Yea Thou I Walk Backwards I See His Mighty Power at Work by Glynis M. Belec

My little sister, Sue. May your sleep be peaceful,
free from torment and struggle

     Yea thou I walk through the valley of yet some more terrible news, I know I will get through it. Last Wednesday, my sister died suddenly. Her Celebration of Life was this past Saturday. My heart weeps for my little sister but I know that I will get through it, in time, because God is my refuge and my strength. Right now I will rest beside the still waters so that my soul can be refreshed. It still hurts. But God promises to take away my pain one day. I choose to believe that. 

I will fear no evil because I have been through the basic training and God has shown me how to put on His whole armour. Four months ago when my dad had his heart attack I wondered how we would cope. Dad didn't want to stay in his house any more and the challenge of caring for an elderly parent in his own home was becoming great. Not to mention, We were caring for two households which was a monumental task some weeks. [Well at least it was starting to seem that way]. Then God opened wide the door. Our house that had been for sale for almost a year just wasn't selling. So we took it off the market. One hour after the decision was made for Dad to move in with us, his house sold. At first I was baffled. But then I realized that our original intention when my hubby and I put our home up for sale, was to downsize. If our house had sold that would have meant there would have been no room for Dad to move in with us. God wasn't kidding when He said: "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways. . ."

For thou art with me, is a very true reassuring statement of fact. Each time I start to sink, the Lord lifts me up. My son-in-law, who is very dear to my heart, was diagnosed with testicular cancer about nine months ago. It was another devastating blow to our family, but the presence of God was surely with me as we dealt with yet another challenge. But all through the journey, I could feel the Holy Spirit divvy out the blessed hope so vital to positive healing. We remain hope-filled and grateful. 

Thy rod and thy staff they really do comfort me just as God promised. And with that comfort comes sweet relief. His rod continues to be my guide and helps balance me as I traverse the rocky terrain we call life. About a year and 9 months ago, just after we learned that my hubby has CLL - Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia, I felt that I would surely trip and fall. How could I possibly manoeuvre my way through this rocky road? But I soon learned to lean heavily on that rod of God. I was reminded that this was not the first time the Great Shepherd with His secure staff had helped us tackle the rough terrain. I remembered how I trusted God to get me through my own battle with cancer. I knew God would see us through this valley, too. 

 

Who was it anyway, who said to Consider it all joy when you encounter various trials? Seriously?The testing of your faith produces endurance? There are some days I really think I am going to fail the test. And then I read about how endurance has its perfect result, so that you (I) may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. I don't want to be perfect, but I do want to please my Lord. That said, if I need to suffer some more biting news, then I will be ready. I'm going to go dig out the armour. My brain complains because the armour will be cumbersome and foreign. But I am ready to obey. Trust and obey (there is no other way!) 

 Glynis is trying her best to trust and obey these days. She is busy with many projects including marketing her latest children's book - Galloping Gus. Happily she is preparing a colouring/activity book to accompany the popular picture book. Then there are the other thousand writing projects she is working on.  Check out her website to find out what's happening. If you want to just say 'howdy' she would love to hear from you. 

Cancer...a gift? -- Gibson

   Life is hard. Loss and pain trip us up. Body cells go rogue. Germs and bugs maim and kill. But when we open ourselves to receive them, we find that God uses our difficulties to bring unique gifts of grace. New spiritual perspectives, new relationships, a new view of life and appreciation for living.

   We’ve already discovered some of those gifts since my husband was diagnosed with colon cancer earlier this summer. We recall others that have appeared during his now five-year case of West Nile disease. But I was unprepared for his comment the other day.

      “Cancer is the new gift I’ve been given,” he told a friend, a few days before his several hour surgery.

       I argued. “No. Cancer is NOT a gift.  It’s the platter that God can use to deliver unique gifts.” But a peck of pork chops made me rethink that response.

      “My dad worked in the packaging industry,” one of the ICU nurses told us during a pleasant conversation as he cared for my husband. “When a producer called to say they needed to ship, say, 10,000 pork chops, Dad’s job was to find or make just the right box to ship them in.”

     That conversation brought me late to consider what Rick had already concluded: God knows the best gifts he wants to bring us. In his omniscience (big word meaning all-knowing), we must accept that not only does he allow, he also designs the only carrier possible to deliver them.

    So yes, cancer too, is a gift. A platter awkward to carry, ugly to view, and painful to bear. But a gift from Father’s hand nevertheless. In eternity’s perspective, I trust that one day I too, will view it the way he sees it: as perfect.

    No box, no chops.

 ***

Find Sunny Side Up faith columnist, broadcaster and author Kathleen Gibson on the web at www.kathleengibson.ca, or blogging her husband's cancer journey at www.caringbridge.org/visit/rickgibson  Email sign-in necessary.

Thankful for Trees - M. Laycock

The two Poplar trees stand side by side in the park across from my living room window. I've been watching them slowly turn golden for the past few weeks and a few days ago the fall winds came and began to strip them bare. A few stragglers are still hanging on, but soon the trees will be only trunk and branches. The inner sap has probably almost completely stopped flowing.

They mimic how I'm feeling these days as I continue through chemotherapy. Bare. Sparse. Dried out. Enthusiasm is a word that seems foreign. I've forgotten what it's like to have hair. There are days when I want to rail against what's happening to me, days when I'm just angry. But then I look at those trees and I think of the scripture that has so often come to mind as I've watched them fade into dormancy.

"As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. ... You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and the hills will burst into song before you and all the trees of the field will clap their hands. Instead of the thornbush will grow the pine tree, and instead of briers the myrtle will grow. This will be for the Lord's renown, for an everlasting sign, which will not be destroyed." (Psalm 55: 8-13).

So I'm thankful for those trees that are standing guard so close by. I can see they're still standing, still swaying in the fall winds, waiting. I know the biology of tress; and though I know winter is coming I know their sap hasn't disappeared, it has just stopped running for a while and will run again in a few months. When it does they will sprout tiny green leaves that shout the word 'Revival' and will grow and clap loudly in the spring winds as their sweet scent permeates the air.

God is in the business of revival on all levels. But there is purpose in the dormancy. A friend sent me a link - - to a wonderful song, Blessings, by Laura Story. The lyrics rang true -

'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears?
And what if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You're near?

What if my greatest disappointments
Or the aching of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst
This world can't satisfy?

And what if trials of this life
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights
Are Your mercies in disguise?