It Came Back!!

 

His hair grew back in! And it's just the same as before.  We'd heard that some straight-haired people end up with curly hair after chemo, but he's my same handsome guy.

As they didn't detect any cancer cells after his treatment, Germán only needs maintenance chemotherapy now, every 3 months, for 2 years.  He went through the first one with no ill effects.  Thank God!  He still feels like something isn't quite right, but more tests and doctor's appointments are looming, so there's hope that they will be able to continue "fixing" him.

Can the cancer come back?  (Can he lose his hair again?!)  Yes, it's possible. But there is incredible hope and strength in God's promises, like these, that we've likely mentioned before...

"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."  (Isaiah 41:10)

"Be strong and courageous.  Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you."  (Deuteronomy 31:6)

**************

But here's something MUCH MORE exciting:

            One day we - who love Jesus - will be able to shout, "You came back!"                              I can imagine Him winking and saying, "I said I would, didn't I?"                            (And we know from experience that He ALWAYS does what He says He will do.)

"I am coming soon."  (Revelation 3:11)

"For the Son of Man is going to come in His Father's glory with His angels, and then He will reward all people according to what they have done."        (Matthew 16:27)

Now, as nice as it might be to know we will be rewarded,  to me the most amazing, heart-warming thing about Christ returning hinges on what He said in John 14:3:

"And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with Me, that you may also be where I am."

                              That's what I look forward to above all else:

                                         that I may be where He is!

                                                       ***********

             

 

No wig needed. Peach fuzz is fine! (read the poem!)

 

My husband just wears a cap or hat, especially when out-and-about. Now, he DOES have some hair growing back, but it's so short and downy that one can only see it up close! He got over the shock of losing his hair. It didn't start to fall out until a couple of weeks after his treatments began, and it wasn't noticeable for a while, so we wondered if he would be one of the lucky few who get to forgo the pleasure of losing their locks!  (No such luck...)

He DOES still have his eyebrows, though, and a few whiskers in his beard.                                                                                                                                   That has to count for something!                                                                                                   ************

Germán is undergoing his fifth chemotherapy treatment  (the next-to-last) as I write. Besides the boredom of sitting there all day, his main complaint is that the chairs are pretty hard.  I think there is one that is comfortable, but someone always beats him to it!  The days right after each chemo are difficult, and he bounces back a little more slowly each time, but he is still doing comparatively well, considering all the horrors some peolple go through!   We are very grateful that it has not become unbearable...so far.  (But he IS just sick and tired of it!)

I'd like to share a little poem with you.

*************************

Can I Dance?

I had said, "I'll rejoice through whatever they find."                                                        What they found was unwanted, untimely, unkind.

Though a quiver of questions spilled out in my head,                                                        I struggled to keep to the words I had said.                                                                             

Sometimes all we can see is what stands in the way.                                                        We may trust, but we can't always think past today.

So... I watch...and God's Mercy runs toward me and vaults                                                over all of the obstacles, doubts, fears and faults;

His Grace wraps around me, assures me "He sees!";                                                      holds me warm through my weakness, my waiting, my needs;

His Love takes my hand, leads me gently, then halts                                                          on the dancefloor of Life, where we wait for the Waltz.

Can I dance when I don't know the end of the plot?                                                            With a God like MY God, I say, "How can I NOT?"                                                                                                                                                                   ---Becky Rhon

                              ******************

Whatever you are going through, remember this promise:

"The name of the Lord is a strong fortress; the godly run to Him and are safe."       

                                           (Proverbs 18:10)

     

     

"So...when is your hair going to start falling out?" I asked him.

 

"In about a week", my husband Germán answered.  Now, you can see he still has his hair, but losing it is a distinct possibility.  Being our first personal experience with this illness, we're not too sure what is going to happen.  Officially, he has been diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's follicular lymphoma.  It may have a long wordy name, but it's still cancer!

Over the past couple of years, he has often told me, "I feel weird."  Like something was "off".  But it was usually attributed to his long-suffered gastric problems and IBS.  Finally, when a very painful episode landed him in the ER, they started to test from a different angle.  Germán became thoroughly tired of hospitals quite quickly!  So many appointments and tests.  But now we know why he has felt "weird"!

Germán's lymphoma is "only" stage 2,  though we understand  more problems can develop over time.  (For those who know something about it, his ki-67 was 40%.)  

