Prayer Request

Enough has been said that I'm okay with posting this here now.  Please pray for me and family this week, specifically on Thursday 5/23 as my dad is going to have major surgery that day (no time scheduled yet).  I think most of you reading this have probably already seen some details online from my sister or my mom, but if you'd like to contact me directly to ask me what's going on, I'll be happy to fill you in so that you better know how to pray.  Pray for the opportunity that he has to be a witness to those attending to him in the hospital and those who will be caring for him in his post-op recovery and rehab.  He is at peace with everything that is happening, though that doesn't mean that it's not hard for him and members of the family.  Pray that we will experience the peace that surpasses all understanding that will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.  Pray that we keep our hearts and minds focused on our God who is our Healer and Great Physician.  Help us to have eyes to see and ears to hear even as we visit my dad to see what's going on around us.  We grieve because of pain and suffering, but we do not grieve as those who have no hope, for we look forward to a day when all things will be made new, and the curse of sin and death and the very existence of sin and death will be removed for those who are in Christ.  So, we also pray for those who are not in Christ to see this hope and ask why it is that we can have peace and joy in the midst of pain and suffering and that we would be ready to give an answer for the reason for the hope that we have.  In all things, we want to pray that God would be glorified.  Thank you for joining us in our prayers in these matters.

Update:  Thank you all for praying for my dad through this time.  In a way, he never really recovered from this surgery as he fell a few times during his recovery.  The last time he fell, he went into the hospital, then to rehab, then to a wing of the nursing home that was supposed to help prepare him to come home, but he deteriorated quickly and it was obvious to the family that he was not going to come home.  He was moved from the nursing home to hospice and was treated very well there.  His family and friends were able to visit him and he died quietly in his sleep.  He is now in heaven with His Lord and Savior, free from pain and sin and the effects of sin that caused this  brokenness that we see around us.