Fasting For Grandpa

About a month and a half ago my Dad was diagnosed with Prostate Cancer. While that in itself is not good news the positive is that they caught it early and doctors were confident that the treatment would be successful. So today was surgery day. Today I felt the distance of living in Texas. I wanted to be there with my Mom and sisters. I wanted to be there to give my dad a hug before he went into surgery. And be there when he came out of recovery. Today I felt the distance and my heart longed to be closer.

I am grateful for the power of prayer. I am grateful for the strength that comes by faith exercised through prayer coupled with fasting. I am grateful that my girls first experience with personal fasting was in behalf of someone so dear, loved and special to them. It made it more meaningful. It made it more personal. It made it more real.

Last night around the dinner table Bret and I explained to the kids that today would be the day that their Grandpa had surgery to take out the cancer. We told them we were fasting and praying hard for him today. The girls immediately said that they wanted to fast for him to. Zachary then joined in and said, "I want to fast forward tomorrow too." When we explained to him what that would mean for him...not eating breakfast when he woke up in the morning he then said, "Never mind, I think I don't want to fast forward after all." Abby and McKenna however had a strong desire to fast for the first time in their lives. We told them what it would mean (not eating until lunch) and they were undeterred.

So this morning they woke up, got dressed and started packing their lunches. (Normally breakfast is the first thing to happen in our home.) They did this without even pausing, without even complaining, without even wishing for breakfast. When they came home from school they said it was hard but were grateful they did it.

Their fasting in faith and prayers were heard and answered. The surgery was successful. The doctor was hopeful the cancer had not spread to the lymph nodes but will not know for sure until the biopsy comes back. He'll be in the hospital for 2 to 4 days and then home recovering for several weeks.

Dad, I know you wont be reading this anytime soon, but know how much we all love you, how grateful we are for your influence, example and presence in our lives. I'm grateful for your example of faithful service. I'm grateful for the lessons and principles that have been taught and that continue to be taught. I'm grateful that not only do you love my Mom, but you love her more when you love the Lord first.

We love you!