2 more

My beautiful daughter sent this my way this morning.
She has been a faithful friend all along through this illness of mine.
She gets it,
she knows what I'm going through.
It's as if she is right here with me.

This couldn't state my condition any better on this day of my 28th treatment.
I still believe I can do things,
but I'm not accomplishing much
because well,
I'm tired.
I've been given permission to rest when I need to.
In fact, I've been encouraged to do so.

So...
I have two more treatments.
My neck and face are bright red like a bad sunburn.
I have no idea how much weight I've lost since last Thursday.
I am constantly hungry, but I don't want to eat.
I have to ring the big brass bell on Friday
which signifies to everyone that I have run the course and finished the radiation race.
I don't want to ring the bell and hope that I can get out without.
Don't want to call attention to myself.

Thank you for the continued prayers.
Those who are still praying are to be greatly commended for staying the course.
Glad to soon get started on the healing journey.
It will take some time.

"Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials,
knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.
And let endurance have its perfect result,
that you may be perfect and complete,
lacking in nothing."
James 1: 2-4

Thanking God today for this trial and for all of the lessons it has taught me.
cc ❤'s U

Quiet

These days of late winter are QUIET.                                                           
Honestly, it hurts to talk and sometimes even to listen.

Reading is my mainstay.
Truly, I think I will have read the whole Bible through before I am well again.
(I started in January)
I have gotten the children of Israel all the way up to the time when they divided the land that God gave them among the twelve tribes and Joseph's two sons, and Joshua and Caleb.
Also, I'm almost done reading the New Testament as well as the book of Psalms.
Somehow, God has blessed me with the ability to think and concentrate during this time.
I think He is amazing this God of ours.
He thought of absolutely everything!

I've always liked quiet the best.
I love to listen. 👂

So here is the latest update....
Six more radiation treatments to go.
Cannot believe I am almost done.
10 pounds of weight lost.
My mask still fits....(so thankful for this)
Doctor cannot believe how well I have done.
He said this just now....
"You are going to get better real fast!"
So very, very thankful!

Thank you for the prayers....
for those who "hear me when I'm quiet." ❤











I

these kids

On Friday, Amanda, Jake, and Eli

drove all the way from south Florida to spend the weekend with us.

It happened to be the week that Eli turned eleven,

so we celebrated yesterday with the cousins.

Not my usual super charged birthday party,

but we did manage to get everyone together for pizza and outside games.

They will never really know how much they lifted my spirits...

every one of them.

Four weeks into radiation,

two weeks to go.

Then a time of healing for my mouth and hopefully a good report.

God has been so good to me.

I need sustaining right now and He is sustaining.

I am so thankful for my sweet family.

The hugs of these small ones do wonders for my soul.

As the Cleland kids got in Bubba's van to be taken home,

I heard Archie say,

"I wish we could stay for dinner."

Hopefully it won't be long before I can cook and entertain again.

Happiness is these kids!!!

smoothie king/queen

I have completed 19 treatments...

have 11 more to go.

I have lost eight pounds

and

I remain in starvation mode.

Every day finds me going to the Smoothie King

and ordering their most fattening option.

These concoctions don't come cheap.

Today my doctor suggested that I should have at least two per day.

That would be over $12.00.

Really?

He (the doctor) could not believe how good I looked.

He said I was doing so well in all areas.

I attribute this completely to the Lord.

He is "keeping" me in this journey...

very close both physically and spiritually.

Again, thanks for the prayers.

Amazing grace how sweet the sound!!!!

sunlight flooding in

Just sitting in my chair reading

when I looked up and saw this sight.

The late afternoon sunlight was flooding into my beach room.

It took my breath away.

God's glory is so apparent in the beautiful blue sky and the bright shining sun.

Glad to have had a restful weekend.

Bubba is finally better and we both went to church this morning.

Always a high point.

Ready to start week four of radiation tomorrow.

My main problem is being hungry all of the time.

I have lost ten pounds (and counting).

The radiation has burned the inside of my mouth and rendered my taste buds useless.

I stay in a perpetual state of hunger.

There is VERY LITTLE that I can get down.

Good thoughts...

The radiation is killing the bad cells.

It will be over soon.

My mouth will heal.

God knows what I'm going through and provides EVERYTHING I need.

and this.....

❤

a gate with a heart

I didn't discover this one.

A friend posted it on facebook.

 Isn't it just lovely?

I want to go through that gate.

Before I open it I want to peep into the heart and see what lies within.

I bet it is an English garden.

The color blue...

inviting,

perfectly serene.

The pink flowers that I mentioned in my previous post are

Loropetalum.

In Savannah they are known as forerunners to the azaleas that will be in full bloom soon. 

Isn't the promise of Spring glorious?

Tomorrow I will be halfway done with my radiation treatments.

15 days down ~ fifteen to go.

The side effects are coming on strong.

If I let myself think beyond how I am doing right now I could get discouraged.

Dealing with a "sick" Bubba has not been easy.

But hey....

The sun is shining,

The temps are rising,

The flowers are blooming,

and my God knows the end from the beginning.

I have SO much to be thankful for.

I saw this yesterday...

"No child of God

 faces the difficult realities of life in this fallen world 

without a bountiful supply of His rescuing, protecting and empowering grace."

Paul David Tripp

He's Got this...

I just have to rest in His arms.