Update and Part 2 from Mark

March 26th

This week has been slightly rough as Mark often woke up sick. The immunotherapy can reak havoc on his system and the pink puke bucket has been close at all times. Today (Saturday) he seems to feel better. Thank goodness. He seems to have more energy and be more alert. He got some things listed on facebook and sold while I was gone to Felicity’s baby shower. So that’s good.

I took Aly to visit Cornerstone and I think that was hard for Mark. I know he really wanted to go. Not only is he an alumni but he wants to be involved in these big decisions for his kids but going on campus and walking all around wasn’t going to be in the cards. She did love it though. The team was super nice, she enjoyed the run and the coaches are just really top notch and relate well with her. We shall see what happens!!

I never got the MRI’s scheduled. That will get on my calendar for Monday. There were some snafus. I think since they require the doctors to fax in the orders…the hospital should call me to schedule, not the other way around.

Today me and Mark’s sisters hosted a baby shower for Felicity. It went really well, there were lots of people there and if love is expressed in gifts…she was well loved!!

Now….keep reading more from Mark below.

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Part 2: Appointment in Court

My preoccupation with death—my eyes being opened to the fact that my days are numbered and he knows the exact day when I will breathe my last breath.  The appointment has been made without my input and I have no knowledge or insight into the time or place.  God has made this appointment before my birth.  

The irony is that there is both frustration and comfort in the fact that God has ordained this.  I trust that he is all loving, and all wise, and so if he set this day and time with pure love and wisdom.

“Teach us to number our days that we might gain a heart of wisdom.”  To my kids—this is so hard at your age!  I don’t know how to communicate the importance of this.  I don’t have the vocabulary or illustration or ability.  I think that’s why I have been so hesitant to post these posts.  I don’t want to be arrogant and yet I feel there is a deep importance to this message and I feel God is trying to teach me it.  When I was younger it was easy to be motivated by the world around me.  I remember, wondering if my shirt was cool enough, my shoes, etc.  I remember thinking if I could get a pair of Air Jordans then I would be set, there was nothing cooler than Jordan’s.  Education, marriage, kids, careers, 401K’s—it doesn’t go away.  I see the anxiety in young people today and I think if they could number their days this anxiety would hold so little power over them.  If they could see how short life is, important things would become more important and frivolous things even more frivolous.  When one becomes able to decipher between important and frivolous —the end result is wisdom.  I have become wiser as I aged but —even in my forty’s and knowing my time could be short I struggle with the importance of wrapping my mind around the sovereignty of God and his plan. 

“And after this comes judgement”  

Everyone dies and God has complete sovereignty over the time and place.

After death, wI will meet the judge.  The judge will decide whether or not I will experience God’s wrath or the Salvation of Jesus Christ.

This is a sobering fearful thought.  I will stand before him and he will see me for who I am, every false motive, unkind word, every unaccounted day.

If this is true we should all be a little scared.  The only comfort I have is my firm belief in the Bible and my hope and trust placed in this bizarre historical figure, Jesus.  He paid the price for my wrong doings.  The words of Jesus let me see and feel the fact that my guilt and condemnation are gone.  I want to live in compete peace with a God who is perfect—it’s impossible to live in peace with God when we are so far from perfection.  We just can’t see it!  We are so far from perfect!  We cannot be in ‘perfection’s’ presence!

After being given the privilege of giving Checkride’s (FAA Examinations) for the last 11 years and taking Checkrides from FAA inspectors and other examiners for almost 30 I have come to realize this simple truth.  Being Judged is miserable especially when compared to being the judge!  However, none of us are given that privilege, there are no Designated Morality Examiners.  Just this man Jesus.

If Hebrews 9:27 is true then..

• Everyone dies.
• Everyone faces The Judgment no matter what you believe.