thread for middle age to older Christian women.
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Nancy, thank you so much for your kind comments.
You & I both know, OUR GOD is in control and will take care of us in His time and His way.
Vickie
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Grateful today for God giving me the peace needed to put the decision about surgery aside. Grateful for my sister's support. She is a nurse practicioner and a sweet loving woman. Grateful for my beautiful home in the woods. Love, Jean PS Thanks for the prayers, God hears dear fellow warriors.
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DAY #23 OF 50 DAYS OF GRATITUDE
Good day dear sisters or night for Debbie. Today I am grateful for this day. I have had two verses swirling around in my spirit all morning. This is the day that the Lord hath made, let us rejoice and be glad in it. This verse is so powerful and so true. The joy of the Lord is our strength. Help us all to go forward with an attitude of gratitude for the fact that God has given us another day to do the next right thing for Him.
Mags, I am thinking of you today and praying you will get some relief.
Angie and Anita, How are you both feeling after being home from the hospital for some time.
Char, I imagine you are out there running and training for yet another race. You go girl.
Lucy, Can't wait to see what the Lord has done through you this weekend and what you have learned about God and what He has taught you about trusting him even though we may be scared to death.
Bev, I know you are getting close to the end of your infusions. That will be a happy dance time I imagine. Is your reconstruction coming up in November? God bless you sister.
Jean, I am glad you have peace today. The Lord is faithful and His promises are there for the taking.
Vickie, I am praying that your daughter continues to improve.
Deborah, You are such an inspiration on this board and I am sure you are a light wherever you are. God bless you.
Polly, praying that things are improved with your sister and that you can find a church home that you feel comfortable with.
Debbie, Praying for you today and hoping that the lymphedema is manageable.
Sharon, Praying for strength for you during your sub position. PTL for getting paid as the regular teacher.
Becky, I hope you get to spend more time with your son and granddaughter.
I pray all of those who are in active treatment has minimal side effects this weekend.
Those who are on the AI's or a similar drug- I pray that the side effects are minimal as well.
I hope I have not left anyone out. Have a blessed weekend.
I am off to buy some birthday presents for my mom who is going to be 89 tomorrow.
Love you all,
Nancy
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There was a pretty sky tonight at my mom's.
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Hope you all had a great day.
Love,
Nancy
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Nancy, love the pictures - yep, even of your gorgeous cat (and I'm a dog lover!) How is your mom doing? Are you and your sister able to make arrangements and plans? I'm praying for you all!
Jean, I'm so glad you're able to have some special times with your husband - praying for you and the surgery decision.
Becky, did you get your scan results?
Mags, so sorry that you're having such a time with your breathing - hopefully it will improve soon.
Polly - how are you doing? Praying for you ladies with chemo - nobody has a date with the big char this week, do you?
I had a herceptin infusion yesterday - only two more and then I get to ring the chemo bell! I see my MO on Monday for a 3-month checkup and have a whole list of questions for her. I'm doing great and praising God for so many blessings through the journey. I'm hoping that after this, I won't see her again for 6 months....we'll see. Wednesday is an appointment with the plastic surgeon to hopefully schedule reconstruction. I'd figured on having it in early December - we'll see what he thinks because obviously his schedule is going to be a little more dispositive than my wishful thinking!
Blessings for a great Lord's day!
love, Bev
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DAY # 24 OF 50 DAYS OF GRATITUDE
I am grateful today that the Lord has given my sister and I our mom for 89 years as of today, her birthday. When my Dad died in 2005 I remember for several years praying that the Lord would please allow my mom to still be with us when I retired so I could spend more time with her. The Lord certainly answered that one when dementia set in my first year of retirement. It was not quite the way I had envisioned spending time with my mom but nonetheless I am grateful that she is still with us.
Sometimes things become a little overwhelming regarding her house. I realized last night that her kitchen sink is stopped up and will probably require a plumber. I am glad that I am here to deal with it. This is the same house I grew up in so it is getting old. So what does that say about me
.Thanks Bev. My cat is certainly a great addition to my life. You get to ring the bell before you know it. I think I would do something special to celebrate that. At least a happy dance!
Have a wonderful day everyone. Let's seize the day and do the next right thing for the Lord.
Love you all,
Nanxy
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Bev. Ring that bell loudly sister. Great news.
Today I am grateful for sunshine, good sleep last night, not getting into it with my hubby who was tired and cranky. Grateful he is still sleeping and getting the rest he needs. Love, Jean
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This is my mom who is 89 today. She doesn't tell people how old she is. In her lifetime she has been a wife, mother, grandmother, best friend, Sunday school teacher, Steven Minister and a stay at home mom which I am MOST grateful..jpg?1413139107)
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thanks bev for asking......My results of ct scan were multiple new lesions in my liver.
