View From the Tree House:

T.A. in T.W.:(Today's American in Today's World)

"It’s been a privilege for us to hear you sing” one of the judges on Britain’s Got Talent concludes with this comment after hearing Susan Boyle. She cut to the chase however, about the audience and herself being judgmentally cynical beforehand. “Is Susan Boyle ugly? Or are we?” asks essayist Tanya Gold in Britain’s The Guardian. The quote was referred to by Maria Puente in USA Today, Monday, April 20th. .

More penetrating questions have emerged as the result of Susan, 47, blowing everyone away with her beautiful voice. The author of the article begins with, “what’s that all about?’ She continues: “Is the unabashed hysteria about Susan a psychological boost for a world battered by economic calamity? Is it a spiritual moment for millions in search of transcendence? Maybe it’s about rooting for the underdog. Or maybe it’s just a new reminder of an old truism: You can’t judge a book by its cover.”

Interesting how Maria, ends with a quote from Rahn Hasbargen, who cites John 7:24: “Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.”

“Never has that verse been explained more dramatically than in the case of Susan Boyle.”, he says.

Never? Only in the most astonishing life that’s ever been lived. Let the words of Isaiah 53 reveal His identity:

“He has no stately form or majesty
That we should look upon Him,
Nor appearance that we should be attracted to Him.
He was despised and forsaken of men,
A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief;
And like one from whom men hide their face
He was despised, and we did not esteem Him
Surely our griefs He Himself bore,
And our sorrows He carried;
Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken,
Smitten of God, and afflicted.
But He was pierced through for our transgressions,
He was crushed for our iniquities;
The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him,
And by His scourging we are healed.
All of us like sheep have gone astray,
Each of us has turned to his own way;
But the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all
To fall on Him.

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PUP: (People Under Pressure)

I’m getting a CT Scan this a.m. It was such a privilege to have the prep and CT scan done in our local hospital. People have been incredibly kind and personable and we are so appreciative. Test results show that my platelets (not the small spheres you use for salads!) are low, so the doctor suggested that we wait another week before we begin the 5th in the regimen. The scan showed that the cyst around my spleen has diminished in size. It is either a hematoma or fluid from the cancer.

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God-sighting: Simply Spectacular: I couldn’t believe it-a field of bluebells! One of my favorite flowers and God put many in our wooded area within easy view of the tree-house! Absolutely beautiful!

View From the Treehouse

T.A. in T.W. (Today's American in Today's World

“An ‘Easter’ surprise at sea” was the stunning headline from USA Today the day after Easter morning. It certainly makes the $50 hid in an Easter egg at our neighbor’s home pale in comparison, doesn’t it? As elated as an adult son or daughter may have been over money sought, not earned, how much the news heard around the world about the navy snipers rescuing a ‘heroic’ captain thrilled people. Curious to me is how the article praises the courage of many involved and the “humility” of the captain as he risked his life for his crew. In the article, Phillips was quoted as saying, “. I’m just the byline. The real heroes are the Navy, the SEALs, those who have brought me home.”

Does the heroism and the humility remind you of another Easter surprise- I so hope it does because the ‘surprise at sea’ pales in comparison! His heroism?- that God knew we could not have a right relationship with Him unless we repented of our sins and received the gift of His Son. He died on that cruel cross but was resurrected. The captain risked his life for his crew, Our Saviour gave His life for any who would receive Him. His humility? “He came not to be served, but to serve and give His life a ransom for many. Please do not miss this as His Resurrection has been celebrated.” - He is the only One who can bring us to an eternal home in heaven, as well as shepherd our lives here on earth!

How did we celebrate? We rejoiced together with those who chose to acknowledge that Jesus Christ Who gave His life in total humility for ours, was far beyond worthy to praise and rejoice in. Then we were invited to join with a family who had all ages represented.

What a joy and a delight. God gave and gives and gives.
How did you all celebrate Resurrection?

