Thanking you all for your prayers

I want to thank all who have prayed for me and sent loving comments and encouraging words. I appreciate very much the kindness that has been shown to me in so many numerous ways. My children and church family...my blogging friends...my friends from afar and above all...

I thank the LORD Jesus Christ for his Grace given to me this note worthy day, January 25th.

This is the anniversary of my son Stephen's death at age 9 months in 1983.(read at Watering Wells of Hope) It was at this time God showed Grace upon Grace. He chose to take Stephen to Heaven...and a friend "Kathryn" chose to be born again! His purpose was fulfilled. A precious soul was the reason.

The chorus below is to a recent song written especially for me, by Deborah Bolack. This would have been my song in 1983...and has become my song for 2010.

Though I can't see beyond today,
I walk the path of ahead by faith.
His watering wells of hope are mine;
He gives me peace at such a time.

One part of the song says:

As I look back on paths I've travelled,
I see God' hand upon my life.
He has brought me through dark valleys;
His word my guiding light.
I don't need to know the reason
God's brought me to this place.
I'm just called to be a witness
To his glory and his grace.


Grace was shown to me this day....my lymph nodes for cancer...came back NEGATIVE! My tumor removed showed CLEAR MARGINS! I'm on my way to recovery!

God also chose to use another very special person in my life for this trial of faith. My dear friend Kelly Anne Johnson, who herself is battling cancer. If it had not been for her, I might not have gone to have my mammogram at the time I did. The timing was essential for my growing cancer to be caught. For her...there is one reason we already know of for her trial. She helped me. She's been such a source of inspiration and encouragement as I faced each day that lie ahead..and all while she herself...takes one day at a time...allowing the LORD's will be done in her own life.

With Cancer.

We never know just exactly HOW God chooses to use us...but the thought of saving a precious soul...or the thought of helping another sister in Christ prepare for her trial...and perhaps by your own trial...lift another.

Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.
Proverbs 27:17

Thank you to my friend, Kelly Anne. You mean so much to me precious friend. Oh what a friend we have in Jesus...and what friends...are come BY HIM. Thank you LORD. It was your hand that brought us together in this journey.

We are all created for a purpose...and each purpose...at a time appointed.

When, Where, How... we let him... The LORD of Glory...have our life.

Dear Friends..

Let HIM have HIS way with thee....all will be well...all will be worth it all!!

Praise ye the LORD, Praise the LORD, O my soul.
While I live will I praise the LORD: I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being... Psalm 146:1-2

God bless..
HOPE

A Wonderful Birthday SURPRISE!

Today began very special with a lovely bouquet from my husband, for my 55th Birthday.

Then a loving package arrived from my daughter and g'children in New York. The cards from the children are precious treasures!!



Each gift was carefully wrapped in PINK with the cutest pink, lime green and daisy ribbon. The children picked out a nice silver pin for my church jacket...it looks like GUS my Schnauzer! The package was filled with all sorts of wonderful gifts. Some I'll blog on later next week.

I thought today would be a quiet birthday and maybe a few phone calls...was I ever SURPRISED...when...

two of my closest friend's and FAMILY...rang the bell at dinner time with loads of boxes of sorted Pizza's and an Ice Cream Cake...and gifts galore! with both families that consisted of an additional 13 people with my husband and I.

"The Party Began"

I was overwhelmed with the thoughtfulness and kindness of my friends. We ate, opened gifts and played Apples to Apples Bible Version...and believe it or not..I won! A fun not so competitive game. I liked that. We laughed and I wanted to cry several times..for the joy they brought to me this night.

The sweet fellowship.

It isn't expressed with words...

Since my surgery, I hadn't been back to church due to dizziness and some nausea. So tonight, they also brought in a huge basket loaded with gifts...from the ladies of my church. (sorry for the fuzzy photo)Yes. that is me, finally in a pic...with my faithful little pal GUS The Schnauzer.





The gifts were each wrapped with sweet flowers attached and many homemade cards. All the cards expressed love and concern with prayers.




I love scrap booking cards...some are so gorgeous...some so cute..and all made by talented people.


Here are some of the gifts..I thought you would enjoy seeing...




This teapot is just toooo CUTE!



Isn't this little dove...just so SWEET.



And if you have never seen these made...they are wonderful. Coasters hand made with tiles and scrap booking stamps!



There was sixteen different packages to open. Each gift has meant so much to me...touched my heart with such caring friends...

AT SUCH A TIME...

and one in particular gift was this lovely "Forget Me Not" tea cup and saucer.





The lady who gave me this; is the boss of one of our young women. She has visited out church a couple of times and we spoke briefly...and I have done business with them at their shop ..just once, but we chatted and I invited her last year to our Ladies Luncheon. Business kept her from being able to attend. A very nice person.

The card read:

This is very old, it was my grandmothers. Love, Diana.

When she heard that I had Breast Cancer and the ladies making up a birthday basket for me, she wanted to have a part in it. She said that her grandmother and mother had died of Breast Cancer. She wanted to give ME.....a part of her LIFE! I'm so overwhelmed with this sweet thoughtful gift that must have meant sooo much to her!!

She wanted to reach out...and let me know...she cared. and I know.

Gifts are nice to receive...but more than all is that gift of the heart that is shown by the sacrifice of others. My friends who took the time to make this day special for me...and the acquaintance that sought to show her concern and care in such a personal way.