Five days ago he was supposed to see the oncologist for THE discussion about when to start treatment.  A couple of hours after he left, he called me and said, "They are going to start the first chemo today, so I won't be home for a few hours."  Didn't expect THAT!

I took this photo of my good-looking guy yesterday, four days after the first dose.  He is doing well, considering!  He does rest a lot, and feels discomfort, but walks around, does little chores, goes out to do an errand here and there, and tries to be as "normal" as he can.

**********************

So, how do we FEEL about this sudden blow?  Well, we decided before we received the test results that we would rejoice, whatever the verdict was.  As long as our faith and love remain intact, we can make it through whatever awaits our bodies! 

 We take great comfort in our Father's words and promises, so sweet to think on.

             "So do not fear, for I am with you;  do not be dismayed, for I am your God;  I will strengthen you and help you;  I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."   (Isaiah 41:10)

           "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid...for the LORD your God goes with you. He will never leave you or forsake you."  (Deuteronomy 31:6

           "...being strengthened with all power according to His glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience."   (Colossians 1:11)

           "And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age,"  (Matthew 28:20b)

                                                   ******************

P.S. It's been an awfully long time since I've written a new post, hasn't it?  Hopefully, I'll do better now.  If YOU have any comments or advice, etc., about dealing with cancer, feel free to share your thoughts. Thanks!)

Have you ever felt like this?

 

Falling apart? Like you need something or someone to patch you up, to hold you together and keep your insides from leaking out?  Yes?                                              Well...so have I.                                Not much fun, is it?                                  ***************

We were gifted a stay at a lovely hotel in the historic city of Cuenca (in Ecuador) last month.  After the wonderful breakfast buffet each day, we would walk over to the mall next door and get a lot of exercise ambling around a very large store that had a wide variety of merchandise, and with very reasonable prices.  

Of course, we always bought something, as we would find things that our mega-supermarket here in Quito doesn't carry, or items that were cheaper, and others that caught our fancy.  A very enjoyable way to exercise!  However...packing to come home, we had to fit it all into our one suitcase (and our one small personal bag each).  Then...I noticed the ripped flap:

Germán had some tape, and rushed out for some glue.  The next morning, he quickly finished the repair as we waited for the taxi to the airport.  A few minutes after handing over the suitcase at the counter, they handed it back and said, "They won't accept it like this. You need to fix it."  The bottom seam was coming apart,  the contents in danger of spilling out.  (The photo below shows the rip, post-unpacking - and it doesn't show the full extent!)

Out came the glue and tape, and he was handed a roll of that plastic they use to wrap suitcases!  So he worked...and worked...taping and wrapping...over and over, until it was practically mummified! (I wish I had taken the top photo before he removed all the wrapping!)  But the case made it home!

                                                   ********************

Sometimes we need God to do for us what my husband did for the suitcase.  And He will do it!  Each of His promises is a piece of "tape" that He winds around our heart; He takes His words of hope and wraps them around us, over and over, to hold us together, to patch us up...and keep our "pieces" from flying out! And when we go to Him, He will NEVER say, "I won't accept you like this.  You need to fix yourself first."   

On the contrary...

"He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds."  (Psalm 147:3)

"The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit."  (Psalm 34:18)

He will..."provide for those who grieve in Zion...a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and the garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair."  (Isaiah 6:3)

"Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet My unfailing love for you will not be shaken not my covenant of peace be removed, says the Lord, Who has compassion on you."  (Isaiah 54:10)

"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you and help you.  I will uphold you with my righteous right hand...For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear: I will help you."  (Isaiah 41:10, 13)

And with Him at our side, with Him holding us together, we WILL make it Home!  And then...

                                   "He will wipe every tear from their eyes.                                                                There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain,                                                for the old order of things has passed away."                                                                                     (Revelation 21:4)

"Only a Baby?" A poem for Christmas

 

Isn't it intriguing to think about the "what ifs" of the story of the birth of Jesus?  There was so much going on in unseen realms!  Part of the creation-long conflict between God and Satan played out...sometimes behind the scenes, sometimes in plain view.

Read this poem, and think about the wonderment of Messiah's coming, and then the implications if something had "gone wrong".  (Not that it could have, but...what if?)  Under the poem, I will mention one of the more important ones...but I would really enjoy hearing YOUR ideas!

                                             Only a Baby?

                           He's only a Baby, yet His cradle hangs                                                                                just out of reach of the Evil One's fangs.