Start Ixabepilone this week. Has anyone had that. It is "another Hill Difficulty to climb"...but I am travelling with a friend, so the company is just FINE OUR LORD JESUS. thanks all for praying. Keep it up please.
nancy you have a lovely MOM I lost mine whe she was 61. but have a mil who is 90 PTL
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Lord Jesus, thank you for being with Bestock.. Please strengthen her dearest Lord Jesus. Love, Jean
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Good afternoon, sisters. I am so thankful for friends who would drive 8 hours each way to spend 24 hours with us and be content to stay here and not do anything special or be entertained. My friend brought her nebulizer and a brand new attachment which she left with me in the event my doc wanted me to use one. I did a breathing treatment last night and another this morning before they left, and it actually broke up some stuff for the first time. After they left I curled up on the couch and slept for four hours. Most of the time they were here my friend sat by me on the couch and held me. She is a very comfortable person, and I was so comforted. DH and my cousin made dinner last night, which was delicious, and waffles from scratch for breakfast his morning. My cousin did so much to prepare the guest room for them, even leaving my friend's favorite chocolates on their pillows! I'm so thankful for our friends and for a healing weekend.
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Mags, so glad you had a good weekend - enjoy all the fussing! One of the things I've learned through the BC journey is that sometimes it's lots harder to be on the receiving end of service....but I have to remind myself that if I'm stubborn or proud, I take the chance of the blessing of serving away from others.
Becky, so sorry to hear about your scan results - and I've never even heard of your new treatment. That can be one of our praises today, though, right - through all the (sometimes silly) pink "awareness" this month, all the researching and trials have given us so many new treatments and options. We'll be praying for sure.
Nancy, happy birthday to mom! What a special time that you and your sister can share her special day. Give her a big hug from all of us - and thank her for raising such a caring, sensitive, Godly daughter!
God bless you, warriors!
Bev
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Becky, I know you have been through your share of "stuff" and I am sorry that you will be going through more but you know that we will be here praying for you all the way. I agree with Bev, there are more new things out there than was in earlier days and the more pink fundraisers that go on all over the country hopefully translates into more research and more options. Thanks for your nice comment about my mom. I am sorry you lost yours so early.
Mags, I am so glad that your breathing treatments seem to be breaking up your congestion. I am thankful for these friends that drove all those miles just to come and see you. How special is that! I am glad your friend was so comforting and that your cousin did such a fantastic job of making them feel welcome even down to the chocolates on the covers.
Bev, thank you for your nice comments. You are always such an encourager. When I told my mom some of everyone's comments she smiled. Thank you.
Getting ready to leave for our birthday dinner out. I hope everyone has enjoyed the weekend.
Love all of you,
Nancy
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Thanks Jean, Bev and Nancy and any others....for comments and prayers. I am amazed how much peace I have regarding this new treatment. ...Fixing our eyes on JESUS!! so glad we know HIM.
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Becky, are you bestock? I am praying hard for you and this treatment. It is good none of us has to walk alone. Even though you may feel that way at times you have opened your heart and your spirit will always be there to remind you.
Nancy, your mom is beautiful. My mom had dementia and it was so difficult for her. It just made the rest of us want to pull our hair out. But even when our loved one isn't the same anymore, if we watch long enough we can catch a glimpse. Enjoy your time and be sure to take deep breaths!
Mags, I hope your breathing is so much better. I can't imagine being so miserable. It's wonderful you have your sweet cousin and DH to take care of you. Take your time and don't hurry your recovery!
My lymphedema seems to be getting a bit worse as my arm is so stiff and I have a few more lumps. The pain behind my knee is worse but I'm not taking anything because I don't want to deal with any stomach issues. I have a PT appt a week from Monday that specializes in LE so I hope to get some relief. I'm working on stretching my arm daily. It's scary when it's so stiff. I know moving houses did its damage and I could just kick myself not keeping up with the exercises and massage.
Thank you for all your prayers in helping me find a church. I went to the Methodist church where our BC support group is held. I had meant to try it before but never did. It was great to have people that I know greet me and visit before I even went in the door! I think this church may work for me. I so hope it will. Once I put that request on this board, I knew that prayers were going up for me. It stopped being a burden and instead, it became peaceful. And I believe because of that, God showed me a place right there in front of me. I'll keep you all posted as I go through this journey.
