Bovine Theology

A few weeks ago I received an email from some friends of mine through MTW, Peter & Stowe Shockey. Stowe has been diagnosed with stage three rectal cancer. I hurt so deeply for them. I guess I am now in tune in a way I haven’t ever been before. You can read their story on their website here.

I first met Peter & Stowe at an MTW event known as the Vision Retreat. This is for people who are seriously interested in missions, and they were praying how the Lord might use them on the foreign field. They are both writers, and Peter is a filmaker. He and I hit it off immediately as he was interested in using film to extend theological education. So we talked shop and exchanged ideas, even though Peter is a professional and I’m just a hack. We’ve stayed in touch and met again this past November at the Global Missions Conference. There they got to meet Leslie and Stowe and Leslie had the opportunity to get to know each other. Little did any of us know the impact that would just a few months down the road.

The Shockeys have two daughters, and I would ask that you pray for their entire family. They have a very difficult road in front of them.

Today, I returned from a short trip to Macon to attend the Central Georgia presbytery meeting. Leslie had a rough day with her stomach and so as she was resting this evening, we read a new blog together. We don’t know these people, but the wife has been diagnosed with terminal cancer. It was sobering to read, but it reminded me of how much we have to be thankful for. You can check out their blog here.

I had the chance on Friday, on my way to Macon, to stop in and have dinner with my parents in Griffin. They took me to J. Henry’s, and we had a wonderful dinner together. We ran into a handful of people there who know Mom and I joked, as I have many times, that I’m going to get a t-shirt made that says “I’m Jody Wallace’s Son.” I’ve rarely gone anywhere in Griffin with her that we haven’t seen someone she knows. Friday night we visited with one of the principals she used to work for and the chairman of the school board (who sent a wonderful piece of cake to our table). It makes me proud of my mom because she has had such an impact in that community. I think they’re really going to miss her when she retires next month. But I am so glad she is finally getting to do so.

I know I am rambling tonight, but my head and heart are full of the many things I have to be thankful for. Coming home always makes me especially thankful for my wife and children. They have been such troopers during the ups and downs of life. Tonight it was such fun to give piggy back rides, and hugs. Spending time with my parents makes me especially thankful to have such opportunities. Even though our visits are so often brief, I am thankful for our relationship and our closeness. I’m thankful for my brother, who I spent years fighting with as a kid, because now we are really good friends. I got to see him briefly on Friday in between church visits and have lunch with him. His unconditional love for me is refreshing. I am thankful for the Body of Christ, as I witnessed a presbytery meeting today, during which men graciously dealt with the “business” of the church and shepherding their flocks. I am thankful for the Timberlakes, who graciously hosted me in their home Friday evening, and cared for me as a friend even though they didn’t know me. Most of all I am thankful for a God who loves me, and continues to do so. I’m thankful for His care for me, even when I feel like my life is a wreck, and the constant reminders of His graciousness to me through my family.

Today I got to work from home, so I was here when the gang arrived. And I was glad, because today some special t-shirts also arrived via UPS. I got them in time for Mother’s Day, but of course couldn’t wait. So I put one on each of the kids, and mine on me, and we marched into the living room where Leslie was sitting. Her reaction was worth every penny for the shirts, and all the time designing and uploading them to my newest project, www.cancersuperhero.com.

So here are the kids with their shirts from the front, from the back, and just a cute one of them on the couch. And I got one too. And yes, the Munch has her bathing suit on. She pretty much puts it on every day within 15 seconds of walking in the front door.

So why did I do this? Well, I wanted to celebrate the fact that Leslie fought cancer bravely. She endured surgery, radiation and chemo, and more chemo. She did it while keeping a full-time job teaching. She did it with three small kids. And she did it with a husband who was juggling three jobs, including one that involves frequent travel. And in doing this I thought, “other people might want to celebrate the same thing with their loved ones.” So I created the same design with different relationships. It’s not to celebrate cancer (duh!), or even becoming a “survivor.” A lot of people fight cancer and lose the battle. But the way they fight is honorable. In an age where honor is missing, replaced instead by celebrity, I wanted to try and bring it back for Leslie.