                           The Devil seeks signs, through eyes cold and hard,                                                            that the Infant's protectors might lower their guard.

                           But, why? He's only a Baby!  Oh...is He, now?                                                                 Then why the red shadow that haunts His brow?

                           Or the nails hovering over His wrists and feet,                                                                    awaiting their moment in Death's defeat?

                           That's why His enemies snap and fume;                                                                            if the Little One wins, their dark plans are doomed!

                            But they'd best beware, those who'd do Him harm!                                                            For He's heir to the power of His Father's arm.

                            He's the Prince of Peace, yet He brings a sword.                                                              He's the Lion cub with heart-piercing roar!

                             The foes in the garden will shriek and moan                                                                       as angels stand ready to roll the Stone.

                                          And we, who with joy hailed the birth of the Son,                                                               watched in awe as their plots were foiled, one by one.

                                          None will ever kill Mercy or sabotage Grace!                                                                None will keep the Messiah from His rightful place.

                                          Eternally royal, His presence alone                                                                                    made the stable a palace, the manger a throne.

                                          Full of wonder we ran; we must worship the Child!                                                          "God is with us!" we cried...and His Father smiled.                                                                                                           

                                                     ************                                             (Becky Rhon)  

Awesome God, indeed!  Now, one of the "what ifs".  The Son of God came to Earth to die, right?  So why was the Devil trying to do away with Him? I mean, He was going to die anyway!  For me, one of the most interesting points is that, had Jesus not survived to adulthood and his ministry years, all of the Old Testament prophecies would have been meaningless!  The predictions of Him riding into Jerusalem on a donkey colt, His death itself, even small details like the fact that men would gamble for His clothing!  So many prophecies, written hundreds or thousands of years before He was even born, were fulfilled exactly, in such a way that it was impossible NOT to identify of Whom they were speaking!

It's obvious that, although God's Son was, indeed, to die, it HAD to happen when God said it had to happen.  Timing!  God had it all worked out, with no mistakes, a perfectly woven plan that had been laid out even before the world was created!  With so very many pieces to the puzzle that HAD to intersect, Satan wanted to steal the central Figure and nip the whole picture in the bud.  He failed, of course!                                                                                                                                                           *************

                                         God is with us!  Worship Him!  

                                   Have a wonderful, blessed Christmas!

                

Is it really a "right"? Looking at it a different way...

 

We can be rather insistent about what WE think should be done and said, can't we?  Decisions can hinge on "rights", preferences, interests. "It's my life, so I get to choose."  I recently came across some thought-provoking statements that view this idea from an angle all too often shoved aside these days.  Let's let our thoughts be "provoked" for a bit, shall we?

"We decide we know what is best for ourselves and those we hold in our power...this life is our proving ground.  This is our time to choose and it is not our 'right' to choose, it is a God-given gift to choose. We choose whether we will offer everything in the temporary world to God in order to gain the Eternal Kingdom."* 

So...we were created with free will, the Creator's "permission", as it were, to decide for ourselves.  But He didn't include it as a "right", as He was under no obligation to add in this precious - yet precarious - capacity. No, it was a gift.  

We don't always choose what is best in God's eyes.  We don't always consider His viewpoint. Out of selfishness? Out of ignorance?  How are we simple mortals supposed to know what He wants, anyway?  (Hint: try asking Him!)

"Call to Me and I will answer you, and tell you great and unsearchable things that you do not know."  (Jeremiah 33:3)

                                                 ***************

When Yeshua came to Earth,  He was in constant contact with his Father, whose instructions to His Son included: "...to proclaim good news to the poor...to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free..."  (Luke 4:18-19) They did NOT say to look after His own "rights" and wants, but to serve others.  He knew what God wanted Him to do, and He chose to obey...

...and  "When they hurled insults at Him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats. Instead, He entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly."  (I Peter 2:23)

Yes, we want things to be "fair", even if it means taking "justice" into our own hands...or at least giving it a little shove.  But we must be cautious because, as this author says, "We are simply never allowed to stand in the place of the Lord God."* 

                                                

                                                      ************** 

"But my decision makes sense!" we say.  "It's logical!"  And it may well be.  After all,  God is the One who gave us the ability to use our brain!  But we need to be willing to give HIS instructions priority, even when they seem to us to go against "sense" or logic. (Remember, if it makes sense to God, that's enough.  He can be trusted.) 

