Exloring Life Eternal

To Prayer Partners:

I had a blood clot last June.

Until January my doctor had me taking Coumadin, a blood thinner. He took me off of it last month in order to do further testing to see if he could find the reason for my clot. He did a bunch of blood work and found out that I am Factor V Leiden Deficient. This is a hereditary blood clotting disorder that makes me more susceptible to blood clots. When I went to see my doctor for the results, he shared this information with me.

I told him that I had been experiencing pain in my left leg (same as last June), so I had an ultra-sound done. It seems I have a new clot. However, this time the doctor did not put me in the hospital, but he has given me a series of Hepron shoots and has started me back on the Coumadin. He informed me that at this point, I will be on Coumadin the rest of my life.

... I am taking it easy and doing what the doctor tells me. I am not sure what this will do to the prospect of me serving overseas long-term, but I am leaving that in the Lord's hands. If He wants me overseas, then He will provide the way.

I appreciate your prayers and support. ... I am having a wonderful time in seminary, and God is giving me opportunities for ministry in many different directions. I would ask that you pray for me as the summer approaches. I have many different options and I need to know which one the Lord would have me choose. I will keep you all updated on my comings and goings!

May God bless each of you, and may you serve Him daily!
<><
N.C.

===
Q. Mert's mundane medical question: What would happen genetically if a Factor V Leiden Deficient person were to marry & have kids with a Hemophiliac? Are they related genes? Would the kids have regular clotting factors?

A. Part I:
That's an interesting question.

I don't know what gene cause the Factor V Leiden Deficiency, and I do know that there are actually a few different (genetic) causes of hemophilia. I suppose that hemophilia might counter some effects of hypercoagulability, but more than likely, that person would have 2 different sets of problems to deal with. One that made them have trouble starting a clot (in the case of von Willebrands hemophilia) and then another stopping the clot (in the case of Factor V deficiency). This is only something that would happen if the person were to inherit copies of both genes. In a person who has one factor V deficiency, and one normal, the kid has a 50:50 chance of getting it. Then from a parent with 50:50 vWF deficiency, the kid has a 50:50 chance of getting that.

So from two heterozygous parents (refering to the alleles for the respective genes), a kid has 1/4 chance of getting both genes.

Short answer, hemophilia is likely to be from a different gene than the Factor V Leiden Deficiency.

For more info:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Factor_V_Leiden
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hemophilia

===
A. Part II:

There is a cascade of clotting factors that lead to clots the change in factor V makes it so that it is not broken and so that the person will not stop clotting when an appropriate clot has been formed. That is basically what is happening.

I think that the cascade progresses something like this when one factor becomes activated it activates the next.

I will send you a picture that shows the clotting cascade. Clots like the one that the guy emailed you about can be very serious. if a piece of the clot breaks loose, it can get into his lung and cause problems breathing.

If it starts past the lung , it can lodge in the heart (myocardial
infacrction/heart attack), the brain (stroke/aneurism), or or other place. This is why people tell you that you should get cardiovascular exercise (keep the blood moving so it hopefully doesn't clot). Unfortunately, cardio may not be so good for a person who has a genetic disorder, and that is why you are supposed to talk to your doctor before starting a new exercise regimen.

You just happened to email me during a when i am studying cardiovascular disease.

- Nathan Hershberger
- Student Pharmacist/Mutational Analyst

What's the big deal people make about Christian athletes?
Here is a sobering look at sport & paganism ...
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2004/133/53.0.html

What then does it mean to not conform to the world?
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ch/2004/004/11.31.html
... Is that what is meant by "non-conformity"?

For input from the bible: see Romans 12:1-2 in a few diverse English versions:
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%2012:1-2;&version=45;65;49;46;50;

The key is not so much being like or different from the culture, it seems, but rather, being conformed to the Lord Jesus. This is central. When Christ is at our heart, then He is our Life!!

Are we willing to be "living sacrifices?" That is the real question.

Pray for a National Muslim couple who have become Christians. They have missed many fellowship meetings due to other commitments and priorities. Pray that the Lord would be first in their lives, and not their families.

Pray for persecuted local believers in our neighboring country, that they would remain steadfast and also would be a good witness. Uphold their families, particularly the believing wives. For some it has been months since they have heard from their husbands. Pray that they would stand firm in their faith.

Pray for a faithful worker whose contract was not renewed for next year. They will be searching for other jobs but would prefer to stay in the present, pray for a change of heart for the employers.

Pray for the relationship between the International church here and the authorities. Pray for good understanding and relationship between them. Pray for continuing freedom for the church to reach out into the expatriate community.

Pray for the Arab tent making family that just learned that their visa will be cancelled. Pray that a new sponsor will be found before they are forced to leave the region. Pray too for their finances and for steadfast faith in the face of these difficulties.

Praise the Lord for the Arab tent maker who just got a job in our capital city. He was part of the PTAP prayer focus in October & November. His position is with a firm that fits his work gifting plus is in an area where there are the fewest Christian workers. Thank you for praying with us, God is listening.

Pray for the ongoing translation work for the New Testament for a tribal people group living mostly on a large island off the shore of our country. Pray that the few Christian workers engaged in this key project will have insight, wisdom and perseverance.

