Papa Joe is 60!

My sweet father turned 60 yesterday and like most parents would, I will probably get a phone call today asking why I chose to tell the world his age. But, when you have accomplished as much as Alvin Joe Parker has, age is just a number.

My dad grew up in the tiny farming community of Causey, New Mexico. After graduating from high school he went straight to college at Eastern New Mexico University in Portales, NM. He and my mother married at age 19 but both went on to earn both their bachelor's and master's degrees in education. Dad immediately began teaching history and coaching basketball at the local high school. He always kept another odd job at the nearest convenient store or pawn shop to make sure that he was providing for his growing family.

After 10 years of teaching, my mom approached my dad and asked him if he was still considering a career in law. So, with my mother's blessing, he applied to law schools throughout the country. Dad always said that he didn't think he could buy clothes for three girls on a teacher's salary. Little did he know that there isn't a salary on earth that could buy clothes for three girls. He was accepted to several, but chose to attend Washburn Law School in Topeka, Kansas. The next fall, my parents packed up everything and moved me and my sisters to Kansas. My mom and dad both worked hard while dad attended classes to complete the degree requirements.

After graduation in 1982, dad joined a law firm in Clovis, NM. He worked with that firm to become a partner and then eventually created his own law practice. He was a great civil defense attorney. Then, on September 15, 2003, Governor Bill Richardson appointed Alvin Joe Parker as a US District Court judge for New Mexico. Governor Richardson said this about my dad, "He has 21 years experience as an attorney in Curry County. Both friends and adversaries in the courtroom describe Mr. Parker as a man of great integrity and responsibility."

My dad served as a judge for 5 years before retiring to fight his newest battle with Parkinson's Disease. Even in that, dad shows conviction, endurance, and inner strength. For all that my dad has accomplished in his 60 years, he has remained a steadfast father to each of his girls. As small children he would take us on dates to go shoe shopping. As teenagers, he would sit outside the front door waiting to scare the boy that dared to come and take his daughter on a date. Now, as Papa Joe to our kiddos, he's still willing to let some snot-nosed brat pull on his mustache and is quick with a joke and a laugh. At each stage, he has always been a great listener, asking questions that probe and being interested in whatever we are wanted to talk about.

Happy Birthday, Joe, Counselor, Judge Parker, Papa, and Daddy.

Compassion

This Wednesday marks the start of the next 12 week cycle of Joshua's treatment. He will go in for the monthly check-up, including Vincristin (chemo) through his port, and the beginning of the 5 days of steroids. This week will also include Methotrexate (also chemo) pushed into his spinal fluid. 

Joshua has done all of this before. We know the drill. This process is not new. All of that being said, it still completely stinks. What we've learned over the last year and a half is that the week of the spinal tap brings the greatest amount of side effects. The chemotherapy combined with the steroids cause Joshua to be moody, irritable, anxious, uncomfortable, tired, and generally unhappy. 

In church yesterday, I found myself asking God to give me greater compassion for Joshua as he faces his treatment this week. I feel so guilty for even having to pray this. I expect people around Joshua to have compassion to his plight, but here I am, as his mother, needing more compassion for him. When Joshua is yelling about his Crispix being in the wrong bowl, the tug-of-war with our emotions begins. I remind myself it is the medicine making him so frustrated, but fight with the responsibility of teaching Joshua in that moment. I am asking God to make my heart tender to him rather than always thinking about what is best.

Will you join me? Please pray that Joshua's pain is minimal, that the side effects move by quickly, and that we would manage the emotions of this week with grace, love, and compassion.

My Reality

I feel like reality TV has gone really downhill since the original Survivor, but the three reality shows that I continue to hold on to are Bravo's Top Chef and Project Runway and Fox's So You Think You Can Dance. These three shows actually require skill and competence in order to compete. In addition, each of them have a lifetime of training essential to win the prize (even it is only 18 years of life). Finally, each of these shows have a chance for the judges to make decisions (both Bravo shows are completely up the judges). Aren't they the ones that know something about what it takes?  There are several scripted shows that I also enjoy, but these are the three shows that I record and never miss. Yes, with my VCR from the dark ages. 

The wonderful thing for me is that these shows run in a cycle that keeps one running at all times. Top Chef in on now. So You Think You Can Dance begins tomorrow. And Project Runway kicks off in July. I am super excited about tomorrow. I would love to know what you are watching and if you are excited about tomorrow like I am. DANCE ON, friends!

What a Difference a Year Makes

Jesus the Healer

Our community group is currently inching through the book of Luke. It has been a fabulous study so far and last night was no different. We were studying the last part of Luke 4, where Jesus heals Simon's mother-in-law of a high fever and then he proceeds to heal many others as the sun sets on that Sabbath day. 

Gretchen, who led our group last night, brought the following piece of commentary for our discussion last night. It was a wonderful addition to an already great discussion.

Michael Wilcock, The Message of Luke, pp. 67-68

I would therefore make a broad distinction between two methods of healing: not the obvious distinction between the miraculous and the medical but one which lies deeper than that. Where his object is to be known as the Healer, he works immediately; such cures are, as it were, for the shop-window - the kind of success store which establishes the reputation of a great surgeon or physician. I see no reason why in some circumstances today Jesus may not choose to work in this way for this purpose. But where he is already known, he may well say to his trusting patient: 

'I could of course give you immediate relief, but I would rather take the opportunity to do something more far-reaching, which will be to your greater benefit in the long run. You will find it more protracted and perhaps more painful, and you may not understand what I am doing, because I may be treating disorders of which you yourself are unaware.'

He will then set to work to deal with the needs of the whole person, rather than with the obvious need only. He may aim at a calming of spirit, or a strengthening of courage, or a clarifying of vision, as more important objectives than what we would call healing. Indeed the latter may not be experienced at all in this life, but only at the final 'saving and raising' of the sick, when their mortal nature puts on immortality. For I think it is no accident that each of these two words in James 5 has a double meaning, making the applicable equally to this life and to the next: sozo, to heal, or to save; egeiro, to raise from sickness, or raise from the death. The 'prayer of faith' cannot fail to bring about this result, one way or the other. But the faith in which such prayer is prayed must be, not faith that Jesus will heal in some particular way (i.e., the way we should advise him to do it!), but faith in Jesus the Healer, who will choose his own timing and method. Then even today his word of power in this respect will amaze onlookers (4:36) and bring others to seek him (4:40).

It is obvious to me that this writer has lived through a time of faith crisis and walked away 'healed'. Thanks for bringing this to the table, Gretchen.

She's 1 Today!

Today is Andi's birthday, and in honor of that, here is her short life through pictures along with several things we have learned about her in the past year. 

1. Andi is curious. Virtually every openable cabinet, drawer, door, etc. now has a safety latch on it because of her innate wonder at anything she hasn't seen before. 
2. Andi is smart... maybe a little too smart. For example, she has known her signs for words like "please" and "thank you" for months, and yet has refused to use them on occasions. Instead, she will close her mouth and look at you as if testing your will. Sometimes she wins. 
3. Andi loves her brother. She can't help but laugh when he's around, and has a special way of smiling that only Joshua gets. 
4. She loves to be with people. Sometimes this is a little annoying. Most of the time it's sweet. But regardless, she does not appreciate alone time, almost as if she knows she will have more fun if she can share it with someone else. 
5. Andi is adventurous. Even now she has a huge bruise across her forehead. Her need to gamble with life and limb might get a little more disturbing over the years, but for now, we'll take it as a spirit of imagination. And that's cool. 

Happy Birthday, Dandy Andi.