Time to Talk?

My last child at home got her license to drive on November the 3rd and though I am happy for her I miss her.  Yes, she still lives in the same house with me but I miss her in the car.  I miss talking with her one on one and having her undivided attention.  If she was driving I didn't even have to compete with her I Phone.  It was hard letting her go that first morning she drove herself  to school.  I made her text me every morning when she got to school the first few weeks.  It seems hard to just sit down and have a conversation with her because of school activities, homework and of course the I Phone.  Of course like any child there is always time to talk when something is wanted or needed.

My missing the talks that we had nearly every morning before the license made me wonder about my conversations with God.  How often does He miss me?  How often am I too busy with my activities, getting ready for the day or messing with my phone that I forget to have conversations with the One who is always there.  It does seem like I never forget to talk with my God when I need or want something.  I always am ready to kneel when I am hurt or sad.  My missing her reminded me that God's keeps His ears ope to hear my prayers.  It shouldn't matter what is going on in my life I should always have the time to talk with God!

Do you have time to talk?

1 Peter 3:12 (NKJV)

12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
And His ears are open to their prayers;
But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.

The Journey Continues:Update

Richard's appointment yesterday went fairly smooth.  He even got several naps.  He napped before and during the pet scan, during chemo and the IGG infusion.  I did post on facebook yesterday about the blood work.  His labs were great!! They were better than they have been in a long, long time!

I thought that we were going to see the PA but the doctor was the one that gave the results of the pet scan.  He said that the spots are still there and that they are not smaller than last time.  He said that the spots could be scar tissue that might not ever go away.  He said that is common with lymphoma patients.  He also said that the glow(pet scan) that shows up the hot spots are not as much as before.  He seemed positive and upbeat during the appointment.  The doctor also is reducing the steroids and he is now down to 10 mg a day.  Hopefully his graft/vs/host will not flare up!

Richard will still be going back every three weeks for chemo and he will get the IGG infusion every six weeks.  He will be doing eight to ten more chemos.  I am sure that there will be more pet scans thrown in along the way.

Thanks for all the prayers and well wishes!!!

Philippians 4:6

New International Version (NIV)

⁶ Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

Romans 10:9-10

New International Version (NIV)

⁹ If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.¹⁰ For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.

The Journey Continues:A quick update 01/24/2013

So many of you are still praying 3 years and 4 months later.  Thanks so much!!  I don't know how people can manage to go through cancer or any other life changing event without the prayers and support of others!!  We are so BLESSED!!

Richard's chemotherapy yesterday was uneventful.  It did leave him feeling tired.  He has already headed to work this morning after eating breakfast.  He is so strong but that is because of the Lord.  His strength is from HIM!  His white blood counts were down yesterday so the chemo has wreaked it's havoc.  The good thing is that by this point on the other chemo regiments he would have already had to have taken shots to bring his counts back up.  His counts are still within the normal range at 5900!!


Thanks again for the continues prayers!!

Psalm 118:23-25

New International Version (NIV)

²³ the Lord has done this,
    and it is marvelous in our eyes.
²⁴ The Lord has done it this very day;
    let us rejoice today and be glad.

²⁵ Lord, save us!
    Lord, grant us success!

The Journey Continues:Chemo and Dr. visit

Just a quick update for those of you that are praying and wanting to know how chemo day went.   We were on time, got taken back quickly, blood work done and then waited for white blood count.  It was good!  It was even better than last time!!  So they gave him his premeds and than the chemo.  He had just a little itching when the chemo was over but only about five minutes.  The doctor's appointment also went well.  We actually got to see the doctor about two and a half hours early!  He will do two more chemos and than have a pet scan.  The nurses and doctor as always were amazed that Richard is still working.  They should have him figured out by now!   :)

Thanks for the prayers!!

Psalm 143

A psalm of David.

¹ Lord, hear my prayer,
    listen to my cry for mercy;
in your faithfulness and righteousness
    come to my relief.

The Journey Continues:Christmas Eve

Just thought I would write a short update on Richard.  I have had many people ask about him so I thought I would let you know.  He is doing pretty good.  He still seems tired in the evenings, some evenings he is more tired than others but he really pushes himself.  He will do things because he will not and never has liked asking for help.  With the tiredness comes some grumpiness but he had that before he had cancer.  :)  We all have that I think, some more so than others!  He is looking forward to Christmas, being with family and celebrating the birth of his Savior!

Merry Christmas to everyone and as always we thank you for the many, many prayers you have prayed for him and for us.

