Sorry it has been so long since my last post. Many of you will be receiving our recent newsletter via the US Postal Service. But for those of you who prefer the digital media, here is our latest offering:
Monday, November 16, 2015
Sunday, August 23, 2015
Greetings,
A year ago Michele was in her neck brace awaiting the insertion of a subcutaneous port to begin her chemotherapy to treat Lymphoma. Today she is cancer free, and we are debt free, despite the generation of over $280,000.00 in medical expenses. Praise God! It is easy to praise God at the end of a trial that has a happy ending. Many people suffer illness and trials that do not have happy endings.
Michele and I traveled to Wisconsin in July to help represent MMS Aviation at the Experimental Aircraft Association's annual event called AirVenture. We have made many friends in that area over the years, including relationships with local churches. I was invited to speak in the morning service of one such church. As I struggled to put together a presentation that focused on MMS Aviation, I had no inspiration. Then I sensed God telling me to share from the heart, to wit, He gave me a message on suffering. When I say, "He gave me," I mean to convey the message that the scripture references flowed in a way which produced the sermon theme in a very coherent way.
Upon delivering the sermon, it became clear that God had intended this particular subject for a congregation that had many hurting souls. As usual, His timing was impeccable. In the weeks which have passed since then, it has been on my heart to share the content of that sermon on the blog, but I wasn't sure if that was a directive from the Holy Spirit or some display of ego. This morning, I prayed that God would either give me peace to leave it alone, or compel me to action. As our pastor began his sermon on, would you believe, "Suffering and Trials", I felt that familiar urge to comply. The result follows forthwith. This was about six pages in my hand written scrawl, so I won't be offended if you don't read through it. On the other hand, maybe it is being put here for you...
Ephesians 5:25 says, "Husbands love your wives, even as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for it."
When Michele was diagnosed with cancer, it became my mission to be Christ to her, in the same way as Christ cares for, and relates to His church. But what exactly does that look like? Several scripture passages came to mind:
Philippians 2:5-8, "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross."
Hebrews 12:2, "Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; Who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God."
1Peter 4:12,13, "Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when His glory shall be revealed, you may be glad also with exceeding joy."
Think about this: Every army that has ever fought a battle has had to fight their first battle. What keeps a soldier from running away during that first exposure to violence? It's not natural to rush toward someone trying to kill you, so why would anyone do that? How could someone overcome the natural preservation instinct and act contrary to their fear? The answer is, preparation. The soldier is trained to act a certain way, no matter what. He rehearses this training until his mind is convinced. He acts, because he has decided to act. With the decision firmly made in advance of the challenge, the probability of following the training improves exponentially.
Suffering serves as the Christian's basic training. Hebrews 5:8 says, "Though He were a Son, yet learned He obedience by the things which He suffered."
This learning comes from experience. It does not mean that we are beaten until we obey. Have you ever talked with someone who said, "You don't understand what I've been through!"? No one can ever say that to Jesus. Hebrews 4:15 tells us,
"For we have not a High Priest which cannot be touched with the feelings of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin."
If suffering, the experience of suffering, is God's preferred means of instruction, why should we seek or expect an exemption? This is exactly what Peter is telling the reader in 1Peter 4:12 and 13; "Don't think your trials are strange, but rejoice!"
Peter wasn't alone in expressing this concept. James told his readers to, "Count it all joy when you fall into various trials." (James 1:2)
Knowing that difficulties are part of God's plan for our lives can help us to embrace the trials that come our way.
Learning from the experience of suffering will make us more like Christ.
Being more Christ-like will cause us to, "Shine as lights in the world," (Philippians 2:15). And that is our purpose for being here; in the world, but not of the world (John 17:15).
I had the privilege of ministering to my wife during the course of her suffering. She had the privilege of suffering in the flesh, and by so doing, she participated in the "Fellowship of His sufferings" (Philippians 3:10). Through it all, God orchestrated events and contacts to touch the lives of people in unknowable ways. We were ministered to by many. There were those who testified that we ministered to them. The more faithful we are to Him, the brighter the light of His gospel shines in a dark world.
Suffering is for a purpose, and there is a reward. Romans 8:18 says,
"For I recon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us."
This is why the Apostle Paul wrote, "Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth to those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:13,14)
So this is both our testimony and our challenge. God is faithful, as demonstrated by the life of Christ, who suffered and died on our behalf, that we might have eternal life. Likewise, we should follow His example, and endure the trials of this life, with the joy that He gives, and He will use it for His glory.
A year ago Michele was in her neck brace awaiting the insertion of a subcutaneous port to begin her chemotherapy to treat Lymphoma. Today she is cancer free, and we are debt free, despite the generation of over $280,000.00 in medical expenses. Praise God! It is easy to praise God at the end of a trial that has a happy ending. Many people suffer illness and trials that do not have happy endings.
Michele and I traveled to Wisconsin in July to help represent MMS Aviation at the Experimental Aircraft Association's annual event called AirVenture. We have made many friends in that area over the years, including relationships with local churches. I was invited to speak in the morning service of one such church. As I struggled to put together a presentation that focused on MMS Aviation, I had no inspiration. Then I sensed God telling me to share from the heart, to wit, He gave me a message on suffering. When I say, "He gave me," I mean to convey the message that the scripture references flowed in a way which produced the sermon theme in a very coherent way.
