An Update

Hello to all, The last few weeks have been like a wild train ride–just no idea of what is around the next bend in the tracks!!  But it has all been good and for that we are very thankful.  It was my intent to get on the computer as soon as I got home and was clear-headed enough to make sense.  Well, it is amazing how many things can change one’s intentions.

Thanks to those of you that have sent cards, flowers and brought food.  But most of all, I appreciate all your prayers more than I can ever tell you.  And we felt them.  I was excited when Friday, Nov. 13th came up on the calendar because I knew the weekend would fly by and then it would be  time to get to Birmingham and get the surgery over and done with.

That Friday my cleaning lady and I found an orchid blooming out on our patio with one nice bloom and ten more buds.  I have mentioned this in some emails and possibly the blog but just be patient with me–this was the beginning of three major blessings God gave me.  The orchid is now inside and has six nice blooms on it.  Everyone that I have shared this story with that knows anything about orchids has been just amazed that it was blooming OUTSIDE in the middle of Nov.  Fast forward to Monday afternoon when I completed paperwork and made a contribution of blood prior to being admitted for surgery on Tues.  Now on Tuesday morning we showed up at UAB at 10:30 and the nurse told me they had been looking for me FOR HOURS.  I was quite impressed that we had gotten there a few minutes early and was baffled by the news they had been looking for me.  Shortly, the anetheologist ( you know who I mean!!) came in and introduced himself and said it appeared that surgery would not be taking place because my potassium level was too low according to the results of my blood work the afternoon before.  I had not taken my morning medicines because the doctors and nurses had told me several times to only drink a sip of water prior to surgery on Tuesday and it takes much more than that to swallow the large potassium pills and Larry had clear instructions to give me my medicine asap after surgery.  My potassium number was 2.8 and it had to be 3.0 in order for me to be safe to have surgery.  The doctor told me that if there was any kind of complcation with surgery and my heart was involved the potassium level was critical to my heart responding like it should.  So the pot. level was low and I had not taken the medicine for that NOR had I eaten anything (like a banana) that would help–I had not taken anything that would increase this critical number and here they were taking blood in the hope that the number would increase so we could proceed with surgery.  Well, in about 30 or 40 minutes, here comes Dr. Smith, the anetheseologist, with a huge smile on his face.  My potassium level was up to 3.1 so we could proceed with surgery.  Dr. Barnes, one of the surgeons, had gotten the report on my blood work late Monday evening and he had called my home number to ask me to come in at 6:30 on Tuesday morning so I could be given potassium so I would be ready for surgery.  Now while I was waiting in the small cubbyhole for the results of the bloodwork, I prayed and reminded God that HE was in control and I was trusting Him to make it possible for the surgery to take place.  AND HE DID!!!

As I was slipping off to la-la land so surgery could take place, I thought about what it would be like when I woke up.  So several hours later when  I realized that surgery was overand I did not see any hills with carpet-like grass and wonderful flowers of amazing colors and I also did not smell anything burning  I immediately deducted that I had not made it to Heaven and I had also not made it to Hell so it MUST BE the recovery room!!  And it was.

Hospitals are such miserable places to get rest that as soon as I could leave UAB, we did.  Surgery was over before five on Tuesday and by eleven the next morning we were leaving the hospital.  The next day Dr. Barnes called to let us know that the cancer had been intact in the uterus so I would not have to have any chemo or radiation treatments.  That was another major blessing!!

Getting home was such another awesome blessing.  Some very good friends brought over super delicious dishes and we enjoyed every bite we ate.  On Monday, Nov. 23rd, two friends were here visiting with me.  Shan, one of the agents that works with me and Janice Griffin, a precious friend, were walking with me towards the front door when I slipped on the top of four wood steps and hit the floor.  The whole thing was like viewing a movie in slow motion.  I realized I was going down and I heard a firm yet gentle voice say “Move your right leg before you break it.”  So I threw my right leg out in front of me.  I also shifted my weight so I did not fall on my tail bone.  Shan is a beautiful African American and I think she was scared to the point she was as pale as Janice who is a natural blonde!!  The outcome of the fall has been that I have kept  heating pads on two couches and one on the bed!!  Looking back I can see that it was probably a blessing in disquise because my nature is to proceed like a bat out of Hades at all possible opportunities.  Well, Advil and the heating pads have been wonderful theraphy and I make use of the pads 4 or five times a day and take a long hot bath once or twice a day.  And I have praised God that it has only been sore muscles that I have suffered.  As I was falling, I tensed up and braced myself for the impact and the outcome has been that I have been sore all over my body.  Even my neck and jaw muscles hurt when I would start to lie down.  Surgery was a breeze but my fall was something else!!

