This was a very long few days. Sunday night never looked so good to me. My apologies for not writing before now since there is no one to blame but myself. The first week of every treatment is when my regimen calls for a healthy dose of steroids. I take them for five days to offset side effects as well as assist in the other medicines working. By Friday night my system is overflowing with these meds. One of the side effects of having no side effects is difficulty sleeping. The last two nights were not pleasant at all. Add to this prescription a son who wakes up far too early and the mix is on the painful side. I can feel my system returning to whatever normal is and it comes not a moment too soon.

We are going to start this new week aiming for better results without all the drugs. Even today, my mind was going at full speed during church. At one point my voice cracked like the teenager moving through puberty. Remind me to look back on this weekend when round three begins. I am going to look for a new approach to get through this. We will also be writing from home for a few days. The computer in my church office is infested with viruses and such to the point it needs an overhaul. Luckily there is still access to the blog from home. Well, perhaps it is lucky depending on your point of view.

Life is not always about getting through with the minimum of roadblocks. Even God's best lived with their fair share of obstacles. To be sure, some of these issues were self inflicted. There are other times the problems originated from less than pure motives. We even have to wrestle with the times that God was personally involved in varied trials and tribulations. What I need to do is worry less about the source of difficulty and focus on who God is in every moment. Lately that is where my mind and heart seeks to rest. Sure there is still tension between my view of the good or bad in life. Being sick never strikes me as a good thing. God is however revealing Himself to be good regardless of the conditions.

We may be in need of an overhaul just like the computer. Remember that self repair is not really an option in life. Our aim can be to simply feel better more than it is to be made new. I try to keep in mind that God's goal is far more than whether or not I become "healthy" again. His work runs far deeper than my contaminated blood cells. His desire to renovate each of us down to our heart. Just be glad He operates through His Spirit. That renewal is far more gentle than the steroids. This week try to let God into your life so you see what He sees. Then open yourself up to His work of gentle grace. Rest in His unchanging mercy. Trust in His unfailing love.

Bro. Trey