Rogers Family Christmas Newsletter

December, 2014

From L-R, Back row:  Noah, Samantha, Tim, Elsie, Michael, Jan, Kara, Jon

Front row:  Asher, Aiden, Sadie, Friedel and Harry

Christmas Greetings to our Dear Family and Friends!

Well, here it is, another year going by before we know it!  We sincerely hope that this finds you and yours well and content.  I hardly know where to start!  Much has happened this year in our lives.

Before I tell you about Michael and me, I’ll start with the rest of our family and work our way up!  As you see by the photo above, which was taken at Thanksgiving, they are all doing well.   Michael’s parents are in their upper 80’s but are still active and healthy.  It was such a blessing to have everyone all here for Thanksgiving this year.  It was Tim’s 30^th birthday that day, so it was even more special.  We had a wonderful time.

Jon and Kara are doing well.  Jon has been very busy with the practice.  More about that later.  Kara is quite busy with the three Grandkiddlins (Asher, 9, Sadie 7, and Elsie, 3 )and is a great Mom.  She helps Jon with the business as she can find the time, helps at the kids’ school and at the kids’ programs at church and maybe has a few minutes to sew her darling creations here and there.  She still makes the best cookies we’ve ever had and truly is a ‘baking artiste’.  The kids are involved in various activities between gymnastics and sports and Kara stays on the run.  Despite the demands of the business, Jon still finds time to spend with his family as much as he can.  He also helps with many things at church, mostly related to the worship ministry, and plays guitar on the praise band.  So, their lives are full but they are happy. 

Tim has a darling and very sweet girlfriend now, Samantha. I was going to write this newsletter one way, but I am thrilled to say that he proposed to her today and she accepted!  We are delighted to be welcoming her into our family.  She and Tim are good for each other.  He is working at a company in Greeneville, Premium Waters, and really seems to enjoy it.  Samantha works two jobs at a local shipping company and a nursing home.  She is really busy with work and raising her two boys, Aiden, 5 and Noah, 1, and doing an admirable job. Tim plays bass on the praise band at church and is very happy.  We are very proud of the men both of our sons have become.

So, now for us.  I suppose I should start at the beginning.  Last year I was really unable to share much about Michael’s health because we weren’t sure of many things.  In August, 2013, he developed severe anemia, and, over the course of the next few months, between the local Hematologist and the Vanderbilt Hematology Department, he was diagnosed with two things:  MDS (Myleo Dysplastic Syndrome) and MPD (Myleo Proliferative Disorder).  Suffice it to say that his stem cells weren’t doing what they were supposed to.  So, a decision was made that he would go to Vanderbilt and have a bone marrow stem cell transplant from an unrelated donor.  What everyone expected was that he would be at Vanderbilt for 100 days and then come home and go back to work in November. 

On May 22 the transplant took place.  That was followed by probably the most difficult 5 months of our lives.  Michael was very sick.  He had every complication they know of and then some, but through it all, God was so faithful.  He provided for our every need. He lifted us up and carried us when it seemed as though we couldn’t take another step.  He was our Rock and our Fortress, our Encourager and our Provider.  We couldn’t have made it through without that.  Nor could we have made it through without the loving and faithful prayers and support of our family and the saints whom God raised up to come alongside us.  There were people praying for Michael across the globe; from across the ocean to across the country.  The outpouring of love was tremendous.  We got cards and notes of encouragement from people and churches we didn’t even know.  Many of Michael’s patients sent him cards and called from time-to-time to see how he was doing as did the office staff.  He was truly loved through this time.

So, five months in Nashville and then we finally came home.  It has been a journey to say the least.  If you want to follow us or read through any of the past entries, we have a Caring Bridge blog:  www.caringbridge.org/visit/michaelsjourney2  Michael is still recovering.  He is now undergoing chemo for a secondary issue that arose but that will be over at the end of next month and he will be so glad.  He hopes to return to work sometime after that.  He lost a lot of weight but has regained over half of it and is getting stronger as time goes on and we are very thankful for his continued recovery.

So, what did that mean for us and for our family?  Well, even in that, God had it all worked out in advance.  It meant that we basically had to put our lives on hold and move to Nashville for 5 months.  Tim moved in and took care of the house and chickens while we were gone.  I can’t tell you what a relief that was!  He did a great job. For Jon, it meant the stress of trying to find dentists to come in and work temporarily in Michael’s place while we were in Nashville and work a lot harder himself taking precious time away from his family.  But, God provided men to help him and orchestrated even those things in amazing fashion. He has also found another dentist to work with him fulltime, a very nice young man, Dr. Carlone,  which has helped relieve the stress on him tremendously. No one expected the transplant to happen as quickly as it did or to be as difficult as it was.  Our dog, Polly, was able to come and stay with us in the apartment we had in Nashville.  There was a really nice park nearby and she and I went walking there every day.  So, it’s been a challenging year for our entire family.

What we have learned from all of this, dear ones, is that time is precious.  Only God knows how much time each of us have on this earth.  We have learned the importance of making those moments count.  We have also come to know God on a deeper level than ever before.  No matter where God leads us; no matter what the journey, we MUST trust that He has a plan and a purpose in it all.  I can remember when we were first learning about all the diagnoses and the plan for the transplant was beginning to take shape.  I remember one day vividly.  I was so conflicted about everything.  There is a higher risk with these types of transplants; more than with any other.  I walked out to the chicken coop with tears streaming down my face.  With each step I took, through gritted teeth, I said to God, “I WILL trust You, I WILL trust You, I WILL trust You.  It was as though I had to surrender my will to His that day.  It was just the beginning, but, there were many times I had to do that over and over again as the journey progressed.

But, here we are.  The light at the end of the tunnel is drawing closer.  Michael is getting better.  For a while it didn’t look like that was going to happen.  Even though it has been difficult, we can truthfully look back now with gratitude for all that God has done.  And, we celebrate Christmas with a new view now as well.  We have learned to trust God’s plan.

What we celebrate this time of year may be the beginning of a life, but, it’s not the beginning of God’s plan. His plan for our redemption was formed before the earth as we know it.  In fact, the Bible tells us it was formed before the foundations of the world.  So were we.  Isn’t that incredible?  God’s great gift, that of His Son coming to earth in human form was necessary.  So was His death.  As I know I have said in past newsletters, I can’t see the manger without the shadow of the cross looming over it.  Paul writes in Ephesians 2:8, "For by grace you have been saved through faith and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God".  Not only that, the Bible teslls us that God has 'lavished' this gift upon us.  Have you ever stopped to consider the Gift in that context?  The dictionary defines the word 'lavish' as to bestow something in generous or extravagant quantities upon.

As we close this year, we encourage you dear ones, to consider this so-great-a Gift. Time is growing short until the Lord's return.  May we all make renew our efforts to share His gift with a lost and hurting world.

We wish you a blessed Christmas and joyous New Year!

As always, you are in our hearts, ever near and ever dear,
Michael and Jan