I need to get a tablet to write down everyone's name before I start typing. But I read daily and pray for each of you. I am in such awe of many of you. Nothing that I've experienced touches the level of pain and sickness that I see others endure so I can only offer prayers. I believe in prayer even if mine are heard and answered in a way I don't understand.
Love and hugs...Polly
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Hello Sisters of Faith,
Trying to catch up on everyone's news. Blessings to all of you.
Mags: Hope the second antibiotic is working and breathing is improving.
Nancy: my wish is the same for my dad. That I could have him here for a few more years into retirement. I see the family resemblance. I think we had the same Sunset the other night. Went to grab the camera but it was in the back of the car and I in the front.
Becky: I am sorry about your scan but we all will keep you in prayer and yes you are traveling with the best friend we could possibly have.
Jean: Glad to hear you are in better spirits.
Lucy: Hope you are having some good days out there in the north west.
Vicks: I will be praying for your daughter continues to have improvement and her measurements continue to decline.
Deb and Kate: Thinking about both of you.
Bev: It must be so exciting to know that your almost done. I am so happy for you my friend. Hope the pups are okay. Still praying for Dave too. Yesterday, Jeff, dad, dogs and I drove to Kinsu Bridge Park and just to get my dad out of the house for a wonderful ride.
My race day is approaching. I give thanks to God for a glorious run on Satursay morning. It was a beautiful morning. Lots of deer crossing my path, quiet and cool. Before I knew it I had run about 1:49 and had completed my first 9.38 miles with no major issues or difficulties. My legs felt a bit tired but that was to be expected. I feel like my Nov. 9th 10 miler looks more doable. Well next week I am off to outdoor camp Mon.- Wed. with my fifth graders. Lots to do to get ready and I am trying to clean up my gardens, leaves, deer proof my yard and put my dad's water garden to bed. I know it will get done.
Off to bed.. Have a good week ladies.
Blessings,
Char
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okay...missed your post Polly. So glad to hear you may have found a church. So sorry to here about your lymphederma issues. I will keep it up in prayer. I have issues with my knee. I can barely bend it and I have a nice Baker's cyst on the back of my knee which makes it quite painful and difficult to kneel on.
Okay..now to bed.
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Hi my fellow warriors. This journey is proving to be a real roller coaster ride. Just when I get some peace, something else hits. Yesterday my hubby really lost it and reverted to some old behavior, blaming me for his temper. Again I can't trust him to support me. In many ways he is very immature and not very stable. I know he is trying but I just can't rely on him. I am also terribly disappointed with my church. It is a fairly large one with many ministries and though I have been active there for almost 10yrs no one in leadership has offered support to me. The pastors all know I have cancer. The pastor wives and women in the Mops and nursery where I served know. Also some from VBS. I asked the womens advocacy council if someone would at least call me. No reponse. I went there after service when hubby had a meltdown and practicaIly had to beg one of the pastors to talk with me for a few minutes. He asked me if I had a woman who I could talk to and when I said "not really" his response was "why not" as if it were my fault! Finally I just broke down sobbing. He then asked me if I would like a Stephen minister and I grasped at the suggestion like a drowning person. BYW this pastor is in charge of the celebrate recovery ministry that I have been active in for over 5 yrs and knows the difficult home situation. He was my husband's sponsor in CR but dropped the ball when he became a pastor. My sponsor has limited availability right now due to her elderly uncle who lives with her's deteriorating health. My sponsee and another lady from CR I befriended are in such chaotic situations they are barely keeping their heads above water. I am feeling so abandoned. I know to go to Jesus and that he is there but how I long for someone to just put their arms round me and tell me it's gonna be ok. I am really scared. Sorry for the vent but honestly I don't know where else to turn. Love, Jean
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Oh Jean, my heart breaks for you. Yes, I am familiar with that feeling of just needing someone. I went through the same thing with my church and I was a Stephen Minister! It seemed that no one really cared about each other unless everything was going well. I found myself in the chapel one day sobbing away. One of our several ministers was in there visiting as I sat praying and crying. Not once did she approach me, not once. I have never gotten over that. I didn't expect her to say anything, just sit beside me. When your heart is hurting, not just your body, but the part of you that longs for a shoulder, it makes whatever is wrong even worse when you can't find someone. Looking back, I mostly felt lonely there and even worse so in the last few years. I'm so sorry that happened to you. It won't get better there. I found that out so I'm visiting churches and it's hard but it's gotta be easier than sitting in that chapel on a lonely yet crowded day while sobbing.
