Sunday's Hymn

Here is a hymn to hopefully set the tone for your upcoming week.

Take Time to Be Holy

W.D. Longstaff, Geo. C. Stebbins

Take time to be holy, speak oft with thy Lord;

Abide with Him always, and feed on His Word.

Make friends of God's children; help those who are weak, 

Forgetting in nothing His blessings to seek.

Take time to be holy, the world rushes on;

Spend much time in secret with Jesus alone.

Abiding in Jesus, like Him thou shalt be;

Thy friends in thy conduct His likeness shall see.

Take time to be holy, be calm in thy soul;

Each thought and each motive beneath His control.

Thus led by His Spirit to fountains of love,

Thou soon shall be fitted for service above.

Really Going To Start Blogging Again

Hello.

I have a friend on Facebook (an internet, email group friend, not an "in real life friend", although I know that we would be friends in real life if we lived in the same town) who recently shared a link to this blog post.

While reading her post, I found myself agreeing with some of her points.  I have definitely gotten out of the habit of blogging for a variety of reasons.  I began this blog over six years ago, and until this summer, I have posted fairly regularly.  But this summer I got writer's block. What do I have left to say that I already have not already said? Why I am even blogging?  That, along with the fact that I feel my life getting more and more complicated rather than simpler, which is what I crave, has kept me from blogging.

From the beginning of my blog, I have purposed to keep it upbeat and positive.  Not that I don't have my share of problems or that my life is perfect, but I want to be encouraging, not depressing.  But there is always that balance.  I don't want to appear as someone who has it all together, because I certainly don't. I strive to serve a perfect God, one who created me in His image, and I try follow his commands daily.  I also fail daily.

So that's the struggle.  How to blog in a realistic, encouraging way without painting a false picture of total success.  Since I have not been able to figure that out over the last couple of months, I have just stopped writing altogether.  Now I don't want y'all to think that I am having some kind of mid-life crisis or that I am in the middle of a major personal or family catastrophe, because it's nothing like that, but I have been overwhelmed for a few months.

Parenting older teens and youngish children is challenging.  Logistically, emotionally, and even physically--even though I though parenting the newborn, toddler, and preschooler combination was physically exhausting too.  Older children require more brain cells to parent--papers to edit, relationship troubles, teams, meetings, music lessons, and practices, to coordinate, and so on.  I have repeatedly told my close friends that taking care of older children is so much harder in some ways than when they were small and my biggest tasks were changing diapers, fixing sippee cups, cleaning up endless messes, and buying groceries with small children in tow without losing my sanity.

I am so thankful that my older children are all Christians.  All of my children are precious gifts from God, and I treasure them.  Somewhere along the way I have become a slave to the tyranny of the urgent.  I am looking for ways to slow down and simplify.

I truly hope to get back to blogging on a regular basis.  I hope I have something that you want to read, and maybe getting my thoughts down on paper (or on the screen) will help me as well.

Please comment with any topics you would like me to write about.  :)

"Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal."

2 Corinthians 4:16-18

Scripture Memory Box

I first blogged about my Scripture memory box about three or four years ago.  We are still using the box, and it has proved to be a successful tool for Scripture memorization for our family.

I found directions for making my box by conducting an online search.  At first I had my verses and card stock dividers inside a little plastic basket, but later I purchased a filing box, some 4 x 6 printable index cards, and tabbed dividers.  I used to print the Bible verses onto the card stock (which is perforated into four 4 x 6 cards), but now I just print the verse out on regular paper using a small font, and then I tape them onto the index cards.

Each week I choose and print out a new Bible verse for us to learn.  I alternate short verses with long passages which we learn 2-3 verses at a time.  Some of the longer passages my children have learned include Psalm 103, Psalm 91, Psalm 1, the Beatitudes, and Proverbs 31:10-31.  I print two copies of the week's verse:  one on regular sized paper to hang on the window beside our kitchen table and one smaller copy for the Scripture memory box.

We recite the verse 5 times each morning as we begin our Bible study time.  Since the verse hangs beside our kitchen table, it is is plain view to be read throughout the day.  On Fridays, the children copy the verse into their Bible memory notebook, which is just an inexpensive spiral bound notebook.  When my children were younger, I copied the verses for them.

When Olivia went to college last fall, I presented her with a journal that I had copied inside every single verse that she had memorized since she was in kindergarten. It took me a couple of months to copy all of those Scriptures!  I wanted her to have a copy of the verses that she had hidden in her heart for 13 years--and I wanted her to be able to review them from time to time so that she would not forget them.