Upon delivering the sermon, it became clear that God had intended this particular subject for a congregation that had many hurting souls. As usual, His timing was impeccable. In the weeks which have passed since then, it has been on my heart to share the content of that sermon on the blog, but I wasn't sure if that was a directive from the Holy Spirit or some display of ego. This morning, I prayed that God would either give me peace to leave it alone, or compel me to action. As our pastor began his sermon on, would you believe, "Suffering and Trials", I felt that familiar urge to comply. The result follows forthwith. This was about six pages in my hand written scrawl, so I won't be offended if you don't read through it. On the other hand, maybe it is being put here for you...
Ephesians 5:25 says, "Husbands love your wives, even as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for it."
When Michele was diagnosed with cancer, it became my mission to be Christ to her, in the same way as Christ cares for, and relates to His church. But what exactly does that look like? Several scripture passages came to mind:
Philippians 2:5-8, "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross."
Hebrews 12:2, "Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; Who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God."
1Peter 4:12,13, "Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when His glory shall be revealed, you may be glad also with exceeding joy."
And finally,
Isaiah 53:10, "Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him; He hath put Him to grief: when Thou shalt make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand."
What is this strange relationship between suffering and sanctification? Philippians 2: 13-15 gives us a hint: "For it is God Who worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure. Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That you may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world."
God has modeled sacrifice in the most extreme way, through the example of Jesus' life and death on earth. Simply stepping down from His throne in heaven to live as a man on earth is a huge sacrifice.But Jesus' years as a human being were lived in a totally sacrificial way. He could have chosen to be born in America in the latter part of the 20th Century, where He could have been a member of an affluent family, gone to private schools, drove a Corvette, had His own office at the family business, and a penthouse apartment. He could have died peacefully in His sleep, and arose on national television during global coverage of His funeral. But the reality was the exact opposite.
He was born to poor parents who were transients at the time of his birth. He was born under the cloud of illegitimacy, and spent His early years one step ahead of authorities seeking His life. He grew up as an apprentice to a carpenter, a physically demanding occupation, requiring exertion and sweat in a hot climate. The society He lived in was highly prejudiced and never let Him forget that Joseph wasn't His father.
When He began His ministry, neither His family nor His community believed in Him, to the degree that His home congregation wanted to kill Him. He got up long before dawn and lay down to sleep late at night after ministering and preaching all day. He was tired and hungry and walked hundreds of miles.
At the end of His ministry on earth, He wasn't simply killed, He was savagely beaten and put on public display. Not only was He jeered at by the crowd that He fed and healed, but He was abandoned by His closest friends. His death was designed to inflict the most pain, over the longest possible time span. And yet the scriptures say, "It pleased the Lord to bruise Him."
In our self-centered understanding, such a statement seems unspeakably cruel. Is it any wonder that the world, our world of relativism and so-called tolerance, has pushed the name of Jesus out of sight? So is such a statement based in sadistic pleasure, or does it mean something else altogether?
Consider this scenario: If you had a loved one waiting for a heart transplant, would you be pleased to receive the call that a heart was available? Sure you would. But how does the family of the donor feel?
Humanity is under a death sentence for sin. We desperately need a donor who will serve our sentence for us. God donated His Son. What's more, He was pleased to do so. There is our example. When we are participants in Christ's suffering, we have the opportunity of sharing His grace...or not.
Let's face it, everyone suffers. While the degree of suffering varies greatly, no one is exempt. The question is; what does suffering do in your life? Does it make you angry and bitter? Do you want to hurt others, so they can feel what you feel? Do you worry about the possibility of suffering, and do everything in your power to minimize it?
Or do you greet suffering as an opportunity for personal growth? Do you use the lessons you've learned through suffering to help others through their dark hour?
The passage in Isaiah 53 goes on to say, "He shall see the travail of His soul, and be satisfied: by His knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for He shall bear their iniquities." (verse 11)
Since God is not willing that any should perish, (Ezekiel 18:23, and 1Timothy 2:4), it pleased Him to provide the means to deliver souls from damnation. It also pleased Jesus to be that provision. Hence the statement in Hebrews 12:2 that He endured the cross, "For the joy set before Him."
This is all fine as an academic exercise, but what about reality? All of the work God does in the life of a Christian will bear fruit only if we join Him in the effort. Jesus said:
"Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: And you shall find rest unto your souls." (Matthew 11:29)
We don't usually associate a yoke of endeavor with rest, but Jesus put the two together. Note that He gave two instructions:
- Take My yoke upon you
- Learn of Me
Think about this: Every army that has ever fought a battle has had to fight their first battle. What keeps a soldier from running away during that first exposure to violence? It's not natural to rush toward someone trying to kill you, so why would anyone do that? How could someone overcome the natural preservation instinct and act contrary to their fear? The answer is, preparation. The soldier is trained to act a certain way, no matter what. He rehearses this training until his mind is convinced. He acts, because he has decided to act. With the decision firmly made in advance of the challenge, the probability of following the training improves exponentially.
Suffering serves as the Christian's basic training. Hebrews 5:8 says, "Though He were a Son, yet learned He obedience by the things which He suffered."
This learning comes from experience. It does not mean that we are beaten until we obey. Have you ever talked with someone who said, "You don't understand what I've been through!"? No one can ever say that to Jesus. Hebrews 4:15 tells us,
"For we have not a High Priest which cannot be touched with the feelings of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin."
If suffering, the experience of suffering, is God's preferred means of instruction, why should we seek or expect an exemption? This is exactly what Peter is telling the reader in 1Peter 4:12 and 13; "Don't think your trials are strange, but rejoice!"