P.U.P (People Under Pressure)

When the nurse was setting up to give me the infusion of taxitere and Gemsar, she explained to the IWC student nurse that they have special tubing for the taxitere because it eats through the regular tubing! That gave me pause and so I asked her, what about the tubing in my body? She looked at me and simply shook her head like ‘sobering isn’t it’? No wonder a friend who also has cancer, said to me “I have all the symptoms of a detox patient!”

And wouldn’t you know this infusion reminds me of last years. I took a nap and melded with the bed. Not a good symptom especially as I was having familiar pains in the abdomen. I thought of the song, “he’s a mean one Mr. Grinch! A friend had invited us to use their hot tub, so after 3 ibuprofen and 45 minutes in hot water I did feel better! The adventure continues-I’m so thankful that all this rig-a-ma-role is available and so thankful for the encouragements and prayers we’ve received.

But I want you to know that I’m getting more nutrition conscious and have actually eaten asparagus! Now unless you know me, that is like, so what? Folks, I have not liked asparagus. It would be the last thing I would eat other than sawdust and dirt! A friend and I are giving it a 6 week test simply because it is good for us. If it’s made a difference in test results, then we’ll continue-but she likes asparagus and I’m holding my nose to get it down! So do I deserve kudos or sympathy- which?


Q: “What is the heart of groceries? A: an artichoke (get it?) I would love to see your smile!

View from the treehouse

T.A.in T.W. (Today’s American in Today’s World)

The headlines read, “Iowa Supreme Court strikes down gay marriage ban” making Iowa the third state in the nation where same-sex marriage will be legal. This article from the Mt. Pleasant News of Friday, April 3, 2009 shakes some foundational principles doesn’t it? First of all, where in the constitution does the court have the power to make law, upon what worldview are they basing their redefinition of marriage, and what about the vote of the common people?

30 years ago our Judeo-Christian values, made firm our definition of marriage, for it was instituted and given purpose and meaning by God. To redefine it is a matter of human pride or self-exultation for it flies in the face of the One who made us and knows that, “He who sins against Me, injures himself.”

A friend was talking about this court ruling and his wife said, “I think we should just let them do what they want to do.” Soon we were discussing the aids pandemic in Africa and I said that so many of them choose not to admit that aids is transmitted by sexual contact. Therefore, they choose not to admit that abstinence is the ultimate answer. This friend then said, “People will believe what they want to!” Within a matter of a few minutes she had verbally and succinctly nailed her humanistic worldview. “Everyone did what was right in their own eyes” the Bible warns. We in our beloved nation are seeing and living with the chaotic actions that result!

Have you contacted your legislator about bringing the Marriage Amendment to the forefront to be voted on? Remember also, that our Governor, in a televised news conference last year, promised to protect marriage. Let’s see if he keeps his promise. If we don’t say something, we agree with the legislators, the court, and our governor. Are we concerned about the power that’s being wielded throughout government? Do we act like it?
At the same time, we know our Heavenly Father has the ultimate power and really only He can be trusted and relied upon. With His grace and love in action, we must never give up. We're just in God's "waiting room", aren't we? (See pups entry!)

Pup: (People Under Pressure)

The doctor informed us that a regimen of 4-6 infusions is normal. That’s why he suggested that we may stop after the 4th infusion and become part of a trial group. As in most trials, half of the group is given a placebo and half the chemical. So after the fourth series of chemo I’ll be tested as to whether the present chemo has diminished the cyst on my spleen. Then we all will determine what route seems most logical!

When I need to wait for the next chemo infusion and I need to forget that I’m tired of being tired, and I want to get this over with, or when I wait to determine a course of action regarding the therapy, it’s so helpful to remember that it’s God’s waiting room that I’m in or that Warren & I are in. He knows what He’s doing and I need to trust His character as I see people and go through circumstances with His perspective. Oh, to have my Father’s eyes in His waiting room.