Ok.  Here is the procedure for setting up your own Scripture memory box.  If my directions are not clear, then you can Google instructions.

Supplies Needed:
1 filing box (mine holds 4 x 6 inch index cards)
1 set of blank tabbed dividers (you need 39-41 total)
4 x 6 inch index cards

Procedure:

1. Choose verses for you and your children to memorize.  
2. Copy the verses you already have learned onto the index cards, one per card.  You can print onto the cards, print the verses on paper and then tape them on the cards, or just hand write them onto the cards.
3. Label the tabbed dividers in this manner: 1-31, Daily, Even, Odd, and the days of the week--either Monday-Friday or you can include Saturday and Sunday too if you plan to drill on those days.  I just drill the Scriptures on Monday-Friday.
4. Place the card with the Scripture that you are learning this week behind the Daily tab.
5. Put last week's Scripture behind the Even tab.
6. Place any other Scriptures that you have learned behind the Odd tab and the days of the week tabs.  If you have even more Scriptures already learned, begin placing them behind the days of the months tabs. (1-31).  For Daily, Even, Odd, and the Days of the Week tabs, just put one care per tab. 
7. Each week create a new card for that week's Scripture.  Place the new card behind the Daily tab, and then move each card one tab back, until you get through the Friday tab.  Then take the card that is behind Friday, and put in behind the next blank numbered tab.  When all 31 tabs have a card behind them, begin putting the cards behind 1, 2, 3, etc. again.  Just keep distributing the cards evenly as the years go by.  

Daily Drilling:

Pick a time of day that is convenient for you, and drill your Scriptures daily.  Each day you will practice the Scriptures behind the following tabs:  Daily, Even or Odd (depending on whether the date is an even number or an odd number), the day of the week it is (Monday-Friday), and then the date (1-31) of the day.  So, you will be reciting at least 4 Scriptures a day when your box gets full.  As you learn more and more verses, you will have more cards behind the numbered tabs.  

This system really works.

My children can recall over 100 Bible passages--some short and some fairly long-- with very little prompting, just by using this simple system day in and day out.  I am so glad that I took the time to create my Scripture memory box a few years ago.  It takes me less than five minutes once a week to type up the week's memory verse, tape one copy to the window and the other smaller copy on an index card and put it in the box.  Then I take about 10 seconds and move the cards one tab back, and then we are ready to go!  It's really that simple.

Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You.

Psalm 119:11

More On Copying Scripture

I have had a few people ask me questions about my Scripture copying.  It's nothing fancy!  I took a few pictures of my journal, and hopefully these pictures will explain what I am doing.

This is the left hand side of the journal.  After copying an entire chapter (and this usually takes more than one day), I create an outline of the chapter.  I am using a Bible that I call a "clean copy".  It has no  previous markings or underlinings by me, but I am marking and underlining as I read.  Also, it has no "headings"--those paragraph or chapter summary statements that are sometimes inserted in certain Bibles.  The Bible that I am using for copying Scripture is a New King James version that I bought from Lifeway a while back.

This is the right hand side page of the journal.  On this side, I do the actual copying.  I copy about one page per day.  That is one page in my journal, not one page in my Bible.

This is another left hand side page (a different page than the outline page).  Normally each chapter of takes me 2-3 pages of my journal to copy.  I use the first facing left hand page to do the outline.  I use the remaining facing left hand pages to take notes or right down my thoughts.

Here is a picture of the journal--both pages in view.

Left hand side:  outline

Right hand side:  the chapter, copied.

Ok.  Did that clear it all up?

If you have more questions, please leave me a comment.  I will be happy to answer them!