Let me also say what I didn’t intend by doing this. I did not intend to diminish God’s glory in honoring Leslie. Any of you who know us know how we have only had Christ to cling to through this experience, and we are more than aware (we are deeply grateful), that by Christ’s sufficient grace to us, we have gotten this far. I picked the term “superhero” because superheroes are human (typically). None are completely invulnerable. None are omnipotent. But they each something with “super human” strength. And I think Leslie has fought with the same strength.

So if someone you love has fought or is fighting cancer, celebrate their bravery, strength, and endurance. Visit www.cancersuperhero.com if you want and take a look around. I’m still adding a few more relationships, and I still need to tweak the way some things are showing. Many of the shirts have a bunch of different colors available, but you don’t see those until you click on the individual item. Not all shirts have the “fighting cancer” logo on the back, and some of the sweatshirts and polo shirt has a smaller version of it on the top/back. Anyway, feel free to send me your comments/questions/suggestions.

The kids have already asked if they could wear them to school on Friday.

Oh yeah, and here is Leslie with her new hairdo.

I’ve had a couple of videos in the works as of late, but we captured a new one recently that prompted me to finish them and get them on the blog. The first one is of Munchkin singing, a song she made up of course. You have to get to about one minute into the video to see the funniest part.

The next video is of Aggie singing and dancing, and then the Munch joining her. We obviously have some serious talent on our hands! The video they’re dancing to is Aggie’s favorite “movie” which she has watched incessantly since Christmas. Thanks to Mimi!

If you haven’t looked at Leslie’s blog lately, she has finally updated it, and with a good post about some of the things the kids have said recently.

It was a challenging weekend for us all. Leslie continues to feel exhausted. She says she still feels like she did during chemo. She was able to get out on Saturday, but has paid for it. That, and she has tried to do too much around the house. I guess it points out my own inadequacies as a housekeeper. I did manage to get the yardwork done, and most of the laundry. But even that is still folded on the couch since I don’t know where everything goes. I think the hardest part is that we all feel like everything should be back to normal, but life still feels far from that. There is just always so much to do, and I guess that is true in everyones’ lives. I think when Summer gets here we might finally start to get caught up.

A rainy Saturday isn’t such a bad thing. We need the rain. And there’s a ton of stuff that needs to get done around the house. I have piles of clean laundry that need to be put away, and piles of dirty laundry that need to be washed. Same with dishes. Then there are a few toys scattered about. There are websites that need to be updated, and videos that need to be edited, but those will have to wait until tonight. Of course, the grass needs to be cut again, but I don’t think today is the day for that. I keep telling Leslie how much a riding mower would cut down on the time it takes to cut everything, but she’s not going for it. Right now I am waiting on a phone call from a missions committee that is meeting today, to answer some of their questions and explain some things to them. So I thought I would try to write something. After all, it’s been several weeks now since I’ve written anything.

It’s been a very busy past few weeks. I just returned from a trip to Ohio and Kentucky. By the end of the week, Leslie really wasn’t feeling well, with a sore throat among other things. The doc called her in an antibiotic and by last night she was starting to feel better. So she is at a shower for a friend from years back, and then an “end of chemo” party for the son of another friend of ours. He’s just a tot, and has really had a rough go of it. Leslie had her appointment with the oncologist on Monday, and he was very optimistic. They’ve scheduled her colonoscopy and CT scans. I can’t remember the dates.

My mom had a heart cath yesterday. They found her front artery was blocked about 40%, which is actually good news in that they can treat that with diet and exercise. So we were all a little relieved that she didn’t have to have angioplasty or a stint or anything else more serious. I talked to her last night and she sounded really good.

The kids are all doing well. McGrooter has had a real hard time with his allergies this year. I think a lot of people have. His eyes have been so swollen and nothing has seemed to really help. But I do think he is finally beginning to feel better and his eyes don’t seem as bad.

Aggie is continually entertaining. As I started writing this I heard her singing. When I looked at her, she exclaimed, “I’m at church. We have to be quiet.” She was singing while holding her baby. She makes up many of her own songs. Now, she and the Munch are playing “swimming pool” with their baby dolls. They both have swim suits on, and a blanket spread out that is their swimming pool. Wait, now they’ve announced it’s a picnic.