Peter wasn't alone in expressing this concept. James told his readers to, "Count it all joy when you fall into various trials." (James 1:2)
Knowing that difficulties are part of God's plan for our lives can help us to embrace the trials that come our way.
Learning from the experience of suffering will make us more like Christ.
Being more Christ-like will cause us to, "Shine as lights in the world," (Philippians 2:15). And that is our purpose for being here; in the world, but not of the world (John 17:15).
I had the privilege of ministering to my wife during the course of her suffering. She had the privilege of suffering in the flesh, and by so doing, she participated in the "Fellowship of His sufferings" (Philippians 3:10). Through it all, God orchestrated events and contacts to touch the lives of people in unknowable ways. We were ministered to by many. There were those who testified that we ministered to them. The more faithful we are to Him, the brighter the light of His gospel shines in a dark world.
Suffering is for a purpose, and there is a reward. Romans 8:18 says,
"For I recon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us."
This is why the Apostle Paul wrote, "Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth to those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:13,14)
So this is both our testimony and our challenge. God is faithful, as demonstrated by the life of Christ, who suffered and died on our behalf, that we might have eternal life. Likewise, we should follow His example, and endure the trials of this life, with the joy that He gives, and He will use it for His glory.
Saturday, August 1, 2015
Saturday, August 1, 2015
Hello Friends,
I am grateful to report that as of July 31st the goal of raising $30,000.00 to resolve Michele's hospital bill has been met! This is the mighty hand of God moving the hearts of friends, family, and the extended church family to bring glory to Him. May it be so, for this could not have come to pass through our own efforts.
Please know that we are extremely thankful for all of you, both those who gave sacrificially, and those who held us up in prayer. May God's riches flow back upon each of you exponentially.
With much love,
Tim and Michele
Hello Friends,
I am grateful to report that as of July 31st the goal of raising $30,000.00 to resolve Michele's hospital bill has been met! This is the mighty hand of God moving the hearts of friends, family, and the extended church family to bring glory to Him. May it be so, for this could not have come to pass through our own efforts.
Please know that we are extremely thankful for all of you, both those who gave sacrificially, and those who held us up in prayer. May God's riches flow back upon each of you exponentially.
With much love,
Tim and Michele
Sunday, July 12, 2015
Tuesday, June 30, 2015
Greetings,
As the month of June draws to a close, I want to report where we stand on the hospital debt. To date, $7,812.00 has come in toward the debt. Many thanks to all who contributed! Our home church in Pennsylvania is collecting funds through the Deacon's fund. When they feel that they have received all the funds possible, they will write a check to our hospital, and send it to us to be hand delivered for credit to our account. I am not sure how the contributions for the Deacon's fund are being earmarked for us, but if anyone would like information about that, please e-mail us for contact information.
When I spoke to our financial contact at the hospital, she voiced the concern that I had about contributions being properly credited to our account. I know it sounds paranoid to think that a check sent to the hospital with specific direction might not be applied to our bill, but she mentioned it before I did. That is the reason I haven't advocated contributions being sent directly to the hospital.
There is life after treatment! Michele has been going to the school most days of the week, putting her library back in order prior to the start of the new school year. I am concluding work on an aircraft that will be used for humanitarian flights in Haiti, and am about to start on another. In a little over two weeks, we will be going to Wisconsin to participate in the missionary aviation component of AirVenture, which is the world's largest gathering of general aviation aircraft.
Between now and then, we will be putting together a long overdue newsletter (on paper). So stay tuned. When the newsletter goes out in the mail, we'll post it here too.
Victorious in Jesus,
Tim and Michele
As the month of June draws to a close, I want to report where we stand on the hospital debt. To date, $7,812.00 has come in toward the debt. Many thanks to all who contributed! Our home church in Pennsylvania is collecting funds through the Deacon's fund. When they feel that they have received all the funds possible, they will write a check to our hospital, and send it to us to be hand delivered for credit to our account. I am not sure how the contributions for the Deacon's fund are being earmarked for us, but if anyone would like information about that, please e-mail us for contact information.
When I spoke to our financial contact at the hospital, she voiced the concern that I had about contributions being properly credited to our account. I know it sounds paranoid to think that a check sent to the hospital with specific direction might not be applied to our bill, but she mentioned it before I did. That is the reason I haven't advocated contributions being sent directly to the hospital.
There is life after treatment! Michele has been going to the school most days of the week, putting her library back in order prior to the start of the new school year. I am concluding work on an aircraft that will be used for humanitarian flights in Haiti, and am about to start on another. In a little over two weeks, we will be going to Wisconsin to participate in the missionary aviation component of AirVenture, which is the world's largest gathering of general aviation aircraft.
Between now and then, we will be putting together a long overdue newsletter (on paper). So stay tuned. When the newsletter goes out in the mail, we'll post it here too.
Victorious in Jesus,
Tim and Michele
Saturday, June 13, 2015
Hello Friends,
Since sending the message requesting prayer for the remainder of our
hospital bill for Michele, we have received numerous inquiries about
contributing to the need.
First of all, thank you, one and all, for your prayers and concern! We feel
very unworthy of all the attention and kindness that has been showered upon us.
May God bless each of you, as He has blessed us.
If you feel led to give to our need, there are basically two ways it can be
done. I don't want to muddy the waters with too many details, but neither do I
want people to feel like they are giving in the blind. Since our status with the
hospital is 'Self Pay', it is best if the monies they receive come directly from
us. Consequently, donors can send their contribution directly to us, in which
case 100% of the donation will be applied to the hospital bill.