Since we got home, I have felt like I was living in a cocoon of God’s comfort and love.  It has been similar to the first few weeks after my Dad’s death back in Jan. when I had a period of time when I was weighing the impact of my Dad’s beliefs and his life on my life.  I was quieter than usual as I did a lots of pondering over his life and death.  I have been in the same type of mood–only I have been holding these blessings we’ve received close to my heart and weighing why we have been so blessed and realizing that life right now is almost anticlimatic.  There was such a rush of  extremely positive emotions  before surgery and now it is over.  So what now?  The doctors told me to take it easy for four weeks and that is what I am doing.  So as I am enjoying my heating pads and beginning to get back on the internet, I have come to a major conclusion about what lies ahead for us.  It is reflected in a message Maggie Smith shared with me.  “Don’t worry that you’re not strong enough before you begin.  It is in the journey that makes you strong.  The Lord shall guide thee continually and satisfy the soul.  Isiah 58:ll”

So whatever God has in store for me (us) He will make provision as we move along.  So please know that my journey is still in process.  And I hope you will stay on board with us.  I wouldn’t have missed this for anything.  Much love and God’s richest blessings to each of you!

The Report

This is Blair updating once again for Mom.

Both surgeries went well and Mom was moved up to her room around 6:00 pm on Tuesday evening. She was in pain and huge amounts of discomfort. She informed us all that every instrument in the place was an instrument of Satan, and she threatened at one point to call Frances, her stepmother who has been a nurse for decades, to get instructions on removing a catheter. We weren’t really worried, but we kept the phone out of reach and an eye on her hands for a while just to make sure.

She was discharged yesterday afternoon early after promising all the nurses and doctors… the UAB Medical Community as a whole, really, that she would rest and behave at home.

Dad just called to let me know that the reports from the lab have come in. The cancer was COMPLETELY contained to the uterus, and the doctors got it all. The cure rate at this point is 95%. Needless to say, the whole family is ecstatic!

Thank you for your continued prayers and support. They mean more than you will ever know.

Surgery Day – Part 3

Mom’s second surgeon just came out. She said that Mom is now in the recovery room and that her surgery went extremely well. We are not sure how long her stay will be, but we are praying for a SHORT stay!

Keep praying!

~~blair

Surgery Day – Part 2

We just spoke with one of Mom’s doctors. The hysterectomy went very smoothly, and from what they could tell visually, the cancer appeared to be contained. They were able to remove everything that needed to be removed, but the lab reports won’t be here for several days.

The second surgeon is with Mom now taking care of the second procedure. More updates as we get them.

~~blair

Surgery Day

This is Blair, Pearl’s oldest son. It is 2:00 on Tuesday, and mom is in surgery right now. Dad, Kim, Matt, Jaime, and I were all back with her after they got her prepped for surgery. We were able to spend some time with her right up until they took her back to the OR.

We were told that surgery should take three or four hours and then another hour in recovery. I will post updates as we learn more.

Heading in Tomorrow

You know many folks would think I have gone off the deep end because I am so extremely excited about my hospital visit.  And let me share with you why I am  excited to the marrow of my bones!!

When the big C came up and I realized I would have to have surgery, I began to pray for God to be glorified by all that would happen.  Then it occurred to me how VFC students responded to my goodies in New Orleans and as I prayed about what to do, it became apparent that food was what I needed to do.  So I have made seven or eight or my favorite goodie recipes that I am taking with us to UAB.  I have one tupperware thingie that has about 7 or 8 sections to it and a nice plastic tray with a cover that will be good to serve goodies to the nurses and other workers and visitors, of course, that come to my room.  I have prayed for God to bring to us the hurting so we can encourage them and I’d be so grateful if God would bring us someone that we could introduce to Him and to the Kingdom.  God is in charge of the traffic; it is up to us to do the loving and ministering to our visitors.  So please join us in prayer that we will be found faithful in being sensitive to the Holy Spirit.  And if you are in the B’ham area this week, look us up!!  You might like one of the goodies that we are going to be serving.  Before you write to me to tell me that the space to serve stuff will be limited,  I know that!!  But I figure if I bribe the head nurse with enough toasted pecans that she’ll round up another one of those adjustable bed table tray thingies and we are prepared to do our feast on it.  I have used an ironing board before  for more serving space so I am quite capable of improvising!!