It reminds me that in this pictured waiting room, I met several delightful people with whom I’ve begun an e-mail relationship. They have been praying for us! What an encouragement from what had been total strangers and certainly something only God could have brought about! The less I see with my own myopic eyes, the more I see and enjoy with His!

A nurse friend of ours suggested that I buy some sugar-free packets of Crystal-lite to have on the counter each morning according to the number of glasses of water that I should drink. That would help me know how much water I’ve had and also give me a little taste treat!

View From the Tree house

T.A. in T.W. (Today’s American in Today’s World)

“Ask the “Dumb Questions”
Fear of asking questions is helping to ruin people and destroy our economy! "

“Each semester I have top MBAs do an exercise I designed that ruins them if they fear looking dumb.” Seth Freeman, a professor of negotiation and conflict management at New York University’s Stern School of Business and at Columbia University has the charm, jargon and complicated terms to con a third to a half of his students into fatal deals! “Worse, they don’t even realize they’ve been taken. They all say, “I got a good deal.”

Snippets from the professors article which appeared in USA Today, Tuesday, January 13th, ’09 sites examples. After stating that the fear of looking dumb can save students from serious traps (editors note-perhaps any students!), he continues:

@McLean of Fortune magazine asked Enron’s CEO, “How did Enron make money?” The CEO attacked, calling her an ill-prepared incompetent. . .

@Many people tragically invested in Madoff’s fraudulent firm without knowing what they were investing in. Reportedly, he threw out investors who asked questions. Few did. . .

@Many homeowners didn’t understand the consequences of resets in their mortgages, taking on debt they almost inevitably couldn’t repay. Unprincipled mortgage brokers and banks urged them on. Regulators praised complex and risky mortgaged-backed securities-economists and other experts still insisted in 2007 that markets were in great shape. Few understood; everyone acted as if he did . . .

Richard Feynman, a Nobel laureate, was once asked by a colleague to explain one of his ideas. He promised to create a basic “freshman lecture” about it. Days later, he reported that he couldn’t, which he added meant he didn’t understand the idea himself! Years later, his simple question during the Challenger probe cut through technocratic talk to reveal the critical flaw of the probe!

Simple questions like:
1. “Is this what you’re saying?”, reveals misunderstanding, overcomes jargon and demonstrates

good listening.
2. “What do I want and why?”, reveal interest you want satisfied, (but may like all of us need to

think through further. The question will help you and I perhaps think more deeply.)
3. “What if?”, reveals foreseeable problems.
4. “How do I know?”, reveals reliability problems and unfounded claims.
5. “I’m sorry, I don’t understand. Can you say that another way, please”, reveals more clearly

what the other person is saying.

I wanted to close with the latter because these questions are all ones we may apply no matter the people or circumstances in our lives. In addition, Professor Freeman as a student of history, points out that we may learn from history and from the mistakes of history makers. The question I must ask myself is, am I learning and applying or am I just continuing to make the same mistakes as those I should be learning from?


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As an example, the day after the last blog published, the headlines from USA Today, read, “Obama Touts Gains and Goals- Defends bid to expand power to seize more than banks. In addressing his critics, one of whom includes, Senate Budget Chairman Kent Conrad, a Democrat of North Dakota, who questioned the size and scope of Obama’s 3.6 trillion dollar budget plan, does our president answer the criticism? Read for yourselves! “Seizing more power” sounds frighteningly like events historically that we surely do not want repeated.


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PUP (People Under Pressure):

I will not be taking the fourth of the series of chemo this Tuesday, because blood tests reveal that my white count has not risen enough from last week. As a consequence, we’ll talk to one of our cancer doctors Thursday. He has proposed taking me off of this regiment of chemo, and becoming part of a study for “sarcoma” patients.

The problem we see at this point is that this regiment of chemo has produced good results and we don’t even know if I would qualify for this proposed study. In other words, again, we need to ask good probing questions!

