Wednesday, January 14, 2009

--A little housekeeping first. Many of you have indicated that you would like to receive notification that a new blog has been posted. The only way I know of to do this is for you to email me and let me know you want to be notified. I will make a list from those notifying me and send you an email after I post. Send those email requests to texaschrystie@aol.com. - Bruce

Happy Wednesday! Today I wore a black Wrangler western shirt with pink writing accented with a pink ribbon. I also wore my Casey necklace. Three months ago right now our son went to be with the Father forever. Casey will forever be close to my heart and never far from my thoughts. I wore the shirt for my best friend Carme who is facing breast cancer. She was also Casey’s godmother. The shirt and the necklace needed to be worn together.

The events of late afternoon with our friend Deb brought about memories that were almost too hard to bear. And then I did my reading and meditation prior to writing and knew that God is holding all of us in the palm of His hand and cradling us close to His heart. For as our hearts are broken and still quite raw from the death of Casey, God’s assurance and love flows from His heart , allows our tears to flow and reminds us once again that Casey is healed and in the loving arms of the Father and has no fear.

Deb Koplen update: Deb is back in the hospital. She was experiencing extreme nausea and nothing would ease the nausea. Her caretaker called an ambulance and I phoned Doc Adams. He told us to get her to the hospital and he would admit her. She is being monitored and will be evaluated. Initial diagnosis is extreme dehydration with the possibility of a UTI or even possible of more metastatic cancer elsewhere in her body. Deb has stage 4 lung cancer with metastatic bone disease. It is most likely that when she returns home she will go home on hospice. Please continue prayer for her.

Carme update: Carme met with the plastic surgeon today. She is electing to have a bi-lateral mastectomy with reconstruction. The reconstruction will take place immediately after the breast removal within the same surgery. She is holding a “passionately pink” party prior to surgery. It should be a total “pink panic!” All who are attending the surgery to be with she and Dave are required to wear pink. Even the guys! She wants me to sing to her prior to surgery and then we are all going to donate to the Komen cancer foundation. The surgery will take place towards the end of the month. Please continue prayers for Carme and Dave.

Matthew 10:31 says, “Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.” Tonight we pray for two dear friends who are both facing the largest battle in their lives. Deb and Carme are both facing cancer. These two women do not know each other and their circumstances are different. Deb’s body is riddled with this vicious disease and she will most likely lose the battle. Carme has a small mass and is electing a radical procedure to ensure this type of disease never invades her body again. Neither woman has known of their cancers for very long. Both of these women are women of faith. If either has fear they are not showing the rest of us.

The Holy scriptures tell us not to fear. God’s Word tells us of His love and caring for us when He compares us to His creation and says I love you more and I care more for you than the birds of the air. This verse also tells us that God is in control. It tells us that God never loses track of us. God knows where we are on the planet and where we are in our relationship to Him at all times. God also knows that when the difficult times come, fear can invade of our lives just as cancer. If God cares for the birds of the air enough to keep track of them and know when they fall from the sky then the same God cares deeply, loves completely all of His creation and never lets us out of His sight or out of His reach.

So my friends, be not afraid to fly. One of Bruce's favorite sayings is: “When we come to the edge of the light we know, and are about to step off into the darkness of the unknown, of this we can be sure ... either God will provide something solid to stand on or ..... we will be taught to fly.”

Take joy in the journey and pray without ceasing. Love you, Bruce, Gaylene, Geni and Travis.

PS Tomorrow Travis turns 18. Look out world! Here he comes!!!

Gcapplenotes@aol.com

I am not moved by what I see. I am not moved by what I feel. I am moved only by what I believe and I believe God.

1 comment:

Al Rearick said...

One of Bruce's favorite sayings is: “When we come to the edge of the light we know, and are about to step off into the darkness of the unknown, of this we can be sure ... either God will provide something solid to stand on or ..... we will be taught to fly.”

Cyndy and I talked about this last night. Her response was "God always catches us." I agreed at first, but then added "Well, if he doesn't, he's at least waiting for us when we hit the bottom. He's definitely not going to abandon us."

This is the difference between Cyndy and I, and why her faith is so inspirational to me: she's the eternal optimist, always believing that God will catch us BEFORE we fall; whereas I believe God will let us fall and THEN help us pick up the pieces. Hers is a lot more encouraging, mine is a lot more cynical. We may both be right, but a lot of times I wish I had her optimism.

I just thank God that He's there no matter what!

Love,
Al