The other option, if you want a tax deductible receipt, would be to send
the contribution to MMS Aviation marked, "Preference for Obarows". If you send
it to MMS, please do not write anything about medical expenses on the check.
The difference between the two giving methods is that monies received
through MMS will have the 5% administrative fee deducted, and we will be taxed
on the balance. Monies sent directly to us will go directly to the
hospital.
We will give regular updates as to how much has been received, so you will
know when the need has been met. In the event that more funds are sent to us
than are needed, we will return them to the sender. However, monies sent to MMS
are non refundable, so please bear that in mind.
Thank you so much, and God bless you!
Tim and Michele
Tuesday, June 2, 2015
Tuesday, June 2, 2015
Hello Again,
I almost wrote 'January' when I typed the date. Maybe that's because I was looking at our blog posts in January just a few moments ago. I was checking the date on a post I made on January 8th. That was the day I realized we weren't going to stay below our $250,000 cap with Samaritan Ministries. In fact, we are about $39.000 beyond that. But there is good news. Since Michele is cured, and no further treatments are scheduled, the hospital is willing to negotiate additional discounts. Now, I need to reiterate that we received 40% off of all hospital charges right up front, so they have been very generous with us.
We met with Susan, a resource counsellor supervisor last week. I told her that the best we could do is pay $1,000 a month for the next 39 months. She said that would be fine, but she wanted to try to do more, so she submitted a pay-off plan to her superiors. Susan called me yesterday to tell me that if we could raise $30,000 in 90 days, the hospital would accept that as payment in full. That's good news in the big picture, but we need your help. What we need for you to do is ask God if He would be pleased to make that provision for us.
It may very well be that God knows our character will benefit far more by making those payments for the next 39 months. Or, He may bring glory to Himself by meeting that need in a miraculous manner. If the need is met in 90 days, it will surely be because God did it. There's no getting around that. But we are content with whatever decision He deems best. That's the joy of being confident in the sovereignty of a gracious God.
So please pray for God's perfect will in this matter. That's our request. We'll let you know what transpires.
Thank you!
With love and gratitude,
Tim and Michele
Hello Again,
I almost wrote 'January' when I typed the date. Maybe that's because I was looking at our blog posts in January just a few moments ago. I was checking the date on a post I made on January 8th. That was the day I realized we weren't going to stay below our $250,000 cap with Samaritan Ministries. In fact, we are about $39.000 beyond that. But there is good news. Since Michele is cured, and no further treatments are scheduled, the hospital is willing to negotiate additional discounts. Now, I need to reiterate that we received 40% off of all hospital charges right up front, so they have been very generous with us.
We met with Susan, a resource counsellor supervisor last week. I told her that the best we could do is pay $1,000 a month for the next 39 months. She said that would be fine, but she wanted to try to do more, so she submitted a pay-off plan to her superiors. Susan called me yesterday to tell me that if we could raise $30,000 in 90 days, the hospital would accept that as payment in full. That's good news in the big picture, but we need your help. What we need for you to do is ask God if He would be pleased to make that provision for us.
It may very well be that God knows our character will benefit far more by making those payments for the next 39 months. Or, He may bring glory to Himself by meeting that need in a miraculous manner. If the need is met in 90 days, it will surely be because God did it. There's no getting around that. But we are content with whatever decision He deems best. That's the joy of being confident in the sovereignty of a gracious God.
So please pray for God's perfect will in this matter. That's our request. We'll let you know what transpires.
Thank you!
With love and gratitude,
Tim and Michele
Saturday, May 9, 2015
Saturday May 9, 2015
Good Morning,
At least it is here. I drove to the local Dodge dealer to collect the last of the parts needed to complete the rear brake replacement on our Caravan, but the parts truck hadn't been there yet, so I thought this would be a good time to make that delinquent post that's been on my mind.
The late arrival of the parts truck is just the latest of events linked to the brake extravaganza. Last week I replaced pads and rotors on the front of the van, which took two evenings, but didn't go that badly. The rear brakes are a different story. Our van is one of last to be produced with drum brakes on the rear. Most vehicles now have disc brakes all around, and for good reason. It took two evenings just to remove the drums from the wheel. Everything was fused together with rust. Once inside, I could see at a glance that all the components had returned to their natural state; "Ashes to ashes, dust to dust, brakes to rust". I bought every kit the auto part store sold, including new drums, but there were still hidden parts not present in the "complete" kits. Hence my trip to the dealer this morning. Incidentally, it took the dealer's parts professional 20 minutes to find my parts in their computer, all of which needed to be special ordered, of course.
On a happier note, Michele and I did make a trip to California for a week to see her family. We stayed with her brother and sister-in-law, who are the consummate hosts. Bless you Greg and Angie. The time went too quickly, but we got to see many loved ones. This was our first visit since Christmas of 2011, so grandniece and nephew, who were toddlers, are now old enough to entertain the older folks in the swimming pool. Michele's mom is doing well over all, but she has the physical challenges which come with age. Travel went as smooth as airline travel ever gets, so we were blest.
We were also blest with a good visit to Michele's Oncologist this week. She is no longer on the blood thinner. The Doc wants to see her every three months for the next two years, then every six months for three to five years. All in all, the doctor is very pleased with Michele's state of health, and so are we.
Michele was also released from the Occupational Therapist visits. She is still doing the daily exercises very faithfully, but no longer requires external supervision. She drove around the neighborhood last week, so we are one step closer to normal. Hallelujah!