<>< <>< <>< <>< <><
Praying Thru the Arabian Peninsula
ptap@srginc.org www.pray-ap.info
Encouraging & equipping believers & churches around the world to pray through the heart of the Muslim world so that church planting movements will spread throughout the Arabian Peninsula & beyond.

====
PTAP
P.O. Box 11448
Newport Beach, CA 92658
USA

What Does it mean to Fast?

See Isaiah 58 for one answer. See below for one modern Jewish answer.
See the end of Matthew 4 and the start of Matthew 6 for Jesus' answer.

"Blessed are those who hunger & thirst for righteousness for they will be filled."
<><
- MJH

FWD from David Depew [dpdepew@earthlink.net]

In hundreds of synagogues across the nation, congregants, answering the call of a former chief rabbi and two leading kabbalists to fight disengagement, will organize on Monday into groups and... be quiet.

Translated literally as a "speech fast" (ta'anit dibur), the practice of holding one's tongue from the mundane, combined with praying and learning Torah, is seen by kabbalists as having more spiritual impact than a fast.

The new act of speechlessness is timed to precede the summit of Palestinian Authority, Egyptian, Israeli and Jordanian representatives at Sharm e-Sheikh on Tuesday.

"This is a pivotal time for the Jewish people," said Rabbi Yitzhak Batzri, son of leading kabbalist Rabbi David Batzri, who will take part in the "fast." "Tomorrow, starting at dawn in 200 to 250 synagogues, we will pray for the success of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon at Sharm. We will pray that the nation of Israel will not fall into its enemies' net. And we will pray that none of the Land of Israel will be given away."

The speech fast also coincides with the last of a series of weekly Torah portion readings in Exodus that form the acronym shovavim, a period of time particular propitious for atonement.

...

"And if you doubt the efficacy of the speech fast, I tell you that it has more impact than abstinence from food. For it is inevitable that during a [conventional] fast there will be expressions of anger, lies, joking, levity, conceit, false oaths... and using the holy name in vain.

"In addition to refraining from all these transgressions, those who participate also fulfill the positive commandment of learning Torah."

Batzri said assembling for a speech fast, combined with reading the book of Psalms out loud three times and additional prayers, is preferred to a demonstration.

"The Jewish people must realize that the only way to be redeemed is through prayer," he said.

This article can also be read at http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1107659937847&p=1078027574097

Copyright 1995-2005 The Jerusalem Post - http://www.jpost.com/

Like a bargain?

Try this page:

http://www.quickgaragesale.com/quick/index.php

Help it grow, though I have no idea who the people are who manage it.

Please send me other public/free pages for garage sale ads.

Mert

Large quantities of olive oil are available:

Some folks in the North-Africa/Middle East have found an excellent product that far exceeds its industry standards for the highest grade: Olive oil. Their company can supply it by the pallet in bottles small and large, plus 5 liter tins.

Write to mertaka@everybody.org for more info & I will link you with the company.

If you are wondering about the use of olive oils, see:

http://www.oliveoilsource.com/

(Of course, this is a Coop from California & I would urge you to make contact with the first group ... in an effort to promote peace (God's peace in Christ) among Muslims.)

How did the olive branch come to symbolize peace?

One group promoting "peace" suggests the source is a "maternal goddess" ... which is essentially a bunch of hogwash. (i.e. Old Testament paganism was really no different. Though Christian Conquistadors are no improvement.)

For example, the Indonesian government recently referred to an olive branch: "We are coming with an olive branch. Let's move forward to rebuilding Aceh within the framework of the Republic of Indonesia." -- Andi Mallarangeng, a presidential spokesman.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A42800-2005Jan27.html

"An Olive Branch or a Stick? In an interview with TIME's Scott MacLeod, Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal insists that the Arab League's peace initiative is the region's best hope."
http://www.time.com/time/covers/1101020408/olive.html

A Rabbinic answer: the Deluge in Noah's day was followed with a dove with an olive leaf.
http://ohr.edu/ask_db/ask_main.php/193/Q3/

Basically, others affirm that ...
http://www.answers.com/topic/olive-branch
... & give you more definition than you cared for:
http://onlinedictionary.datasegment.com/word/Olive+branch

One lady's Poem:
(If you know how to get ahold of Doris, please ask her permission for publishing this)
Carry an Olive Branch
By Doris Judy
http://columbiawrites.coin.org/writhings.html

Ancient of days is the olive branch
More ancient is our God and yet ever new.
Attractive at harvest time, the tree,
with soft blend of gray-green
and a mysterious silvery tinge.
Carry an Olive Branch, O God.
Let us know your mystery, your beauty, your peace.

Olive trees at maturity, shade the hot dry land
and reach high in globular shape.
With gnarled trunk, uneven bark, slender leaves
of evergreen, admired by humankind,
known for shiny plumlike fruit.
Carry an Olive Branch, O God.
Show us the smooth edible olive.

It takes irrigation, cultivation
for the tree to yield bountiful crops.
Pressure produces pure, then cheap oils.
Ripe, unripe, with or without pit,
green, black, yellow, purple,
or full of pimento, the olive serves.
O God, you created this flowering tree.

