Forever Grateful

This week I received some much anticipated and extremely exciting news. Those of you who have followed by blog over the past couple of months know that early this Summer I was diagnosed with a very rare form of Leukemia called Hairy Cell Leukemia. The good news from the start was the doctors admonishment to me that if there is any form of Leukemia to have, this is the one. One week of low Chemotherapy treatment and you are on your road to remission. I followed that procedure along with some Homeopathic treatment, increased vitamin and supplements and plenty of prayer from so many. The treatment was in August and this week the good news came.

On Wednesday when I went for my weekly blood test, I learned that my vital blood levels have for the first time in a long time returned to the normal range. I can't tell you how encouraging it was to hear the news. These past few months have been a time of uncertainty, anticipation, growing in faith, realizing the value of life and a learning experience for me and my family beyond anything we could have imagined. What we thought was going to be a relatively routine Summer, turned into a Summer we will never forget.

It is in times of testing that our faith is stretched and times of uncertainty that you learn where true certainty in life lies. My family and I thank all of you who have so faithfully prayed and expressed your love and concern during this time and we give all the glory for this transformation to our Savior Jesus Christ without whom we have no hope of a future. God has proven Himself to be faithful and I look forward to what He has in store now for me and my family.

When Words Define (Out of the Mouth...)

We had a discussion at lunch this week. By we, I mean a group of guys who pretty much all hold the same standards with regards to morals and things spiritual. The discussion somehow turned to music and in particular secular rap music. I don't know if my age is showing, but one of the younger guys at the table (who by the way agreed that much of what we hear in rap and much of the rock music these days is objectionable) seemed to be less phased by it all. Is it that as our society changes, we become more DE-sensitized? I say yes.

Now, I'm really no prude but it really gets to me when all around I have to not only subject my own ears, but the ears of my children to filthy, profane, sexually explicit language and even violent rap "lyrics" coming from idling cars in parking lots, mouths of teens hanging out in shopping malls and even parents scolding their kids in public.

To be sure every culture has its "profane" language and my goal in writing this is not to become the speech police by any means. My observation however is that even in my lifetime and most certainly in the time of my parents and grandparents, the language an increasing amount of people use "in public" without a second thought is more profane than ever. It used to be heard mostly by men and always in the company of ONLY MEN, rarely around women and NEVER around children. Now, even the "children" use the language. The words we use to communicate thoughts, ideas, frustrations, any emotion for that matter says volumes about us as a people. We have children, many of whom can't even conjugate a verb or properly punctuate a sentence communicating with each other in a vulgar sub-language that not only demeans others, but dumbs down our society all together.

It should be easy to see that our everyday language only reflects our cultural erosion. Just today, Fox News reported on a recent survey conducted by researchers at University of East Anglia in Norwich, U.K. They say a leadership study found the use of "taboo language" made the workplace more tolerable? Great, now we're being told it's not only OK to use foul language, it's healthy!

Who is to blame? What's to blame? Dr. Bill Cosby recently spoke about the lions share of the responsibility falling on parents. The entertainer has been at the center of a racially charged controversy since he ridiculed the poor grammar of some blacks. "I can't even talk the way these people talk, 'Why you ain't,' 'Where you is' ... and I blamed the kid until I heard the mother talk," Cosby said in Washington, D.C. at an event marking the anniversary of the Brown v. Board of Education desegregation ruling. Dr. Cosby went on to say: "The more you invest in your child, the more you are not going to let some CD tell your child how to curse and how to say the word 'n---r.' This is an accepted word. You are so hip with 'n---r,' but you can't even spell it," But this is not an problem exclusive to the black community. All of us need to take heed. Our children hear how we speak, they listen and simply repeat. Parents need to set the standards in the home.

My fear is that it will only get worse. When I hear young children curse and parents laugh it off. When teenagers, with no regard to anyone around them talk trash with each other; what words will their children and grandchildren use to communicate?

Someone much wiser put it this way: "Out of the abundance of the heart we speak" (Matthew 12:34). Jesus Christ said this over 2000 years ago. He spoke in terms of a vessel filling up with whatever has been poured into it and in turn overflowing. Laws of nature tell us that at some point what is in the vessel as it fills, will eventually overflow and it just so happens most of the time the outlet is our mouth.

Our words reflect our hearts. Guard your heart and that of your children?

Take this survey and see how you do. Then, let me know your thoughts.

Ed Davis Remembered

It's amazing that with so many people who cross our paths each day, only a few really stand out and leave a lasting impression. I remember growing up in the Atlantic City area and listening to Ed Davis on the radio. He was a broadcasters, broadcaster. A real pioneer who began his career in 1946. By the time I entered the field of radio, Ed was nearing retirement. It was the late 1980's I believe when as News Director at WMGM-TV we were looking for a personality to host a weekly seniors segment on our television newscast. Immediately, Ed's name came to mind and I made the call. That call proved to be a great one not only for us, but as I would later find out for Ed. Ed would often remind me of that phone call and his beloved wife Helen told me on more than one occasion, "you don't realize what that phone call did for Ed?" She told me that Ed thought his career was on the downswing and his new "assignment" with us gave him renewed vigor and enthusiasm. What I'm sure he never realized was the great impact he had on so many young people over the years who enjoyed his weekly visits to the tv station. Often he would bring homemade snacks for us, always was concerned about how we were doing and always, always thanked US for the opportunity.

Thank you Ed for your quiet way, your decency, professionalism, Godly example, humility, kindness and friendship over the years. Someone once told me that Ed told them that he looked on me as a son he never had. I could not be prouder of my friendship with such a great man. A gentle soul, at the age of 87 Ed went home this weekend to meet his maker whom he loved so much and to be reunited with his bride Helen whom he adored. My life is much richer for having crossed paths with Ed Davis.

More Good News!

From time to time I update my recovery from my Hairy Cell Leukemia (HCL). I had some more great news from the doctor this week. Every Wednesday I have my blood levels checked to see my progress since Chemo treatment back in August. For the first time, my levels are starting to turn in the positive direction. From White Blood Cell levels to Hemoglobin levels to Platelets, everything is on the upswing. White Cells and Hemoglobin are still below the normal level, but they are headed in the right direction. Thank God for His provision and thanks to many of you who have expressed your concern and offered prayers on my behalf and my families as well. You can see more information on my treatment at my wifes entries at a page she has set up on carepages.com . Just sign up for free and find the page jeffwhitaker2007 to go to my carepage.