The world is filled with loving hearts....how blessed I am to be one that knows so many.

THIS IS THE DAY... my heart is overwhelmed....humbled....so thankful.

Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in they presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.
Psalm 16:11

HOPE

The Battle Is The LORDs

Please visit my friend KELLY ANNE JOHNSON by clicking on the link at the sidebar..

You will be truly BLESSED...

She has written a WONDERFUL post about her battle with Chemo that began today...

Her FAITH,

Her beaming SMILE,

Her CHEERY voice....bring sunshine to my heart!

COURAGE

as I wait on the news of my battle plan...

I thank the LORD ...

THIS IS THE DAY...

..MY HEART is filled with THANKFULNESS

for BLESSING my life at this time with such a PRECIOUS FRIEND..

Peace At Such A Time

My dear friend Deborah Bolack has written a very special song for me.

THIS IS THE DAY....her song has touched my heart.

Peace At Such A Time
(©2010 Deborah Bolack)

(V.1) As I embark on this new journey,
I know I’ll never walk alone.
Though this path is not my choosing,
My life is not my own.
I’m created for a purpose;
God’s called me to his field,
And I’ll see his will unfolding
When I walk in truth and yield.

(chorus) Though I can’t see beyond today,
I walk the path ahead by faith.
His watering wells of hope are mine;
He gives me peace at such a time.
(v.2) As I look back on paths I’ve travelled,
I see God’s hand upon my life.
He has brought me through dark valleys;
His word my guiding light.
I don’t need to know the reason
God’s brought me to this place.
I’m just called to be a witness
To his glory and his grace.
(chorus) Though I can’t see beyond today,
I walk the path ahead by faith.
His watering wells of hope are mine;
He gives me peace at such a time.

(coda) His watering wells of hope are mine;
He gives me peace at such a time.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ezra 4:17 Then sent the king an answer unto Rehum the chancellor, and to Shimshai the scribe, and to the rest of their companions that dwell in Samaria, and unto the rest beyond the river, Peace, and at such a time.

Isaiah 12:3 Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I am so honored and blessed by this dear sister in the LORD. I have a book she has written, two CD's of her music with the song book and have enjoyed it all so very much. She is a very talented lady and also gifted with sharing in word the depths of her heart and walk with the LORD.

Thank you so very much Deb!
HOPE

Don't miss the journey...for the destination!!

The journey may seem a bit misty ahead...but faith sees through the eyes of belief.

As my dear friend Kelly wrote on her blog update about our journey together and the above title quote from a Pastor....don't MISS the journey for the destination!

By FAITH this journey holds countless answers to prayer...blessings that touch the heart (such as my friendship with Kelly)....opportunities to witness of God's GRACE..and also to see the hand of GOD upon your own life...by the strength in time of need...the peace that passeth ALL understanding and just plain BELIEVING in God's WILL for each day as we yield to HIM.

Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.
II Corinthians 1:4

As I view this photo above...the path is misty...but if you have ever been on such a path in the woods... oh the refreshing breeze..the aroma of the Pine trees...

I visited my daughters in the great Northwest last Fall..and we walked such a place as this. It was so PEACEFUL...and yet you had no idea what lied ahead..where the path was winding...one took us to a flowing stream with Salmon...running UP stream...Yes that IS GOD's ways! What great illustrations are manifest in his creation of HIS power and design.

As you journey on a path in your own life...REMEMBER this quote above. How true it is that the end is not known..and yet look at the Christians expectation of the end...the good work of GOD.

It could be the salvation of a precious soul..it could be a happy time of renewal in your walk with God...it could be that final home in HEAVEN.

I thank the LORD for this new journey that GOD has used to already strengthen my faith and my belief to see the goodness of the LORD as each day passes.

A friend and I recently sang a special at church ..the song written by Deborah Bolack of our KJV blog roll. She sent me her songbook and one song especially touched my heart, long before I was diagnosed with breast cancer...it was as if Deb had written it for me..and yet it is a reflection of her own journey with the LORD.

TAKE ALL...
take all of my trials and turmoil
take all of my pain and heartache
take all of my gifts and talents
take all my desire and burdens..

It goes on to giving each of these to the LORD

some of the chorus says ...All that I am... all that you've given...and all that I've gleaned...

...the song goes on to say I lay it at HIS feet and to take all for HIS purpose.

I noted the part that says...all that I've gleaned! Oh how much I have gleaned over the years from my Pastor's faithful preaching of the TRUTH in the KJV Bible..my husband's steadfastness to the truth that is preached...my friends testimonies that have sharpened my faith...and from my own children as they learn and walk with the LORD as well.

Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend. Proverbs 27:17

Friends don't miss the wonderful journeys GOD has set before you...WALK WITH HIM..in FAITH.

HOPE

...update on my breast cancer...
I am scheduled for a Lumpectomy on January 15th. They will remove the tumor and needed surrounding tissue invaded and a few lymph nodes to send to pathology to detect if it has invaded the lymph system.
IF there is NO invasion to the lymph system, I go onto radiation therapy.
IF it is..then I will have a second surgery to remove the main underarm lymph nodes that contain the cancer..and then chemo and radiation.
This is determined all after the pathology report from the Jan. 15 surgery.
I am very confident in my surgeon ..she was excellent in explaining everything clearly..and this has been my prayer...to have clear information. God knows the rest...and I trust in him for the remainder of the journey.
Thank you for your prayers!!!