Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Once a week, huh?

I'm a bit out of sorts. I notice there is a change in me and others are noticing as well. I thought Bryan was noticing only because he is at that age where he is not liking me. But now Steve and Cheryl have made comments. What is happening? I have some facts of what has taken place in my life on the outside but I don't know if that is the reason for the inside.

Words are gone
Don't be blue
I'm still here
I love you.

I think the word is consecrate.

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

A New Book, new life

I love this new book I am reading. I can't wait to get things done to steal away and curl up and escape into another world. It's not the world I want or envy, it's the message that is being proclaimed. It's another Harold Bell Wright book, The Re-Creating of Brian Kent. Right now the main character appeared to come from death to life, and discovered it wasn't life at all but just more death and he has come to grips that he really is depraved. He got it after experiencing true love, the love of someone who loved him not for what he had done but who he is; a creation of God, in God's image. He has not realized who he is yet, or least the person that this other loves of him. I am looking forward to discover his identity, and mine....excellent book.

Also, the 9 year old boy with cancer, named Tristan Howell, has gone to Heaven on Friday night. A memorial for him is on Saturday at 1 at Calvary. This family went through something they didn't volunteer for or have previous experience. They walked through the valley of the shadow of death and it has been hard. They could never had done it without the Lord.

Saturday, November 1, 2008

Music Is Back Plus More

Chels is home right now. I shouldn’t be sitting here typing you about it, but I want you to know how we love it so when things are as they were. Who can do that? Who can leave home and come back and get back into it. Actually, Chels is on the piano and the two kids are on guitars…..There is so much more music than before. You should really hear this........ “I called you answered,…. And you came to my rescue and I wanna be where you are…. Beautiful!!!! Love to you all.

Our Incredible Savior

This isn't written by me but from someone I know named Kari Rehmke

I just got home a little while ago, and I wanted to pass along the "update". I don't want to just tell you the diagnosis.... I need to tell you the whole story. Please forward this to our CHEE group, as you are all part of this story!! A couple of weeks ago, I found a lump in my left breast. No doubt about it, I had a definite lump.

Dear God, I thought, I am 35 years old...This cannot possibly be happening. It was confirmed when I went to my OB/GYN shortly after. She could also feel the lump, and she was worried. She thought possibly a cyst, but possibly something more. She measured the very palpable lump with her little flimsy ruler, then ordered tests. This was basically the plan: Go have a mammogram and ultrasound. If it just looks like a cyst, they will drain it, and then test the fluid and surrounding tissue for cancer cells. If it doesn't look like a cyst, they will do a biopsy and test for cancer cells.

I left with a pain in my stomach, and panic in my heart that would last for the next 9 days. NINE DAYS?! It took nine days before I got to go in for my testing. During these 9 days, I hardly slept. I cried a lot. I lost patience with my kids. I felt that lump a lot. And I seemed to forget that we have this incredible Savior who is not only with us during difficult times, but literally carries us through them. I forgot that!

Somehow, Wednesday night I had enough sense to call Tammy and say, "Help! I need prayer!" Tammy, you could tell how panicked and lost I was feeling when I was talking to you, and I just thank the Lord for you in my life! You sent out a prayer request. I think it is easy to forget the power of prayer. But Wow, your prayer was powerful!! The prayer of not just this thing being benign, but also the prayer for peace that surpasses understanding.

The night before my testing, my husband and I expected me to be a mess, not that I hadn't already been. I didn't figure I would sleep much, and was a little worried of having a panic attack. But something incredible happened. I felt peace. I felt the lump in my breast one last time, and then I just let it go. I prayed honestly for the first time since my doctor appointment. God showed me that I absolutely could not take care of this myself. I yet again needed my Savior, and Jesus once again picked me up and took care of me. I didn't cry last night.... My stomach was fine... And I slept sooooooo good.

This morning as I was driving to my appointment, I was still at peace. I remember thinking, "God, I know I am in your faithful hands. And whatever your will is with me, I am happy with it. I know my family will always be in your loving hands, and so I am not worried about this." And I really wasn't!

When it was time for my mammogram, they gave me this little sticker thing to stick over the lump and could be seen in the xray photo. Problem was... I could not find my lump. NO joking - It was gone. Just simply not there. They still did several mammogram pictures, and then did the ultrasound for awhile, But no lump was to be found. All breast tissue looked perfectly normal.

I love how God sometimes swoops in and makes his presence known.... Especially on October 31st! I can't thank everyone enough for their prayers. I know that prayers are not always answered in such a direct and obvious way as this, but God always hears and answers us. We just need to have faith!!