Activities at MMS have been at a frantic pace. In addition to the steady stream of aircraft being repaired, MMS is hosting the annual conference of the International Association of Mission Aviation (hereafter referred to as IAMA). The conference is next week, so yesterday we moved virtually every aircraft in our facility at least once, making room for the congregants. Then in the afternoon, I stripped and waxed the kitchen floor (at the hangar). Since I still had 2% of my energy left, I went to the garage after supper and worked on the van. That pretty much bring you right up to the minute, so I'll wrap this up, and hope the phone rings from the parts guy.
Bless you all for reading and caring!
With love,
Tim and Michele
Good Morning,
At least it is here. I drove to the local Dodge dealer to collect the last of the parts needed to complete the rear brake replacement on our Caravan, but the parts truck hadn't been there yet, so I thought this would be a good time to make that delinquent post that's been on my mind.
The late arrival of the parts truck is just the latest of events linked to the brake extravaganza. Last week I replaced pads and rotors on the front of the van, which took two evenings, but didn't go that badly. The rear brakes are a different story. Our van is one of last to be produced with drum brakes on the rear. Most vehicles now have disc brakes all around, and for good reason. It took two evenings just to remove the drums from the wheel. Everything was fused together with rust. Once inside, I could see at a glance that all the components had returned to their natural state; "Ashes to ashes, dust to dust, brakes to rust". I bought every kit the auto part store sold, including new drums, but there were still hidden parts not present in the "complete" kits. Hence my trip to the dealer this morning. Incidentally, it took the dealer's parts professional 20 minutes to find my parts in their computer, all of which needed to be special ordered, of course.
On a happier note, Michele and I did make a trip to California for a week to see her family. We stayed with her brother and sister-in-law, who are the consummate hosts. Bless you Greg and Angie. The time went too quickly, but we got to see many loved ones. This was our first visit since Christmas of 2011, so grandniece and nephew, who were toddlers, are now old enough to entertain the older folks in the swimming pool. Michele's mom is doing well over all, but she has the physical challenges which come with age. Travel went as smooth as airline travel ever gets, so we were blest.
We were also blest with a good visit to Michele's Oncologist this week. She is no longer on the blood thinner. The Doc wants to see her every three months for the next two years, then every six months for three to five years. All in all, the doctor is very pleased with Michele's state of health, and so are we.
Michele was also released from the Occupational Therapist visits. She is still doing the daily exercises very faithfully, but no longer requires external supervision. She drove around the neighborhood last week, so we are one step closer to normal. Hallelujah!
Activities at MMS have been at a frantic pace. In addition to the steady stream of aircraft being repaired, MMS is hosting the annual conference of the International Association of Mission Aviation (hereafter referred to as IAMA). The conference is next week, so yesterday we moved virtually every aircraft in our facility at least once, making room for the congregants. Then in the afternoon, I stripped and waxed the kitchen floor (at the hangar). Since I still had 2% of my energy left, I went to the garage after supper and worked on the van. That pretty much bring you right up to the minute, so I'll wrap this up, and hope the phone rings from the parts guy.
Bless you all for reading and caring!
With love,
Tim and Michele
Monday, April 6, 2015
Hello again,
For all my good intentions, I find myself separated from my last posting by a span of six weeks. Bless you for still following along on our journey. We saw Michele's neurosurgeon on Friday, and it was indeed Good Friday. He was very pleased with her progress, and released her from further appointments. More tears of joy were shed, and we had mixed emotions about not seeing these folks again. They have been such a vital part of our lives over the past 9 months, they feel like family. On a personal level we will miss them.
Michele continues to work hard on her therapy, spending a good part of each day exercising her left arm and hand. The therapist comes in once a week to change up her routine and keep her challenged. It must be paying off, considering the neurosurgeon's blessing. She is beginning to think about driving in the future. To that end, I bought a new battery for our Pontiac, which has been comatose in the garage since September. Not a moment too soon, I might add. The day I put the battery in the car, the garage door spring cable let go on the side I park the van in, trapping the van inside the garage until the spring got fixed. Just another example of God's timely provision!
We had a beautiful Easter day here in Coshocton. After church, friends of ours from MMS came over for dinner, and we had a super time of fellowship. That evening we hosted our usual Sunday evening Bible study with other dear friends. It was truly a day of blessing!
In my previous posting, I mentioned a team from LeTourneau University that came in March. They were a really good group, and got a lot of work accomplished. The Aztec I have been working on is nearly complete, due in no small part to their contribution. Today we pulled the Aztec outside and put fuel in the tanks in 3 gallon increments to make a sort of dipstick for the ministry in Alaska to use in case the electric gages prove undependable. The exercise also leak checked the tanks, three of which had been replaced. Once it was full of fuel, we test ran the engines and washed the plane.
At lunch time, some dear friends of ours from Wisconsin picked up Michele at the house and drove up to the hangar to visit. We had lunch at a nearby restaurant, then returned to MMS for a quick look around. This was Michele's first trip to the hangar in nearly a year, so she enjoyed a warm reception from the MMS family while I took our guests on a mini tour. Our friends and Michele left around 2:30 and I went back to work.
In the mean time, another ministry plane arrived with some maintenance needs, and I split my afternoon between the Aztec and the other plane, a King Air. By four o'clock the King Air was climbing into the sky, and the Aztec was back in the hangar. It was a whirlwind day, but very gratifying. A week from tomorrow we will be flying to California to visit Michele's family, so I need to have the Aztec completed and ready to go before then.
