkup with him.

Yesterday was 1 YEAR since my last surgery! I just realized it. Seems like just yesterday!

My 3 year anniversary for my first brain surgery is on September 25. 3 years! A lot is going on in September.

Through it all, God is good. He has not failed us. He has provided what we need, when we need it. He has placed us where we need to be, when we need to be there to help others through their Cancer crisis. He has shown us the power of prayer and faith. He has ……

Please keep us in your prayers. God is using our family in a great way. God is good.

In Him,
Keith

What an awesome, AWESOME, Memorial Day weekend!

We went down to my Mom’s house and got to see some old friends, have some good seafood, play in the sand and water, and just relax.

But that wasn’t what made it awesome.

On Saturday, we went to the beach. We drove around for a while looking for a place to park at one of the smaller, out of the way public beaches in Gulf Shores. We took our stuff and laid it out on the beach. The boyz headed to the water and Mary was a close third. I didn’t really feel that good. I went down to the water but told Mary I was going to go back up and sit down on the towels for a while.

I went up, and sat down. As soon as I did, two young, college aged boyz (Matthew and Matthew, I’m not kidding) came up and asked if they could share Jesus with me! (One of them said I was the first person he had had the opportunity to share with) They were with a summer college group working at Gulf Shores for the summer. I invited them to sit down and we went through sin, and our savior, and how to accept Him into our lives. You name it. It was a great interaction. I was able to encourage them to keep up the good work. We talked about my experience and about not giving up. About having faith in all situations. It was an awesome 30 minutes or so. God was definitely there!

Now, if we had gone to another beach, or waited a little longer to go to the beach, or you name it, I might never have had the opportunity to encourage them nor would they have had the opportunity to encourage me.

Kevin came up and sat with us near the end of our discussion. As the “Matthews” walked away, one of them said “That was awesome!” Wow! To know that I was able to have an impact on those young men was amazing.

Later in the day, Kevin and I were throwing baseball on the beach and they walked back by. I asked them how the day was going. They had tried to share with what I would call a “couple from a sect” and they really looked like they had the wind knocked out of them. Now, I have studied this “sect” and gave them a little insight and encouragement.

On June 6-11, Mary and I went with the youth group from our Church on a youth beach camp at Gulf Shores. Eventful week to say the least but an awesome MISSION experience! We were towing the trailer with all the food, drinks, etc for the week. We had a blowout on the trailer on I-65 just North of the Bay Minette exit. We had to pull over and change the trailer tire on the side of the Interstate. Now, I don’t know how many of you have ever done that but it aint fun! The same thing happened last year. God was good to all of us at the beach camp. The kids did a great job running VBS type events at different campgrounds over the week. The adult leaders were awesome. We were on the cook team and had to cook all the meals for all the “hungry” kids every day. A chore but very FUN! We even cooked hamburgers in the middle of a thunderstorm!

In Matthew 28 we read the Great Commission. It’s not just a story, it’s an instruction from God. People need to know about our God.

We had close to 100 kids and adults, of all ages down here with us going out to do VBS in trailer parks and ministries in camp grounds. These kids are acting on Matthew 28! We need to do the same. If you, personally, talked to one person, everyday, that you don’t know, about Jesus and the Word of God, can you imagine how quickly your personal ministry would grow? I mean, just lead in with something like “How are you today?” They will probably respond in some manner and ask you “How bout you?” Just tell them that God allowed you to wake up for one more day of life before he brings you into His Kingdom and you have shared God’s Word! It’s that easy. Hopefully the discussion would get deeper but if it doesn’t, that’s ok.

Don’t ever, ever, ever let anyone tell you or even hint to you that “prayer does not work”! That is such a false doctrine. God has a place set aside for you in His Kingdom. Without having Faith in that fact, missions would be worthless, hope would be non-existent and wickedness would reign. Prayer works! I can tell you that from a firsthand perspective.

NOW! For the really good news! I went to UAB on Monday, June 20 for my quarterly MRI. All is well! Doctor said that maybe after the next visit he would start spacing my MRI’s out to every 4 months. I am also getting off of some of my seizure meds and have started some physical therapy to start regaining some strength in my right side.

Through it all, through our journey in life, we are going to face tremendous challenges, not only from the world but from Satan. When we are energized and out doing God’s work, Satan is energized and working against us. If we are not doing God’s work, Satan is completely happy. As long as we stay strong in God’s word, we can overcome those challenges. And when we do, those challenges just get smaller and smaller every time until they are just a little bump in the road.

God is good.

In Him,
Keith

Oh my goodness! The Ferris Wheel is gaining altitude! It’s at about 50000 feet now! I’m beginning to lose consciousness!!!!!!! My tie is really curling up now. Kind of like a slinky. Who’s responsible for this Ferris Wheel? I thought it was the operator. Oh no, wait a minute, we never had an operator for the Ferris Wheel!!! Wait a minute, I think the Ferris Wheel is turning into a log plume ride or maybe a giant bumper car ride. Look, over there! There’s Clooney the Clown driving a bumper car and he’s coming straight at us. You wave and I’ll drive since somebody has to drive this bumper car. Wait! A huge super slide! What’s going on here? It’s like I’m on some sort of funky machine that can’t make up its mind what it is. Help!

Sometimes it (life) just makes my head throb. Most of the time when that happens, I would be at the surgeons office saying “what’s up doc”? I’m not sure what to do today. I’ve tried yoga, self-hypnotics, and even staring at goats. I’m on the verge of taking a handful of Skittles and hoping the sugar will jog some more ideas of how to go crazy.

Life just seems to take over sometimes. However, there is a solution. God.

In Philippians 4:6, Paul gives us this word from God: “6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”

I have really struggled with anxiety over the past few days. Not about me but about other things. A car wreck. Kids learning how to drive. One graduating from middle school. Organizing sports activities for the summer. How to witness to a non-believer at work who just doesn’t want to hear the truth. Realizing that what used to be my 1-month olds are now teenagers.

I have tried to “fix” things myself instead of relying on God. That’s a definite no-no.

I can’t. He can.

Psalm 17:5-7 says: “5 My steps have held to your paths; my feet have not stumbled. 6 I call on you, my God, for you will answer me; turn your ear to me and hear my prayer. 7 Show me the wonders of your great love, you who save by your right hand those who take refuge in you from their foes.”
God is good.

In Him,
Keith

We were at an 8th grade graduation party and as we were cleaning up, I heard the fire engines and police cars come by and head in the direction of the accident. I knew Kev was out and had an uneasy feeling that kind of swept over me. About 5 minutes later, the drivers dad called me and said all was ok but that the boyz had been in an accident. Needless to say, I jumped in the car and was at the accident in about 5 minutes. (I forgot I wasn’t supposed to be driving.)

It was kind of a surreal moment, pulling up and parking at the intersection and jumping out looking for Kev. The focus was entirely on finding him and making sure he was safe. I spotted him standing up in the crowd and made a b-line to him. Once I got to him, talked to him, my adrenaline level was probably so high my skin was “green”. All the other parents were there with them. It was just a totally surreal moment.

Needless to say we didn’t get home from the ER until about 3:30AM this morning. After I laid down, at that moment, I just couldn’t hold back my emotions any longer. To know how close I came to possibly losing my son ….

But through it all, I could feel God’s presence in my life. I could feel His comfort. I could experience His blessings. I could see His mighty, sovereign power.

Continue to pray for these young men. That they will lean on God more than ever as they grow up. That they will look back on this moment and see His hand at work in their lives.

Pray also that they can use this experience as a witnessing tool to lost souls. To share Jesus with the world.

In Him, Keith