Month: June 2024

An older friend from my youth once told me that there was a benefit to those diagnosed with cancer. It gave them an opportunity to come and submit to Christ once they realized that their days in this world might very well be limited. She said those who die suddenly from an accident or something else would not get that same opportunity.

I have always thought about that and do understand what she was getting at. Many people dealing with a terminal illness do decide that it is time to make up ones mind. My uncle followed that course and we honestly believe his desire to follow Christ was real. The Lord graciously extended his days to 5 years from the time we were told he was terminal and each of those days he continued to read his bible and seek God. In reality none of us know how many days we have. We may not receive the benefit as my friend said of having time through a terminal illness. Now is the time to decide, trust, submit, repent and follow. Think on these things.

I have written about my experience with stage 4 cancer verses my son’s experience with stage 4 multiple times. As any of you reading this are aware, I am still here 9 years later and my son Zach went into God’s presence one year after his battle started. I know of two other people who mimic close to the same experience. One with an advanced cancer diagnosis is still battling the disease but still going 6 years later and the other given 2 months to live after diagnosis. All cases with cancer are so hard on families as many of you are aware. I doubt there is a person out there who hasn’t known someone or loved someone who has not been affected by this dreadful disease.

In my mind, cancer should not be the “main” story. It is our walk or our relationship with our savior that is what matters. In this world death is coming. How it comes is what we don’t know. We fear pain of the experience and for many the dreaded unknown. If you decide to believe the Holy Scriptures to be true, then the unknown will no longer be a place of fear. Revelation gives us some idea and we can trust in the character of God once we really get to know Him through scripture. Do not let the uncertainities of this world control your thoughts. Focus on Christ. Surrender to Him. Get to know Him through His Holy Word. It will be the most best decision you ever make.

I will not lie. The hardest thing I ever endured was the death of my son. I have tried to be honest about that from the very beginning. It really shook the foundation of my faith. The day that Zach left this world, I had a conversation with my son Michael. I asked him if he thought God was real. We had prayed. Zach had trusted and prayed and yet Zach left this world at the age of 17. Michael thought for a minute. That is what of his great characteristics. He is a thinker. He does not speak impulsively like his mother. He said to me – “mom that is your head talking. You need to listen to your heart because your heart knows the truth.” In an instant I knew he was right and I also knew I was right. God did exist. He does love me. He does love Zach and He is still on the throne. This world is covered in sin and bad things do happen. This is not our home.

Fastforward to now. Tomorrow one of my grandsons will celebrate his 5th birthday. It will be a joyous occassion for my family celebrate. The Lord has blessed me with 3 grandsons and 4 granddaughters. They cannot take the place of Zach but they are most definitely a blessing in my life and I am most grateful for each of them. Leo is the name of my little grandson celebrating his birthday tomorrow. He was named after his grandpa. So sweet of my son and my daughter in law to honor my husband. There is much to celebrate in this life but there is something still greater to come. Being in God’s presence will be nothing like the joy here. It will surpass it in magnitudes that I could never fully write. If you are facing difficulty, keep going. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength and keep going.

I was recently reading a book about idols that we create in our lives and the importance of removing those idols. One of the things I learned is the definition for vanity. Most of us who have spent any time in church or read anything written by Solomon knows that he often used the phrase vanity, vanity all is vanity. The word vanity means nothingness. You may have known this but I will confess that I did not. However when I read this, it made total sense to me. So much of what we strive for and desire on a daily basis is often nothingness. It has no meaning. It will not endure.

The only true thing we have in this world is our relationship with Christ and our Heavenly Father. We were created to please Him. He desires a relationship with us but not one half heartedly given. He desires all of our affection thus the importance of removing idols or things that are temporary that we believe will bring us joy. We make so many mistakes seeking these things only to discover that we still are not happy. Set your heart on the One who can give you that joy. The One who created you for you to walk with Him and glorify Him in all things. Revel in His love and a relationship with Him. Despite whatever you face in this life, that relationship will sustain you and carry you and give you courage to get out of bed the next morning and do it all over again.

Birthdays are something we tend to take for granted as a society. Some of us complain about getting older. Some of us pretend that we don’t want anyone to recognize our birthday but then become hurt when no one actually does! Human nature. Most of you are aware that I had a nephew who died at the age of 18. He was serving in Iraq not long after the conflict started. He had not been there very long. The last time I spoke to him on the phone was Memorial Day of that year. He died on June 20 in Iraq but on our American clock, it was June 19. By the time his body made it back to stateside, his funeral took place on what would have been his 19th birthday, June 28. It is hard to believe that next week Friday, he would have been 38 years old.

Funny how the years pass by so quickly. I thought at the time of his funeral that he would be the youngest of my parent’s grandchildren to leave this earth. Seven years later I would be proven wrong with the death of my youngest son at the age of 17. The important thing to remember in relation to both boys is the eternal question. We are all going to pass from this earth at some point. Some of us go younger, some way too young and some quite old but the bottom line is that all will leave this world. The question we should definitely have the answer to is where our final destination will be. To my knowledge based on what both boys professed, they are in heaven with the creator of the universe! Such a beautiful picture. Where is your destination? Do you know? Do you trust? Read God’s Holy Word and make your mind up today.