 We can also base choices on emotions, but should be careful, as "the disordered use of an emotional response can lead us to act contrary to God's will."*  It can also lead to manipulation, politicizing the personal and the sacred, or even weaponizing what we say.  Maybe this is why He made sure that his Word included verses such as:

"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain deceit.  Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others."  (Philippians 2:3-4)

"Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the weak."  (I Corinthians 8:9)

"If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone."  (Romans 12:18)

                                       ***********************

Do we realize that in giving us the gift of "choice", of free will, God was also giving us the capacity to betray Him?  To say "no" to Him?  To disobey Him?                                                     To break His heart?

Can we remember that although we may have "rights", we always have the option of choosing the words, actions, and responses that reflect honor for God and keep our testimony from being tarnished?

"In everything set them an example by doing what is good...show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned."  (Titus 2:7-8)

                               

                                         ************************

Our Savior Yeshua is the only person who did this faultlessly.  Having the advantage of being perfect to begin with, He set the bar as high as it could be set!  But we can aim for it!  He promises us His presence, and places His wisdom and strength at our disposal.  

                       Father, You did not offer us  freedom of choice as a "right".

                       Free will was and is a GIFT.  Please help us use it wisely!

         

                                                    **************

*The Road Goes Ever On: A Christian Journey Through The Lord of the Rings, by A.K. Frailey

(all emphases mine)

Nope, Galápagos tortoise shells don't work for hide-and-seek! (see more photos)

 

There aren't many empty tortoise shells laying around.  (The  Galápagos giants can live over 150 years.)  But a normal-sized person can sort of fit inside them, they are that big!  My granddaughters gave it a try: Liliana (13) in this picture, and Miriam (12) in the next one. 

Of course,  the shells weren't created to accommodate young ladies. They were custom-built to provide the creatures with a hard structure that protects them,  armor that encloses the vital organs and allows the legs and head to retreat into their own personal "bunker".

          I asked the guide which animals prey on                        tortoises.  His answer?                                                "People".                                                                                 *********************

As we walked around the grassy (and muddy!) fields where tortoises ambled slowly, unfazed by the drizzle, the 80-year-old guide shared fascinating information about these enormous creatures, and told me he had worked with some of the early conservation programs for the tortoises on the various islands of the archipelago, starting decades ago.  No wonder he knew so much about them! 

Each island has its own species of tortoise...which makes sense, considering they have no way to travel from island to island and socialize! 

                **************

These tortoises had their own spa!  (Next photo.)

            

Protection. Refuge.  They can withdraw to a place of safety.

 

We need protection, too. Where is OUR refuge?  OUR place of safety? We aren't born with built-in "shells" into which we can retreat! 

It can be looked for in many places....other people or philosophies, "religions"...but what emotional and spiritual safety might be found there doesn't last.  

True lasting protection is not in a "where", but in a "Who",  the one Person to whom we can run for refuge, strength and healing and who will never let us down.  

             ********************

                                                                                                                                            The giant to the right has its head, neck and legs splayed out on the ground, a position taken when resting, totally relaxed.  It knows itself safe.

We, too, can know ourselves safe when we accept the offer of protection God our Father tenders.  Millennia-old words are just as relevant today.

"Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings."  (Psalm 17:8)

"You are my hiding place; You will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance."  (Psalm 32:7)

"The name of the LORD is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe." (Proverbs 18:10)

By the way, here's another thing the tortoises are protected from...the rain! Their "umbrellas" go with them wherever they roam! 

 We didn't mind the drizzle, but - like my husband Germán - we all had to wear gum boots.  

The tortoises also have a continuous buffet.  They are surrounded by their food sources.  

The tortoises eat mainly grasses and leaves. They also take advantage of fallen fruits - like the big guy at the right, who is munching on a...hmm, WE call it a "guayaba", but in the U.S. and other countries, for some reason it is called a "guava". (Here, guava is another fruit completely!)

When the guide told us they also eat cactus, I asked him what they do about the big, spiky spines? They actually knock the "paddles" to the ground and then paw at them over and over, causing the spines to fall off.  Pretty cool!

              *********************

God provides abundantly for the tortoises.  How much more for his children?

"His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of Him who called us by his own glory and goodness."    (II Peter 1:3)

                                        **********************

                      "The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;                                                          my God is my rock, in Whom I take refuge,                                                                     my shield and the horn of my salvation,                                                                                           my stronghold."     (Psalm 18:2)

                                                          ******