The Latest

• Bible Study:  Some of you have asked for more details regarding my copying Scripture.  I took pictures of my journal, and I will share soon.  Also, I have begun listening to the Bible on CD in my car.  We have had these CDs for years, and I have never listened to them.  I really like them!  However, we are missing disc 8, so I am reading Leviticus 25-Numbers 10 before I can listen to the next CD.
• Running:  Last week's long run of 18 was so much better than the previous week's long run.  I drank a full cup of coffee, and I ate a little packet of that fruit in a pouch stuff--you know, they make baby food in these pouches--but this is not baby food, but just pureed fruit in a pouch.  I found it in the refrigerated organic section of Kroger.  Anyway, eating two of those plus drinking plenty of Gatorade and water resulted in a much better run.  Plus I ran with Heather for 13.5 miles of it, and we had a good visit.
• Homeschool:  We are just moving right along.  Doing school still takes me all day, and if we have any unplanned interruptions, I don't get everything done.  We are off tomorrow and Friday, and that will give us time to catch our breath.
• Olivia:  She came home for the weekend about 10 days ago, and she is coming home again today for Fall Break!  Yay!  We are all so excited!  She warned me that she has to bring home all of her books and do lots of studying/paper writing, but that's ok!  We are just so, so happy to have her here with us!  She set a PR in a 5K cross country race that she ran last week.  Her best time since she was 13!  She was so excited, and we all were too!
• In the Kitchen:  I stuck to my "serve the same meals over and over" routine for two weeks.  And then I wanted a change, so this week I have been serving all new recipes.  Most have been "not so good".  I am sure that my family is tiring of my culinary experiments, but really they are such good sports and eat whatever I prepare......and then get a bowl of oatmeal or cereal for dessert!  Ha!
• Preparing for Christmas:  Yes.  It's time.  I have done very little.  But, I plan to begin sharing a couple of tips/ideas a week.  This week's tip:  If you have been gathering gifts throughout the year, and they are not in one location, put them there.  I have a huge plastic bin with a lid that is my gift box.  Whenever I buy a present, I put it inside that box.  Now is the time to take inventory of your gift box.  You may surprise yourself with the items you have picked up this year.  
• Sewing:  I have bought all of the fabric and most of the other supplies for sewing small pillows and drainage bags for mastectomy patients.  I have two different places that I will donate these sets.  My goal is to have them ready to deliver by the end of October, since it's the pink month and all.  

I think that about sums everything up.  Life is crazy hectic around here.  Most days I feel like I am barely keeping my nose above the water.  (Like most of you feel too, I am sure!).

Here is the verse I repeat in my head on a daily (sometimes hourly) basis.

"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be known to God; and the peace of God which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."

Philippians 4:6-7

A Hymn For Today

"For you who fear My name the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings."
Malachi 4:2

Healing In Its Wings

O, Father, I do sin, and my heart breaks deep within.

For you have sought me, yet I turn away from all Your loving care.

So often do I fail, yet You reach out again,

Lifting my burden that is more than I can ever bear.

Through Your beloved Son, there is grace so undeserved,

How can I ever sin against the One who makes my heart to sing.

Create a heart so clean that like You I may be,

As Light of Morning rises up with healing in its wings.

My broken contrite heart is so worthless in thy sight.

But You restore it, give it peace and joy to love and follow You.

Oh, may I ever strive to live pure in Your sight,

Filled with Your goodness, free to glorify and honor Your.

Glenda Barnhart Schales

Recent Bible Study

I shared with some friends over the summer that I had begun copying Scripture as part of my daily Bible study.  I am still doing that.  So far I have copied Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 and 2 Thessalonians, 1 and 2 Timothy.  I began Titus yesterday.  I did take a short break from copying when I began working in a topical Bible study book that I bought.  But after one lesson in that book, I got back to my copying.  For now, this is what I want to do.

Copying Scripture may not be for everyone.  But if it sounds beneficial to you, I encourage you to try it.  I have a pretty pink leather journal that I am using for this.  I also use a Frixion erasable pen, because inevitably, I make a mistake here and there.  I love those pens!  Staples sells them in black, red, and blue, but Amazon sells a multi-color pack (my favorite).

I try to copy the amount of Scripture that equals one page in my journal each day.  I write only on one side of each page, the right hand side of the book.  At the end of each chapter, I outline the chapter on the first blank left hand side page.  I use the other blank left hand side pages for copying (again) specific verses that I want to comment on.  I also make notes about certain verses on these blank left hand side pages.  Does that make sense?

I read the chapter in its entirety before I begin copying each day and also one more time when I finish copying the chapter.

As many of you know, I am also a fan of reading the Bible cover to cover.  Seeing and understanding the big picture of the entire Bible has innumerable benefits.  I am not reading it in 90 days this time, but I am reading whenever I have a spare minute, using my iPad.  I hope to finish this Bible reading by January or February.  During these Bible reading sessions, I do not take any notes or copy any Scriptures, I just read.

Whatever your Bible reading/studying plan is, I encourage you to just do it.

This Time Last Year

1 Chronicles 16:8-9 

"Oh, give thanks to the Lord!