It’s time now that I need to fix lunch. I’m sure my scattered ramblings have made little sense anyway. I’m either really tired or my allergies are hammering me. Okay, off to the kitchen I go…

Another whirlwind week for us is nearly over. I just returned from a trip to Birmingham this evening. The Munch went with me down to my brother and sister-in-law’s while I was gone. She had a blast playing with the boys and being spoiled by Uncle Rob & Aunt Stacy. She even got to visit the Pell’s and play with the new baby goats. Here she is going for a swing at the Pell Ranch. We also got to stop in and see Grandma and Pop on the way down. I had some wonderful visits while in Birmingham, both with churches and with friends there.

Leslie did well while I was gone, although she is worn out. This week is the CRCT for many of the students, including McGrooter. I think there will be relief when that is all over.

We found out this evening that my mom has some blockage in her arteries and the docs are most likely going to want to go in for a closer look. I’d really appreciate your prayers for her and dad during this time.

It seems to me like this blog has become more about my family’s health issues than Bovine Theology. However, I continue to see God’s sovereign hand in many aspects of our lives. For example, this finding with mom was discovered after another test that she had as a result of her cousin’s recent findings regarding his heart. This particular test came back okay for mom, but they then decided to do a stress test which revealed the blockage in her arteries. Had she not gone in for the one test, which turned out okay, she would not have learned of the other, possibly more serious problem.

More than this, I was reminded once again of God’s care for my family through our time in Birmigham and then bringing us back close to family in time for what we’ve been through with Leslie. As difficult of a time as it was in Birmingham, we have so many relationships that are truly special in our lives. I am also convicted of how often I get so wrapped up in my own struggles, that I fail to appreciate and cherish what God is doing in my life at that time. I so easily get focused on the negative things, and regretfully fail to realize that He is working through those very things to conform me into the image of Christ. Our God is a caring Father, which I am amazed by when I consider my own role of fatherhood. I am blown away by the love He has for me.

Spring Break has come to an end. I am very thankful for the many ways God has blessed us this past week.

Leslie is feeling better today after getting the antibiotic in her system. Her fever is gone and she is regaining her strength. We celebrated McGrooter’s birthday with a bang, although not the bang we’d planned (due to a quarantine of the house). I managed to finish a cake for him that we hope to cut into tomorrow.

I finally had time to upload some photos from our trip to the beach. We didn’t pull the camera out much, but Leslie did catch a few good ones of the kids on the beach.

Leslie has been really sick today. She woke up last night with a sore throat and a fever. The fever reached 103, which is really high for her. I went tonight and picked up an antibiotic for her, which she was nervous about taking. The last one she took really hurt her stomach. I’m not sure if it is allergies, a sinus infection, or maybe even strep. But she feels pretty yucky and has been in bed all day. Pray that she will get the rest she needs and recover quickly from this. The Munch has had a runny nose and a low grade fever as well.

This morning we have a 10-year-old girl in our house. She literally stood beside me while I cooked breakfast and explained to me all about her family, including her 14-year-old brother who drives her to church. It’s because her dad has the flu and her mom is staying home with him. Her little sister is 2, and is just a baby (played by a baby doll). And then there is her dog (played by her sister, Munchkin). Are you totally confused now? I am! I think the explanation was longer than 15 minutes. It was quite intricate.

Leslie is not feeling well this morning and is still in bed. I took her some pancakes, which will hopefully make her feel better (or at least the chocolate chips inside them will). The pancakes are very healthy, really! They’re my specialty. The girls call them panny-cakes. They include all-natural, organic milk, flour, eggs and sugar. Then I throw in un-natural chocolate chips for good measure. It’s dad’s special touch. I gotta keep things real!

Munchkin is still running around barking. I thought she would have grown out of this 3 months ago. She is now trying to lick my leg, but just for reetend (her word for pretend).

McGrooter is playing legos and using his shells he collected from the beach for weapons of war (I think). He and I got to go fishing last night right before dinner. Lake Lanier is still really low, but we found some worms in the yard and decided to go throw them in and see what happened. He got a few bites and I got one good one, but no fish. He is very excited about his upcoming 7th birthday!

