Trouble

What I had hoped was the beginning of the end of my dad's saga with Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma, has hit a snag. Here is his note:

Well, the league office (Mayo Clinic) made some major changes in our playing schedule. They have sent us back to training camp for more work with Coach before we start our season schedule. After the two salvage chemo treatments in Indiana, there is still too much cancer remaining for a Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT) to be effective. Sooooo, it's back to Indiana and at least one, maybe two more rounds of two-a-day drills (chemo) with Coach. So the BMT has been delayed for several months. Yippee, we'll get to start the season at the beginning of a Minnesota winter - sounds great! Pat and I will be returning to Indiana this Fri - don't know yet when chemo starts, but it will be soon. It's somewhat of a letdown after all the preparations, but the "Lord's will be done". Thanks for all of your prayers and support - and keep them coming. Through all this there is some great news - last Sunday shortly after arriving at the Gift For Life Transplant House here at Mayo, I was watching Tiger brush over the other golfers at the PGA, and sat next to a fellow (in his 40's) named Andy. Andy is from North Carolina and has been here for 4.5 months waiting for a heart and liver transplant - both need to come from the same donor. Well lo & behold, Andy received word late this afternoon that a donor had been found. The whole house lined up in the hallway as he left and gave him a rousing sendoff to the hospital. His surgery is scheduled for 7am in the morning. The Lord works in strange ways. Maybe I can get a few more rounds of golf in before the snow flies. See ya

I have been reading a book called All Is Well, a conglomeration of quotes and insights. Of course, as I was going to copy a quote, the book has vanished from my nightstand. What I found interesting was a quote about suffering. It said that God allows those people who have the potential to obtain sainthood to suffer. He gives them opportunities to test their mettle - strengthening their character and their faith. When I read it I thought maybe that is why we seem to be so immersed in trials right now - and why overall our lives are happy, but these trials just keep bringing negativity into our lives. Who knows.... I have decided that someday, after I breathe my last breath, I will ask Him - why must You test us if You can already see our hearts? Why do the evil prosper and the good struggle? Why are we so prideful and hell-bent on doing things that hurt ourselves and others? I have a lot of questions - though I am not in that big of a hurry to have them answered, I sure would like to know what we are supposed to be learning from all the trouble.