Dear much-missed friends way out west,

I hope you all had an excellent Christmas and New Years and that you were able to spend good times with family and friends. Also hope Santa was good to you all. As you can see in the picture, he brought me more hair on the chin and some lumps on the side of the head from biopsy incisions, but then he took some hair away up top. It will all be disappearing when radiation starts, but I wanted to show you Vicar Jon as he is right now . . . feeling strong, feeling at peace, just looking different.

If you can give me a minute or two, I first wanted to thank you so much for the cards and for all your thoughts and prayers. Those mean so much to my family and me right now, and I do keep you guys in my thoughts and prayers, so thank you for passing such things back to me.

 

Also wanted to share with you this: I have been asked several times over the past month, "Don't you wonder why God would do something like this to you . . . allow a brain tumor to come to a 24 year old?" The answer is, "No." You see, cancer is a reality in this world. So are earthquakes, tsunamis, depression, break-ups, days where you feel you can't go on or that God isn't there. Folks, that's Satan . . . that's his work, and he will always be here in this world. BUT SO WILL OUR LORD! Jesus is the one who brings the healing and the comfort after Satan's brought the pain and sadness. Jesus is the one who guides us after our plans have been shattered. Jesus is the one who shows us that heaven is what He has promised us and what we look forward to . . . not a life free from pain or sadness and periods of darkness . . . but even in those dark periods, Jesus never leaves our side . . . and there should be no greater comfort in life than that. I was hit by a freight train in mid-December when I found out about the cancer, but at the same time I was hit by the reality that our lives are not ours . . . they are God's, and it has brought so much comfort to know that it's His plan for our lives that goes . . . not ours. He's got our lives in His hands . . . and nothing that Satan brings into our lives can change that love the Lord has for us . . . for each of you.

OK, I'm done preaching . . . so I will leave you with the hope that I'll see you sometime down the road Lord-willing, and I will leave you with one more bizzare fact and weird city name of the week. Bizarre Fact: Apples are more efficient than caffeine in keeping people awake in the morning. Weird City Name: Peculiar, Missouri.

Friends, again, thank you. May 2005 be a blessed year for all of you. Jesus be with you guys.

Sincerely,

Vicar Jon