We had a wonderful church service Sunday morning at Hillcrest–and the choir just showed out!!  I can’t remember the name of the song but it boiled down to how good and faithful God is.  I just squalled all the way through it.  Someone once  told me that I was planted very close to the water–well, whatever, but when my heart is blessed like it was this morning then the water works just come on!!

Thank you for joining me on our trip.  This has been life changing for me.  I have loved  Jesus since I was ten years old and I prayed to receive Him at a revival.  The sermon was on “what kind of foundation is your house built on” and I decided I wanted my life to be built on a rock–Jesus Christ.  Now I had loved Him for several years but I had never heard the plan of salvation explained by my Papa like that Baptist preacher shared it.  I think in my own heart I had invited Him in because I had a sincere prayer life but I became so convicted that I needed to go before the world and make that decision known to all and my life has not been the same since.  And I praise God for what He has done and what I know He will continue to do.  Please know that if you have not made this decision for yourself that I would love to chat with you about that.  Just email me your phone number and we will have a nice chat and do business with my precious Jesus.

Be strong and courageous.  Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.  Joshua 1:9

The Date is Set & Rapidly Approaching

May God grant us a hunger for Him which will cause us to pursue Him in worship as a way of life, a hunger that will drive us to a closer fellowship with His people.  Ronald Allen/Gordon Borror

Well, we are three days from surgery at UAB in Birmingham.  There were two surgeons and a ROBOT to coordinate and believe it or not, the Robot was the busier of the three parties involved.  So we leave home early on Monday for an early afternoon doctor’s appointment and then pre-op at the hospital.  The waiting has been excruciating!!  Surgery will be on Tuesday at 12:30 in the afternoon.  Several friends that have walked this path before me have said:  If the cancer doesn’t get you, the waiting will!!  And I can see why they say so.  But all along this timeframe, God has been revealing Himself in new ways to me.  Keep in mind, for many years I have prayed for God to allow me to see what He is doing around me and the Bible clearly says, “Ye have not because ye ask not.”  So I have asked and HE has given.

Yesterday Wanda Brackin, my precious cleaning lady, was here and we were putting a spit shine on the house.  At a point, we moved to the patio area to clean it a bit.  I was moving a few flowers around that had spent the summer on the patio when I moved a pot that had a small cactus and an orchid plant (without any blooms) on it I thought.  While I was admiring how the cactus cuttings had taken root and just grown so much, Wanda asked me what was sticking up in the pot.  That was when I realized the orchid was blooming–after having lived in the cool outside these last four weeks of cooler nights, IT WAS BLOOMING!!!  Now remember orchids are supposed to have a tropical kind of enviironment in which to thrive.  I have pampered them for the last twenty years and finally just gave up and stuck this one outside AND IT WAS BLOOMING IN NOVEMBER OUTSIDE!!  Wanda said, “Now Ms. Brenda, you know what that is, don’t you?”  And I said, “Oh, Yes, that is a gift from my Father.”  And I just basked in the evidence of His love for me BEFORE I even go to the hospital.  I GOT A FLOWER!!!!  And what an awesome one.  And it has one fully open white flower with a burgundy center and at least eleven buds.  Are you looking to see what God is doing around you?  Just ask him to give you eyes that will see because He loves each of us so much that He is daily doing wonderous things around us to remind us of that love.