We need prayer for wisdom as always. (Let us know how we can pray for you also.) We have also shared with him the pamphlet, For Your Joy which we’d like to hear his perspective on!
He is one of the most gracious, caring, and down-to-earth physicians we’ve come to know. We want to care about him and his colleagues Biblically.
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People under pressure need to celebrate birthdays and we are. Dear friends invited us to Danville’s Swing Choir and Auction Friday evening. What a treat and how delightful to hear an evening of really fun, relaxing, and encouraging music without innuendos and every reason to include the whole family. Kudos to everyone involved.
I was up around 2:00 this a.m. to finish this blog and prepare to have birthday breakfast with other friends. Then we were treated to a dinner at a friend's home who is also sacrificing for us! How can we say thanks to precious friends and family? In them, God’s given us so much!

View from the Tree-house:

TA in TW (Today's American in Today's World)

Do we ask enough questions about our choices and decisions through this sobering time in history? For instance, what’s critical about your or my passion or zeal in life? How about the issue of Pro-Life? What question does your or my commitment either for or against, raise and how deep and central is it?”

"The question that is the beginning of all moral judgment and all just law, is simply this: Who, then, is my neighbor?” (Referring to the question of What is the greatest commandment? to which Jesus replied, “Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, soul, and mind. The second is like it, Love thy neighbor as thyself.”

This was posed by Fr. Richard John Neuhaus, a tireless Defender of Life. Is there anyone closer to a person than the baby in the womb?

The implications of Pro-Life and the economy could not have been entertained by our president when he reversed a ban on giving Federal money to international groups that perform abortions or provide information on it (USA TODAY.com, Friday, Jan. 23, ’09.) How do we still have money for family planning and abortions in other countries when the economy is in such a tailspin? For one who is espousing responsibility and accountability (our pres.), isn’t that same standard demanded for our own household (our govt.), first? Where is the credibility? Doesn’t integrity count anymore?



PUP: (People Under Pressure)

Harbinger of new life and hope: There’s always something positive through any part of life. The flower blooms not because everything is terrific but because it can! How ‘bout us?


Get the Point? We have a dear friend who has to give herself infusions in her backside! Can you imagine? Arrrgh! I volunteered to learn to give shots and to be available to help her with the task. My man volunteered his arm to let me learn. Can you imagine?

H2O-During the last infusion given to me, I elected to receive a bolas of saline solution with the taxotere and gemzar. In other words, they pumped me full of salt water with the two chemo agents. I have been feeling remarkably well. One of the nurses who administered the infusions suggested this because so many people have been helped by it! Through more than a year of chemo, I’d not been told that!

The thimble full of energy is still the case but that is so typical during chemo and much easier to deal with, since the rest of my body is doing o.k. Thank you to our Lord and to prayer warriors!

TA in TW (Today’s American in Today’s World )

“I wondered why the baseball was getting bigger. Then it hit me!”

How many of us feel like we’ve been hit with a baseball over the state of our beloved country’s economic, health, welfare, crime, and educational systems? But can we effectively handle more than one major thing at a time? Where do we begin to ultimately do the most good?

How about asking deep and penetrating questions? For instance, what is the most important issue that affects all others? I wonder if we would think more deeply about this if we’d momentarily review a little history?

Rewind to 9/11/01. The twin towers have become rubble with the bodies of close to 4000 people. Hours after the chaos, how many were considering their 401K’s, their bank statements, or even who could have perpetrated such a crime? Remember all the “Have you seen. . .?” pictures of loved ones plastered in desperation on walls or the human interest stories of the heroism and self-less-ness?

Or what about your thought’s on 9/12? Were you among those wanting to know where God was in all of this or did you seek Him for wisdom to live focused through the pressure? Did you cling to your family, thankful that they were alive, or did you think about your home mortgage loan, health insurance, education or the other war?