“So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.” Luke 2:16-20 NIV

The blanket of FEAR!

Friday was a day that I would like to forget but as much as I want to I can't.  News trickled onto the internet about a mass shooting at an elementary school in Connecticut.  I was filled with horror and thoughts that this can not be right.  Somebody had to have gotten the news wrong but it was not.  The more that I read and heard from others I knew that those parent were covered in a blanket of fear.

They had to go to that school and wait to found out if their child was alive, wounded or worse.  I can not imagine the horror and fear that filled their souls!  20 children and 6 adults were killed at an elementary school then the shooter took his own life.  He also killed his own mother.  27 families have been changed forever. There were times that I could not listen, read or hear anymore.  The news was more than my mind could fathom.  The families that lost loved ones could not just turn the news off though.  They are having to deal each minute with the loss of their child, sister, brother, parent and friend.

Since the news there have been many prayer vigils, support and sympathy pouring out to that community from the rest of the United States and across the world.   I think that we should cover the families, the children that went through the horror of that day, the teachers and the community with  many blanket of PRAYERS!  Let's cover them in prayers that God will enfold them in His arms, that He will comfort them and give them strength to make it through each day!  Pray that God will cover them with His love and peace.

Let's keep our blanket of prayers going for these families in the next days, weeks and months!

Luke 18:15-17

New International Version (NIV)

The Little Children and Jesus

¹⁵ People were also bringing babies to Jesus for him to place his hands on them. When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them. ¹⁶ But Jesus called the children to him and said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.¹⁷ Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”

The Journey Continues:Update on Chemo

This will be a really short update but wanted to let you know that Richard's chemo went really well.  He even got through sooner than they had said.  So far no side effects.  The nurse told us about one young man that was taking it, after two bone marrow transplants failed, and he is remission right now.  That gives us hope.  Praying for the same with Richard.  His blood work up looked pretty good.  His white blood count was up to 9100 which is the best I have seen it probably since his transplant in May of 2011.

Thanks again for all the prayers!!

1 Kings 8:28

New International Version (NIV)

²⁸ Yet give attention to your servant’s prayer and his plea for mercy, Lord my God. Hear the cry and the prayer that your servant is praying in your presence this day.

The Journey Continues:Options

The results are in from the biopsy.  It is positive for cancer.  Richard and I will meet with the doctor Wednesday at three(blood work at two) to figure out our options.  We had already been told about three different chemo treatments that are available and have showed good results.  It is good to have options and we will have many questions.

Now Richard told me that I didn't have the option to cry.  I beg to differ, unbidden tears spring to my eyes just writing this.  I am a cryer and I really don't have any options but to cry.  I cry when I am happy, sad and sometimes for no reason.  I will try to have options on when I cry.  I will try to not cry in front of my husband and mainly in private but there is no guarantee.  I have told many people that I am not strong despite my tears but because of my tears.  I believe that God gave me the gift of tears.  Somehow no matter how tough things seem I feel better after a good cry.  Maybe my husband could learn from that.

Richard is very strong and he is determined.  He will fight to victory and if you know him you know that he knows that victory is in whatever happens.  Whether he is cured or whether he ends up in heaven that will be his victory.  He is not worried about that but about his family.  His journey with cancer started in 2009 and he has fought for every victory.

Richard's fight with cancer and graft/vs/host reminds me of the fight we struggle with daily.  Just as his cancer  decided to keep coming back so does satin in our spiritual fight.  We make strides and then setbacks.  We struggle daily to defeat the devil.  I need to remember that God is the one to turn to daily.  I can't do this on my own or I don't win.  The devil does.  Remember we all have options!  What about you?  What are your options?

God has given us another gift. The prayers!  Many of you pray daily for us.  Thank-you from the bottom my heart!!

Proverbs 3:5-6

New International Version (NIV)

⁵ Trust in the Lord with all your heart
    and lean not on your own understanding;
⁶ in all your ways submit to him,
    and he will make your paths straight.^[a]

The Journey Continues:Biopsy

Just a quick update to let you know that Richard will have his biopsy tomorrow.  He has been okay most of the time though he does still tire easily.  Yesterday he felt like his head was full of congestion.  His face was very red and it looked like a rash to me.  I think that graft/vs/host is still going strong in his body.  I am not sure when we will get the results of the biopsy.  They will do the biopsy at one.

Thanks again for all the prayers that have been going up for Richard!!!

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

New International Version (NIV)

¹⁶ Rejoice always, ¹⁷ pray continually, ¹⁸ give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.