“We” (Loretta and I are always accompanied by Tara, Leanne, and Erin) had our 2 month MRI consult this morning. Last night I commented to Loretta that our three daughters are always very brave as these meetings are fraught with danger and heavy with fear but the kids are always there with us - what a gift! It seems that Loretta and I always go with more troubled hearts than the kids - not sure what that says about us…or them? Hard to chalk it up to childlike faith when they have all passed the quarter-century mark.
We cried! We laughed! For those of you who are regular blog readers you will recall that in the last blog post my sister-in-law Joy shared some thoughts about the power of laughter and talked about how tears and laughter often go together. This morning we cried and laughed together as we heard that the results from the MRI were all positive, and that once again I had won the “healthiest patient of the day award”, which was rewarded with another round of free chemo pills that I will start tomorrow - party on! One day to breathe and enjoy! It is still a weird feeling that I celebrate another round of chemo pills that my naturopath describes as “like drinking bleach”! We continued our celebration by going for breakfast while we waited for the “witches” to brew their chemo concoction. On a positive note, I have a 3 month period now without an MRI! On another positive note, I gained a couple of pounds since the last weigh-in - it has been awhile since this made a doctor happy!
I am now sitting at the computer, in an otherwise empty house, thankful for a bit of quiet so that I can spend some time in prayer, thanking God for His healing miracle. It struck me as interesting that there is a “tension” between what “we” are doing (diet, exercise, naturopath, etc.) and what God is doing. While I know full well that all of the “we” stuff has been directed by God’s hand (written about in a previous blog on February 15), I wonder if I give God full credit for the healing miracle that has happened so far. I wonder if you are fully convinced that your prayers have moved God to bring healing? While thinking about this God directed me back to devotion #12 from a while back by Howard D. Vanderwell in his book called “Proven Promises”, a book written for those who are going through treatments for cancer.
Vanderwell talks about all the busyness of the medical treatments - tests, questions, treatment plans, surgery, post-surgery recovery, radiation, chemo, and more tests and consults. Busy! Busy! Busy! He then writes in regard to surgery:
“It then impresses me with how the hub-bub of activity suddenly stops after surgery. And there is good reason for that! Medical teams can plan surgery, and do testing, and carry out treatment. But they cannot give healing. Only God can do that. And as soon as the surgery is completed, the patient is returned to his/her room and everybody waits…waits for God who alone can do the healing.
It’s marvelous how the body can experience healing. It’s something that comes only from God. But it is easy to forget that.”
He then challenges us to “not forget all the benefits of the Lord, and high on the list of those benefits, as a matter of fact, right behind the forgiveness of our sins, is the healing that we experience.”
We have become quite good friends with Grant, our naturopath. He reminds me on most visits that I am very blessed with my faith, my family, and friends. I assure him that I know this and tell him that he doesn't even realize the depth of the support and care that our family receives. Thanks for the daily love and prayers you have extended to our family. We treasure you and thank God daily for you.
This prayer was part of the devotion and I found it meaningful and ask that you pray it today as a means of thanking God for the miracle that is taking place.
Prayer:
“Thank you, Father, for the silent miracles that have taken place in those quiet hours when my (Doug’s) body experienced healing. Place your healing hands on each of us who may have such needs. For Christ’s sake, Amen.”
Keep praying that the beast may be slain!
Time for me to go chase some magpies away!
No comments:
Post a Comment