This past Saturday my side of the family met for a reunion in the small town both my parents grew up in, Thornton Texas population 300. It always amazes me that this small community has a Homecoming every year without fail. They have done this since my earliest memory and probably way before that. This Homecoming also gives our family an opportunity to see one another because even first cousins and generations after them don’t always make a point of getting together.

As I visited with so many extended family members, I was struck by the number. One of my first cousins has 7 children, currently 27 grandchildren and currently 19 great grandchildreen and counting. They are only 72. They started young. What a blessing! So many children and all so well behaved. Scripture records that children are a heritage of the Lord and that the fruit of the womb is His reward. The children that we have are a blessing from our creator not a curse as the world would project. So much in this world is opposed to God’s Word. If you are blessed with children, grandchildren and possibly great grandchildren, love them. Appreciate them and understand that they are a blessing. You have been honored. Treasure that. We serve a loving God and what a blessing to walk in His favor.

I’m not sure about any of you, but I find as I get older that many things frustrate me. Technology not working really frustrates me. That is particularly sad to me considering that I grew up without it and could rely on myself for anything. Now I am just about as bad as any young person who constantly has their nose in their phone. I worry that I am turning into the female version of the grumpy old man logo that is often read on mats outside of a front door.

Frustration is part of the human condition. It is nice to know in my mind that one day that particular trait will no longer be a defining measure of one aspect of who I am. One day I will take my last breath on this side and my next in the presence of my savior. That is such a beautiful thought. In His presence there is no sin or fallen human condition. There are no tears, no pain, no suffering for all things have passed away. If you find yourself this day facing some negative aspect of the human condition, hold on. Look to the one true God, the One that created you. Trust Him in all things. Repent of sins in your life and trust Him with your eternal salvation. He has been my rock, my fortress and my sustainer. I pray that He will be the same for yo

This past weekend my dryer stopped heating. My husband told me to pick up a new one on Monday. Unfortunately for him, the one I wanted was a Speed Queen so it would match my washer. Speed Queen’s are quite expensive. Not happy with the decision I made because of the expense, my husband proclaimed that if it lasted 20 years it would probably outlast both of us! When I thought of that, I realized how true that might very well be considering our current ages now and my own cancer diagnosis from 9 years ago.

Scripture records that this life is a mist, a vapor. Most of us have heard this in one form or another and never really gave it much thought. It is true. My life seems to have flown by. In reflection, I wonder often how much have I done for the kingdom of God? How much of my life has reflected His glory both private and in public? Those are really sobbering questions for me. I think of how much He has done for me. What have I done for Him? So often we are so caught up in the cares of this world that we forget of the glory of the world to come. We miss what we were ever created for. Please do not do that. Meditate on God and His goodness, His character and who He says He is. Choose to serve Him regardless of your circumstances. Choose to love and trust Him in all things. Choose to proclaim that good news to everyone you know.

What would you say is the greatest gift? Would you tell me your spouse? Your children? Your grandchildren ( I will admit that I am partial to this last one). Your health? A long life or a combination of the last two? It is always fascinating to me how much we focus on the things of this world or this life. Recently someone my husband and I know was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. This person was a church goer their entire life and they have been blessed with a pretty long life. Their response was surprising to me as they could not understand how such a diagnosis could happen to them. They felt like they had served faithfully and yet they received this diagnosis.

The above I think is what happens when we focus too much on this world and not enough on our heavenly destination. Perhaps we do not really believe all that the Bible has written. Perhaps we are not actually at the narrow gate but are on the broad path. The attitude above should give us pause to rethink what we actually believe. Paul wrote that to live is much but to die is gain. That does not sound like someone clinging to this world but someone who firmly understands the joy and peace of being in the Lord’s presence. If you live in fear of death, the only true remedy is to trust what the scripture records. Do not deviate. Believe, trust and cling to the Lord with both hands. He is loving and kind and there truly is something so much better than this world to come.

The last few days I have found myself watching videos of people with advanced cancer diagnosis. I suppose I am drawn to this for multiple reasons. I am especially interested in watching testimonies of those with the same type of cancer I was diagnosed with and also the type my son Zach died from. As I watched the ones of the type I had, I am amazed at how gracious the Lord was to me. Some of them detail recurrences happening often and all the different types of treatment options they went through. This really showed me just how blessed I was.

The toughest to watch were the children diagnosed with Ewings, the type of cancer Zach had. There was one case where the individual was still alive 5 years later. That was so sweet and very encouraging that the medical community is making tremendous headway. There was another of a young child who did not. None of us are guaranteed a long life in this world. None of us are promised that we will never face adversity or experience pain. Through Christ we are promised that we will not be going through it alone. I personally could not have walked any of my experiences without Christ. He has been and will always be my rock, my fortress, and the only source of strength that powers me from day to day. What about you?