It has been a long time since I’ve written anything of significance here aside from a couple of plugs for my sermons at Bartimaeus Baptist Temple. Not that anyone is exactly hanging on my every word, but I thought I would explain myself and provide an update for friends and family. The last few months have been tough. In late June, I began to suffer constant headaches. Most of the time they weren’t debilitating, and at first I could treat them successfully with Ibuprofen. In early July I went to my doctor. He suspected migraines but also did a blood test. That blood test suggested that I might have temporal arteritis, an inflammation of the arteries that can lead to blindness or to stroke.

Thus began a succession of doctors, MRI scans, and an exploratory surgery. I now have a second scar on my head to go with the one I got as a child from hitting a bed rail. I don’t have temporal arteritis. The current assumption is that I do have migraines and I am seeing a headache specialist. I remain somewhat skeptical, but after reading up on it I consider it possible. The headaches are mostly under control now, though it is still rare that I have a day with no headache at all. It has been all I can do to keep up with my responsibilities at work and at church. I fear I have not done that very well.

Meanwhile, my beloved wife is not doing as well physically as she was at first and our options for doing anything about it seem to be disappearing. Others whom I love are facing their own problems. It has been a bit of a struggle for me to keep perspective. However, I remain determined to keep my trust in Yahweh. He has blessed us beyond measure. He has a purpose for us, and He will accomplish it. We don’t know what to expect from the future, but we do expect Him to make something good from it.

One good thing that has come from my own difficulties is a resolution to improve my health. Whether there is a connection between the headaches and my weight I don’t know, but the headaches got my attention. I thought about the future and what may be required of me. For much of my adult life I suspected that I might not see fifty. That didn’t really bother me. I wasn’t suicidal but I didn’t care that much about living either. I’m ashamed of it now because I wasn’t trusting God that what He said of my life would come to pass.

Now I look toward the future with hope despite the problems it may bring. I can no longer ignore my responsibility to be ready both spiritually and physically. I was trying to exercise more before the headaches started, but physical activity made them worse, so I stopped. Now that they are more controlled I have found that I can exercise, though I still proceed with caution. I’ve started a diet and expect to be at a healthy weight by the end of next year.

I’m feeling better. Linda has retained the mental sharpness that the last treatment afforded her. We are pressing forward, taking each day as it comes and doing what we can. Yahweh’s grace is sufficient.