How It All Began

Hello There!

Well, there has indeed been much happening in my life.  I so appreciate your phone calls, text messages and emails.   Though I may not respond right away (or even at all), I do read them and feel all warm and fuzzy inside knowing you love me! 

I decided to start this blog for many reasons.
1) To keep everyone updated.
2) To have a record of this journey and how my faith will grow and become stronger - and it will.
3) To give my family and friends a place to go to receive encouragement. 

This blog will be my truth - as imperfect as it may be - it's all mine.  I will be real with you - and more importantly with myself and my God.  I love you - and so does He.


The latest news is that I indeed have Stage 1, maybe Stage 2, triple negative breast cancer.  My oncologist drew the blood for the BRCA1 and BRCA2 test yesterday.  The results will determine my treatment.  I'm meeting with my surgeon simply to ask questions. 

But, how did we get here - to this point?  This is how it all began. 

Twenty years or so ago (truly, this is the real beginning) my sister-in-law was diagnosed with breast cancer.  I was blessed to walk down that road with her and, in her usual spunky manner, she tamed that beast.  Then, this fall, it raised its ugly head again.  In October, I was blessed to be able to fly to Pennsylvania for a short week and be with her. On the night before I flew back home from Pennsylvania, Daddy let me know that my aunt, his sister, had been diagnosed with breast cancer as well. 

This now made three women in my family that faced breast cancer, so I began the process of getting the BRCA1 and BRCA2 test done.  As I was waiting for the approval from my insurance company, my mind raced with all kinds of crazy thoughts.  Yes, I do go there occasionally!  :) 

During a church service I was lost in prayer as Pastor was praying.  He sounded like Charlie Brown's teacher to me, "Waaa waa...." while I petitioned our Lord.  (Here comes the "crazy" part.)  You see, in my family, events come in threes, three funerals, three accidents, three.........We had two breast cancer diagnosis very close together.  Who would be the third?  I thought of my children, my grandbabies, my family.  So, as I silently prayed, I made a deal with God - yes - I did.  Not scriptural, I know, but I did.  I told him that I would rather have breast cancer instead of watching any more of my loved ones, especially my kiddos fight this awful disease.  As I mentally ended my prayer, I ended it this way, "...I am a living sacrifice.  Not my will, but yours."  And guess what?  Just as I mentally prayed those words, out Pastor prayed them out loud!  Amazing.  I knew God had heard my prayer.  However foolish it may have been, it was from the depths of my heart and He heard it - and confirmed to me that He heard me. 

God hears us.  He hears our heart's cry.  He hears our wise prayers, our foolish, you know better than that prayers, our in His will prayers.  GOD HEARS US.   God listens to us with a loving heart. Then He takes care of us - we need only believe.  And, for today, that's my truth.

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;

in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight" Proverbs 3:5-6