Beloved,

Thanks for all your loving inquiries concerning my prostate surgery on Dec. 2.  Everything went well according to the surgeon in charge.  On Dec. 7 the catheter will be removed after more than 40 days faithful “partnership”.  Some weeks of convalescence are lying ahead.  As soon as I´m again functioning well, we think of booking tickets for another trip to the U.S., which could be in March 2010.

In recent years I´ve been walking in and out of various hospitals.  They are almost taking over the role of the hotels from my younger, travelling days. I´ve got an affectionate relationship to our hospitals which have usually been places for meditation, prayer, reading, writing and, not the least, good talks with my co-patients.  I highly admire the teamwork of nurses and doctors in a cheerful spirit which often makes me feel like a spoiled child.

Immediately before I was anaesthetized I tried to register what was going on.  It started with a mask that was supposed to make me more and more tired.  It was during that process I kept praying, “Lord, glorify your name!” and “Please be magnified through my body!”  (Phil. 1:20).  Then the doctor said, “Now it comes!” and immediately I slept like a baby.

My dear wife was there when I woke up, and she´s still here with me at home.  As heretofore the hospital experience was an experience in the presence of the Lord.  I do pity the spiritual darkness of my non-Christian co-patients, but it´s a happy privilege to share with them my “story”.

To the nurse who had me under her wings I said, “I want to give you a small token of memory.  I´m going to give you a hymn I´m now writing!”  She said, “Oh, I look forward to that!”  It´s a hymn about the coming day when the Lord will in His grace “promote” me to His eternal glory.

So thank you for your loving, prayerful concern.  The world talks about being “a lucky devil”.  I´m a happy child of God because of the merits of Christ.  I look forward to seeing you again – here or over there -  or in the air!

Because of His grace,

J ø r n

Dec. 3, 2009