Wait for the Lord, be strong, and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the Lord!

Yes, I am waiting on the Lord and HE is meeting me day by day. This second week of chemo has gone well. That took place on Monday. I found out that I could have internet access- all but Face Book ) : It was blocked by the hospital. But I was able to work on the computer which I always enjoy. Also able to communicate with some of you via e-mail. Thanks for all your "visits. Jon came again at lunch time and shared Subway with us. That was fun. God is good.
On Tuesday I got my 2nd $3,000 shot! Thank you God for making provision for keeping my white blood count high! Wednesday I drove to Rockwall - about 1 hour- to have lunch with Amy. She also drove an hour. What fun to just have mom/daughter time. I had to stop and sleep on the way home and have several potty spots on the way there and back- one of the side effects.
My side effects were minimal-again. Praise God. Sleep has been MUCH better this week than the first go around. He DID give His beloved sleep. Thanks for all the prayers.
Sam and Lisa moved out on Wednesday and are settling into their rebuilt home. It is so quiet around here without them and we miss them. Dave is continuing on the bathroom project and got the louvered doors on yesterday. What a nice addition to our upper room! He is amazing. What a guy! I am so blessed.
Tomorrow, Lord willing, I leave for Wisconsin. I will be seeing many friends there. Nancy and Terry Welsh will be hosting me for a little over 2 weeks for a time of R and R. Bless them Lord! The following week my two sisters, Patty, from Indiana and Sandy from MO will be visiting me for a few days. That will be fun. Isn't God just so good?
Thanks for keeping me in your prayers and all your encouraging messages on Facebook and in your comments. They mean so much to me and I appreciate your taking the time! My God is so good and making me strong. I take heart in HIM.

The Lord's Day- the beginning of a new week

I will bless the Lord at ALL times...His praise will continually be in my mouth.
It has been a good week. God is good. I have felt good all week, gone for several walks, done some work around the house, gone out with family and friends, been to church 3 times- busy week.
After the hair cut on Monday night- things definitely got better all week! Thanks for all your prayers, kind remarks on Face Book and e mails and cards. Even 24 roses from my dear college Roomie- Gay Traster. I split them up into several bouquets and they have blessed us all over the house! Thank you SOOOO much Gay. They came the day after the "hair cut".
I got to be back into the Teen Mania scene briefly this week as I met with a couple of girls here at home. It felt so good to allow God to use me in this way again-even though the situations were extremely hard.
On Friday we went to Rockwall- about 1 hour from here- and met Amy and 5 of the children for lunch and a brief shopping trip to Costco. That was fun! WE missed seeing Caitlin, Haley and Josiah. I hope to see them soon. Caitlin was home practicing for an audition for college for viola on Sat. She was awarded the Natl. Merit Scholar scholarship- full ride for 4 years anywhere she chooses to go for being a Natl. Merit finalist. We are so proud of her and of Amy and Brian and the way they have home schooled their children- and of course to GOD be the glory- who gifted all of them to be able to do this.
On Sat. we attended a membership class at the church we are attending and then in the afternoon, Tonjua, a dear friend from Teen Mania, picked me up for a "surprise". She took me to a Day Spa and I had a Spa-pedicure. IT was so wonderful! My first- we also had lunch at a little cafe and visited a local Christian bookstore. What a wonderful day.
Sam and Lisa are getting ready to move out tomorrow. They have been with us since Dec. 5- 10 weeks since their house fire and the home is now rebuilt and ready to move back in to. We will miss them SOooooooooooo much. No more early morning stories with the kids...cheerful greetings from each of them EVERY morning...they have been such a blessing. Thank you, Jesus, for these 10 weeks with them!
Dave continues to work on the 1/2 bath in the "upper room". Today is working on wiring- has the toilet and sink in- cleaned out both garages today- they were used for construction and had lots of insulation in them- the plumbing had to go down through the one garage. He is now cleaning up has all the electric in so will be ready to tape, mud and then paint...on no...he has to hang doors yet...we are putting in louvered doors so that will be a bit of a project. Sam helped him get the wiring cut into the right wire in the attic last night so today's job was easier.
So, now into the new week. Chemo # 2 tomorrow- a 6 hour ordeal. Please pray for only the cancer cells to be killed and not any healthy cells. Tuesday we go in for the "golden" shot- $3400! I also have a new wig to pick up while in Tyler this week. I have 2 girls coming for dinner on Tuesday night, my Beth Moore "Esther" study on Monday night- and leaving for Wisconsin and spending time with my friend, Nancy and sisters, Patty and Sandy! Lord willing on all that, of course.
I entrust my life to HIM and just want HIM to be glorified in all I do this week!
Thanks for visiting my blog today!