My intention is to write another update when we return from California. Many people have graciously commented on these posts, so I will try to keep them going. It may seem that the words flow freely, but the reality is that it takes me an inordinately long time to tap out these few lines, but I recognize the need for me to improve my communication skills, so I'll try not to 'fall off the wagon'.
Thank you for your friendship!
Tim and Michele
For all my good intentions, I find myself separated from my last posting by a span of six weeks. Bless you for still following along on our journey. We saw Michele's neurosurgeon on Friday, and it was indeed Good Friday. He was very pleased with her progress, and released her from further appointments. More tears of joy were shed, and we had mixed emotions about not seeing these folks again. They have been such a vital part of our lives over the past 9 months, they feel like family. On a personal level we will miss them.
Michele continues to work hard on her therapy, spending a good part of each day exercising her left arm and hand. The therapist comes in once a week to change up her routine and keep her challenged. It must be paying off, considering the neurosurgeon's blessing. She is beginning to think about driving in the future. To that end, I bought a new battery for our Pontiac, which has been comatose in the garage since September. Not a moment too soon, I might add. The day I put the battery in the car, the garage door spring cable let go on the side I park the van in, trapping the van inside the garage until the spring got fixed. Just another example of God's timely provision!
We had a beautiful Easter day here in Coshocton. After church, friends of ours from MMS came over for dinner, and we had a super time of fellowship. That evening we hosted our usual Sunday evening Bible study with other dear friends. It was truly a day of blessing!
In my previous posting, I mentioned a team from LeTourneau University that came in March. They were a really good group, and got a lot of work accomplished. The Aztec I have been working on is nearly complete, due in no small part to their contribution. Today we pulled the Aztec outside and put fuel in the tanks in 3 gallon increments to make a sort of dipstick for the ministry in Alaska to use in case the electric gages prove undependable. The exercise also leak checked the tanks, three of which had been replaced. Once it was full of fuel, we test ran the engines and washed the plane.
At lunch time, some dear friends of ours from Wisconsin picked up Michele at the house and drove up to the hangar to visit. We had lunch at a nearby restaurant, then returned to MMS for a quick look around. This was Michele's first trip to the hangar in nearly a year, so she enjoyed a warm reception from the MMS family while I took our guests on a mini tour. Our friends and Michele left around 2:30 and I went back to work.
In the mean time, another ministry plane arrived with some maintenance needs, and I split my afternoon between the Aztec and the other plane, a King Air. By four o'clock the King Air was climbing into the sky, and the Aztec was back in the hangar. It was a whirlwind day, but very gratifying. A week from tomorrow we will be flying to California to visit Michele's family, so I need to have the Aztec completed and ready to go before then.
My intention is to write another update when we return from California. Many people have graciously commented on these posts, so I will try to keep them going. It may seem that the words flow freely, but the reality is that it takes me an inordinately long time to tap out these few lines, but I recognize the need for me to improve my communication skills, so I'll try not to 'fall off the wagon'.
Thank you for your friendship!
Tim and Michele
Sunday, February 22, 2015
Hello Friends,
I (Tim) have been back at the Hangar full time for two weeks now. Originally we had planned that I would go in during the morning, then come home to fix lunch for Michele and take care of any necessary tasks before returning in the afternoon. We did that for one day, then Michele said I really didn't need to come home, as long as she had things arranged in advance before I left the house. So I get clothes out of the dresser and make sure her pills are sorted for the day, then I'm off.
Michele's seeing a therapist once a week who keeps her challenged with hand and arm exercises. The nerves in her arm and hand sometimes cause her to twitch, sometimes cause pain, but over all her strength is increasing. We are hopeful that one day the tingling and 'shocks' will give way to normal sensation and dexterity. Her hair is about a half inch long now, and her eyebrows are back. She is looking very healthy, and just as pretty as ever!
We had a nice evening out for Valentine's day at a local restaurant, even though the temperature was in the single digits and a wicked North wind blew. We had intended to make an appearance at Sunday School the next day, but decided not to venture into the cold. This Sunday the walks and roads were snow covered, so we stayed in again. Sooner or later the weather is bound to cooperate, and we're looking forward to our integration back into society.
We are planning a trip to California in April, and have made our plane reservations. In the mean time, there is a lot of work to be done in the hangar. In two weeks a group of interns from LeTourneau University will be arriving for a week of work with us. Their work needs to be planned in advance, with the object of our mutual benefit. I'm leading an Annual Inspection of a Piper Aztec recently acquired by Arctic Barnabas. When we are finished, they will fly it to Alaska and have one of the engines overhauled before starting their summer ministry season. It's a little difficult getting my head back into organizing maintenance and schedules after such a long time away, but I'm happy to be back. What I don't want to do is shift the focus in my head to the neglect of Michele. I think I'm doing okay, but I need to be on my guard.
Thanks again for partnering with us in prayer. Please do keep us before the Throne.
With love,
Tim and Michele
I (Tim) have been back at the Hangar full time for two weeks now. Originally we had planned that I would go in during the morning, then come home to fix lunch for Michele and take care of any necessary tasks before returning in the afternoon. We did that for one day, then Michele said I really didn't need to come home, as long as she had things arranged in advance before I left the house. So I get clothes out of the dresser and make sure her pills are sorted for the day, then I'm off.
Michele's seeing a therapist once a week who keeps her challenged with hand and arm exercises. The nerves in her arm and hand sometimes cause her to twitch, sometimes cause pain, but over all her strength is increasing. We are hopeful that one day the tingling and 'shocks' will give way to normal sensation and dexterity. Her hair is about a half inch long now, and her eyebrows are back. She is looking very healthy, and just as pretty as ever!
