On Being Diagnosed..... Again

Writing this post is definitely not what I had planned for this Sunday afternoon. This blog has been inactive for a couple of years mostly because of, well, life. It gets busy and some things have to be put on the back burner to make room for the things at the front. Life has a way of taking us away from some things but then bringing us back to them at different seasons of our lives. I find it is life that brings me back here today. I need a way to communicate with a number of people and outside of spamming everyone on social media, this is the best way I can think of. I may change my mind if this doesn't work out. I have several other reasons to write here as well but first, let me bring you up to date.

I have been diagnosed with cancer. Again. For the third time actually. The first time was 12 years ago and I was in a much different stage of life with a newborn and a young, busy family. I still have a busy family and although we are older and have even added new members, we are all trying to process what is happening to us again, in our own ways. I say us because cancer doesn't just happen to one person. It happens to  families, to friends, to everyone who loves and cares for that person and for me, that is many people. Which brings us back again to this blog. I read your encouraging texts and emails and I am so very thankful for each one but I can't always respond. I still have younger children in the house and it is not good for them or for me to be repeating details over and over or for me to be on my phone too much. I need to put my phone away at times and be fully present with the people the Lord has given me to care for but I don't want to exclude those who care for us just because I am not available throughout the day. This way, I can update you when I have time and you can read when you have time. Hopefully, it works. 

Some may say that maybe this isn't the best avenue for sharing something so deeply personal as this and they may be right. Ordinarily, I wouldn't be inclined to share so much of our personal business with the world either, however, we have a very definite need besides keeping friends and family informed of our well being and that need takes priority. We need prayer. Our whole family. I know not everyone I know believes in God. Or maybe you used to believe in Him but you feel wronged by Him in some way. Or maybe you've never witnessed the power of prayer before in which case, I invite you to stay and see it for yourself.  For those of us in Christ, it is the way we communicate with our Father in Heaven and the way we line ourselves up with HIS will, not ours. Yes, we ask our Heavenly Father to hear us and answer us but we also know that He only answers us in the way that He deems best. Does that always line up with what we want? No, no it doesn't. But it does amazing things regardless and that is again why I'm here. To ask you to join us in praying for our family and for me as we face this road again. Maybe you know us personally or maybe not but in Christ, we are part of a body of believers who can pray for each other and I am so thankful for that.

Finally, I have always found writing to be very therapeutic. I enjoy it and it gives me a way to unwind and organize my thoughts. I would like my children and even my yet to be born grandchildren and possibly great-grandchildren to read my thoughts one day and know what I believed. And that is this,  that the Lord is Good.  

All the time.

We live in a sinful, fallen word and this shows itself in many ways, some of which are in sickness and death. Some may ask why God allows sickness and other evils and it is because of this sinful but temporary world we live in. But to those who love Him, He has also given Life.  

Everlasting Life.

And the promise of life in a place where there will be no more sickness or death or evil of any kind. Not even any tears. And although here in this world, He may not remove the trial from us, He promises to be with us through it and that makes me smile. Even today!

This is the day that the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. 

Psalm 118:24