Don’t the events of 9/11-12 as well as many other historic events, beg the question of what’s more important than human life? How much longer can we stand with both feet and sometimes hands covered with the blood of 40 million babies, aborted since ’73? Can you hear the passionate benediction of our amazingly patient Lord on these babies as the truth of His words echo over the generations:

“You (our Lord) made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. 14) Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous-and how well I know it. 15) You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.” Psalm 139:13-15

Isn’t Roe vs. Wade a cancer in our society far beyond the terrorism or the casualties of war and crime on the streets by the fact of sheer numbers alone? Add to that, the fact that these babies are the weakest and most vulnerable among us. Since we’re becoming 30+ years more callous to this heinous crime, who is next on the hit list?

Beloved, the One who said, “Come unto Me, all ye who labor and are heavy laden” has said, “Pray without ceasing”, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness”. Jesus Christ is the only One Who could and does offer hope through this malaise, if we but turn from our wicked ways, humble ourselves and pray. What are we thinking that we would want to continue on the path we’ve chosen and not repent (turn from our old sinful choices)? God is the only One -Who can change the hearts of our self and of our people. He stands ready to do that, for He has said, “He who sins against Me, injures himself.” He also assures us that “He has come that we might have life and have it abundantly”. What does love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, and self-control look like? Look to our Lord. Have we not collectively chosen to reject His ways for too long?

Let’s not implode, beloved, or swagger behind the “hit” of our day. Starting with “life” do what He -Who was the Suffering Servant (and knows far more than we could about suffering)- knows is best, hounding the gates of heaven first to change us and then the gates of our congressmen and women. It’s critical to “life” to purposely “act”. If you do not graciously say or challenge something said, you agree with them. What hits you and me and what are we doing about it?



PUPS

Close to the 5th anniversary of living through his heart arrest, Warren had his annual stress test last Thursday and came through very well. This, in spite of the fact that he has not been able to exercise his cardiovascular system since his consuming double-knee repair surgery, recovery, and therapy. We are so thankful.

I will be taking the 2nd of the 3rd series of chemo Tuesday morning if my blood count is good. The chemo is taxotere, which typically brings side effects that are not pleasant. The nurses who infuse this have suggested and we’ve agreed to include saline solution with the chemo. This may make side affects less debilitating.

We knew however from the git-go that this challenge engaged us in a battle and we’re fighting! The reason we’re fighting victoriously is because our Lord is Sovereign and sufficient through it all!

Ann’s Art

On what turned out to be the most beautiful evening of the current ’09 year, we were privileged to attend Ann Porter’s, one woman watercolor show in Fairfield. Ann dedicated this show to her late husband, Jon, who had encouraged her to pursue her love of art. It was well attended, well received, and a privilege to be part of. We have been friends of this couple since our post Wesleyan days when Jon started quoting “Jabberwock” and Warren grinning, spontaneously joined in and finished the quote with him!
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TA in TW (Today’s American in Today’s World)

“In Today’s World”, we clearly need commandments rather than suggestions, though too often we eschew such old-time religious strong-arming. Not so for many God-fearing – and often impoverished – Americans.” This quote is from Rod Dreher in the March 9th issue of USA Today, p. 11 of section A. A portion of his first paragraph reads: “The long prayer (of 8th century St. Andrew of Crete) is an epic journey into awareness of sin and intense longing for repentance and mercy. It will rest assured, harsh your mellow.”

“Well good: (he continues), “Our collective mellow needs some harshing. The strong words of the long-ago saint have the effect of hacking away the sentimental accretions American Christianity has slathered like butter cream icing on the Gospel. How much better off we would all be in this time of economic trial if we had less Joel Osteen and more Andrew of Crete.”.

“. . . We middle-class Americans are so accustomed to a therapeutic approach to religion that we’ve lost touch with the reality of sin and the need for a strong ethical guide to life. We need commandments, not suggestions.”

He goes on to share how he attended a church service “still reeling from having caught an advance screening of Mel Gibson’s ‘The Passion of the Christ’ two days earlier. The film had torn my conscience to pieces, shattering my spiritual complacency, forcing me to understand the seriousness of sin – my sin – and what Jesus suffered to deliver us from it.”

