Yesterday Shelly and I actually walked outside the hospital! I felt like Pinocchio when he lost his strings, "look at me...I got no stings to tie me down!" After almost two months of chemo treatments, infections, fevers, reactions to the antibiotics, skin peeling like a lizard, always tied to lines and ports, and peripheral lines and fluids...here we are...Shelly and I arm in arm walk right out the hospital across the entry circle straight toward the center flower bed...I was drawn to it like a magnet. In front of me was a bed of brilliantly colored impatience...I just stood there staring at their beauty and I began to weep. It was the beauty of God reflected in those flowers He created...I bent over and smelled the grass...it was all too much but wonderful. I think of the richness and fullness of life that God has provided, even in a very broken and confused world. There is always a place of beauty with God, even when things are dark, He makes the darkness to be as light.(Psa. 139)...God's presence is never diminished by any darkness we may experience. I am constantly reminded of the un-diminished presence of God when Shelly and I read your comments, when we know your prayers are still going up before the Father, when we hear of your care and helps and support, when we watch the Body of Christ in action! Yes...I have been in misery at times...crying out to God to just stop this torture, just a break Lord, just a gentle touch from you and He always delivers. I know that He will deliver you as well. As we turn to find that place of God's beauty..."His "brilliant flower bed"...He always delivers...when we seek Him with all our heart, He says we find Him...and indeed we do!

Shelly & I are trying to get out of this hospital, but I seem to have some infection or something going on in my lungs and increased fluid around my heart...please pray for that to go away, be cured, healed...if we can get those things under control we can take a step closer to Maui, to coming home. Thank you for all the love. I am glad to hear that God is using this time/trial to heal so many of us, to mature us and draw us close to Him...that from that increase in our relationship with Him we become better moms and dads, better sons and daughters, better brothers and sisters, better friends and make a greater impact on this world for all that is pure, lovely and good...in other words Jesus Christ...to the glory of God!

forever indebted to your love for us...
kit & shelly