When The Music Fades

"Sing to God, sing praises to his name; lift up a song to him who rides through the deserts; his name is the Lord; exult before him!" Psalm 68:4 ESV

At first it was overwhelming. The sheer volume. There were so many calls, texts, online messages and cards that came in almost daily. It was truly a blessing that so many people cared.

I know the outpouring was genuine, but it has subsided quite a bit. Now I mainly hear from people I see and then the few people that have been there all along that still check on me.

When the music fades or when things in life seem to quiet down with whatever you are going through, what do you do?

Well, with everything that I have been through in the past six months, I am going to choose to sing! Maybe not literally, but I will make His name known!

He is the one that rode with me through the desert! I want to be a light to those around me. I want others that are battling cancer, or having chemo to know there is hope. I want those that have an illness, are going through a divorce, or just can't shake feeling that the glass is half-empty to know that even if there aren't people in your life cheering you on, sending you cards, or checking up on you, the One that created you cares for you and loves you!

My prayer for you is that as the music fades you would "lift up a song to him who rides through the deserts" with you. He has been there all along so sing praise! Begin to focus on someone or something else. Ask God to put someone in your path that needs encouragement or help through her desert.

Oh Where Is My Hairbrush?!

"Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in." Hebrews 12:2a MSG

I finished chemo today -- yes! The next step is one final surgery and I'm done!

My hair will begin to grow ... Although there's been a couple times that having no hair made me laugh. Like the other day when my co-worker offered to take care of some boxes of past years' data to "get them out of my hair." (But I have no hair--ha, ha! I think these things are funny.) Then, my daughter asked me if I had a brush in my purse... now why would I have that right now? More inside laughter! I find myself singing the Veggie Tales song, "Oh Where is My Hairbrush?"

But it will be nice for the process of restoration to begin. My hair will grow back, my scars will start to heal and the toxins will slowly leave my body.

I've had a few people ask, "What's next?" regarding scans, blood work, etc. I'm in a different place than some who have been on this journey. Because the cancer was caught early, because both were small tumors, and also because the cancer found in one of four lymph nodes was minuscule, I will not be eligible for scans. They will check my blood work on occasion, but there is no lab work for cancer. The blood draws will be mainly to check my other levels which may have been affected by chemo.

After my next and last surgery, my plan is to get fit and healthy so that I can run a 5k with a friend and also do the survivor walk for the cancer relay this year!

I was so excited to have my last chemo, but part of me wonders how well it worked, and I hope and pray that this preventative action of chemo treatments killed any and all bad cells that may have been wandering around my body. 

But I know that...

"My hope is in the name of the Lord
Where my help comes from
You're my strength, my song
My trust is in the name of the Lord
I will sing Your praise, You are faithful"

"My Hope" by Hillsong

So this is what I have ... a BIG God! Plus, faith, hope and freedom in the fact that I know He is right beside me, holding my hand during this journey and the ones to come! In faith, I believe that there is no cancer in my body and I will leave it at that. I will follow through with my treatment plan and doctors appointments and go from there.

My prayer for you as you go from one journey to another, is that you would run your race with your eyes on Jesus and that your heart and mind would be filled with hope! He will give you the strength you need for whatever journey you are facing. He is faithful!