Happy Birthday, Cason! You're the greatest 3 year old, ever! Have a happy, happy day!
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Happy 30th Birthday Eric!
Happy 30th Birthday Eric! Hope you had the greastest day! Welcome to the 30's!!!
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Wow! A Year!
Today marks a year since the surgeon confirmed "breast cancer." Wow! My head still spins just thinking about it. Spins even more when I think about all God has done through it! He has been faithful & He remains soverign.
Not every answer He gave was what we wanted. We prayed while we waited for biopsy results, that the tumor be benign... and it wasn't. He could have made it so, but He didn't.
Every answer He did give, though, was merciful. The times He said, "No," His strength carried us. The times He said, "Trust Me," His peace covered us & the times He said, "Not now," His patience sustained us.
Then God said, "YES!" to cancer dieing & it was resounding! His voice shook us to our core & displayed His mercy & power!
This year has been like none other for us, but Mike & I will say together, that everyday of it was blessed. Everyday of it, God showed Himself true. Everyday of it proved there's no greater community in the world than that of believers & everyday of it there was peace the world can't possibly understand.
Yes, today marks a year in the life of one lady with breast cancer. But, it's also a year in the life of my physical family who's faithfully walked the road with me & a year in the life of a spiritual family that's living out the love of Jesus towards me.
Wow! A year! That's what a year in the life of our Lord looks like!
Blessings!
Not every answer He gave was what we wanted. We prayed while we waited for biopsy results, that the tumor be benign... and it wasn't. He could have made it so, but He didn't.
Every answer He did give, though, was merciful. The times He said, "No," His strength carried us. The times He said, "Trust Me," His peace covered us & the times He said, "Not now," His patience sustained us.
Then God said, "YES!" to cancer dieing & it was resounding! His voice shook us to our core & displayed His mercy & power!
This year has been like none other for us, but Mike & I will say together, that everyday of it was blessed. Everyday of it, God showed Himself true. Everyday of it proved there's no greater community in the world than that of believers & everyday of it there was peace the world can't possibly understand.
Yes, today marks a year in the life of one lady with breast cancer. But, it's also a year in the life of my physical family who's faithfully walked the road with me & a year in the life of a spiritual family that's living out the love of Jesus towards me.
Wow! A year! That's what a year in the life of our Lord looks like!
Blessings!
Monday, January 25, 2010
The Pink Hat
Walking into any surgeon's waiting room can be a daunting experience. People from all walks of life, all ages, races, religions & backgrounds are waiting on some sort of intimate news that will effect their bodies & lives. They're waiting & hoping for some sort of answer, direction or fix. They're making plans or have had their plans interrupted. They're very possibly scared or tired or sick. In a plastic surgeon's office, you've even got people who are happy! They're going to get a nicer nose, tummy tuck, scars repaired or a new set of breasts. They're looking forward to the miracle the surgeon is going to perform on them & they wait with anticipation of how beautiful they'll be if they can just get a surgery done.
The plastic's waiting room that afternoon was full. Mike & I took the last 2 separate seats in the room. There was a mixture of people who had never seen one another prior to this appointment, nor probably ever would again. A unique group of strangers thrown all together in one room- a plastic surgeon's waiting room in downtown Ft. Worth, Texas.
I couldn't help but notice right away, a couple in their mid- 40's, a bit rough around the edges & smelling of cigarette smoke, sitting quietly, holding hands. I took the single seat next to the husband. She was obviously in or just out of chemo treatments for she was bald with a soft & fuzzy, pink hat covering her bare skin. The hat had several pink ribbon pins attached, signifying breast cancer awareness & she sat quietly without a smile. I could read it all over her sweet face- she was tired. She was tired of being sick from chemo. She was tired of doctor appointments, treatments & losing herself to cancer. Her appointment today would probably include a discussion she never envisioned herself having with anyone. That of reconstructing her breasts after mastectomies. This, of course, was a presumption on my part, but in my heart, I knew I had assessed this one correctly.
All I said was, "I like your hat." That's all it took. That's all that was needed to open up the hearts of everyone in that waiting room! The emotions, thoughts, fears & feelings of the people in that room came barreling out to one another. You couldn't get the room quiet after that simple acknowledgement! It was like we were long, lost friends & I believe, it was a God appointed time.
