Middletown, Maryland church yard; BJ Gabrielsen photo.
First and foremost, as we are nearing the end of 2013, I wish to thank the nearly 200,000 readers of this website. Writing it is a joy for me personally, and it was especially gratifying to receive comments from prostate cancer patients who had been successfully treated at my “alma mater”, Johns Hopkins in Baltimore, Maryland. Hopkins continues to be one of the best sources of information about this disease as evidenced by recent articles on brachytherapy and general therapy options in the Johns Hopkins Health Alerts to which one can subscribe. There is a lot of new medical information which will be posted shortly. At this time however, I would like to wish you all a belated meaningful and gratifying Christmas season and a truly fulfilling and healthy New Year. The significance of these holidays is best expressed by the prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah as follows. “For a child (Jesus) will be born to us, a Son will be given to us, and the government will rest on His shoulders; and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6). “‘For I know the plans I have for you’, declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare’ (not governmental) ‘and not calamity to give you a future and a hope.'” (Jeremiah 29:11.) Finally, a verse from Matthew 1:23 which is most meaningful, comforting and indeed mind-boggling, which states “a virgin shall be with child and shall bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel, which translated means ‘God with us’.” Imagine the eternal God of a myriad of universes can be so personal through Jesus His Son that He can truly be known individually. May we all experience this in 2014.
