Margaret Stroup Update

The good news, in the midst of it all, is that Margaret has been scheduled for surgery on December 11, 2009. This could change but that is the plan for today!

She and Jerry are beginning to make plans for the day that they have been waiting for a long time. It is with great mixed emotions that they move forward with this surgery. It is an absolute must and also a risk. There is always risk with surgery but this is significant to say the least.

I want to ask all of you to please pray for them over the next weeks and months. It’s like revisiting so much in all our minds and hearts. With the anniversary approaching and the surgery looming it is not an easy time for all of us involved in this journey together;  so many of you have been there with us on this journey. There are no words that can be said or written to thank you for all your prayers and support for Margaret and Jerry, Valerie and her family and all of the CPH family whose lives will never be the same.

The prayers and support have meant so much especially from all of the CPH family and friends. From heart to heart the pain we all felt that day and still feel is shared by us all. I know you who were there that day understand as no others can. I sometimes feel like a “wounded healer” as I can imagine you may also.

I apologize if I went too deep for some of you. It is one of those things that only those who were there could understand. I hear some people talking about that day as if it was just an event in the past. An event that can be investigated dissected and understood with human logic. Whenever I hear someone talking in those terms I have to remind myself that person most likely wasn’t there that day as were so many of us. It is easy to want to get angry with them and lash out at them. However, let us remember “we know” and “we understand” and they “never will”! They can’t because we were there!

Thanks again for your prayers and support,

Pastor Alan

John Boy and the Fly!

Today a friend, John Bowen, shared a very interesting story. Several weeks ago we had an early cold snap. It got down in the low 20’s several nights. One morning John decided it was a little chilly in his house so he built a fire in the wood stove. As most of us Alaskan’s do he got a little carried away and built a large fire and the house was soon up to about 85.

Here in Alaska we have the large fly’s that are much like a regular house fly except they are quite large sometimes. They hibernate in the house when winter comes and come out next summer. Well I guess this fly thought it was summer since it was so hot in John’s house. He came out of hibernation and began flying all around the house. flying toward all the lights and driving John crazy as they usually do us all.

He got a bright idea, since it was still twilight outside he turned all the lights out in the house except in the bathroom. The fly soon made his way into the bathroom. John closed the door and removed the screen from the bathroom window. He then turned the light out and the fly soon started trying to get out through the window. He was attracted to the light. John just opened the window and the fly flew out the window into freedom! However,  it was still in the early 30’s and still quite cold for a fly. He didn’t make it very far until he lost altitude and crashed into the weeds to his certain death.

John didn’t kill the fly, he just gave the fly the opportunity to leave the house and the fly chose to fly away. However, the choice to fly out into what he thought was freedom led him to his death.

Satan does the very same thing to so many of us humans every day. He makes the lifestyle of “sin” look so appealing that we “choose” to go for the gusto! We choose the alcohol and the drugs. We choose to have sex with someone other than our spouse. We choose the “alternative” life style. Etc. etc. etc….

Remember the choice is yours, but so are the consequences!!!!!

Please, Think before you drink!

Don’t be like the fly and believe the lie!

Pastor Alan and John