I learned, on this day, the young black man was meeting with the surgeon to have a tattoo removed from his throat in hopes of joining the Navy. His future depended on the answer from this "miracle-doctor". His father waited with him for encouragement & hope for his son.
A middle-aged black woman, heavy set & walking with a cane was eager to ask the 40's something, white lady in the pink hat about her cancer. She & her young adult daughter wanted to offer encouragment & were ready to do just that when the "quiet" was broken in the room. After I asked the lady in the pink hat if she was walking this journey with the Lord, and she responded that she was, the two ladies on the other side of this small waiting room, jumped at the opportunity to encourage her & remind her God was with her!
Then, the father waiting for his son, asked the lady in the pink hat if he could put her on his church's prayer list. He wanted his group to pray for her. He shared with everyone in the room that he'd seen an ad that morning on tv about breast cancer & women dressed in pink. He said he knew he was to look for a "pink" lady that day & God had put her in his path to pray for her. God was praised that day, in that room, by the response of His children to one another. (This man didn't ask about praying for me, & it didn't offend me at all. I thanked God because that man didn't even realize I had been sick! Bringing me this far- that alone is worthy of praise!)
Make no mistake about breast surgery. There are augmentations & there are reconstructions. The two are not the same! The women waiting on their appointments with a plastics surgeon have all together different demeanors, depending on which surgery they seek. One is getting a set of beautiful, perky new breasts & the other is going to endure surgery & painful injections to rebuild what cancer has so mercilessly ripped apart.
No matter the reason we're in the waiting room, we all need the Lord. Some are patients, some are supporters, & all are in need. In the happy times, sad times, painful times, joyful times, quiet times & times in the doctor's waiting rooms, we're simply in need of Him. We're all in need of prayer. We're all in need of encouragement. We're all needing kind words & support. We may overlook it at first, but we're all wearing a pink hat.
Blessings!
The plastic's waiting room that afternoon was full. Mike & I took the last 2 separate seats in the room. There was a mixture of people who had never seen one another prior to this appointment, nor probably ever would again. A unique group of strangers thrown all together in one room- a plastic surgeon's waiting room in downtown Ft. Worth, Texas.
I couldn't help but notice right away, a couple in their mid- 40's, a bit rough around the edges & smelling of cigarette smoke, sitting quietly, holding hands. I took the single seat next to the husband. She was obviously in or just out of chemo treatments for she was bald with a soft & fuzzy, pink hat covering her bare skin. The hat had several pink ribbon pins attached, signifying breast cancer awareness & she sat quietly without a smile. I could read it all over her sweet face- she was tired. She was tired of being sick from chemo. She was tired of doctor appointments, treatments & losing herself to cancer. Her appointment today would probably include a discussion she never envisioned herself having with anyone. That of reconstructing her breasts after mastectomies. This, of course, was a presumption on my part, but in my heart, I knew I had assessed this one correctly.
All I said was, "I like your hat." That's all it took. That's all that was needed to open up the hearts of everyone in that waiting room! The emotions, thoughts, fears & feelings of the people in that room came barreling out to one another. You couldn't get the room quiet after that simple acknowledgement! It was like we were long, lost friends & I believe, it was a God appointed time.
I learned, on this day, the young black man was meeting with the surgeon to have a tattoo removed from his throat in hopes of joining the Navy. His future depended on the answer from this "miracle-doctor". His father waited with him for encouragement & hope for his son.
A middle-aged black woman, heavy set & walking with a cane was eager to ask the 40's something, white lady in the pink hat about her cancer. She & her young adult daughter wanted to offer encouragment & were ready to do just that when the "quiet" was broken in the room. After I asked the lady in the pink hat if she was walking this journey with the Lord, and she responded that she was, the two ladies on the other side of this small waiting room, jumped at the opportunity to encourage her & remind her God was with her!
Then, the father waiting for his son, asked the lady in the pink hat if he could put her on his church's prayer list. He wanted his group to pray for her. He shared with everyone in the room that he'd seen an ad that morning on tv about breast cancer & women dressed in pink. He said he knew he was to look for a "pink" lady that day & God had put her in his path to pray for her. God was praised that day, in that room, by the response of His children to one another. (This man didn't ask about praying for me, & it didn't offend me at all. I thanked God because that man didn't even realize I had been sick! Bringing me this far- that alone is worthy of praise!)