Call upon His name; 
Make known His deeds among the peoples!

Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him;
 Talk of all His wondrous works!"

One year ago today I went for a repeat mammogram, which led to an ultrasound and a biopsy, all in about three or four hours.  I left my house with the intention of being gone a couple of hours.  A quick mammogram and then a stop by Hobby Lobby before returning home to cook supper.

My life changed that day.

It was the beginning of an anxiety ridden month.  It was also the beginning of a test of my faith.  Did I really believe what I always said?  "Thanksgiving produces joy." Could I really be thankful in all circumstances?  Could I really count my blessings every day?

I could.  I did--some days were hard, but I did.  And I am still thankful.  I have learned so many lessons the past year! My diagnosis of breast cancer and subsequent double mastectomy stopped me in my tracks last year.  One year later, there is rarely a day that goes by that I don't think about it.  But with every thought, there is always the thankfulness.  

Habakkuk 3:17 

"Though the fig tree may not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines;

Though the labor of the olive may fail, and the fields yield no food;

Though the flock may be cut off from the fold, and there be no herd in the stalls--

Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation."

I am thankful, so very thankful that my cancer was detected early and that surgical treatment was all that I needed.

I am thankful that I recovered so quickly from all of my surgeries and procedures.

I am thankful that I have regained my physical strength, and that I ran a marathon!  And now I am training for yet another marathon. (Yes, I am crazy!)

I am thankful for the outpouring of love and support I received from my husband, my family, my friends, and people that I didn't even know.

I am thankful for all of the prayers offered on my behalf and God's answers to those prayers.

I am thankful for the lessons in compassion that I learned.

1 Thessalonians. 5:17-18 

"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."

Update 7

"We give thanks to You, O God, we give thanks!  For Your wondrous works declare that Your Name is near."

  Psalm 75:1

Today is the 8th day after my surgery.  And I feel so much better, and so thankful!  Yesterday I had an appointment with my general surgeon (He is so kind!  He is actually off this week for spring break, but met me at his clinic to see me anyway.)  I got two sets of great news while at his office.

1. I got all three of my drains out!  All three!  I was a happy girl.  So, that meant that I got to take my very first shower in a week last night.  That was wonderful.  It wore me out, and I had to go straight to bed, but it was a wonderful shower.
2. I received the results on my lymph nodes, and they were negative--I am cancer free!  The surgery completely cured me, and the cancer is all gone and had not spread anywhere!  Praise the Lord!  However, my cancer was hormone receptive, and my husband and my general surgeon will be discussing with the oncologist to decide if I will need to take the tamoxifen.

"Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!  For His mercy endures forever."  Psalm 136:1

I am off of all pain medication except for tylenol, and I still have to take an occasional Zofran for nausea.  I would really like to sleep in my bed at night, but I can only get comfortable in the recliner.  As I am typing this, I am actually sitting in the bed beside Sam.  This is my first time to sit anywhere besides the recliner.  Progress!  I really did not believe the doctors when they told me how long my recovery would be.  Ha!  I thought--weeks of rest, months before I would be running--not me!  But I believe them now.  It is still a workout to walk around my house!

My mother is still here, and she is doing a super job at keeping my house and watching over the children.  She has been my chauffeur, and has really learned her way around Tupelo while driving the children to various activities.  She has also taken the children shopping for shoes and craft supplies, and I think they are going to be sewing for the next couple of days.

"Therefore we do not lose heart.  Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.  For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen.  For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things  which are not seen are eternal.  2 Corinthians 4:16-18

I am truly thankful that I have been through and will continue to go through (the long reconstruction process) this trial.  I am first of all thankful that it was not worse than it was, but even if I had to endure chemotherapy I would still choose to be thankful.  I am thankful for the lessons that I have learned in compassion and empathy and expressing love to others.  Previously, I always took a meal to mothers of new babies, I would try to remember to send get well cards and sympathy cards, and I tried to remember to pray for all of those who asked me to pray for them.  But I did not do as much as I could have.

But I will never look at sick people the same way again.  I know now what to do when people are in need.  That is the biggest blessing of my journey.  I have truly learned empathy and compassion.  I never realized how much a card, a phone call, a promise of prayer, a text, a thoughtful gift, a meal, help with children and just sitting with the person who was scared about her future really meant to someone in need.  It has made all the difference in the world to me, and I will spend the rest of my life doing the same for others.  

