Magnolia Tree in Bloom

Monday, April 12, 2010 – Kellee had an ultra-sound this morning and it appears there was nothing there!  At least nothing of concern. Once again the news was everything looks good at first glance, but the person who had to give it the final reading was in surgery and would read it later. Kellee was supposed to get a call in the afternoon with the official word. However, no call came – so we wait a bit more. We also have not received a call from ACS Hope Lodge to verify if we will be able to stay there next week. Application for admission is by physician referral only after a treatment plan has been developed. We filled out the paperwork last Thursday when we were there and they were going to turn it in for us.  Hopefully we will get a call before too much of the week goes by, so we will have time to make other arrangements, if needed. Please pray there will be an opening for us there! The full official name of the Hope Lodge in Iowa City  is – The Russell and Ann Gerdin American Cancer Society Hope Lodge.

Another prayer request would be for my work computer, I am hoping to be able to take my laptop from work and hook up to our network and to do most of my job while in Iowa City. However, I have been having difficulty being able to sign in and I will really need to be able to do so to work, otherwise there will be things I will not be able to accomplish. The latest fix tried today, did not work! Please pray IT can help me figure it out before the end of the week.

Today, my friend & hunting buddy John  came over and fixed Kory’s car, so it is ready to go up to Ames on Thursday. It was a pretty simple fix and I probably should have been able to figure it out. John definitely has a gift and he enjoys serving by helping people in this way. We really appreciate his assistance on our vehicles!

Tonight Kellee went to Systematic Theology class @ TRC and then the band, Sons & Heirs, is scheduled to practice after class.  (Have you been voting for S &H at Cornerstone?) The band is looking forward to Thursday and the Battle of the Bands at VEISHEA.  I went to the Barefoot Warriors men’s prayer and then came home to update the blog.

When Heidi left for her trip, one of the things she realized she would probably miss would be the blooming of our magnolia tree. As is usually the case in most things, she was right; today it was just starting to bloom nicely. It is not quite in full bloom, but getting close. It is so nice to see the grass getting green, leaves starting to show on trees, etc. Thank the Lord for Spring, the yearly reminder of  God’s goodness and how He brings life from death! To mark the occasion, Kellee agreed to let me take his picture by the tree to post so Heidi can see it from Florida and anyone else interested can also see the bloomin’ tree.

Kellee by the tree

Songs on Healing

Sunday, March 28, 2010 – Woke up @ 4:00 am this morning, couldn’t get back to sleep. Got up and went into the living room and tried to pray, but did not really know how to pray. I find that anymore  I am praying for one thing; healing for Kellee. With all the people telling us they are praying and many telling us they are believing God will heal him, shouldn’t he have been healed by now? Why isn’t his double vision gone? Wouldn’t a sign the tumor was gone or shrinking be the double vision going away? Please Jesus, be the miracle worker in our lives!

Both Heidi & I went to the 10:30 service in the auditorium at TRC today. We got there a bit late and found a couple of seats in the back row. Most of the songs either had a version of the word healing in them or referenced healing. I couldn’t sing and keep dry eyes. Andrew told me he woke up @ 4:00 this morning to pray for Kellee, he wasn’t sure what it meant, but perhaps we could talk later. And here I thought I woke up at 4:00 because I couldn’t sleep. Maybe I am supposed to make better use of the times when sleep won’t come, oh I don’t know…praying perhaps?

Monday, March 29, 2010 – Today work was, well, work. I feel guilty, there are times I find I just have to get up from my desk and walk. I can’t concentrate on one thing for too long because my thoughts keep going to Dwight the tumor. So I get up and try to do a bit of praying, but mostly I just walk to try to clear my head so I can get back to work, at least for a moment.  

Monday when we got home from work, Kellee told us he had posted another song, this one is called “Everything New” – http://www.myspace.com/kelleevanhemertmusic . Monday night was once again time for Barefoot Warriors at TRC. Since it was Andrew’s last night, there were many more men than usual in attendance tonight. During one section of prayer time, I was led to John 14: 12-14 where Jesus said “…I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will even do greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me anything in my name, and I will do it.” (emphasis added by me) I was able to talk with one of the guys there about this verse and he told me I needed to have faith and believe it (healing for Kellee) would happen and then I would know it. I told him I wanted to know it happened so I could then believe it. He prayed for me and we then joined in a time of worship. It was another great night of prayer. We ended with a time of prayer and blessing for Andrew. Then it was off to HyVee to get milk, home to finish this blog and now it is time for bed. I hope I can sleep tonight!

