Archive for December, 2006

Christmas Day Celebration Crystal

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December 28, 2006 at 1:43 pm Family

We hope all of you had a wonderful Christmas.  Our Christmas was very nice.  On Christmas eve, our church had a candle light service at night.  It was a beautiful service and Candice and I had the opportunity to sing one of our favorite songs "O Holy Night."  We were so humbled as we received a standing ovation for our performance.  It is a joy for the two of us to be singing again and it is exciting to see the Lord working in our lives.  It has been four weeks since Candice had the chemoembolization treatment and it's amazing that she has the strength to be able to sing like she is.  We definitely know it is the Lord who gives her the strength.  We are truly blessed and so thankful that she is back on her feet again.  After the service we went to Judy and Jess West's home for some dinner and a time of fellowship.  Thanks guys for inviting our family over, we had a nice time with you. 

Christmas day we opened our gifts with mom, dad and Jody.  We got some really nice things from mom and dad.  After we finished opening our gifts we drove up to Cottonwood, Az. to our niece Danielle and Mike's house.  They just recently got married and Danielle wanted to have Christmas in her new home.  There were 16 of us all together. We had a big Christmas dinner with ham and mashed potatoes. This year our family decided to draw names.  It makes it much easier and less expensive so that we don't have to buy for every person in the family.  I drew our sister Anjeli's name and Candice drew our brother Sanjay's name.  Our brother Jody drew my name and our sister Rhonda drew Candice's.  We both got a little make up bag with lotion and make up in it.  As well as a velour sweat outfit.  We all agreed to spend 20 dollars on each gift.  It was so much fun seeing everyone open their gifts from their secret Santa's.  We also played the white elephant gift game.  Our family use to play this game every year.  We decided it would be fun to bring it back as a tradition.  We had a blast playing it.  The object of the game is for each of us to draw a number.  When it is your turn you can choose to take someone else's gift or you can pick a new gift.  There were goofy gifts as well as some really nice ones.  That is what makes the game so fun.  Since we were all tired and it was late our family spent the night in Cottonwood.  Candice and I stayed at Danielle's.  It was nice to spend a little extra time with her.  When we got up, Danielle prepared some ham and cheese omelets. We drove back home later Tuesday morning.   When we got home and walked into our room, it looked like a big hurricane hit it.  There were clothes all over the place.  It took us a good three hours to clean and organize our drawers.  We put all of our new Christmas gifts away and finished unpacking our bags.  

Yesterday, our parents took down the  Christmas tree and put away the Christmas decorations.   It is hard to believe that Christmas is over now.  Every year it comes so quickly and it is over in such a short amount of time.  As we say goodbye to 2006 and enter 2007.  We would like to leave you with three thoughts that we are holding on to as we move into the new year.  The first one is to live our lives with passion for Christ.  The next one is to pray for divine wisdom as we set new goals for ourselves.  The third thought is to rely on God's strength as he helps us get through the challenges we face.

 Psalm 37:5-6, “Commit your way to the LORD, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass. He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday.”

Happy New Year and God Bless! 

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Christmas Cheer with friends Candice

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December 23, 2006 at 12:49 am Family

Last night we had our good friends Larry and Lora Root over for a visit and a mini Christmas concert.  Despite everything I've been through these past few weeks with my health, it was our goal to have this couple over before Christmas and to give them a private concert.  We have known the Roots for three months now.  Back in September when we sang at the Indian-Asian Crusade, Larry was there as a volunteer usher.  He called our house two days after the crusade introducing himself and telling me how touched he was by our singing and testimony.  He wondered where our next concert was going to be so that he could bring his wife to hear us sing.  I told him we would be singing at South Peoria Baptist church that following Sunday.  He said he would be there, and that Sunday he and his wife were there.  From that day on they have attended all of our performances.  Larry helps dad set up our sound equipment.  They are so supportive, caring and a great blessing to us.  We thank God for providing special friends to our family.  We had a wonderful time visiting and singing for them.  

John and Jan Edmonds came to visit us today. We have known the Edmonds for seven years now. They are very special to us. John is a Southern Gospel vocalist. He has recorded a numerous amount of CD's. He produced our first CD and he has helped us every year with our HPS benefit concerts. This couple is so loving and fun to be around.  We count it a blessing to have them in our lives. John helped us start our ministry.  We have learned a lot from him over the years.  We enjoyed our time visiting with John and Jan.  We love you both.

