Editor's Desk Page

Life has a way of pouring out bushels of lemons at times, perfect to make bottomless pitchers of lemonade. You'd think I'd have perfected the recipe by now, but it seems I keep learning new ways to make it. At least I have a bounty of experiences to use for my writing!

God tells us that we comfort one another with the same comfort wherewith he comforts us. When we pass through those fiery life trials, He is near. He walks before us making a way where none seems to be. He walks beside us wrapping His comforting arm around our shoulders. He walks behind us, His glory forming a golden shield of protection. There is nothing to hard for Him and nothing that He is unaware of in our lives. Every tiny facet is important.

I look back over this past year plus and can now see God at work in every attack and assisting me over every seemingly insurmountable obstacle. For a few months I couldn't seem to walk without falling and even had to make one trip to the emergency room in an ambulance. Each time I fell, I further damaged my right knee.

During one fall, I evidently also cracked one of my upper teeth. After having the back of the tooth fall off and making a trip to the dentist, I had to get root canal. A temporary cap was put on and the permanent one ordered. Just four days later, that tooth broke off at the root and I ended up having to get it pulled. Now I have a gap in my smile because the cost of the needed bridge is very high and not covered by our dental insurance.

I also learned I have deteriorating bone disease; fibromyalgia has worsened; a large cyst broke open in one breast causing excruciating pain for weeks and now requires frequent mammograms to monitor "suspicious tissue"; osteoarthritis increased along with spinal spurs and herniated disks in my neck; my feet are a mess and need orthopedic inserts; and my good knee is stressed from trying to compensate for the bad one, causing me to need a walker most days. The list could go on.

Had the warranty had run out on all my body parts? I wonder often, why I can't just take my head off and stick it on a new, younger, more in shape, thinner body. I know - I know. There isn't a "New Body for You" store in any mall or anywhere to be found – this side of heaven that is. Instead, I learned after a long bout with the flu that I have a very large cyst behind my heart, inside the rib cage, (not attached to my spine) that is precariously close to the pulmonary aorta. To get to the cyst even just to biopsy it, requires breaking my ribs and deflating my lungs .Thanks but I think we'll just watch it for now with periodic x-rays or MRIs.

Thanks be to God a nuclear stress test revealed my heart is in great shape – no enlargements or blockages. There's no sign of diabetes either. And I've lost between 80 and 100 lbs to date. At least something is working!

After multiple rounds of physical therapy, injections to stimulate joint fluid production, cortisone injections, nothing helped. I now face total knee replacement surgery. In light of the long term benefits, this seemed my best option. While I'm not looking forward to it, I know that the Lord has already prepared every minute detail and has set a watch of angels over me.

Meanwhile Melody of the Heart will be mostly offline for a season, with limited pages to view and read. I can't tell you how that grieves me. I will be looking for new writers soon, talking with past columnists, brainstorming, but must take time for the surgery and a few weeks for recovery. I expect to bounce back quickly and to see my healing spring forth speedily according to Isaiah 58:8.

My great joy right now is that at the beginning of 2004 we had no grandkids. Now we have four! Our son married a gal from China, Ling, who arrived with her then 8 year old son, YingEr last June. He is doing well in school and loves being in America. He has chosen the name "Seth" and is becoming quite the All-American boy.

Our daughter and son-in-law, Amie and Joe have been in process of adopting 3 siblings and will learn more soon. There are several miracle stories with this situation that I will share later, once the adoption is finalized. We will get to meet the children at Christmas this year (contingent on how well Grandma is doing healt-wise) and are so excited about that. It is certainly a good incentive to healing quickly!

I know so many who have been hit hard with many problems, health issues, devastation, and loss this year. It's been a testing time, a precursor of what is to come. A time for God to call to us to line up with His Word and to trust Him entirely with our lives, our whole lives.

The message God planted deep in my heart during this very difficult year plus has been to remember this: Everything in heaven, on the earth, and beneath the earth has a name. Everything that is named must bow it's knee to the Name above all others, the name of Jesus! When the floods of adversity rise, when hurricanes blow, when the earth shakes, when your body gives up, lift up your hands and speak that precious name and cover you and your loved ones with the Blood of the Lamb.

This may sound old-fashioned, from an era overrun by fear and superstition, and smacking of fables and feeble-mindedness to you. The truth is that His name and His blood were given to us for a reason. For such a time as this. By the power of His name and faith in His sacrifice at Calvary you can triumph and become more than a conqueror, even when it feels like your very body has turned traitor on you. It is in our weakness that He shows himself strong.

No matter how many bushels of lemons you've had dumped on your life, lift up His wonderful name. Sing praises to Him and you will find yourself lifted from the everyday, seated at His feet, and basking in the light of His glory.