Negligible

BOX SCORE
Element	Current	Std. Range	Trend
Hemoglobin	11.8	13-17	^
Platelets	89	140-375	^
ANC	950	1800-8300	v

Notwithstanding my previous post about being at the Nadir of my blood counts, as you can see from the BOX SCORE above, my ANC has dropped into the unsafe range. So, we are in quarantine again. On the brighter side, my hemoglobin and platelets are both up. Not only are those the two counts that most affect how I am feeling, but I consider batting 0.667 is pretty good in any league! So, the long and short of it is that I am feeling good, but I can't hang out with anyone for a while yet. It also puts a crimp in our style where doing things like fetching groceries and such are concerned. We are well supplied for now.

I consider these problems to be negligible, especially in view of what is going on in the geopolitical scene.  It has been a tough couple of weeks for the world, and especially for the middle east. On October 7th, Israel was brutally attacked by Hamas terrorists (along with a band of citizens) from Gaza who perpetrated unspeakable atrocities on innocent Israeli citizens living near the border between the two entities. I will not go into detail about those atrocities, since they are quite grizzly, and you probably have already heard about them, if you pay attention to world news. 

In the meantime, the world is going crazy with demonstrations that are either pro-Israel or pro-Hamas. Sometimes, they result in local violence as well. There have been attacks on Israeli embassies as well as American embassies and military bases in the middle east. Airports have been shut down in some countries, while their citizens are advised not to travel to certain middle east countries. There are reports of Jews being murdered in countries completely remote from Israel. 

Some reporters are saying the barbarism is the greatest perpetrated on Jews since the Nazi holocaust in Europe in the last century. Others have noted that, based on the percentage of the Israeli population who were murdered on October 7th, if a similar percentage of Americans had died on 9/11, we would have lost 50,000 of our fellow citizens, instead of the roughly 3,000 who actually perished. These statements have helped me to understand the extent of the horror that Israel is facing. 

I am heartsick for those who are suffering and perishing in this conflict, which is apparently just beginning, as Iran and it's proxies in Lebanon, Syria and Yemen are moving troops and munitions into place closer to Israel's borders. On the other hand, American Naval resources are either stationed in the eastern Mediterranean or on their way. POTUS visited Israel a couple of days ago and promised full support for Israel. Unfortunately, at the same time he asked congress to send $100 million in "humanitarian aid" to Gaza. Anyone who follows developments in the middle east knows full well that that money will by and large end up in the coffers of Hamas. At the same time, $6 billion in frozen Iranian funds, were released in exchange for several US hostages. That, of course, will help Iran, the world's greatest exporter of terrorism,  to stoke the fires against Israel. When will the politicians learn that you can't bargain with terrorists?

I know there are different opinions about all of these things, and you are entitled to yours, but I would urge you to consider carefully the reports coming from those in the thick of things. Are they credible, or are they propaganda? Some have asked whether this war that is developing is Armageddon. I don't believe it is, because there are some prophecies in Scripture that are not yet fulfilled that must be before the time of the end. Nevertheless, in all of this, I am persuaded that powerful demonic forces are at work. "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places." (Ephesians 6:12)

I recommend to you a Bible teaching from Amir Tsarfati, titled His People?, in which Mr. Tsarfati explains the Biblical teaching about God's love for and promises to Israel. He demonstrates God's commitment to Israel and explains what prophecies are not yet fulfilled that must be in place before the time of the end. 

These things have been on my mind and my heart for the past two weeks. If you are a praying person, I urge you to be in prayer over this whole scenario. If you are a Christian, you are grafted into God's People, Israel. (See  His People? for the explanation of this statement.) Please pray for God's people: for the safe return of hostages (as I was writing this, I got word that two Israeli hostages were released by Hamas), for the strength of the Israeli people under duress, for the nations of the world that have promised support for Israel that they won't get cold feet, for a speedy end to the bloodshed. Above all, pray for God's hand to touch every person involved in this warfare, for He is "not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance." (2 Peter 3:9)

Shalom