Same, same but different, different

It was infusion week once again at The James’ Stephanie Spielman Comprehensive Breast Cancer Center in Columbus, Ohio and thankfully, another easy treatment. I’m so so so grateful yet again for zero pain and side effects while getting treatment. I did explain to the doctor that in the past week or two I had been noticing something new…frequent twitching in my upper eyelids for no apparent reason. Nobody really seems to know why it is happening. The little irritations physically are minimal compared to the treatments I had in 2016, so no complaints here, just reporting.  By Monday, most of the twitching stopped.

Then after my infusion on Friday, John took me out to my favorite little organic bistro nearby called Alchemy Kitchen.  Sadly my little artsy blue-haired friend and sister in Christ, Madeleine, wasn’t working this day.

On to the best part of the weekend when one of my sisters, my favorite youngest sister, Lys, and her very fun-loving beau, Kevin, visited for a couple nights, so we enjoyed the crackle of a fire, ate delicious food, went hiking, and I got to share my bench and some waterfalls with them! Below is a photo of a very ancient oak tree that I can’t help but hug every time I pass it while hiking over in Hoffmann Reserve. I talk to this beauty and ask what all it’s seen in the 300-400 years it’s been there? I know it may sound silly to hug a tree but there is something awe-inspiring about a living thing that’s remained alive for centuries that’s touchable!

When the power goes out at 4 a.m. but your hubby gets up and has a fire roaring in the fireplace for hours to keep it warm!! 

Kevin, Melissa, John and I enjoyed a very long hike on Saturday but there’s something sacred about sharing my bench with people I love where I pause almost every time and sing Gratitude! Thanks again to Carl, my Angel bench Maker! 

Holding hands with my faithful, loving, adventurous hubby is always a good day!

Because of the copious amount of rainfall we have received lately, the typical tiny drops of water dripping over flat rocks in the meager creek became glorious gushing waterfalls that caused us to listen and smile. 

Sunday usually means going church, but since John had to be there for both services, I decided to spend quiet time at home drinking a fresh mint infused Boston Stoker Grogg cappuccino while listening to the wind chime and birds singing, enjoy seeing the sunshine, blue skies, & new spring green leaves popping out and read, pray, and rest. 

I’ve decided to share here my prayer. It’s nothing fancy or profound…it’s just me sharing my heart with God on this miraculous Sunday morning. 

Morning prayer

Father, 

Thank you that I woke up today. And thank you that I have yet another day to share love and experience love from those around me. Thank you that I’m pain-free. Thank you that I woke up with a faithful husband next to me. Thank you that I woke up surrounded by a warm safe home. Thank you that I woke up to food in my refrigerator and an assortment of clothes to choose from to wear. Thank you that I woke up with a Bible sitting on my table and the freedom to read it. Thank you that I woke up with loving family and texts from friends. Thank you that I woke up burden and stress-free today. Father, I don’t take these things for granted and I acknowledge that you are the Giver of good gifts. Thank you for what I read today in my devotional from Jesus calling where it said for Jan. 26, “Give up the illusion that you deserve a problem-free life. Part of you is still hungering for the resolution of all difficulties. This is a false hope! As I told My disciples, “In the world, you will have trouble.” Link your hope, not to problem solving in this life, but to the promise of an eternity of free life in heaven. Instead of seeking perfection in this fallen world, pour your energy into seeking Me: the Perfect One. 

It is possible to enjoy Me and glorify Me in the midst of adverse circumstances. In fact, My light shines most brightly through believers who trust Me in the dark. That kind of trust is supernatural: a production of My indwelling Spirit. When things seem all wrong, trust Me anyway. I am much less interested in right circumstances than in right responses to whatever comes your way. John 16:33, Psalm 112:4, 7.”

Father, You are the only reason I am alive. You give me life. You are my life. You remind me of my purpose here and its brevity and the long awaited for hope I have in Your Son, Jesus. 

I ask for each of my children, family members and friends to encounter You, not just momentarily, but perpetually and passionately! Not just because it’s what they occasionally think they should do, or maybe they don’t acknowledge You at all but what I ask, Father, is that each one desires YOU inwardly privately personally boldly humbly & genuinely in Truth. May each person seek You, find You, trust in Jesus to be the only Way to You through His amazing sacrifice on the cross for each of us. May they feel loved, wanted, known, needed, seen, and pursued by You, the One and only God, our Creator, our Maker, our Forever Husband, our Life, our Hope, our Peace. 

May the day to day circumstances we each experience be overshadowed by Your Presence. I pray that Truth always is in front and the lies of this world are discarded. Send Angel Armies out to surround, fight for, defeat and stand victorious over the enemy in the lives of my loved ones. 

I pray this in the name of Your Son, Jesus!

Hallelujah

On Monday I was able to get out for yet another 3 mile hike. Thankfully, God put it on my heart to go somewhere new so I “randomly” decided to check out Caesar’s Creek Boat Ramp area to see if there might be a hiking trail nearby. Although there was and the hike eventually was lovely, before hitting the trail, we came upon an elderly man lying in the parking lot face down. When we got there nobody was anywhere except this gentleman! He lifted his head and blood was everywhere. I was able to reach 911 and get him the help he needed.  Tragically, this 77 year old thinks he just got dizzy as he stopped to use the bathroom facilities and when he got back to the parking lot, he fell…but he must have passed out at first and face planted in the asphalt because he was a bloody mess and had lots of gashes on his face and hands! Thankfully he was conscious enough to talk to me. I was so thankful another random man named Robert drove by who stopped to help me get him off the pavement until the squad came. As you can see from the picture, he would really have been in trouble if he would have been driving at the time or if nobody saw him.

After he was in the ambulance, we were thankful to hike.  The trail we choose was serene and followed along the Lake. I’m thankful LillyMae loves to hike as much as I do!! 

The rest of my time is becoming routine…sell our things on eBay and Facebook Marketplace and work on WonderVan stuff!!

I’m feeling exceptionally well and I thank God for it!!