22nd March 2012

I seem to be surrounded by people needing to go to hospital. Last week it was Jane’s mum who was given a simple prognosis and treatment that turned out to be ‘Good News’. Yesterday my mum was unexpectedly referred with a fairly minor problem, they talked of keeping her overnight but as today is my dad’s birthday she was allowed home. Anyway she’s ok and had to return for very simple treatment today; on arrival this morning they remembered the family celebration, so she was taken to the front of the queue and on her way back home within just a few minutes of arriving! Being quite elderly and rather frail she needed that, so again real ‘Good News’. My dad had a biopsy taken a few weeks ago and has had a rather tense time waiting for results. Anyway he’s received a letter confirming no sign of the obvious unwanted problem. He’ll need another very minor op soon, the same as his previous two, and I would expect that to be a simple overnight stay again. Of course that’s ‘Good News’ as well.

I also spent a couple of hours at the same hospital this morning where there was certainly no queue jumping for the 5 minute interview! Nothing to do with me, it was my friend and his follow up appointment with the consultant oncologist. Basically they’ve confirmed his eligibility for treatment and he’ll return next week for the prescription issue. Given the expense of the drug and NHS budgetary constraints that’s one more item of ‘Good News’. I took him home and he let me play with his new iPad 3 as a reward… drool, drool, I’m not envious though. Honestly!

This afternoon when I visited my parents, my mum kept putting her hands together and mouthing an upward looking thankyou for the answers to her prayers. My friend is especially grateful to the Lord for his favour. As am I. After so many years of challenging results for Jane I feel blessed out of my socks that all these wonderful people have a much easier pathway to walk down. Although difficult, I have to say with absolute conviction, though, that my wife was no less blessed because of her ill health and premature death. Indeed it’s true to say that the grace and favour of God in the midst of our greatest challenge is truly beyond compare. So my motorhome holiday photo is evidence of that. A few weeks before this, Jane was almost at death’s door (literally) whilst going through chemo, and here she’s completely bald wearing her prescription wig… have you ever seen a happier, more full of life person? That is a real mystery. And surely ‘Good News’!

Isaiah 52:7 ^‘How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of the messenger who brings good news, the good news of peace and salvation, the news that the God of Israel reigns!’ (NLT)