Today 2 of my children and I went to an art class that was free for cancer survivors and caretakers. One lady shared how much she hated cancer. On the way home I thought about her words and her pain. And, I thought about our journey. What made our journeys so different? Why don't I hate cancer too? Cancer wasn't fun. Cancer is the reason I can't feel in my fingers or taste well. It's the reason my thyroid doesn't work. It's the reason for a few other things too. For every downside to cancer, there are a dozen other reasons to be thankful for the experience. The fall of man, sin, caused cancer to be a part of many of our lives, to wreak havoc. But, God came that we may have life and have it to the full. God came so that all things work together for good to those who love the Lord and are called according to His purposes. He's the force that can make even a journey through cancer, a journey for which we can be thankful. If not for cancer, I wouldn't have seen the body of Christ come together as it did to sweep and mop and dust our home every Tuesday while I was undergoing treatment. If not for that looming diagnosis, I wouldn't have experienced the body of Christ doing my laundry every weekend, the stove that was bought and paid for and delivered, the termite expense that was shared, the groceries that were bought and delivered, the prayers - many many prayers, the meals that didn't stop until months after treatment ended, the babysitting while I went through treatments, the lawn being mowed every week, weeds being pulled at 6am so that I could wake up to a nicely manicured lawn, and the list could go on. That doesn't include the fact that trusting God through cancer was how we learned to trust God when He called on us to adopt 5 siblings at once and raise $65,000 for their adoption in just 9 months. With older child adoptions, sometimes days can be a challenge due to the effects of the rough life our children endured prior to adoption. A mom mustn't neglect caring for herself as she faces these challenging moments as an adoptive mom helping her child. I can't bring myself to pay for art classes, but that could be a way I could give care to myself. But, today I was reminded that maybe God saw that too, and maybe he is using my history with cancer to provide free art classes as a way to care for myself and spend some special time with my children at no added expense. It's interesting how God can redeem something in so many ways for so many years. I'm sticking with Him. I want to see what all He's got planned. I get excited to see how many ways He redeems.
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Do you ever just have this overwhelming feeling that the life you have is so perfect? I don't mean that every day goes exactly as you hoped or that every situation turned out like it should have. I certainly don't mean that you had no struggles at all today, and all lights were green on your way to work today. I just mean that the life God has blessed you with is the most perfect life for YOU. No day is perfectly perfect, but where's the challenge in that? And, in hindsight, aren't challenges a gift as well? Challenges are wonderful because they help us grow and change for the better. My life is full of challenges, but I'm better because of them. I wouldn't change them because I know that God knows me inside and out. He knows what I need to become a better, more refined child of God. And, well, that's the perfect life. Full. Fulfilling. And, yet, still in the process of growth.
That is all for today. I love life. Sure, one child lost our keys yesterday at the park. But, life is still good and wonderful and so fulfilling. |
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November 2017
AuthorI'm Brooke - Daughter of the King, Wife to a loving husband, mother to 10 sweet blessings, teacher, cleaning lady, cook, and COO of the Lusher Family. Categories |