Not Everything You Read on the Internet is True
One of my favorite quotes comes from the American version of "The Office." The goofy and ignorant Regional Manager, Michael Scott, makes the comment about how he loves Wikipedia because anyone can make an entry about anything, therefore it has to be accurate.

The irony in such a statement is that we all, for so many things in life, rely on the internet. In business we can keep an eye on the stock market, participate in on-line banking, and exchange communication through email. For entertainment we can go to ESPN, read blogs, check local movie times, or even download the movie itself. The internet has truly changed the way we approach our day. In fact, with the convenience of online headlines we have witnessed the downfall, and fate, of many newspaper companies. And as I have previously stated on this blog, I am a huge fan of Google.

But such endless amounts of information must be treated with extreme caution. The simple fact that anyone can post information about anything leaves room for vasts amount of misinformation. I warn you of such, as I was recently a victim myself this past weekend.

With Baby Sher's arrival soon approaching it was necessary to get a little paint on the walls of the nursery. When inquiring with Heather as to what color we would paint, she indicated to me that she wanted a diamond pattern placed on the wall, something she referred to as Harlequin Diamonds. Something I had never even heard of, nor knew nothing about.

So the Googler that I am, I went right to the source. I typed in "How to" and "Harlequin Diamonds", of which I got a couple of hits. Trusting the wisdom provided by these sources, I purchased the two colors of paint, and began following the instructions. Quickly I realized, however, these instructions could not be complete, nor accurate...to which I confirmed about 4.5 hours later.

According to the instructions all you needed was your paint, level, and some tape. Well actually, you need a ton of tape, meticulous measurements, and an immense amount of sanity/patience. Moreover, you need a second person, as this task was impossible to do on your own. Luckily I had the help of a good friend, Jake Cain. Jake came over about 2:00, and 4 hours later, we were still working on getting the first diamond laid out. Without boring you with the detail, another 8 hours went by and we finally had the wall taped for the first set of diamonds. Things went much smoother after we figured out what the heck we were doing.

Now of course, I was smart in my approach, as I attempted this monumental task on a weekend that Heather was out of town. She was being pampered by some of Mom's good friends in her first baby shower. Thanks Ms. Drennan, Ms. Quinn, Sarah, Aunt Sharri and Jill for hosting this event! So by Sunday evening, I was able to unveil the results to Heather. I have attached a few pictures for you as well.

I am sure this is only the beginning of the "challenges" that are to come with the arrival of Baby Sher. Good thing for me I can always turn to the Google for all my answers!

An Age of Technology
I have always been a "gadget guy." I love to always stop in at Brookstone and see what is new. I can't tell you how many "bluetooth" products I have purchased and I am always wanting the newest cell phone. I have friends that actually think I have a vested interest in Google because I am always utilizing their newest tools. I have become a High-Definition TV snob, I am addicted to Tivo (have been for years...and Tivo is better than regular old DVR) and I am one of the few, unfortunately for Sharper Image, that actually purchased the iJoy Massage Chair. In fact, just tonight, I bought a gadget allowing you to turn on/off your lamp with the flick of a wireless switch...and it worked!

Technology is impressive, and I am not talking just about the toys.

This past week Heather and I took advantage of the opportunity to get a first glance at Baby Girl Sher. How awesome it was to see the vivid images from the 4d Ultra Sound. We promptly emailed a few of the pics to the grandparents so they could enjoy them as well.

In a not as fun, but just as impressive setting; Heather's dad, via a Pet and CT Scan, became aware that his cancer had spread to a couple of spots in his spine. As a result, Jim immediately began Radiation Treatments this week. Short, but intense, doses of radiation will hopefully reduce these spots and eliminate the pain that he has been suffering in his lower back.

Also taking place this week was Heather's mom completing her last round of chemo. Karen, like Jim, is set to begin radiation, but probably not until the end of this month.

How cool is technology? It can show us glimpses of the future through things like ultrasounds. It can show us what is causing pain in the present, through PET Scans. It can fight vicious diseases like cancer through radiation. It allows us to be able to communicate instantaneously, shop at our fingertips, and predict the weather (well, maybe that's taking it too far.)

But as hip as technology is, we must be careful that it does not become our source of hope. Now, don't get me wrong, I want the radiation to take this cancer by the horns and....but I am not going to just sit back with my fingers crossed. Rather, I believe (and pray) that this radiation will do what the 22 rounds of chemo did not; shrink these tumors. You see I like technology, but my Faith is in God.

We have been overjoyed, that by God's grace and power, the 13 months of chemo therapy prevented the tumors in Jim's body from growing; however, our prayer is bigger than that. We still firmly believe that God's will is for healing, so our expectation is nothing less than for Him to heal Jim and Karen's bodies. I hope you will join with us in that prayer for healing. (Maybe you can set up a prayer reminder via Google Calendar.)