You show this branch of peace
to Noah, borne by a dove.
Both dove and fruit become lasting
symbols of Peace and Plenty.
For Psalmists, a pilgrim's song, (128):
"Children will be like olive shoots."
How fertile are your gifts, O God.

The taste of peace is bitter.
Yet we must partake of peace.
Brine is one solution, lye another.
A time of soaking necessary.
We must learn ways to make Peace
and Plenty just and tasty for all.
O God, make us hunger for Peace.

In ancient days Greeks and Romans
wore victory wreaths,
made from the olive branch.
Beauty flourished because trees
were pruned thinned and fertilized.
The yield becomes bigger and better.
O God, help us carry olive branches.

Old trees call to prayer and meditation.
New trees prosper from cuttings.
Ancient of Days is God,
provider of bountiful life,
older than earth that nurtures trees,
wise as the Spirit of creation.
O God save us and send us in peace.

The olive tree is self pollinating,
or serviced by creatures of the wind,
planted to be life giving and up lifting.
From the beginning, the world is rocked
in the arms of God who longs for us
to cut out our bitterness, to invite others
to join us in a banquet of Peace.

There are dreams to be shared,
songs to be aired, visions to be spoken,
swords and shields to be broken.
Peace can become palatable,
patience and passion together
can soak in baths that provide
solutions for peace and plenty.

It could be it is time to let go.
Let go of symbols that reward war.
No more olive wreaths of victory
or purple hearts for valor.
Carry an olive branch.
Lay down weapons, all weapons
even weapons of mass destruction

Fear not any power save love.
It must be that we could give up
crosses, crosses that symbolize torture
as well as the work of Jesus.
Of course, it did not hold him
but through the years it has been
worn by warriors who seek its power.

An olive branch will do,
A meeting by healing waters,
polluted not by warring nations.
Come to study peace, to be seeds
sown by the wind of change.
Break with the past need for superiority.
Victory is a peace passing circle.

You love, O God. We hunger for peace,
peace that holds others captive.
Let us hunger for peace that frees
all brothers and sisters,
all creation to join as believers
in a future of peace and plenty
provided by all who trust tomorrow.

Carry an olive branch!
The only crown we wear shall
be the rich crown of Your love
for our children. Let them joy
in our love for You and one another.
Let victory be the weaving of Your
peaceable Kingdom among us.



About the Author

Doris Judy tells us: "I am never more happy than when I am in the middle of a poem - or for that matter when it seems best to begin one, but always wondering how it will end. The challenge for me in high school was figuring a way to end a poem and I never won a place in the year book. At 40 I realized poetry is a gift and God gave me that gift.

"At 47 I went to seminary and was able to use my ability to write devotions and poetry as part of my faith statements and theology. Now at 72 I have published a little and learned a lot. My husband and I have one son and three daughters. I have written a few memoirs and essays, and we are both retired. We are blessed with grandchildlren and great grandchildren and maybe, just maybe I will do better with journaling and write a book one day. Since moving to Ashland and after about l996 I have enjoyed and been inspired by CCMWG, the workshops, critiqe groups and gatherings. Due to people who offer classes I have had a few memoirs published and been asked to judge along with others, the Jefferson City Library's contests for young poets. They are inspirations for all who attend their presentations."

For Americans:
"After much occasion to consider the folly and mischiefs of a state of warfare, and the little or no advantage obtained even by those nations who have conducted it with the most success, I have been apt to think that there has never been, or ever will be, any such thing as a good war, or a bad peace." – Ben Franklin
http://www.greatseal.com/symbols/olives.html

So then, what is the end of all these things?
Today's Aphorism:
Though vices of voluptuousness & violence vends volumes of videos, total victory & true verve is not in vim & vigor but in the value of virtue. - Mert (2/21/2005)

Where then is the source of virtue?

A synonym for virtue is purity ...
See James 2:13 and 3:13-18
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James%202:13;%203:13-18;&version=45;65;49;46;50;

You see, Jesus is the Anointed One: the Olive Crushed.
Whose leaf is for the healing of the nations.
The Spirit which is our essential oil for healing.
Our God is the Root we have been grafted into, our Source.

This is why we say that Jesus is the Christ/Anointed One and the Lord/Authoritative One.

"Lord Jesus Christ, we praise You as our Source, our Savior, & our Sanctification. pour Yourself out over us tonight. Heal our wounds, our worrys, & our weaknesses. Bring life where there once was death, love where there was damnation, light where there was darkness. May Your perfect peace reign in our hearts, our homes, in our houses of worship as well as the houses of government throughout the earth. Stay your wrath. Restrain the wrath of man. Calm the nagging fears of women everywhere. Plant visions of Your promise within the hearts of children. Establish Your rule in place of rebellion and Your righteousness in place of our wrongheadedness. Burn down the enemies strongholds & cleanse our souls with your outpoured life, that there might forever be the light of our Father's glory ablaze within, around, and above. Lord Jesus, You are able. You are the Amen."

- Bro. Mert
That is all for today from the Hyper-Texted preacher.
(Links intentionally left for all to see.)