Chris Speaks (at last)

How can one person tell so many people that he feels loved, prayed for, honored, carried along, uplifted, genuinely embraced, and fully enveloped through the bond that comes from the love and promises that we hold in common in Christ. I do not have the words - thank you.

Specifically, I want you to know that each blog message, email, phone call, word of encouragement, Bible verse, favorite story, prayer, remembrance, observation, face-to-face greeting, meal, lit candle, advice, care, personal experience was a soothing balm to my soul in my recovery – none was wasted, even the ones that may not have gotten through Blogger cyberspace. I felt them, I welcomed them; I eagerly anticipated them and listened carefully as they were read. How could I stay down with so many pulling for me? Shoot fire, I had a choice – lay up on the porch or get ready to start running with the big dogs again – I like running.

First, let me straighten out the “911 Incident” the other morning – I was a bit excited. It was like getting back into the ballgame and I took too big a lead off first. Two key points: first, I was being aggressive trying to get to second base (that’s good), but then I got picked off (that’s bad). Unfortunately, when you are picked off everybody sees which is embarrassing (including all the neighbors, what are they doing up at 6:00A). Anyway, I’m back to a more progressive routine and had a great day today. I got a haircut (it’s been three weeks and my hair was getting curly), a massage and a couple of good naps.

Through these weeks my daughter, Nicole, has penned the daily “Head Case Blog” with her keen awareness of God’s actions concerning faith, facts, good humor, personal testimony, success, failure, penetrating insights, and pithy wit often at my expense – I loved it.

Often people spoke of Team Galanos which is going to be my main point tonight. I may be out of my mind, but I am going to boast about this team, because it is a special team that met my life-threatening challenge that touched my closest loved ones.

“This is what the LORD says:
“Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom
or the strong man boast in his strength
or the rich man boast in his riches,
But let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,” declares the LORD. Jeremiah 9:23-24

First, the Lord God Almighty is truly God and I am not. He is sovereign.
"O, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments and paths beyond tracing out." Rom 11:33

I am still here, to ponder the “why” is not my bent. I assume I am still usable therefore; I will strive to bring God glory through being a faithful servant that meets the needs of others.

My gratitude for Jesus expands daily – my savior, my Lord, my forgiver, my redeemer, my reconciler, my liberator, my surrogate on the cross, his imputed righteousness, his blood, his pain, his inheritance shared, and more and more and more.

And to know that the Holy Spirit confirms it, seals the agreement and then stays within me to inspire, to empower, to reveal, to motivate, to convict, to encourage, to make Jesus alive in me

This is the head of the Galanos team – by the way, it can be your team, too.

Hopefully, you were also able to tell from the Blog that the support of family and friends is beyond what is imaginable. I wrap my self in it daily.

Since it is not my disposition to live in the past, everything from here on will concern the future and my progress in getting back on the field as a full time player. Since it will be boring, I will provide a short weekly update on Monday until released by the doctor.

This is Nicole again: I've agreed to keep blogging a few times a week to give updates on Dad's progress if you're still interested (no hurt feelings if you're not). If you get tired of checking back constantly, you can always subscribe by entering your email to feedblitz on the top right. I'm off to look up what "pithy" means...