Skip to content ↓

Friday Miscellania

It has been a tough couple of days. On Wednesday I wrote about the perfect storm of being away from home and returning only to have Michaela (my two year-old daughter) come down with some kind of illness. Well, that illness has progressed and yesterday she was admitted to the hospital. The doctors aren’t quite sure what is wrong with her, though at least they’ve been able to eliminate several awful things. At this point they are thinking that she likely has some kind of viral infection, but for the time being they need to keep her there. She hasn’t been able to keep any food or drink down for almost three days now so they’ve had to hook her up to an I.V. to keep her hydrated. Thankfully it seems that she is doing a little bit better than she was yesterday.

Aileen stayed with her all day yesterday and through the night so I’m going to head over there now and spell her off so she can come home and get some sleep. Here’s a picture of my two girls (with Michaela being the younger of the two, of course). We covet your prayers!

michaela_abby.jpg

Afternoon Update: I got home from the hospital a short time ago. Michaela is definitely doing at least a little bit better and she’s getting her fight back in her. Though I hate to see the sin in my kids, at least this time around I’m taking it as a good sign! She’s very bothered by the I.V. in her arm and by the bracelets on her ankles (but quite pleased with the Snoopy band aid). She’s grumpy and irritable, but at least she’s showing some emotion. The past two days she was so out of it she didn’t even talk or complain most of the time. The doctor figures it is just some nasty virus and thinks she should be set for release sometime on Saturday afternoon. So we’re thankful and hopeful. We are grateful for your prayers and for your concern!


  • The Phrase that Altered My Thinking Forever

    This week the blog is sponsored by P&R Publishing and is written by Ralph Cunnington. Years ago, I stumbled repeatedly on an ancient phrase that altered my thinking forever.  Distinct yet inseparable. The first time I encountered this phrase was while studying the Council of Chalcedon’s description of the two natures of Christ. Soon after,…

  • Always Look for the Light

    Always Look for the Light

    For many years there was a little potted plant on our kitchen window sill, though I’ve long since forgotten the variety. Year after year that plant would put out a shoot and from the shoot would emerge a single flower. And I observed that no matter how I turned the pot, the flower would respond.…

  • A La Carte Collection cover image

    A La Carte (March 18)

    A La Carte: God is good and does good—even in our pain / Dear bride and groom / Sin won’t comfort you / Worthy of the gospel / From self-sufficiency to trusting God’s people / The gods fight for our devotion / and more.

  • Confidence

    God Takes Us Into His Confidence

    Here is another Sunday devotional—a brief thought to orient your heart toward the Lord. God takes the initiative in establishing relationship by reaching out to helpless humanity. He reveals himself to the creatures he has made. But what does it mean for him to provide such revelation of himself? John Calvin began his Institutes by…

  • A La Carte Collection cover image

    Weekend A La Carte (March 16)

    A La Carte: I believe in the death of Julius Caesar and the resurrection of Jesus Christ / Reasons students and pastors shouldn’t use ChatGPT / A 1.3 gigpixel photo of a supernova / What two raw vegans taught me about sharing Jesus / If we realize we’re undeserving, suddenly the world comes alive /…

  • Ask Pastor John

    Ask Pastor John

    I admit it: I felt a little skeptical about Ask Pastor John. To be fair, I feel skeptical about most books that begin in one medium before making the leap to another. Books based on sermons, for example, can often be pretty disappointing—a powerful sermon at a conference can make a bland chapter in a…