When I started this journey, I made a committment to be honest in what I write.  So I would share my negative moments as well as my times of singing from the mountaintops.  Well, last Friday night in Pigeon Forge at the Old Mill Restaurant I had a bit of a melt-down.   Larry and I were standing in the end of a short hall–there was an big ole antique butter churn there and I was standing in the corner with my purse propped on the churn.  I had made a trip to the Ladies Room and as I left there, I felt like I walked into a wall of fear.  All I could think about was that when Larry had his heart catherization in February, 2007, the doctor had told me that it really was a customary thing to be done.  They did not anticipate any problems because all Larry’s pertinent information was so good so it was most unlikely there’d be a problem.  It would take 30 to 40 minutes to do.  Well, It took almost two hours and when the doctor came to chat with us, he said, “Well, the patient is still with us (HE HAD NOT DIED!!) but he is extremely sick.”  We went upstairs for more details at that point.  And this is what was running through my head as I came back to the churn.  When I joined Larry in the corner, I slipped by him and wedged myself in the corner and that kept me from melting to the floor.  I was so full of fear and apprehensions that my legs were buckling under me.  He immediately asked me what was wrong and I told him what I have just written above this.  I told him that I was SCARED that my situation would turn out to be just like his and I’d be much sicker than the doctors anticipated and what if the cancer had spread and I was sick, sick, SICK!!  He assured me that we’d take it one step at the time and we would handle it one thing at the time and I was going to be okay; after all, hadn’t God given me peace about it?  Well, there certainly was a scarcity of peace at this moment!!  Shortly after this, we were seated and gave our drink orders.   I pulled my “God’s Inspirational Promises” book by Max Lacado out of my purse and began to read passages that I enjoy so much.  After reading a few verses, I was ABLE to pray for myself and with the reading and praying, the fear went away.  The fear had hit me so hard that I felt my insides turn into knots and I was consumed with fear throughout my body.  When it left me, I felt like a squeezed out dishrag.  A physical workout would not have left me any more worn out than I was from the attack of fear.

The next morning after reading my Bible and praying, I was sitting there reading emails and I was thinking “You have been in the Word and staying prayed up so what else could you do to keep this attack stuff from happening to you again and I heard the Lord’s quiet still voice whisper to me “you only experienced a few minutes of fear.  Many people live with that all the time.”  Now I think the fear was with me a max of 7 or 8 minutes and I can tell you I don’t want to experience that again.  But I can empathize with folks that have a problem with fear.  My Mom had fears and it used to bother me so much because I believed that a Christian should be able to live above those fears.  We should live in victory and give those things like fear to Christ and then live abundantly.  And I remember when she had been diagnosed with dementia and my Dad had shared the information with us but he would not let Mom learn this horrible diagnosis.  One morning as we were having a coffee break and a news brief came on Fox News about Dementia, she voiced to me”I think that is my problem.”  So I asked her what her reaction would be if she learned that in fact she did have it.  Now she’d have a good minute or two of clear thinking then have 30 minutes of extreme confusion and I thought I’d lost her when she looked at me with tears streaming down her face and she said these words that were so typical of my sweet, humble Mother.  “Oh, what my poor family will have to go through.”  She was not thinking of herself, she was only thinking of those that loved her.   I have prayed to have such an unselfish spirit.  And I have prayed to live with an abundant spirit having a joyful spirit in all I do.  As I have thought about it, I know God allowed the fear to come upon me.  But it came with His approval and knowledge  that I was up to dealing with it because I was prepared for battle.  My armor was on and I was planted in the Word.  On precious friends, we must stayed prepared and ready for battle.  I cannot imagine living with that crippling fear but it can happen if we are not prepared for it.

Don’t we serve a wonderful Savior?  He has just been pouring out His love and mercy to me and I can’t praise Him enough.

Give all your worries to (God), because He cares for you.  1 Peter 5:7

Jesus said, “Don’t let your hearts be troubled, Trust in God, and trust in me.”  John 14:1

You, Lord, give true peace to those who depend on you, because they trust you.  So trust the Lord always, because He is our Rock forever.  Isaiah 26:3-4.

Taking the Hilton to the Smokies

The Lord is my rock, and my fortress. . . Psalm 18:2

So much has happened since I last sat down and had a good visit with you and I have given lots of thought to how I would start this because there were so many things I wanted to say and I just didn’t know where to start.  So I will just jump in and share what the Lord has been doing for me.

