A Friend Loveth at all Times

Tonight I was thinking about how important friends and family are. Without them I think that our life right now would be lonely and scary. I am convinced that all the people God allows to come in our lives are for a purpose. Sometimes we learn from them and then grow. Sometimes they learn from us.

Sometimes the people we love do not love us back. Then there are times suddenly when we find dear people loving us when we didn't even make an effort to be their friend. This has to be the best of all people, the ones that show themselves friendly. Friends like this are very much a part of our lives especially right now. Maybe this is the way the Lord blesses us because we attempted to love those that will never love us.

About 29 years ago I decided to love my soon-to-be mother-in-law and father-in-law. They soon became my friends. Together we laughed and cried. Together we shared memories of days gone by and dreams of tomorrow. Without them, my husband would not be the wonderful man that he is today. Now Dad is gone, but Mom is still very much in our lives. We both love Charlie with all our hearts and so much want God to heal him totally. It is such a blessing to talk to her and share my deepest concerns and yes worries about our future. How good God is to give me such a friend!

The photo on the top of this post is Mom & Dad in the 1980's.


"A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity," Proverbs 17:17

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart

"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding," Proverbs 3:5



In the beginning of my husband's cancer journey we were advised to live one day at a time. We were wanting all the treatment to be over, the cancer to be gone, and Charlie back to work in a few weeks or months time. Soon we learned this would not be the case at all. The Lord had a different plan for our lives.

At this time, Charlie was supposed to be done with the stem cell transplant and home recovering. Well, the transplant has been cancelled twice now because of a lung infection that the doctors are almost certain is pneumonia. To say the least, we are disappointed. The first time that the transplant was cancelled it was okay; afterall, Charlie could attend our daughters' graduations. How surprized we were to find out that a new area of infection has developed in the same lung. We know God knows why he is allowing this to happen and we may soon know why. For now we just have to trust him with all our hearts.

Out of the Mouths of Babes

A young mother of 2 and friend recently spent most of the day with me transplanting flowers and shrubs from her garden to mine. Her baby and 3 year old daughter also visited with us on this day. The following day my friend told me a precious story that I would like to share with you. Maybe it will make you chuckle like it did me. My friend told me that she emphasizes to her 3 year old that if she doesn't take care of her teeth by brushing them very good that her teeth will fall out. After visiting with my bald head husband, little Audrey told her mom "Mr. Charlie must not have taken care of his hair because his hair fell out." This may not be funny to you, but it sure was to me. Laughing amidst the uncertainties of cancer is therapy to me.

God's Timing is Perfect

At this time my husband is stable and needing me only minimally. His blood counts are still low so he has to protect himself from the "germy" stuff like taking out the garbage and cutting the grass. Because of low blood counts and lung congestion (possible infection) my husband's stem cell transplant has been postponed to after May 21, 2008. So in about 2 weeks he will enter the hospital for 3-5 weeks.

When a loved one is in the hospital it is not easy. We have two teen girls still living at home, so the first thing that we have to do is have someone care for them. My husband's hospital stay will be 50 miles from home so I will not be home too often. There are so many things that I have to do to prepare for this long hospital stay. We are blessed to have a son and daughter-in-law that will care for our girls so that all I have to do is be by my husband's side. Wonderful friends will be taking care of our dogs, fish, and cockatiel. Don't be afraid to ask for help. So many of our friends and family have helped us.

One of the most important chores that I have to complete before my husband goes in the hospital is spring cleaning. With each passing year it becomes more difficult for me. A few years ago our young children in our home once slowed me down; afterall, it was more important to care for their needs than to have a spotlessly clean home. Now my excuse is a body that aches, etc. So, gone are the days when I can get all the cleaning done in a day or two.

If I think about all that I still have to do before the hospital stay and all that may happen to my husband, it gets a bit overwhelming. That's when I go to God and ask him to give me peace. The Lord has helped me by postponing the stem cell transplant. About 2 weeks ago I was in severe pain from pinched nerves in my neck. The luggage was not even being packed, much less the house being cleaned. When the doctor postponed the transplant it didn't take me too long to be relieved. In addition to this, both of our daughters have graduations that my husband would have missed if he was in the hospital.

The longer I live, the more I trust that God's timing is perfect. When I put my trust in HIM and his timing I fret a lot less.