Ever Be..

Your praise will ever be on my lips. These are some of the lyrics to a Bethel song that I've been soaking up. Powerful words. This is a goal of mine these next weeks to keep God's praises on my lips. I have so many things to be praising Him for:
1. My devoted Heavenly Father whose love never fails.
2. My devoted husband who is faithfully and cheerfully walking this road with me.
3.My devoted kids who are picking up the slack around the house.
4. My devoted friends and family who bring us yummy food and take me to treatments.
5. So many cards and sweet notes of encouragement.
I could go on and on because we feel so cared for and words just seems so inadequate to express Thanks!
  One week down and five more to go! This week has been pretty easy. I've had a little nausea ( kind of feels like I'm prego) and some diarrhea (Imodium is my friend). I get a nap every afternoon and plenty of sleep at nighttime.
  I desire to live these next weeks well, with a cheerful heart. I believe praise is a very powerful tool that God has given to us to defeat the lies of the enemy, tear down strongholds, calm our fears, heal our diseases and so much more. Confessing God's wonderful promises with our mouths chases away the enemy!! We all know that the Israelites grumbling didn't gain them anything, in fact it kept them from achieving all that God had for them. So, that said, you can pray for strength for me and my family to do just this!!
  I'll tell you a bit about my radiation treatments.  I go Mon-Fri. They are very short. In fact, it takes longer to get me all set up and positioned on the table properly than it does to actually get the treatment. My understanding is that there are three red laser beams that intersect at the tumor to deliver the radiation. They use my tattoos to make sure the beams hit the right spot. Of course, I can't see what is happening because I'm laying face down on a special table that has no middle. My belly sags so that my other organs are protected from the rays. It is not really comfortable but not painful either. I feel nothing when I'm actually getting the treatment. The purpose of the radiation is to shrink the tumor. Sometimes the tumor completely disappears. ( That is what I'm asking God for! )  They will scan me again at the end of these 6 weeks to check how it worked. I lay on the table and declare God's promises over me. He is my Sun and My shield! No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly etc...
  We love you all bunches and we feel your prayers!


Psalm 63:3-8
³ Your unfailing love is better than life itself;
    how I praise you!
⁴ I will praise you as long as I live,
    lifting up my hands to you in prayer.
⁵ You satisfy me more than the richest feast.
    I will praise you with songs of joy.

⁶ I lie awake thinking of you,
    meditating on you through the night.
⁷ Because you are my helper,
    I sing for joy in the shadow of your wings.
⁸ I cling to you;
    your strong right hand holds me securely.

 

Tattoos, Treatments and Testimonies!

  So this week I got "tattooed" for my radiation treatments. Just 3 small dots, but they are now a permanent part of me and my story. God is writing my story. It is full of twists and turns that I did not anticipate but nothing takes God by surprise. I'm trusting and believing that He is at work preparing the way before me and making the path smooth.  My prayer is that there will be many opportunities to testify of  God's faithfulness on the road ahead. 
  This has been a week of rest, preparation and fun. My Mom is helping me give my house a good cleaning. A dear friend of my Mother-in-law took the girls and I to see the movie Cinderella as a special treat. I am working on getting my blood count back up to normal by taking iron and eating iron rich foods and getting plenty of sleep!!
  God has blessed us with the opportunity to talk to several other people who have had my diagnosis and are now cancer free. It is so great to be able to ask questions in a setting other than the doctors office!! I feel like it helps me to know what to expect and I know they will also be praying for me!








  On Monday the daily ( M-F)  trips to the cancer center begin.  Chemo and radiation begin on Tues., March 24th and end on Apr. 30th. provided I do not miss any days. Here are some verses that I'm claiming and praying over myself for the next 6 weeks.

 For the Lord God is a sun and shield,
The Lord will give grace and glory,
 No good thing will He withhold from
 those who walk uprightly.
 Psalm 84:11
 This verse spoke to me because I see the radiation as God's sun on my cancer to kill it and praying that He will shield my other organs in the same area from unnecessary side effects.


The Lord your God in your midst,
The Mighty One will save.
He will rejoice over you with gladness,
He will quiet you in His love,
He will rejoice over you with singing.
Zephaniah 3:17
Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
Matt. 6:34


As always, we cherish your prayers for our family. We do feel God quieting us with His love and calming our fears. We are asking God for minimal side effects from the treatments, wisdom for all the Drs. and nurses caring for me and grace to live and thrive the next 6 weeks!
Thank you so much!
Marcia





 

His Eye is on the Sparrow...

   So, I'm new to blogging but I think this will be a great way to keep you all informed of my journey. I found out a few weeks ago that I have rectal cancer. I'll share some minor details with you as to what lead up to this diagnosis. If you don't want the details just feel free to skip the next paragraph.
    About 3-4 months ago I started having a lot of diarrhea and noticing some blood and mucous in my stool. I also had some pain that felt like a really bad hemorrhoid and I was very tired. This lead to me having a colonoscopy done. That is when they found the tumor. I'm sorry for the details but many of you have asked what my symptoms were. Maybe it is the nurse in me that does not mind sharing. I'm so thankful for a husband who made me get to the bottom of it ( no pun intended) and that they found the problem.
    The past two weeks have been full of scans, Dr. appts and waiting for test results. Needless to say it has been a very emotional two weeks. In the midst of it all God has met me and calmed my fears. I know that is because of all your prayers.
  I have a wonderful husband, a caring family and a very dear friend who have all rearranged their schedules to be by my side these past 2 weeks.
  My diagnosis is stage 3 rectal cancer. There are a few lymph nodes that also showed up on the PET scan in the same area as the tumor. The plan of treatment is oral chemo and radiation together. This means a trip to the health campus cancer center Mon- Fri for 6 weeks. I will probably be starting treatments in the next week or so.
  After that, they will do surgery to remove the mass which should be much smaller at that point. Then I will get 4 more months of Chemo by IV.  That is a lot to think about right now but we are just remembering to take one day at a time. God gives each of us what exactly we need for THIS day and we are not to worry about tomorrow!
  God has ministered many precious things to my heart through songs and Bible verses these past weeks and I've been journaling them to remind myself of His faithfulness on the days when I feel yucky.
  There is an old hymn called "His Eye is on the Sparrow" that the Newsboys recently put on an album. I heard this song on the radio one day when I was waiting to hear my test results. I felt like God spoke to my heart clearly that He is watching over me.  How comforting these words are to me!
Here are the lyrics:
Why should I feel discouraged, why should the shadows come,
Why should my heart be lonely, and long for heav’n and home,
When Jesus is my portion? My constant Friend is He:
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me. 

I sing because I’m happy, I sing because I’m free,
For His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

“Let not your heart be troubled,” His tender word I hear,
And resting on His goodness, I lose my doubts and fears;
Though by the path He leadeth, but one step I may see;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.


Whenever I am tempted, whenever clouds arise,
When songs give place to sighing, when hope within me dies,
I draw the closer to Him, from care He sets me free;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.


What is the price of two sparrows- one copper coin? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.
 Matthew 11:29-31


I'm believing that God is going to do great things in my life and the lives of my family on this journey. We are praying and believing for complete healing from cancer. By His grace and strength I will not despair but be filled with joy...even in suffering. You can agree in prayer with us for all this and much more!
 Blessings!
Marcia