Greetings from Austin Street

Happy Holy Wednesday!  All is well here at 811.  Two victories today. First, I went to my first post-op visit today with all good news. Dr. Jones got the entire tumor and the surrounding tissues had clean margins and she removed 8 lymph nodes that were free of cancer.  She says I am healing well and has handed me off to the oncologist for treatment planning.   Second, after many exhaustive hours, crawling under the house, snaking the drain and creating pipes to fit other pipes our kitchen sink is unclogged. Bruce is totally amazing.  I can honestly say I have never had a repairman in my house except the one with whom I live.  It has been a red letter day here at 811. God is good and love wins!

Dear God, you really do amaze me. Thank you that I can serve you faithfully with the assurance of your help and protection. You have changed me from the inside out and I praise your name! Thank you for giving me such hope, worth, beauty, wisdom and holiness. Thank you for a husband who is so faithful and gifted to keep working until the job is finished. Thank you for Dr.Jones who has dedicated herself to the healing of others.  Thank you for a loving family, who loves, forgives supports and encourages in all situations. I love you Lord and sing your praises. In Jesus name, amen.

When Bruce had his heart valve replacement a couple of years ago I went to Starbucks and purchased a coffee traveler and spent the previous day baking cookies for the visitors who were there while Bruce was in surgery. The support for Bruce practically filled the room and we were loud, proud, laughing and in a spirit of faithful joy that Bruce would come through this surgery just fine. And God blessed us with Bruce’s surgery survival and perfect recovery. On the day of my breast cancer surgery there were pink balloons, pink cookies, pink M & M’s, cancer awareness mints, pink popcorn, a Starbucks Traveler of my favorite coffee  and pink ribbons for all who came in support of me and my family. The others in the waiting room (I am told) thought “why didn’t we think of something like this while our loved one was in surgery.”   I personally think the greatest gift the others in the waiting room experienced was the joy and laughter my family shared with each other. As Geni says, “This is just how we roll.”  In a time when serious business was going on in the OR, my family throws a party.

The prophet Daniel was found guilty of praying going against the decree of the Persian King and was sentenced to death in the lion’s den. The story goes that Daniel sang hymns while in the lion’s den and the next morning was found to be unharmed. God delivered him from death. Now I do not know if Daniel held choir rehearsal with the lions, but I know that Daniel knew that whether he was eaten by the lions or came out alive that he would be okay. I think that our stories speak to the character of God, especially God’s faithfulness. God tends to help us when we are found faithful without fear of what others think of our actions. I knew as did Daniel that no matter what the outcome I would be okay. So my friends let us become vessels of praise and be filled with God’s glory sharing joyful faithfulness to God to all we meet. Great is our God.

“The king said to Daniel, “May your God, whom you are serving continually deliver you.”

Daniel 6: 16

“Let all who see you rejoice and be glad because of you. Let those who love your salvation continually say, “The Lord is great.”

Psalm 40: 16

Take joy in the journey and sing praises to our God. Wear comfortable shoes, get some sleep and think pink!  Love you all, Bruce and Gaylene