More Waiting – but another song!

Monday, March 22, 2010 – No news today from Iowa City. Last week the first call came on Tuesday so we are thinking this week will be similar. Kellee was in the basement today recording another song and he heard the dogs barking upstairs and found out it was his G-ma working in the yard.  Turns out – Heidi’s mom came over and began the task of cleaning up the gazillion sticks from our trees. She completed the front yard and we are very much appreciative of her hard work and her support.

So yes, Kellee wrote,  recorded and posted another song today. This one is called “Never Comfortable.” He took some of the lyrics directly out of Job 38:4-7.  It was the first one he wrote on this journey in which Heidi & I did not cry after the first listen. http://www.myspace.com/kelleevanhemertmusic

We received a nice card today from a family from church, in it was a quote which spoke right into our situation, “Patience is not passivity, its concentrated strength.”

Tonight, Heidi made a meal to place in the freezer while I went to the Barefoot Warriors prayer at TRC. There was more prayer offered up for healing for Kellee and patience for Heidi & I. Once again I was glad I went besides the prayer, there were nice words of support! When God’s people gather to pray, it is a good thing!

Monday Day 5

Monday, March 15, 2010 -  The neurosurgeon told us to live life as normal for now,  so it was back to work. I have to admit my head was not in it and there were times I just had to get up from my desk and walk. I had asked Kellee if he would want to come to the Monday night prayer, (Barefoot Warriors) to be prayed for. He was going to be at  church anyway for his Systematic Theology course so he could come over from there. He agreed and I did spend a portion of my day to  try to let the leaders know he would be coming. I wanted to give them a heads up and make sure it there wasn’t something else planned. I eventually made contact with one of the leaders and was told a situation like this is exactly what the Monday night prayer is all about. Typically at the Monday night prayer there is some time at the beginning with music playing as guys are arriving and there is time to get quieted before the Lord. Then we gather together and the leader for the evening maps out what he has at least tentatively planned for the evening. We are always open to how the Holy Spirit leads. We were gathered the leader for the evening, Dave said we have a plan for what we are going to do for the evening. Then he turned to me and asked me if I wanted to say anything. Which I did, (See earlier posts, but I did try to shorten the story and just give the highlights.) I finished by saying I had contacted the leaders to make sure it was OK because I did not want to hijack the meeting. Then Dave said something like, “I recall a story in the Bible where guys carried their friend up on a roof and cut a hole and they pretty much hijacked Jesus’ meeting and he stopped to heal the friend, so it is a good thing to be praying for Kellee. Before we  started a couple of guys wanted to say some things. Jon had picked up a rock approximately peanut sized. He said he had learned in praying for healing it helps to visualize what to pray for rather than be general. Pray in metaphors and also specifically for healing. Another guy spoke up and said I think we need to pray that the tumor will be completely gone. I thought Amen! That is exactly what Kellee is praying for!  It was time to start praying and Kellee had not showed up yet. (Turns out he was also being prayed for in his class.) The guys had me sit in the middle and sit in proxy for Kellee. The prayer time was awesome! After a while, Kellee came in and he took the hot seat.  When we were done and Kellee left, all the guys just kind of sat around and didn’t say much for quite a while. In the past I have been told you could tell when a prayer time was good, because people don’t want to leave and just like to sit around, the prayer time was like that. It was a good night.

Kellee & I were in the kitchen again that night and he said to me he was at peace. He was OK with what ever happens. If the tumor is gone he said, he would have something really powerful to talk about when he is on stage with Sons & Heirs, the band is in with his brother Kerry. (Checkout their music @ http://www.myspace.com/sonsandheirsmusic or http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/sonsandheirsmusic?ref=ts ) If  the tumor is not gone and other treatment is needed, he is fine with whatever outcome God has planned for him, he said he is in a really good place.

Heidi said to me she is so glad Kellee lives with us right now, and this is one of the reasons – to be able to share moments like that in the kitchen are priceless!