The Rest of the Story

Yesterday, Feb. 15, I had a DR apt to have my blood tested to check the number of white blood cells. I am happy to say that my blood passed with flying colors! The white cell count is way high. Thisis one of the things they are concerned with when having Chemo. The DR. asked how the lump was- I said it is gone! It has been totally gone since about day 5- Praise you Jesus. I said, "Is that what you expected...he hesitated and said...a...yes. I told him he had said that the lymph glands affected in my chest would probably be gone with the first treatment. He said, let's look at the scan. He did...and said...yes...this is better than I expected. Praise you JESUS..YOU are the healer! I said, I think I am cancer free...he said, you may be but you are STILL having 6 treatments...and went on to explain why this would be. So I am scheduled for treatment # 2 next Monday. He gave me the okay to travel to Wisconsin on the following Sat. the 27th and stay until March 16th. I won't need a blood test in between. I told him that my hair started coming out...he took a handful and easily pulled it out...he said it is time to shave you head tonight. It just makes it easier all the way around...so...I made an appointment with my hair unstylist- my daughter in law- Lisa- and after my Esther study last night- we began the process..This is how I looked when we started out.
We decided to go in stages...so stage one was to cut it into a short pixie style...thus....

Then Lisa began with the clippers- starting with the largest one....

Moving on to the next one...

And finally shaving it with no whatever you call that thing. . That last step was pretty traumatic for both Lisa and I. Lisa was so very comforting and supportive. I could not have done it without her. Sam and Dave were there "cheering" us on in the background...feeling rather helpless at times
Our faithful God was through it all, promising that the hairs of my head are all numbered...none of this surprises Him and He will use it all for His glory. My trust is in Him and I want HIM to be glorified through this all.
Now, I am sporting some new hair styles with more to come! This is for now...my every day hair

And this will be for now...my party hair! I have actually ordered a wig I think is nicer and that I will like better.
So this too shall pass and God's grace is just so sufficient for me. Today I have worn a scarf that Kelly made me- she brought me several on Sunday...I haven't had the courage to look in the mirror much..maybe tomorrow....
In the mean time...my hope and trust is in my Lord Jesus Christ...He will see me through it all and HE is my healer and my Joy!

The Rest of the Story

,,,, to follow

Let in Snow! Let in Snow! Let it Snow!

February 12,2010
Can you believe 9 inches of snow in East Texas? Enough to go sledding and build snowmen and make snow angels and all that fun northern stuff that we grew up with! The children are all thoroughly enjoying it. Our power was out most of the night- on a few hours this morning early then out all day. Tonight we have light, heat, a fire with a blower to blow the heat out and warm us...and all is well.
It has been a kind of long week. My DR put me on a med to help with some bladder issues and it pretty much knocked me for a loop. I felt totally wiped out, abdominal pain, MORE severed digestive problems, and stopped it after 2 days. It took about 4 to recover. Thursday I was feeling somewhat back to "normal" and today was better.
Today, since we had no power- Dave and I went to a near by town that has wholesale wigs- and picked out a wig- we had already received a free one from the Am. Cancer Society. I'm not totally happy with either- I think the whole idea is so emotionally devastating that I am not engaging whole heartedly. Also- they are not my exact hair color or style. We looked at one at a more upscale wig shop in Tyler which may serve me better when the time comes. They promised me that I would lose all my hair in 10 to 14 days. I am on day 11.
I am continuing to focus on the Word and the promises of Jesus my Savior. I love all the times it says that he went about healing and he healed them all! Jesus Christ, the same, yesterday, today and forever! Yea! That is my God!
Dave has been working all week in putting a half bath into our
"upper room" - the place where I've been spending lots of time. That will be SO nice! Sam and Dave hope to finish that off tomorrow. My guys are so talented- they are not afraid to tackle any project. Just amazing! I am so blessed.
A big thank you to you who have sent cards, emails, face-book messages, called and visited....I am feeling very loved.

