Rich

Rich was asked to speak to a lovely Community Life group at our church today. This sweet group meets for a potluck lunch and invites a speaker to share with the group. Rich was asked to share how his faith sustained him through his surgeries and the recuperation process.

These sweet people are some of the "saints" at Grace Community Church!

Before lunch Rich, Willard, and Jim were talking about the recent time change. Here Rich is explaining to them how the time on his cell phone automatically changes when we travel from one time zone to another. They were quite amazed! :)

Can hardly believe it will be two years in April that Rich found himself in emergency and it was there his cancer journey began. As he said today, the kidney surgeries were a "piece of cake". It's been the removal of his cancerous thyroid that has caused the most difficulty. It has been a very tediously slow process to get meds regulated but he is now in a normal range for his TSH count. TSH comes from the pituitary gland and it tries to tell the thyroid to "get with it". Well, without a thyroid this is problematic! Even he's now in the normal range, his doctors want him at the bottom of the range because the TSH is a breeding ground for cancer cells, so the meds are being tweaked again.

Before he went to Oregon last month, he had checkups at KU Medical Center with kidney and thyroid surgeons. Both gave him a "thumbs up". He doesn't have to return there until April! Good news! His lab reports here continue to remain stable - or improve, so we are grateful. That little partial kidney is hanging in there!

The last month he has had more energy, which is encouraging for him. He has worked very hard at staying positive and he's been determined that this wouldn't stop him from going and doing. It's just that sometimes he can't go as far or do as much as he would like.

As Rich shared today, he is grateful for the Lord's healing and continues to seek just what it is that God wants him to do in this life.

Rich and his dear friend Larry, used sing a duet to the wonderful hymn "Day by Day". Rich had us sing it today.

Day by Day

Day by day, and with each passing moment,

Strength I find, to meet my trials here;

Trusting in my Father's wise bestowment,

I've no cause for worry or for fear.

He Whose heart is kind beyond all measure

Gives unto each day what He deems best -

Lovingly, its part of pain and pleasure,

Mingling toil with peace and rest.

Every day, the Lord Himself is near me

With a special mercy for each hour;

All my cares He fain would bear, and cheer me,

He Whose name is Counselor and Power;

The protection of His child and treasure

Is a charge that on Himself He laid;

"As thy days, thy strength shall be in measure,"

This the pledge to me He made.

Help me then in every tribulation

So to trust Thy promises, O Lord,

That I lose not faith's sweet consolation

Offered me within Thy holy Word.

Help me, Lord, when toil and trouble meeting,

Ever to take, as from a father's hand,

One by one, the days, the moments fleeting,

Till I reach the promised land.

And so it has been, day by day, we journey on! We continue to thank the Lord for our many family and friends who have prayed for both of us. Your prayers have sustained and encouraged us. We know that God created us and knows the number of our days. Our faith and trust are in Him!