Larry and I did go to Gatlingburg for a few days and it was a delightful trip.  Walking through the beautiful woods of the Smokey Mountains is just manna for the soul.  Our RV (also called “The Hilton”) was parked about 20 feet from a river–now it is a small one but still a river.  There was a circle of rocks near the stream that had a pile of wood set up for a fire and it just screamed “Smores!!.”  We never got around to building a fire in the circle of rocks because I learned that a gas stove always has a fire going (the pilot light) and a fork makes a good holder for marshmallows!!  Upon news that cancer had entered our lives, I had lost my appetite.  Larry would remind me to eat GOOD and forget WW for now.  Well WW didn’t have anything to do with my lack of appetite, but while we were gone I ate foods that I really enjoy and then I wouldn’t weigh when I went to weight watchers this past Monday night.  I have not been depressed or even close to it but I knew if I got on those scales and they were a pound or two more than the week before (which they would have to be if they are telling the truth!!) then there might just be some kind of break-down right in front of those precious ladies!!  So I didn’t weigh.  Now for you ladies that have a thing about scales, you do not ever have to weigh in front on another person  if you don’t want to UNLESS you are an expectant Mom.  I have not weighed in a doctor’s office in at least twenty years (also about twenty pounds ago!).  When Jennifer at Dr. Harrelson’s office walks towards his scales, I give her an exasperated look and tell her, “Now, Jennifer, you know I don’t do scales.  I will tell Dr. H. what he needs to know!!”  And  if I can LOOK at a person and tell when they need to lose some weight or gain some then  I figure Dr. H. is at least as smart as I am and doesn’t have to have results of you getting on those blasted scales.

We parked on Wed. night in a Rest Area between 18-wheelers.  There must have been a dozen trucks in the area and when they got started the next morning, I began to dream about sitting on the end of an airport runway with jets headed right towards us.  I woke up and realized there were no jet planes in the area–it was those big trucks.  We have two heaters in the RV and the rear one didn’t work correctly.  When the carbon monoxide detector kept going off–that was the signal that we didn’t need to use the heater!!  So I piled a quilt and a thick blanket on the bed and we snuggled down for the night.  The last few months, I have made a game of looking at experiences I have and figuring out a life lesson from them.  Well, I learned a profound truth Thursday morning.  And it is:  The colder the room is where you sleep, the less you move around once you get to bed.  Larry and I both woke up in the exact positions we went to sleep in the night before!!  I loved it and he could hardly wait to go buy an electric heater!!

We stopped at K-Mart near Ft. Payne for said electric heater.  I had on my big fake fur cape and one of the sales clerks admired it and that set off a conversation that included children, birth defects and God’s faithfulness.  Her name tag said “Jan” and she told me about her 13 year old daughter that has spinal bifida and how God had worked miracle after miracle in her life.  Well, I asked her to pray for my health and we agreed to swap prayers.  She told me her last name was Mitchell.  Now fast-forward to Pigeon Forge where we go to Wal-Mart for that electric heater that K-Mart did not have.  We got to the check-out line and our cashier looked so sad that I asked her (She was also named Jan) how I could pray for her.  There wasn’t anybody behind us at this point so she told me that she had too many problems to even try to answer that question.  She told me that she had lost 3 family members to cancer in the last couple years and evidently she has many more heavy issues in her life but holding up a lline at this point at Wal-Mart is not the time or place to find out these things.  So I promised to be praying for her and asked her for her last name.  Well, she said it was MITCHELL.  Now this was the second cashier I had that day with the exact name!!  When we got outside, I asked the Lord is he thought I was so feeble minded that I needed for everybody to have the same name so I could just pray one prayer for all of them.  I will tell you one thing.  I have enjoyed telling that story so much and every time I tell it is with a prayer for both of them.  That is just such a delightful story to me!!

