Asphalt or Cedar Shakes

Good morning,
I pray the day finds you well.

This cancer/chemo thing has lost its novelty.

It was a few years ago now that the commercials started to come across the T.V. about the Chickenpox and how if you had them when you were a kid then you are at risk for shingles as an adult. I went to my doctor and said, "I had chickenpox, do I need a vaccine?"

She said, "Roger you have been so heavily vaccinated in your life and you are so healthy you don't need to worry."

Skip forward a few years.

Throw in a few bouts of cancer

Add 7-months of Chemo.

Walla, my immune system is so depressed that now I have shingles!!!

They are located right on top of the incisions from my lung surgery. They are on my side so every time I bend or move they say hello.

People ask me silly questions, "Does it hurt?"

I reply, "Yes."

They ask, "How long do they last?"

I say, "I don't know."

The funny thing is as much as shingles are a nuisance, having shingles doesn't stop me from doing anything.

I feel like Paul, He said, "Therefore, to keep me from being too elated, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me, to keep me from being too elated" (2 Corintians 12:7b)

While it is true that I am not elated to have shingles, I am still in good spirits.

I cannot help but see God's wondrous mystery around me. I hiked the upper portion of the Cape Horn trail yesterday and saw many wondrous things.

I came home to phone calls from my kids telling me they love me.

Covid-19 and the seclusion it brought showed me that my wife does not get tired of me, that is a good thing."

I may have cancer, which lowered my immune system to the point that I breakout in shingles and have to watch out for Covid-19, I am still happy though.

Maybe Paul had shingles. Shingles feel like a thorn.

The funny thing that I learned about pain. I can still help people even if I am feeling pain.

We are getting ready to feed kids for the summer. The pain of going hungry is worse than my pain.

I will do my best to alleviate their pain.

I am looking for a few good people to help me.

Something to ponder.

Blessings,
Roger