We had a nice evening out for Valentine's day at a local restaurant, even though the temperature was in the single digits and a wicked North wind blew. We had intended to make an appearance at Sunday School the next day, but decided not to venture into the cold. This Sunday the walks and roads were snow covered, so we stayed in again. Sooner or later the weather is bound to cooperate, and we're looking forward to our integration back into society.
We are planning a trip to California in April, and have made our plane reservations. In the mean time, there is a lot of work to be done in the hangar. In two weeks a group of interns from LeTourneau University will be arriving for a week of work with us. Their work needs to be planned in advance, with the object of our mutual benefit. I'm leading an Annual Inspection of a Piper Aztec recently acquired by Arctic Barnabas. When we are finished, they will fly it to Alaska and have one of the engines overhauled before starting their summer ministry season. It's a little difficult getting my head back into organizing maintenance and schedules after such a long time away, but I'm happy to be back. What I don't want to do is shift the focus in my head to the neglect of Michele. I think I'm doing okay, but I need to be on my guard.
Thanks again for partnering with us in prayer. Please do keep us before the Throne.
With love,
Tim and Michele
Monday, February 2, 2015
Monday, February 2, 2015
Good Evening,
I am very happy to report that Michele's PET scan showed that she has no tumors and she is officially CURED! We are very grateful to the Lord for His grace toward us, and for all of you who prayed so faithfully on our behalf!
It will be a few months for hair to grow out (it is already sprouting :-), and for strength and stamina to come back, but the worst is behind. Please continue to pray for Michele's nerves to heal in her left arm and hand. The therapist lowered some of the resistance in a few of her exercises, which helped reduce the discomfort she was experiencing. She also began taking a second Gabapentin which is helping with the nerve pain.
I have been going to MMS nearly every day for a few hours, slowly transitioning back into an active role. I really appreciate Terry, Phil, and Dwight for shouldering my workload during my absence. I'm very grateful for the warm reception I've received from all the folks in the hangar on a daily basis. It is indeed a privilege to serve the Lord in this ministry.
May you be as blest as we are!
Tim and Michele
Good Evening,
I am very happy to report that Michele's PET scan showed that she has no tumors and she is officially CURED! We are very grateful to the Lord for His grace toward us, and for all of you who prayed so faithfully on our behalf!
It will be a few months for hair to grow out (it is already sprouting :-), and for strength and stamina to come back, but the worst is behind. Please continue to pray for Michele's nerves to heal in her left arm and hand. The therapist lowered some of the resistance in a few of her exercises, which helped reduce the discomfort she was experiencing. She also began taking a second Gabapentin which is helping with the nerve pain.
I have been going to MMS nearly every day for a few hours, slowly transitioning back into an active role. I really appreciate Terry, Phil, and Dwight for shouldering my workload during my absence. I'm very grateful for the warm reception I've received from all the folks in the hangar on a daily basis. It is indeed a privilege to serve the Lord in this ministry.
May you be as blest as we are!
Tim and Michele
Tuesday, January 27, 2015
Tuesday, January 27, 2015
Hello,
It has been a while since my last update, and I don't want too much time to drift between posts, so I thought I'd better fill in the gaps. Michele's new occupational therapist came for the first time last Wednesday (the 21st). He gave her a pretty agressive workout, being here over an hour. Michele did the routine twice a day for a few days without any ill effects, but yesterday a resurgence of nerve pain hit with a vengence. This morning her arm and hand hurt when touched, and her elbow hurts. We talked about options and decided to take a day off, just to see if the discomfort lets up.
We are in a quandry because it feels like we are in no-mans-land medically. This is not an issue for the Oncologist, but we haven't been to the Neurosugeon since October. Cancer questions could be answered pretty quickly, but I'm afraid we might have to get in line to see the Neurosurgeon again. In any event, we appreciate your prayers for her arm and hand. It is possible that she may wake up one morning with things greatly improved. She was actually experiencing that before the heavy chemotherapy un-did the healing process, so it could happen again. The therapist returns this Thursday (29th), so we'll see what he says.
Monday we need to be in Zanesville at 7:25AM for Michele's PET scan. We will be heading to the Oncologist shortly after the scan to hear the results. We are expecting a 'clean' scan, in other words, no more cancer. Appreciate your prayers in that regard too. I'm sure we will be talking about the nerve pain in that meeting, so perhaps the Oncologist can put us on an inside track to the Neurosurgeon, if needed. We will let you know.
Your companions in the journey,
Tim and Michele
Hello,
It has been a while since my last update, and I don't want too much time to drift between posts, so I thought I'd better fill in the gaps. Michele's new occupational therapist came for the first time last Wednesday (the 21st). He gave her a pretty agressive workout, being here over an hour. Michele did the routine twice a day for a few days without any ill effects, but yesterday a resurgence of nerve pain hit with a vengence. This morning her arm and hand hurt when touched, and her elbow hurts. We talked about options and decided to take a day off, just to see if the discomfort lets up.
We are in a quandry because it feels like we are in no-mans-land medically. This is not an issue for the Oncologist, but we haven't been to the Neurosugeon since October. Cancer questions could be answered pretty quickly, but I'm afraid we might have to get in line to see the Neurosurgeon again. In any event, we appreciate your prayers for her arm and hand. It is possible that she may wake up one morning with things greatly improved. She was actually experiencing that before the heavy chemotherapy un-did the healing process, so it could happen again. The therapist returns this Thursday (29th), so we'll see what he says.