We also had another couple of friends come by. Andy and JoAnne Weber.  They are two of the sweetest couple we know.  JoAnne was our second grade Sunday school teacher and Andy worked in Caraway Street.  Caraway Street was a fun place  where all the kids went during the church service.  It is kind of like junior church. They remember us when we were five years old.  Andy and JoAnne taught the college Sunday school class when we were in it.  The Weber's have been a blessing to us and our family.  When I spent six weeks in the hospital last year, Andy was there almost everyday.  He was there to show his love and support and that meant so much to our family.  We are so grateful for friends like these.  Andy and JoAnne thanks for being so special to us.  

Our neighbors who are Eastern Indian, Ram and Kelly, brought us over some cookies.  They are so sweet and generous.  We have been in their home quite a few times.  We couldn't ask for nicer neighbors.  

God has brought so many wonderful friends into our lives.  It is a joy celebrating the Christmas season with those we love and care about.  We are praying a special prayer to those of you who are reading this.  May you have a blessed Christmas.  May it be filled with peace and joy, as we celebrate the birth of our risen Savior.  

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This past weekend Crystal

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December 18, 2006 at 11:08 pm Medical

This past weekend was quite busy for us.  Friday morning I woke up with achy joints, my back hurt and I had a horrible headache.  All day long I was chilling, one minute I was hot and the next minute I was cold.  I was tired and had no energy.  I knew I was coming down with something.  Mom had been sick all last week with a cold.  Anytime someone in our family gets sick everyone else usually gets it too.  Candice and I had been practicing all last week for Sunday morning and I wanted to practice Friday too even though I wasn't feeling good.  So, we practiced and I noticed I was having a hard time getting through the phrases.  I had been coughing some and my chest was tight.  After we finished practicing, I told mom to take my temperature.  It was 100.6, I was disappointed because here we were trying to prepare for Sunday and I didn't know if I would feel up to singing.  After having a bowl of tomato soup and drinking cold water, I started getting really tired and started chilling.  I had a choir rehearsal the next morning at church for the Christmas performance, but knew I wouldn't feel up to going.  Mom took my temperature again and it was 101.4.  Candice and I were looking forward to singing on Sunday morning and our sister Rhonda, niece Danielle and her husband Mike were coming down that next day to visit us.  I went to bed and decided to wait and see how I felt the next morning.  After a good night sleep I woke up feeling much better.  I still ached and had a horrible headache, but I wasn't having the chills like the day before.  I didn't feel up to going to choir rehearsal Saturday morning.  Rhonda, Danielle and Mike came down from Cottonwood, which is a two hour drive.  Mike had a work Christmas party at a hotel in Phoenix that night, so while he and Danielle were there, Rhonda stayed with us.  Mom and Rhonda spent the afternoon shopping while Candice and I baked cookies for the fellowship after the Christmas choir program.  We did sing at church on Sunday, and it went very well.  We sang a song called "One King," by Point of Grace.  It's a beautiful song, and it went right along with Pastor Adrian's sermon.  I was able to go to the choir rehearsal that afternoon and sang with the choir in the performance yesterday evening.  Candice watched the concert from the audience and said it was wonderful.  Candice is doing pretty good, she is still having shortness of breath.  God is so good!  It is amazing that she was able to sing yesterday.  Many people came up to us and commented on how beautiful our song was.  They just couldn't believe how much energy she had after having the chemo two and a half weeks ago. The two of us are singing "O Holy Night" for the Christmas Eve candle light service at church. We feel so blessed.  We know that our strength comes only from the Lord.  We are just so thankful that he is allowing us to sing again.  Dad added another music video of us singing "O Holy Night" last year at the choir concert.   http://www.stanlucas.com/angelsinvoice/broadband/O_Holy_Night.wmv                                                                                                                               Thank you for praying for us, we trully believe the Lord has so much more in store for our ministry.  We are just so thankful to have the opportunity to sing as we cellebrate the birth of our risen savior. 

We wanted to leave you with the lyrics to "One King".