“And then, in his homily, the comfortable middle-class priest in our comfortable middle-class parish instructed the congregation that the Lenten season is all about – no kidding – learning to love ourselves more.”

If Andrew of Crete could see us today, would he conclude that the problem with Americans is they don’t love themselves enough? To the contrary, our problems consist chiefly in that we love ourselves and our pleasures entirely too much.”

The rest of the article continues to be riveting: He refers to our schools in our narcissistic middle – class culture . . . “whose purpose seems to be to reassure its practitioners that they’re all A-plus students, rather than to lead them to the hard work of repentance and authentic renewal”.
“All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, of course, but when educated middle class people do so, they typically have the resources to ameliorate the damage that can result. Not so the poor, whose attraction to more fundamentalist forms of religion tends to mystify and even appall the middle classes.”

The concluding paragraphs of the article are motivating and uncomfortable but so refreshing and practical. I have the article and would love to share its relevant comments- or perhaps you can find it one line. Let me conclude with his closing thoughts: “You’d never catch bourgeois me doing something like that (like what?-editor’s comment-read the article!) I bet Andrew of Crete would have, though. Poor me.”

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In the first “PUP” section, I’ve encouraged everyone to probe with thoughtful, penetrating, questions through and about any pressure you or I may be under, because the issues facing our beloved nation are certainly pressure filled and affect all of us. Can we any longer afford not to cut to the heart of our problems? :

“How deep and central are the questions we raise?”

What is the most important question we could be raising today? If we don’t have a ‘core issue’ from which all others are affected, we’ll tend to be like the blunderbuss gun without the capability of effectively targeting a goal and we’ll live as we are living now with the results. More on this topic are intended to be forthcoming in our next blog.
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PUP I had understood from the doctor who surgerically implanted a “PURPLE POWER PORT” in me that it could be used to put in the dye for the C-T Scan. The nurses in Iowa City told me that they had not learned the procedure yet. When I consulted with our nurses in our local HCHC infusion center, they confirmed that it is not unusual for the smaller hospitals to know some of these procedures before the larger hospital personal. Interesting, isn’t it? Hummm, maybe, small town grass roots people are savvier than might be perceived-or at least the small town folk can be equipped to serve because there are fewer to train!

Infusion therapy for me: I was given the first in a 3rd series of chemo Tuesday, March 10th. So far this Gemzar has given me few side affects. The taxotere will be given next week and it has caused significant fatigue. Praise God, tho’, it has been used of our Lord to cause the 4 cysts to disappear, with the last one seemingly affected by it! I thank our God that He is the Great Physician and that He works through the prayers of His family.

Drink plenty of water – I had to be reminded again!
I learned Tuesday, that I could receive an infusion of saline solution before the more severe of my chemo, to further energize me. What a terrific idea! I may do that next Monday when I have my blood drawn. Ask about this for yourself, if lack of energy is a huge problem, through your therapy.

Enjoy the Relationships: Some of your and my doctors may have more of a stern personality. I had occasion to deal with one during my last Iowa City visit. We really seek to bathe our appointments and relationships with prayer because we need our Lord’s intervention. Anyway, I told my doctor that the last time I was examined, it hurt (just wanting him to assure me that he would be as gentle as he was professional). He didn’t respond so I repeated my concern. He curtly reminded me that I had already told him that!

15-20 years ago I would have been hurt and consequently shut down, but the Lord’s work in me did not allow that. The doctor was gentle and his exam didn’t hurt so I told him that he could have the other half of my sandwich, he had done such a good job! His nurse said that she didn’t think he had ever been offered such a gift!

In this same kind of context, a friend of mine said that she has become thicker skinned through a difficult relationship that she had. I queried her with ‘haven’t you become more focused and assured of God’s promises to you, so that comments like that are not significant or important in light of those God has given?’ Comments by people don’t make us, God’s Word and His love is the only true source of changing and making us. How really freeing God’s Word is through pressures!
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