Monday we need to be in Zanesville at 7:25AM for Michele's PET scan. We will be heading to the Oncologist shortly after the scan to hear the results. We are expecting a 'clean' scan, in other words, no more cancer. Appreciate your prayers in that regard too. I'm sure we will be talking about the nerve pain in that meeting, so perhaps the Oncologist can put us on an inside track to the Neurosurgeon, if needed. We will let you know.
Your companions in the journey,
Tim and Michele
Thursday, January 15, 2015
Thursday, January 15, 2015
Hello,
We met with Michele's Oncologist this afternoon. Praise God, the pathology from her spinal fluid is clean! The doctor feels that she is done with treatment. She is scheduled for a PET scan on February 2nd (Groundhog Day). If the scan confirms no tumors, then she will be officially cancer-free.
The next step is to restart her therapy for her arm and hand. Now that she is not being infused with poison, we are looking forward to some serious progress with her left arm and hand. Regaining the use of her arm and hand will be the icing on the cake, so please pray to that end.
Thank you all for praying. The Lord has heard and answered. Blessed be the name of the Lord!
With much love,
Tim and Michele
Hello,
We met with Michele's Oncologist this afternoon. Praise God, the pathology from her spinal fluid is clean! The doctor feels that she is done with treatment. She is scheduled for a PET scan on February 2nd (Groundhog Day). If the scan confirms no tumors, then she will be officially cancer-free.
The next step is to restart her therapy for her arm and hand. Now that she is not being infused with poison, we are looking forward to some serious progress with her left arm and hand. Regaining the use of her arm and hand will be the icing on the cake, so please pray to that end.
Thank you all for praying. The Lord has heard and answered. Blessed be the name of the Lord!
With much love,
Tim and Michele
Thursday, January 8, 2015
Thursday, January 8th, 2015
Greetings,
Yesterday Michele had her last scheduled Intrathecal procedure. Before injecting the Methotrexate into her spine, they withdrew a generous amount of spinal fluid for pathological tests. After the procedure, we made our way to the Oncology suite where Michele received a bag of saline solution to give her a boost. The next scheduled appointment is for January 15th to meet with the Oncologist. He will have the results from pathology by then and will tell us what our next course of action will be.
The intrathecal procedure does leave Michele with a few days of discomfort, although nothing as severe as the massive Methotrexate treatments did. Her left arm and hand are always the most affected, but the nerves going to her legs get agitated as well. If this turns out to be the last of the treatments, she should be able to start taking vitamins again in 2 or 3 weeks and see some hair begin to grow back. Michele is anxious to restart her occupational therapy for her left hand and arm, which we will do soon, Lord willing.
We are now in the 7th month since we began incurring medical expenses, and Samaritan Ministries has been great about publishing our needs. Other Samaritan members have faithfully sent their checks, which has enabled us to keep up with the steady flow of bills. But there is a catch, which has me (Tim) concerned. The plan we are enrolled in has a cap of $250,000.00 per event, and we are rapidly approaching that amount of published need. Now I want to go on record that I am quite certain God will meet all our needs, but at the same time, I need to confess that this situation increases my pucker-factor. I share this for two reasons: (1) So that you may pray with us for God to glorify Himself in this situation; and, (2) That you can follow along as God answers prayer and meets our needs. I'll keep you posted. It should be exciting.
Pray too for Michele's mom, who was recently hospitalized with a congestive heart issue, but is now home again. We have not been to see Michele's family in California for more than 3 years and are really looking forward to Michele being able to travel again, so we can visit. My mom turned 92 in November and it's been a year since we've seen her too, so that will be another much anticipated trip.
Thanks for following us on this journey.
With love,
Tim and Michele
Greetings,
Yesterday Michele had her last scheduled Intrathecal procedure. Before injecting the Methotrexate into her spine, they withdrew a generous amount of spinal fluid for pathological tests. After the procedure, we made our way to the Oncology suite where Michele received a bag of saline solution to give her a boost. The next scheduled appointment is for January 15th to meet with the Oncologist. He will have the results from pathology by then and will tell us what our next course of action will be.
The intrathecal procedure does leave Michele with a few days of discomfort, although nothing as severe as the massive Methotrexate treatments did. Her left arm and hand are always the most affected, but the nerves going to her legs get agitated as well. If this turns out to be the last of the treatments, she should be able to start taking vitamins again in 2 or 3 weeks and see some hair begin to grow back. Michele is anxious to restart her occupational therapy for her left hand and arm, which we will do soon, Lord willing.
We are now in the 7th month since we began incurring medical expenses, and Samaritan Ministries has been great about publishing our needs. Other Samaritan members have faithfully sent their checks, which has enabled us to keep up with the steady flow of bills. But there is a catch, which has me (Tim) concerned. The plan we are enrolled in has a cap of $250,000.00 per event, and we are rapidly approaching that amount of published need. Now I want to go on record that I am quite certain God will meet all our needs, but at the same time, I need to confess that this situation increases my pucker-factor. I share this for two reasons: (1) So that you may pray with us for God to glorify Himself in this situation; and, (2) That you can follow along as God answers prayer and meets our needs. I'll keep you posted. It should be exciting.
Pray too for Michele's mom, who was recently hospitalized with a congestive heart issue, but is now home again. We have not been to see Michele's family in California for more than 3 years and are really looking forward to Michele being able to travel again, so we can visit. My mom turned 92 in November and it's been a year since we've seen her too, so that will be another much anticipated trip.
Thanks for following us on this journey.
With love,
Tim and Michele
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