As the weather has gotten cooler lately, I have been hungry for turnips, sweet potatoes, ham and chili.  Now I don’t serve all those things at the same meal.  But I did cook all those items and packed them in an ice cooler in the Hilton.   Now Chili is best served with rice, grated cheese, sour cream and sliced green onions.  Now this was the first trip in the Hilton where I was going to be doing any cooking and the cooking was to be the rice for the chili.  Everything else was already cooked and just needed to be heated.  So Thursday night I started to cook and realized that I had not put any salt in the Hilton.  Larry had his substitute salt but I didn’t want to go there so I did what any cook in the Deep South does when she is missing an ingredient in her meal–I went borrowing.  My criteria for choosing a prospect was which camper had the most light around their door.  Well, let me tell you what we have learned in our limited camping experiences.  The nicest people in the word CAMP and I think everybody in this campground was a born-again Christian with an evangelistic spirit.  They had an extra salt shaker and made a gift of it to me and we shared health stories and they agreed to pray for me.  You know, when you think about it  God has a long choir rehersal planned for us when we get to the other side so we might as well be friendly with our Brothers and Sisters on this side of Jordan, don’t you think?  We were there in the campground from Thursday afternoon to Sunday morning and we met some wonderful folks and everyone of them promised to pray for us.

Years ago when I was a child, I enjoyed being with the Smiths and the Johnsons every opportunity that I could.  The Smiths were my Dad’s folks and the Johnsons were my Mom’s family.  There was always fun and food and a good time to be had when you were with the J’s mainly because there were so many more of them.  Two of my aunts caught my attention early in my life because they were both so positive in their outlooks of life.   Both these ladies married INTO the Johnson family so I knew I would not gain any thing from the gene pool that would add to my person but I decided to do better than a gene pool–I prayed about it.  Aunt Lois was a teacher and just had the most wonderful stories to tell of her precious children she had taught.  To her, every child was wonderful–no matter how bratty or snot-nosed they might be.  She just loved them.  And Aunt Delorese was a character.  Everything was so positive to her.  When a problem would come up, her reaction would be, “Well, Lord how are you going to handle this one?”  Then she’d do all she could and as she would get busy, she’d remind the Lord of her inadequacies and how she was depending on him for the completion of the task.  I prayed to be like these two women.  And through the years, I realized that no matter what the circumstances, they always chose to be positive.  So that has been my goal in life–I can’t change a lots of things, but I can determine how I am going to approach the issues of my life.   I learned early on that “A cheerful heart is good medicine. . . Proverbs 17:22.

Many of you know that God worked some awesome miracles in Larry’s life over two years ago.  Larry had been told he needed a heart transplant but he asked the doctors to do what they could for his  heart because he just didn’t want to go through the transplant process.   Well, Larry and I have been serious about our relationships with God for most of our adult lives but the heat was turned up during the valley of heart issues we experienced.  And God proved Himself faithful again and again and then again.  And I didn’t think it could get any sweeter than what we’d experienced these last few years.  But was I ever wrong.

Considering what I have learned in my experiences with the Lord and then the “School of Life with Heart Issues” I was content with the presence of Christ in my life. He has been my provider, my sufficiency and my comforter.  There just was no more that I needed from Him.  OH, was I wrong!!  On October 19th, when I learned of the BIG C and ME, I began a new degree in my walk with Christ.   He has revealed Himself to me in new and better ways than I have ever experienced before.  A sweet friend, Gail, sent me a card that says:  God’s ways are often different from what I’d have them be But this I know for certain He knows what’s best for me!!  My faith grew as we walked through the valley of Larry’s heart issues and we were blessed again and again beyond what words can describe.  But this season in the valley God has just outdone Himself.  And I will complete this in the next visit.  This has gotten to be too long so I must prepare to end for now.

The main reason for the delay in my writing this week has been because I have just been spell-bound by what I have experienced God doing.  His nudges  me to speak to someone on “the escape to the mountains trip” and that  would result in a conversation with a fired-up Christian that believed in God doing today what He did in Bible days and we’d just experience REVIVAL as we shared what God was doing in our individual lives.  In fact, when we got back and I was telling the ladies in my office how I’d get this “nudge” to speak to someone and then they’d end up being a Christian–I said, “You know I just didn’t bump into any lost folks on the trip.”  Linda Page said, Well, Brenda, they are all in Washington!!”

Folks, I thank you for letting me share with you.  I don’t have time to see a Counselor and this is good theraphy time for me.  Praying is the ultimate theraphy and I am doing plenty of that but good conversation is healing to a troubled soul.  Now I am not troubled but cancer tends to get one’s attention and I am concerned.  There are more cooking lessons and sewing to be taught to three precious granddaughters and I will need a number of years to do that and I am praying for God to be merciful in my health issues.  But when push comes to shove, I want to found bringing glory to my Father.   That is my reason for living.

