Almost every day the thought of writing an update in this blog crawls into my consciousness. But then I think, oh I want to write all good news and maybe I'll be able to write it tomorrow. Tomorrow hasn't come yet and I do have good news so I am not waiting for the perfect day. It's my Type A personality at work with a healthy dose of procrastination thrown in there.

The results of the MRI were good. The tumor is not growing and it hasn't moved (if that's even possible). There are no other tumors either. The blood work also came back with no obvious problems. Praise God for His mercy.

I was diagnosed with an inner ear infection and given a good supply of antibiotics. But, the pills have been taken dutifully and the dizziness is slowly getting worse. I have an appointment with a neuro-opthamalogist next week. I am praying that he can find the source of this problem and know of a way to solve it. But, if he isn't successful, there is still a God in heaven who is sovereign over all of these circumstances and His plans for me give me a future and a hope.

I would love to say my spirits are soaring in the stratosphere but the reality is that  they are bouncing near the ground like a kite that has lost its wind but is desperately looking for where it has gone. I am still fighting with something like depression, though I hesitate to call it something so serious. Holiday blues, maybe?

I do have more, actually so much more, for which I can give thanks. My husband has been sick since we came back from our fall weekend getaway to New Jersey. He was beginning to think he had something more serious than the pneumonia he had been trying to kick. We decided we needed a definitive diagnosis, whatever it may be, and spent a lovely Saturday night at WakeMed emergency room. He was diagnosed with a hiatal hernia. Now he knows that there is something affecting his health but it is manageable with careful eating habits and exercise. That is a huge praise to the Lord because I was having a increasingly difficult time coping with my own problems and his also. Thank You, Lord.

I've been participating in our women's Bible study at church. We are doing Beth Moore's study on Daniel. A few weeks ago we studied the passage about the Israelites in the fiery furnace. Beth pointed out that there are three ways that God chooses to deliver us from the fiery furnace. He may deliver us from the furnace all together whic increases our faith. He may deliver us through the fiery furnace and that refines our faith. He may choose to deliver us using the fire into His arms in heaven and that perfects our faith. We all want the first thing to happen. That's natural.

I think I am going through the second choice. I can see the flames and I can smell the smoke as it swirls around me. The cool thing was that Jesus stepped into that furnace with them. He was closer to them than He had ever been before. What an answer to prayer! To have the Prince of Peace, Almighty God standing nect to the, And I don't think they just looked at each other. I bet they talked. 

Lord, I ask that you would let me see, every day, that you are standing next to me. The sound of the flames hiss in my ears. The heat is intense but it hasn't touched me, and it won't. Lord refine my faith. Make me more like You and show me how to proclaim your glory everywhere I go.

I love every comment I get. My email is elfenerty@yahoo.com if you want to talk privately, too.

Joyfully,

Elyse