I have learned the antidote to personal stress and anxiety--prayer for others--and I now write down and pray for anyone and everyone who asks for prayers.  I bought a Count Your Blessings journal before my surgery, and while I am going to fill it with lists of my blessings, I am also designating pages for prayer requests.  I plan to keep this book with my cell phone (which is always at my side) and I record the prayer requests as they come in on Facebook and in emails.  I plan to also carry my blessing journal to church and record the prayer requests announced there too.  

God's Word is true.  We are to be thankful in all circumstances, and He does work all things for good for those who love Him.  I am so thankful for the lessons I have learned about caring for others.

After Mastectomy Day 5

<sup>Who knew that running a marathon and walking from my bedroom to my kitchen would have so much in common--requiring extreme effort and resulting in unexplainable fatigue!  Today is day 5 since my surgery, and while I am feeling a little bit stronger, and I am still shocked by how weak and pretty much worthless that I am.  I know that the doctors told me that I would need to do completely nothing for one week, and then gradually increase my activities over the next month,but I had no idea what that really meant!  Basically all I do is sit in a recliner and sleep.  I wake up periodically to visit with my family and friends, and then....it's back to sleep!  I am taking less pain medication today, but I am extremely nauseous. I am trying to be patient!  I am ready to be back to normal, and it is discouraging to think that "normal" may be a couple of months away.


So far I have not been able to do any reading.  I just can't concentrate, and then I fall asleep!  But I did accomplish something big today!   I took a sponge bath, sprayed dry shampoo in my hair, and changed my pajamas--all by myself!  I almost feel clean!


I hope to have a more exciting update soon.  I am still so thankful that I made it through the surgery without complications.  I am thankful for my mother staying here and keeping my household running.  I am thankful for my friends for visiting, sending beautiful flowers and sweet cards, and for bringing delicious food.  Most of all I am thankful for my wonderful husband.  He has taken the best care of me!</sup>

¹⁰ that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; ¹¹ strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; ¹² giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.

Colossians  1:10-12

After Mastectomy Day 1

Hello everyone!  This is Megan, Roan's sister-in-law.  Roan asked me to update this blog for all of you to stay updated on her surgery and progress so far.

Roan arrived at the hospital this morning around 6 am for all the pre-op formalities.  Her surgeon visited with her to go over all the specifics of the day and prayed with her.  I don't know about y'all, but I'm so comforted to have such a caring physician taking care of my sweet friend!  Once the versed was in effect, the nurses took her down for the sentinel injection.  This was a pretty quick procedure.  Jimmy, Lynn, and I were glad to see her return in such good spirits.  When it was time for surgery, we gathered around her as Jimmy prayed over her.  It was a sweet moment as we asked God to hold Roan in the palm of His hand...just as He has every day of her life.  The surgery went extremely well.  They did end up taking two lymph nodes, and they will give the final report on those in the coming days.  The surgeon was very pleased, and he kept us updated every step of the way.  They completed the mastectomy and began the reconstruction process all in about two hours. After a little over an hour in recovery, she greeted us in her room with a smile and with a kiss for Jimmy.  Currently, Roan in resting and enjoying her "magic button" as she admires her beautiful flowers and greets her sweet friends and family who stop by to visit.

I know I can speak for Jimmy and Roan when I say that we could never thank you all enough for all the prayers, kind words, support, flowers, visitors, food, etc.  Roan told us about something she recently read from breast cancer survivors.  When one lady shared her diagnosis with a friend, the first thing out of the friend's (and fellow breast cancer survivor) mouth was...'You'll never feel more loved.'"  Roan said that she was exactly right...because Roan has never felt more loved.  She has been overwhelmed, touched, and humbled by all of your love, care, and concern.

Please keep Roan and her family in your prayers this week as she begins to adjust to this new journey.  We are praying for Roan to remain as comfortable as possible and to get the rest she needs.  We are praying earnestly for good pathology results later this week or early next week.

We are also praising God for the good things He has done!  We are so thankful for such a good report today!  We are thankful for the compassionate doctors and nurses who have taken such great care of Roan...and been very helpful and informative to us.  You should know that Roan remembers each of their names, tells us about them, and has Lynn write them down in her notebook.  We are thankful for all of YOU who continue to lift Roan up in prayer!  We are thankful for God's comfort and promises through this bump.  And, we are thankful for Roan!  We are thankful to our Father for blessing us with her sweet life and her precious friendship!  We are thankful that, even now, Roan is glorifying God throughout her trials!

