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Monday, February 22, 2010

morning sunrise...


Father...i feel a lift coming into my spirit. You have brought the morning sunrise to drive away the darkness and discouragement from days past. I feel new hope rising within.
Thank you for your presence...
Thank you for your peace.
Your power is real....thank you.

Sunday, February 21, 2010

A candle of hope


The scriptures tell us to "call out to God and He will answer "...that is exactly what we did during that ten days we spent with Eric at the Highline Hospital...four days in intensive Care and six days in the Cancer wing. The time felt dark but God gave us many reminders that he was there with us. We were thankful for each reminder... a candle of hope that shined brightly in the dark corners of our minds.

The sun shined brightly today...well, every once in a while it shined - but I was well aware and again, thankful for each bright moment. I LOVE the sunshine! When the kids were growing up, they teasingly referred to Eric as "Mama's Little Sunshine". I'm not sure if they did that because they knew sunshine was one of my very favorite things or because he was a peace-loving child with a sunny disposition. I guess he is still "Mama's little sunshine" even at 43 years of age.

I can't help but think about the fact that the "sun" doesn't shine brightly ALL the time in our lives - not even in "Shari-World". However, even during the dark and dreary times, God lets light shine in on us just when we need it most - a candle of hope. Isn't that amazing?

"Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me. and I will listen to you."we read in Jeremiah 29:12.

My friend, Nicole reminded me that "...the I in that verse is God Himself...He will listen..."

Can you imagine? The GOD of the UNIVERSE has His eye on and cares about MY son, Eric.

Fast forward six months or so to the day when the Dr says Eric is free of Cancer...I will remember all the moments that God allowed the sun to shine as a candle of hope into our lives and know that when we "call out to God - HE will listen and answer." I will let everyone know about God's faithfulness.

You will recognize me...the little old lady right out front, wildly flapping her arms, jumping up and down and shouting "Thank you Father...thank you, Father...I called out to you and You answered...thank you, Father. "We called out to God...and He answered."

Monday, January 11, 2010

Random thought...


I should vacumn - I should dust - I should do IMPORTANT things like...thank God for everything that happens big or small, happy or sad.


Today, Eric goes in for his second round of Chemo. That means only six more rounds to go. Treatable - The bright spot on our horizon...we are thankful.


Dear Father...YOU are the great encourager - you urge us to overcome the hard times that we face...you stir our spirit to look for a bright spot in the corners of our despair....blessed comforter, Thank you.

Saturday, January 9, 2010

Peace.
It does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble or hard work. It means to be in the midst of all those things and still be calm in you heart.
"Let the peace of Christ control your heart." Col 3:15

Thursday, January 7, 2010

Just think...

God's glory is on tour in the skies, God-craft on exhibit across the horizon.

Madame Day holds classes every morning,

Professor Night lectures each evening. Psalms 19:1-2 from the Message

Yet, God chose to show His splendor and glory in earthy vessels: you and me!

How amazing is that...thank you Father for loving me.

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

A cup of comfort...

I love Wednesdays...each Wednesday,
around 9:00 AM, my coffee girlfriends

from the neighborhood gather at our house

for a cup of coffee and something to nibble on.
This has become a real
cup of comfort for each of us
...something we all look forward to.

Women need each other.
We laugh, we cry, we celebrate each other
...we enjoy "community".

Monday, January 4, 2010

Library Lady...


Funny, I don't even know her name...I have always just called her "Library Lady". I really like her a lot although, we are about as opposite as they come. My smiles come easy...hers seldom come. She loved "Kite Runner"...I hated it.

I arrived at the library with a heap of overdue books after being with Eric for his first round of Chemo. Feeling the need to "justify" my tardiness at returning my books...I explained where we had been. "Library Lady" began to cry and fumble around trying to just get me checked out quickly before she totally lost it. Unexpectedly her wall had come down and she had allowed me into "her world"....her private place that explained why the smiles don't come easily. When she isn't at her job, she is the caregiver for her husband and has been for quite some time. In addition, she visits her mother regularly in a facility. That doesn't leave any time for her. I am happy that she trusts me to be her friend...and care about her.

Sunday, January 3, 2010

The waves are big...


"The waves are big...the wind will blow...but
Jesus is still in the boat."
Could it be just 17 days? Just 17 days since Eric called us from the hospital...could it be? My heart seemed to "hitchhike to my toes" when he said he had been diagnosed with a very aggressive form of Lymphoma.
"Father in Heaven, what does this mean? I know you have a plan."
The journey over the mountain to Burien seemed endless. We walked into a roomful of family and friends surrounding Eric...surrounding him with love, prayer, laughter, tears, a strong sense of connection...anything he needed as he received the first Chemo. We were drawn into the group and felt a sense of peace when we heard the word "treatable"...even though it was a six to eight month process. Treatable. This means going into the hospital every day and spending 4 days in the hospital on a 21 day rotation.

"For where two or three come together in my name, there I am with you." Matthew 8:20 NIV

This group of people continued to surround Eric for the entire four days he was in the hospital taking turns staying with him at night...just loving him. Even now they are just a phone call away and willing to cover the miles quickly to get to him. I am in awe.
Ben and I stayed until the day after Christmas....we felt the need to get home and let sleep cover us with a blanket of time and space so all the spinning orbs in our personal cosmos would realign themselves. I guess we just needed to find our center of gravity. We too are just a phone call away and willing to cover the miles quickly.
only 17 days...could it be?...thank you, Father, for your goodness.

Saturday, January 2, 2010

as we begin a new millennium...i am excited




Thank you Lord, for a beautiful morning. You have ordained my minutes, my hours, my days, and my years. If the pictures in my calendar are right, this year's gonna be very pretty!




"With God
it's not
where you have been
that counts,
but where you are going.

It's okay to
glance at the past, but don't stare at it.

Build on it but don't live in it."
-Russ Bredholt