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

A Poem from a Friend

The Whites, a family that we are close to, sent out prayer requests for Larry when he was having heart issues a couple of years back. Charlie Brown (yes, that is his real name!) received that prayer request, and he and I have corresponded ever since. He sends out updates by email at least once a week, and he often includes a poem. He wrote this poem for me, and I wanted to share it with you. ~~ Pearl

God,
we don’t pretend to understand
all the reasons for those
unplanned stops along the journey.
For any trip we plan ahead
for the things we want to see,
places we want to pull off the road
and drink in the beauty
of your creation,
taking mental snapshots
of things that take our breath away.
A friend
recently confronted with the C word
has been made to take a different road,
has had to make a rest stop.
We pray for her.
Wrap your assuring arms around her.
Whisper those intimate words
of affection and care
that are especially meaningful
during tough times.
Cause others to see the face
of Christ in hers.
May that reflection bring
hope and encouragement to many.
Healing is our desire,
but always your choice.
Let her truly rest in your wisdom.
In your strength alone,
O God, in your strength.
Amen.

 

© 2009 Charles R. Brown

Visit to the Smokies–November 7, 2009

So many times in the spring or fall seasons of the year when our children were growing up, we’d pile in the car or RV and head to the hills.  We’d picnic by the streams, jump from rock to rock and make memories to last a lifetime.  One time I missed the rock and we have proof of my lack of grace as I kept my left arm raised in the pictures Larry made–I had a new watch and was determined it would not be ruined by the water in a mountain stream.  Several friends that were with us did not think Larry was being extremely thoughtful by taking pictures instead of rescuing me but in his defense, he knew the water was only deep enough to baptize in–an adult would have to work at it to drown in it!!

We had planned a trip to Gatlingburg on Oct. 28 which was cancelled so we could make the trip to Birmingham to see the oncologist.  But Larry insisted we make the trip one week later and it has been wonderful.  We are travelling in our recently acquired RV and we are still getting acquainted with it.

Travelling in an RV is a good way to get somewhere.  Snack breaks, potty stops and getting up to stretch can all be accomplished while the driver keeps the old Hilton moving along.  But there are things that must be done before the Hilton leaves the driveway at home.  Everything that can be must be tied down or secured in some manner.  Any loose items that are just settiing around will become some similar to wild bowling balls as they scoot around the floor.  That is not a good thing to happen as you are speeding along on the highway.  I had bought some shelving material called GripRite to put in the drawers and on the shelves to help hold things in place as the vehicle moves along  and there was some extra pieces that I put on the tops of the cabinets.  As we drove along on Wednesday night, I observed something very interesting.  Things that were sitting on the GripRite remained in place–they did not slide off or roll around–it was as if they were rooted in place.  And I got to thinking, that is so much like our relationships with the Lord.  When we are walking with Him, He is our Anchor, or our GripRite.  When the going gets rough, He is there to be our strength and sustainer.

When I was a child, we visited my grandparents very often on the weekends.  One of those grandfathers was a Nazarene minister of a small church in Excel, Alabama.  Papa was such a loving and caring man and when he said something I knew it was the truth.  And for me, the fact that the Bible reinforced what he said only made me more convinced of Papa being the smartest man anywhere.  Before I was in school, I had heard and learned that “it is always safe to put your trust in Jesus.”  I wasn’t too sure of what all that entailed but I understood enough to know that whatever the problem, just trust Jesus with it.  And I remember watching our house burn when I was ten years old and knowing that even though we’d lost our house, the whole family was all right and God was still in control.  I know some will find that difficult to believe, but as the house burned, the memory of neighbors coming by to comfort my parents is imbedded in my memory bank and words that were said and my thoughts as these adult conversations took place are like it happened a few weeks ago,

Recently I heard of a story that Chuck Swindoll told about a job he had while he was in college  where the workers knew it was quitting time when a big whistle blew.  Well, one employee was always the very first one out the door.  While the others were going to get their lunchpails and head to the exit of the building, he’d already be out the door.  When he was questioned on his ability to move so quickly, his reply was “Well, it helps to stay ready rather than having to get ready!”

A couple of days has proven to be about the max that we are willing to be occupants of the Hilton.