Make no mistake about breast surgery. There are augmentations & there are reconstructions. The two are not the same! The women waiting on their appointments with a plastics surgeon have all together different demeanors, depending on which surgery they seek. One is getting a set of beautiful, perky new breasts & the other is going to endure surgery & painful injections to rebuild what cancer has so mercilessly ripped apart.
No matter the reason we're in the waiting room, we all need the Lord. Some are patients, some are supporters, & all are in need. In the happy times, sad times, painful times, joyful times, quiet times & times in the doctor's waiting rooms, we're simply in need of Him. We're all in need of prayer. We're all in need of encouragement. We're all needing kind words & support. We may overlook it at first, but we're all wearing a pink hat.
Blessings!
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Adios, Good-bye & Ciao- 2009!
From this human perspective, it's easy to say good-bye to 2009! This year has been- well, it's been a year to remember! Breast cancer, three surgeries, chemo & radiation make for an eventful calendar in the course of a year! Scans, labs, doctor's appointments, prescriptions & doing it all over & over & over- well, it's not something I'm gonna miss on a daily basis! Just saying...
2009 has also carried some more hard things- both personally & for people I love & care about. 2 Marine Corps deployments for my son-in-law & daughter; a myriad of family & friend illnesses & deaths; loss of jobs for many friends; divorces & a host of family matters for people I love; lots & lots of tears & prayers in 2009.
But, would I change any of it? Can't say that I would, really. God hasn't changed one bit thru all of 2009! He's remained His true self by displaying His mercy, comfort, strength & soverignty at every turn! Reading Job 40 this morning (The Message) reminded me of a conversation between God & Job. God asked Job if he wanted to haul Him into court & press charges after everything that had happened to him. Job's response was simple. "I'm ready to shut-up & listen."
That's how I feel right now. No questioning of why's & how's of the past year- just want to listen to the Lord. Just want to know Him better. Just want to participate in His will for me. Just want to see Him in everything & have the faith to walk the road He's set before me.
What about 2010? What's it going to hold? What's going to happen? What will be the results of more surgeries & cancer? What about more deployments for our Troops & my son-in-law? What about the families I love who are in turmoil? What about jobs? Will they come back?
The answer to all these questions is that I didn't set the stars in the sky. I didn't speak the universe into existence. I don't hold the mountains in the palms of my hands. I don't know the answers & don't want to know them. My God knows them. My God goes before me & that's all I need to know!
I will not walk into 2010 without Him! But, with Him, I say ,"Bring it on!"
Blessings!
2009 has also carried some more hard things- both personally & for people I love & care about. 2 Marine Corps deployments for my son-in-law & daughter; a myriad of family & friend illnesses & deaths; loss of jobs for many friends; divorces & a host of family matters for people I love; lots & lots of tears & prayers in 2009.
But, would I change any of it? Can't say that I would, really. God hasn't changed one bit thru all of 2009! He's remained His true self by displaying His mercy, comfort, strength & soverignty at every turn! Reading Job 40 this morning (The Message) reminded me of a conversation between God & Job. God asked Job if he wanted to haul Him into court & press charges after everything that had happened to him. Job's response was simple. "I'm ready to shut-up & listen."
That's how I feel right now. No questioning of why's & how's of the past year- just want to listen to the Lord. Just want to know Him better. Just want to participate in His will for me. Just want to see Him in everything & have the faith to walk the road He's set before me.
What about 2010? What's it going to hold? What's going to happen? What will be the results of more surgeries & cancer? What about more deployments for our Troops & my son-in-law? What about the families I love who are in turmoil? What about jobs? Will they come back?
The answer to all these questions is that I didn't set the stars in the sky. I didn't speak the universe into existence. I don't hold the mountains in the palms of my hands. I don't know the answers & don't want to know them. My God knows them. My God goes before me & that's all I need to know!
I will not walk into 2010 without Him! But, with Him, I say ,"Bring it on!"
Blessings!
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Happy Birthday, Mike!
Happy Birthday, Sweetheart!
Hope this day is a happy, fun day for you! I love you from the bottom of my heart & am blessed to spend my life with you!
You're the best!
-Sharon
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