What Do You See Outside YOUR Open Window Today?

What Do You See Outside YOUR Open Window Today?
Remember: "When God closes a door, He always opens a window!" You never know what might be out there waiting for you!

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Home Again, Home Again jiggety jig...

How do you feel when you have traveled far and return home again? Happy? A little sad? Tired? Wishing you never had to come back? Wishing you'd never gone?  I guess it depends on the circumstances of the journey...but I'm certain we have all experienced each of the above emotions at one time or another in our life's travels. 

We just returned home from a trip to visit our son and his family in Maine.  We live in Florida, so it was a long trip...even though we flew...thankfully! Flying certainly has its "ups and downs"...and I am so grateful that this trip got us UP and DOWN again safely and pleasantly. Praise God!

Our Grandson Noah-a new teen-ager!
Noah and his Dad and Mom
But the traveling part was only the means to get us from here to there, and from there to here again.  It's what was in between the Up and Down that mattered most.  We went to celebrate the 13th birthday of our only grandchild, Noah...and to watch him morph over night from a "little boy" into a "young man".  I'm not sure I want to call him a "teen-ager" yet...that has such a negative connotation, and Noah is not a negative young person.  He is a very normal young man, with all the usual dreams and schemes of experiencing life to the fullest.  He enjoys school, tae kwon do, his church and youth activities, his friends, but most of all his family.

I am certain that Noah has a bright future ahead...and I believe that God has His hand upon him.  However, there are some uncertainties looming in the foreground...you see, Noah's Daddy, our son Matthew, has cancer: Desmoplastic Small Round Cell Tumor.  It is a rare and agressive form of cancer, which usually strikes children.  Matthew is 39 years old, and is in the third year of this battle for his life. He is currently undergoing his second round of chemotherapy, after a break from it for about a year.  There are no guarantees of a cure...this cancer is still too new, too rare, too unheard of to get much attention for the researchers.  I believe this picture tells how we all feel about it:


Noah and his Daddy, Our Son Matthew, who has cancer
 That may not be the nicest choice of words, but cancer is not a nice disease.  It truly can suck the life out of the victim, the parents, the spouse, the children, the friends...but it doesn't take away the JOY of life from those who have faith to believe that God is with us even in the bad times...even in the difficult moments, the sickness, the sorrow, the pain, the disappointments.  We are people like that.  We believe that God is present with us, "Emmanuel", God with us...no matter what.  And He has promised to NEVER leave us nor forsake us.  Hebrews 13:5 tells us:

"Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have.  For He Himself has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you.'  So we may boldly say: 'The LORD is my helper; I will not fear.  What can man do to me?'" 
We may say, "The LORD is my helper, I will not fear.  What can CANCER do to me?"  Yes, it can rob us of many things...our very existence on this earth...but it can't take away the joy of knowing that God is at work in and through us, even in these difficult times.  He has a plan...He may choose to bring healing and take this curse away.  He may not choose to bring physical healing in this life, but He WILL take the curse away...He already has. 

"So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in victory!"  O Death, where is your sting?  O Hades, where is your victory?  The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law.  But THANKS BE TO GOD, WHO GIVES US THE VICTORY THROUGH OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST!"   I Corinthians 15:54-57
I think it is fitting that we spent one of our days together at this lighthouse, Nubble Light, in York Beach, Maine.  The Lighthouse represents the "Rescuer" our Savior, Jesus Christ, standing along the shore, sending out His message of Love, Hope and Eternal Life with Him.  We have this hope in our Savior.  We do not need to fear the dread diseases and storms and dire predictions of this life.  Our grandson, Noah, has a bright future, no matter what happens to his precious Daddy. Of course we want healing for our son. Of course we pray for a cure...a miracle...a future for him with his dear wife Nicole and son Noah. But no matter what happens...we have hope. We have peace. We have love. And we will all be home again, home again, jiggety jig...together forever someday. Praise God.

8 comments:

  1. Welcome home! You are a blessing and a light shiner just like that Lighthouse! What a beautiful example of grace and truth you are , Pam! LOve and glad you enjoyed your time!

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    1. Thank you Dawn. That is my prayer...that no matter what, Christ will be seen in me. I may not always shine when things get tough, but if we allow Christ to have the preimmenince (spelling) in our lives when things are good, it won't be so difficult for Him to shine through us in the darkness as well. You are a good example of that. Thank you for your constant witness of that Light.

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  2. I will be adding Matthew to my prayer list and will ask for prayer for him at church. Cancer causes us to stop and evaluate what is important in our lives. My stepmother and my dad had different types of Cancer in the same year,six months apart. I was the caregiver for her. Ihad to be there for my dad as well.

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    1. THank you for the prayers for Matthew and his family. Prayer is the key to unlock the door for healing and strength. Yes, I don't always talk about what cancer is doing in my family's life because I don't like to focus on the negative, but it is also a positive in that it brings us to our knees, causes us to dig deeper into our relationship with Christ as well as with each other. I am sorry for the sorrow you have already experienced due to this awful disease. It truly does cause us to embrace life more fully. Thank you for stopping by today.

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  3. Blessings on you and your family as you fight together and enjoy one another together.

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    1. Thank you, Susie. We are in a battle...but not alone. We count our blessings...and we choose JOY!!!

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  4. Welcome back Pamela! I was beginning to wonder what had happened to you! Glad you are well!

    What a challenge Pamela. What a woman you are!

    Peace and Hugs

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  5. Thank you, Mary. I haven't been doing much writing this past week...trying to keep my head above water at work after my little trip. I don't bounce back as quickly as I used to...getting old!Thank you for your kind words. I don't really feel like I am anything "special" as a woman...after reading yours and many others with their own personal challenges, I realize that we are all traveling on similar roads, with different kinds of "scenery" along the way. Eventually we will all reach the same destination...perhaps some will have more battle scars than others...but then again, only God knows what each of us can endure. He gives more grace as the burdens get greater...I see that in your writing...growing in grace. That's what this journey is all about, right?

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