 Kings of earth on a course unknown           
Bearing gifts from afar
Hoping praying
Following yonder star

Silhouette of a caravan
Painted against the sky
Wise men searching
For the Holy Child

(Chorus)
One king held the frankincense
One king held the myrrh
One king held the purest gold
One King held the hope of the world

A star hangs over Bethlehem
A journey ends in the night
Three kings trembling
Behold the glorious sight

Heaven's treasure Emmanuel
Drawing men to bow down
Tiny baby born to wear a crown

(Repeat Chorus)

God rest ye merry gentlemen
Let nothing you dismay
Remember Christ our Savior
Was born on Christmas day
To save us all from satans power
When we were gone astray

Oh tiny baby born to wear a crown

(Repeat Chorus 2 x's)

One king held the purest gold
One King held the hope of the world

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Feeling better Candice

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December 12, 2006 at 10:53 pm Medical

I am finally starting to feel like my old self again.  This past Sunday night was my first time out of the house. The Children's Choir put on their Christmas program at church on Sunday night. Crystal and I have helped with the children's choir at church the past few years and since I was feeling well enough, I decided to go listen to them sing. The play was called "All I Want For Christmas", it was very cute. The kids did a great job, singing and reminding us that Christ's Birth is what Christmas is all about. Crystal also sang a solo with them. The song was a beautiful song called "My Gift". It was her first time doing a solo at church and she was so excited about doing it. Due to acid reflex she struggles with her voice sometimes and that night she was struggling with hoarseness. I could tell she was quite nervous. I know she feels much more comfortable singing with me. The song was very pretty and she really did a nice job. I really enjoyed the whole program.

The past couple of days have gone very well. My appetite is getting better and I am able to do things around the house without feeling completely exhausted. Today, I didn't take a nap, I didn't feel like I needed one. It is so wonderful to be doing normal things again. Speaking of normal, Crystal and I have even started practicing again. Yes, we have started practicing some of our Christmas repertoire. It is so much fun! I am still struggling with shortness of breath. I can't seem to get rid of this annoying little cough. I noticed the breathing exercises and the vocal warmups are what I need to be doing now, because they help me to expand my lungs. I actually feel much better after I've practiced. Crystal and I are scheduled to sing on Sunday morning at church. It has been a while since we've sang, and we are so excited to be doing what we love so much. Thank you all for your prayers, we hope each of you are having a joy filled Christmas season. Thank you Lord for the gift of music, and for allowing us to sing for your glory.

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Slowly making progress Crystal

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December 7, 2006 at 11:29 pm Medical

These past few days have been very trying days for Candice.  At the beginning of the week she started having shortness of breath and coughing. She was having to use the nebulizer again. She has still been very tired and sleeps off and on during the day.  It is very overwhelming what your body goes through after chemo. You are completely exhausted and all your energy is gone, you are totally drained. Yesterday she still continued struggling with her breathing. Not knowing if this could be a side effect from the chemo or fluid building up in the lung, mom decided to called Dr. Huettl, the doctor that did her procedure. He transfered her to Dr. Mulligan. Dr Mulligan told her to call our regular Pulmonolgoist, Dr. Radford, because she could get Candice in quickly for a chest x-ray. In no time, Dr. Radford had faxed the orders to us. The Radiology department at Valley West hospital closed at five. So mom, dad, and Candice hurried out at 4:30 to get to the hospital. They made it :) Candice continued to feel bad through the evening and started vomiting at 12:30am. She felt terrible and had a hard time sleeping last night. We layed in bed watching IL Divo's concert on PBS. Today has been a better day. We got the results back from the x-ray, there is no fluid in the plural area. We are so thankful for this news. Candice is just experiencing the side effects from the chemo. Tonight she tried to sing with me a little bit. We were trying to remember one of the Christmas songs we sang last year at our church on Christmas Day. That was great joy because the last time we sang was a month ago at our niece's wedding. Her goal is to be able to sing a duet with me next Sunday morning and she would really like to sing in the adult choir Christmas program next Sunday night. We are just praying for whatever the Lord brings her way this Christmas season. We Praise God for giving us a better day. We want to thank you for all your wonderful comments and encouragement. It means so much to us knowing you are all praying.

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