Aggie is now asking me if I want her to show me some of her moves. Sounds too much like Napoleon! After her first attempt, which she explained wasn’t right, she did some kind of ballet-nsync-mc-hammer move. Of course, I offered my praises, to which she replied, “I learned that in karate.” Yeah, she’s never taken karate. Okay, now she is rubbing lotion all over my legs and feet, saying, “you’ll smell good daddy.” I can’t tell you how much I hate lotion. Sun-tan lotion, body lotion, any kind of lotion. I’d rather be burned or have itchy skin than put that stuff on. But I especially despise having Bath & Body Works super-smelly lotion rubbed on me. Yet, here I am, smelling like cool cucumber or juniper breeze or something like that. And before I can even type this, both girls are now lying on the couch saying they are sick and asking me to rub their feet.

Oh my, just thought I would share a little of what our “normal” looks like. It’s never boring, and never lacking creative imaginations. I just wish I could keep up. Sometimes it feels like what I think a bad drug trip must feel like. Then again, maybe I just need another cup of coffee.

Spring Break has flown by this week. It really didn’t turn out as we expected, but then again, when does it? We did have a nice trip to Myrtle Beach, although shortened a bit. We left Monday, a little later than we planned, about 11 AM. After a full day of driving, with plenty of potty breaks, and a circling pattern around Commerce, GA (for Leslie’s tummy’s sake), we arrived at the Wyndham around 7:30 that evening. They didn’t have a room for us in the tower that had been reserved, which was a bit of a disappointment. The one we ended up in just wasn’t as nice as last year. Actually, the first room they put us in had been smoked in so I asked if we could try another one. We finally got settled in and hit the sack.

The weather was colder than we wished. Leslie and the kids went for a walk the next morning, all bundled up. After breakfast, we headed down to check out the pools. Even though they were heated, the wind made it FREEZING! We decided since it was too cool for outdoor stuff (and both indoor pools were closed), we’d go do some indoor activities. We tried out the children’s museum since our reciprocal membership allows us free access. We recommend the one in Myrtle Beach. There were lots of fun things for the kids, and I even enjoyed a few too! The neatest thing was when we came in and presented our family pass, the lady at the counter said to Leslie, “Oh, I know who you are.” She lives in Myrtle Beach during the week, but Dillon, SC on the weekends. She attends the church where Leslie’s sister and brother-in-law were before moving to Greenville. It was a real encouragement to hear how they have been praying for Leslie.

We took in a movie at the IMAX before heading back for some of Leslie’s homemade spaghetti, and then I took the kids out for a walk on the beach. Wednesday, we got up and the indoor pool had finally been opened. The kids had a blast, although both girls hung on to me like glue. But soon the word was out, and the pool was packed. So we went upstairs for sandwiches, and then out to the beach after lunch. We enjoyed a few minutes of sunshine before the clouds rolled in and the temp dropped again. But McGrooter was bound and determined to get as far into the ocean as he could. I stood in the waves with all three of them, lips blue and shivering. Yet they kept saying, “this is awesome!” Soon, they’d had enough and we made some sand castles before heading in. We decided to go ahead and pack up so we could hit the road after dinner. We were supposed to stay another day, but with the cold weather, Leslie still not having much strength, and the funeral for Jan Kooistra on Thursday, we decided to head on home. We had a quiet ride back since we waited until night, and got home just after 2 AM. Leslie and I finally got in bed by 3.

I got up this morning and headed to the funeral. Leslie really wanted to go, but we couldn’t work out for anyone to keep the kids. I wish she could have been there, and hope to get a video of it. The entire service was well done but I especially enjoyed the eulogy, which Dr. Kooistra did himself. The love they shared was truly something special. And Jan’s selflessness will continue to be a testimony to others who suffer. It really convicted me, and I feel so inadequate to have any responsibility of suffering. I guess more than anything, I was convicted of how much I have to learn. Do remember Dr. Kooistra as you pray.

Leslie and the kids helped Grandad and Poppie in the garden today. Actually, Munchkin was the best helper. I got some grass cut, and then we all got in bed by 9. Everyone is good and tired tonight.