Until our next report...we remain joyful, patient, and faithful in prayer!   

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.  Romans 12:12

Update 4

Well, my surgery is tomorrow!  I am as ready as I guess I will be.  My house is clean, I am almost through washing/drying/folding all of our clothes, and I will be meeting my parents this afternoon to give them my children.  This all still seems surreal to me, especially since I don't feel sick, and tomorrow after the surgery, and all of my cancer is removed I will be feeling poorly for a while.  But I plan to bounce back as soon as possible!  I have already decided that I will run another marathon, post-mastectomy.  Lynn mentioned yesterday that we should run the New York City Marathon.  I am not sure about that exact one, but we will be picking out a really cool one for us to train for and run.

In my Bible reading this morning I read the following passage in Lamentations.

Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed,

Because His compassions fail not.

They are new every morning;

Great is Your faithfulness.

 

“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,

“Therefore I hope in Him!”

The Lord is good to those who wait for Him,

To the soul who seeks Him.

 It is good that one should hope and wait quietly

For the salvation of the Lord.

Lamentations 3:22-26

Many friends and readers have told me that since hearing about the early detection of my breast cancer, they have been motivated to schedule a mammogram for themselves.  Fantastic!  Please do that!  Early detection is so important! I was guilty of taking my good health for granted, and I did not take seriously my doctor's recommendation of having a mammogram two years ago.  I did not want to make the time for another appointment, another school day disrupted.  But, thankfully, this year I chose to have a check-up and do all of the recommended tests for women my age.  I encourage you to take care of your health too.

I am not sure when I will be able to update again.  I appreciate all of  your encouragement and prayers.  Saying, "thank you" seems so inadequate, but I have been enormously blessed by all of you!

Homeschooling Home Economics

As I have mentioned before, this year I am teaching my two oldest girls a fairly comprehensive Home Economics course, that I created specifically for them.  I have been pleased with how it has gone.  I still need to take pictures of the long tiered skirts they finished back in January.

Today, I have a post at The Homeschool Classroom that describes how I taught budgeting money to my girls.  I plan to write a series of posts for The Homeschool Classroom that will describe other aspects of our Home Ec course this year.

We had a congregational singing at our church service last night, and I was reminded of God's promises to love and take care of us through all situations as I really listened to the words of the songs. One song we sang is called There's a Rainbow in the Cloud.  I do believe that.  I am looking for the rainbow right now.  I know that the outpouring of love, support, promises of prayers, and words of encouragement from my family and friends have been to me a rainbow in my clouds of fear and anxiety concerning my surgery and recovery.  I also know that God has a purpose and possibly a bigger rainbow!  I am still thankful.  I am still scared.  But I am trusting in the Lord to help me these upcoming days.

There's a Rainbow in the Cloud

Alton Howard, P. West

As I journey here mid the toil and tears,

There's a rainbow in the cloud

He will safely lead, I must have no fear,

There's a rainbow in the cloud.

After storm and rain, fields of golden grain,

There's a rainbow in the cloud,

Winter's cold and pain, summer's harvest grain,

There's a rainbow in the cloud,

When the storms all pass, comes a brighter day,

There's a rainbow in the cloud,

In that City fair, there's a crown to wear,

There's a rainbow in the cloud,

There's a rainbow that is shining,

There's a rainbow in the cloud;

When life's race is run, and the victory's won,

There's a rainbow in the cloud.

Update 3

"Cast your burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved." Psalm 55:22

I met with the plastic surgeon yesterday, and we have a plan!  My surgery will be next Wednesday.  I will be having the bilateral mastectomy, a sentinel node biopsy (lymph nodes), and the beginning of reconstruction.  In a few months, I will have a second surgery to complete the reconstruction process.  I will be staying in the hospital for one or two nights, depending on how I feel, and I will have to rest completely for a week, and then gradually resume my activities after that.  I can't remember when he said I would be able to run, but it was either after one month or two months.  I plan to begin walking as soon as they clear me to do so!

I now have a few more days to do what I think I need to do before my recovery period.  I checked many things off of my "to do list" yesterday.  I still need to go to Walmart for my monthly shopping, and I plan to gather and/or purchase the books I plan to read while resting.  I am still a little behind in the Bible in 90 Days plan, so I will use my down time to catch up on that too!  