Keeping the Sabbath day holy

I am enjoying REST today! After sitting in the hot tub this morning with my honey- I decided NOT to go out to church- not to be around that many people in a small room- just to go to my upper room and enjoy the peace and quiet of my Lord, my Bible, my music, and choose to put my chair back and sleep if I felt like it. This is QUITE the different life style for me! After a week of very little sleep, I am trying to be sensitive to the needs of my body for rest. I DID stay in bed ALL night last night- slept some and it felt so good to wake up this morning by my honey.
God is good and is granting us peace and joy in the midst of all going on here.
WE are trusting in his Word, meditating on His promises and believing the report of the Lord.
I am looking into some reports on lymphoma and root canals. Anyone know anything? I am not liking what I am reading...I have 4 root canals.
This was sent by my friend Barb Peterson today:
Mark 5:
36. Fear not, only believe. (and I like the context of that
verse...Jesus wanted to do that miracle for that father, but couldn't
let fear come in and hinder it.)
Thank you all who stop by to read and pray for us. We love you!

The Lord delivers me out of them all!

Our God reigns! His timing is perfect and he orders my steps each day. I am still at home in Texas. His timing for my Wisconsin trip was once again delayed- Southwest airlines is going to get tired of my canceling and rescheduling this trip!
On Monday Amy met us in Tyler at 9 a.m. for our Dr. apt-giving us the results of the tests last week- the PET Scan, Echo gram and checking out the port. I was very encouraged with the results- The lymphoma is in my neck as we knew and in three other small places in my chest and MAYBE in one place in my abdomen- making it a stage 2 and possibly 3. The Dr. didn't think the abdomen spot was a big deal. He said all the lower spots would be gone with the first chemo treatment and felt that the 6 should take care of the neck mass. His recommendation was that I begin chemo immediately-the next day and put off the Wisconsin until after the second treatment- 3 weeks from now. Amy, Dave and I prayed and had peace that this was the right move to make. So I canceled the flight and on Tuesday morning Dave and I made our way to Tyler again to the Clinic for the first Chemo treatment- a thing we said we would NEVER do! It was a very traumatic day for us. First they put us in this room full of ugly wigs- and had us watch a video of cancer survivors and things they wish they had been told.. Then the nurse came in and spent about 30 min. reading to us about all the drugs and all the possible side effects and had me sign off on each one. One of the side effects that surprised us was she said that I would lose all my hair within 14 days...I'm still believing the report of the Lord on that but HIS grace is sufficient for me whatever comes. That about did us both in. We were ready to bolt! But God...He is faithful and gave me peace as I went into the chemo room and got hooked up to begin the process. Dave was having SUCH a hard time that I encouraged to go out to Starbucks and Lowes because I was just going to have my Quiet Time anyway. I was at peace as the process went on- got several phone calls, read just a little and visited with the lady next to me. (The room was UGLY! I'll choose the prettier room next time- even though there is a t.v. in there). I got started about 10- Dave came back at noon with some beans for me for lunch and shortly after Jon came and spent the entire afternoon with us. What a blessing! WE are so thankful that he was sent by God to be with us at that time. We really needed it. All of our friends and family have been incredibly supportive and we feel God's grace through all your prayers, Face book messages and calls and cards. Thank you so much!
Wednesday we had to go back to Tyler to get another shot-part of the Chemo- a $3345 shot!! Geesh! We then made a trip to the American Cancer Society and found out about some of their free services- wigs- a Makeup and scarf tying class on Monday with FREE gifts...I LOVE free gifts!
Today- Praise God- I got to spend the whole day in my upper room. I love it up here. I did lots of Bible study, prayer and listening to Praise music. Dave put up pictures. WE put up a whole wall of all our family pictures starting with Amy at 3 and Jon and David at 1. I love it!
My word of today is....Many are the afflictions of the righteous but the Lord delivereth him out of them all: Psalm 34:19
Yes, God is delivering me and bringing his healing though the Spirit, through natural means and through Chemo. Praise you God.
I am feeling good. NO side effects other than I am not sleeping. Please put me on your prayer list to sleep. Evidentialy the steroids that are given to boost the white blood cells cause this. I have only slept about 2 hours since Monday night so I really need a good nights sleep. "He giveth His beloved sleep" I am my beloveds and He is mine- so...tonight is the night for sleep!
These are some of the pleasant things I wake up to every morning...God is SOoo good- Sam and Lisa are still with us for a few weeks as their home is nearing completion from the fire of Dec. 5th- Here is Lisa-
making my juice for me each morning- WHAT a blessing. I love you so much Lisa! http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=28898624&postID=1452715081405559942#And here is Bridget- always with a big smile and hug to greet us each morning...Grammy- can you pick me up????