“12 So in the process of her years, as she shall be in a miraculous manner born of one that was barren, so she shall, while yet a virgin, in a way unparalleled, bring forth the Son of the most High God, who shall, be called Jesus, and, according to the signification of his name, be the Savior of all nations.” – The Gospel of the Birth of Mary 2:12
“Several years ago Chuck called to tell me he had cancer… In typical fashion Chuck shaved his head before the chemotherapy began, covered it with glue, sprinkled it with gold glitter, and walked around the house in his underwear, calling himself ‘Chemo-Man.’
“…The chemotherapy destroyed his appetite; he was unable to keep food down; he became so gaunt and emaciated that he was almost unrecognizable even to his children… But Chuck pulled through, and eventually he completed treatment. Chemo-Man had prevailed.
“A month later… the cancer was back… at levels as high as they had been before treatment. Being a doctor himself, he knew that the return of the cancer this strongly, this quickly, meant that he was going to die. It was a death sentence.
“At 6:30 the next morning, Chuck called again. ‘You won’t believe this,’ he said. Someone in the lab had mistakenly switched his results with those of another patient, who had not yet even been through treatment…
“‘I’m going to live,’ my friend said. ‘I’m going to see my kids grow up. I’m going to grow old with my wife. I’m going to live.’
“…Chuck told me he was filled with a gratitude he had never known. He couldn’t stop touching his kids or hugging his wife. Things that had bothered him before faded into utter insignificance… We don’t earn it, can’t control it, can’t take a moment of it for granted. Every tick of the clock is a gift from God.” – The Life You’ve Always Wanted by John Ortberg.
Ireland will bust your face... 