I am still so thankful that this surgery is all that I have to do to be well!  I know how much worse things could be, and I am grateful for my situation.  I am looking forward to putting this bump in the road behind me!  

Thank you again, so very much for all of your kind, encouraging words and promises of prayer.  It means so much to me!  My friend, Esther, emailed me the words of this hymn, and it is perfect.

"Day by Day"

Carolina Sandell Berg, A.L. Skoog, Oscar Ahnfelt

Day by day and with each passing moment,
strength I find to meet my trials here.
Trusting in my Father's wise bestowment,
I've no cause for worry or for fear.
He whose heart is kind beyond all measure,
gives unto each day what he deems best.
Lovingly it's part of pain and pleasure,
mingling toil with peace and rest.

Every day the Lord himself is near me
with a special mercy for each hour;
all my cares he fain would bear, and cheer me,
he whose name is Counselor and Power.
The protection of His child and treasure
is a charge that on Himself he laid;
"As your days, your strength shall be in measure"
this the pledge to me He made.

Help me then in every tribulation
so to trust your promises, O Lord,
that I lose not faith's sweet consolation
offered me within your holy Word.
Help me Lord, when toil and trouble meeting,
e'er to take as from a father's hand,
one by one, the days, the moments fleeting,
till I reach the promised land.

Update 2

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths."  Proverbs 3:5-6.

Yesterday I had the MRI, and let me just say, that was a terrifying experience!  It ranks up there with my root canal last year!  I am claustrophobic, and the combination of lying on my stomach with my face down in a donut-shaped pillow plus not being able to move, and of course being inside a tunnel with jackhammers pounding in my ears for about 30 minutes, about did me in!  I really thought that I was going to crawl out of the machine for the first five minutes or so.  I just kept repeating to myself, "medical technology is a good thing".  Then I calmed myself by recalling how I had survived the 85 degree Andrew Jackson Marathon, and next I began praying for anyone I could think of and reciting Scripture.  I bet I said Psalm 23 fifty times!  Finally, it was over!

"Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!  For His mercy endures forever."  1 Chronicles 16:34

Later in the day Jimmy and I met with my general surgeon, who is so kind and understanding.  After he and the radiologist discussed the results of my MRI, and after he explained everything to Jimmy and me, I now have my surgical plan--a plan that will completely cure me and also reassure me that the cancer will not return.

Bilateral mastectomy with reconstruction.

"Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand."  Isaiah 41:10

I do not have a surgery date yet, but I will after I meet with the plastic surgeon this afternoon.  It will be one day next week.

I am so thankful for all of my family and friends who are offering to help out in any way.  My parents, of course, want to do anything for me, and they are going to do what will give me the greatest peace of mind while I am in the hospital and recovering--they are taking my children to their house to stay for several days.  I will not be worried about my children at all while they are at Mims and Pops's house!  My mother has two sewing machines and a serger which she will set up for my girls.  They are planning a sewing/crocheting/crafting marathon!  My parents have thousands of Legos for Clay and Sam to play with, and of course they will eat yummy food, watch TV, and in general have a mini-vacation.

My sweet sister-in-law Megan visited me Tuesday, and she came to help out!  She folded all of my laundry (which was a lot!), vacuumed and vacuumed and vacuumed, checked some schoolwork, cleaned three bathrooms, and took my girls to Hobby Lobby so they could buy a birthday present.  Thank you Megan!

We have declared a hiatus from school for now.  I am distracted, and I just keep thinking of one more thing to do, one more errand to run, before I am house-bound for a short time.  I am hoping that while I am recovering I will feel like reading aloud to the children, but that is all that I plan to do school-wise, until I am feeling back to normal.  

"My brethren, count is all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience."  James 1:2

I am still trying to stay positive.  I know that I am fortunate that my cancer was diagnosed early, and that it is curable without months of treatments.  That really is a blessing.  But, the anxiety of the entire situation is sometimes overwhelming.  I can cry at the drop of a hat (and I am not a cryer).  I am afraid.  I can't put my finger on what I am afraid of, but it is still there---maybe it's the unknown of the discomforts of the surgery and recovery, maybe it's the lack of control that I have of the entire situation, maybe it's the fear that I will not regain my physical strength (I wonder if I will be running a half-marathon or doing Insanity again anytime soon?).  But, just like God's Word says,

"Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You." Psalm 56:3

So, I am praying about my fears, and trusting that God will carry me through it all!

"I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears."  Psalm 34:4