How awful your DH is having a bad journey of his own. Please don't take any blame, that is his fear talking to you. Let us pray that he finds a way to be the kind of DH that you need and deserve. I don't know if he knows the Lord or not, but he definitely needs to find his way to Him. You are a fine brave woman and your faith shines through. It sounds as if he doubts himself so much that he has to strike out at you in the hopes you too will lower yourself. Instability, fear and anger all sound like a huge mess. If he won't get some kind of help to deal with his issues, then you have to find some kind of support to minister to your needs. I know we don't know each other but I wish I could sit with you just to listen to your words and hold your hand.
I will pray extra hard for you as you go through this time. Please let me know how it is going and how I can help. You touched my heart tonight. Hugs....Polly
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Polly thanks for your kind words. My hubby was saved after my last cancer. It was in August 09. I don't feel free to search for another church without my spouse. This is where he has a couple of good Christian brothers who support him. I know he is trying but when the old man surfaces, it scared me. Hoping God will provide a Stephen minister to help me through this. BTW, we are both 71 yrs old...to old for this baby nonsense. Love, Jean
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Jean,
I read your post and needed to get to bed as it was very late. I prayed and prayed for you and then couldn't sleep and thought I would get up and write to you. This morning before going to church I watched some of Pastor David Jeremiah's sermon from Revelation on TV. He was talking about the Dragon with seven heads which of course is Satan. I had never heard a message from Revelation that was put so simply and easy to understand. He said the seven heads represented how intelligent Satan is. I was reading some of your recent posts and in one of them you were thankful your DH was keeping it together. Satan attacks us at our weakest point and believe me he knows where his fiery darts will do the most damage. What better place to attack you by going through your husband. Sometimes when we get knocked down we are not always aware that we are in a spiritual battle. Of course Satan would love to keep us in the dark. Once we realize who we are in the Lord and that He who is in us is greater than he who is in the world we realize that we have the power to defeat our spiritual enemy who's goal is to kill and destroy us. I am praying that the Lord will give you the courage to rise up and fight against the enemy. I am also praying that God will give you someone in the flesh who you can talk to and pray with and cry with. Your husband is a fairly new Christian and he is still young in the Lord. We are all growing and from time to time I imagine every one of us reverts back to our old self because none of us is perfect. The Lord will meet us at our point of need. I believe that with my whole heart. He is not going to leave you hanging without a lifeline. There is more strength inside of you that you have not fully realized. I am praying for you and I know others will be also.
Love,
Nancy
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Polly, I read some of your nice comments to my mom and I know she was very pleased. I am so glad that it looks like God answered our prayers for you regarding a church home. PTL. Since I spend a third of the year at my mom's she and my sister go to a Methodist Church and I was raised in a Methodist Church so I find myself in their church a lot. I am so glad that you knew people from your BC support group and that they made you feel welcome. God is good and He does answer our prayers especially the kind of prayers that will draw us closer to Him.
Since it is going on 4am I need to get some sleep. Will write to others tomorrow. I had a good time with my sister and mom tonight. After we went out to dinner for her birthday we came back to my sister's house. My niece had sent my mom a little 250 piece jigsaw puzzle so we spent the night working that to completion. I don't think any of us had worked a jigsaw puzzle in a very long time and it was some good quality time together doing something fun.
Lucy, Can't wait to hear how your retreat went.
Love you all,
Nancy
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Oh, Jean, I'm so sorry for your hard day - and you're just right, so often Satan hits us right after we're having a good experience. Last week the pastor pointed out that right after John baptized Jesus, God affirmed His love for Jesus - then Jesus went into the desert and was tempted by Satan. Whew - that's a roller coaster for sure!
As I read about you and your husband, I remembered how I was feeling a year ago. I had a pretty easy time with chemo but especially the first couple of days after every treatment I felt pretty strange but I was able to go about my normal schedule - then pretty much crashed at home. Dave is very stoic and rarely asked me how I was doing or how I felt. I blew up one time and angrily reminded him that I was having poison pumped into my body - how could he not care and ask me how I was doing..... Of course, he (rationally) responded that since I was still doing pretty much everything I always did (as far as volunteer activities, errands, etc.), he figured I was doing okay and if I wasn't, I'd let him know. Well, I guess that makes sense now (maybe) but I was still disappointed that he wasn't being more nurturing.
As far as support at church, I have lots of that and am very blessed. Several gave me sweet gifts - everything from planters to home-made books of Bible verses. However - not once did anybody bring me a meal, which (being in the southern Bible belt), I thought was pretty much mandatory.
At one point, one of the ladies from my Bible study said they'd talked about bringing me a meal but then knew I didn't want that. Huh???? How do you suppose they knew that?!Anyway - I'm sure praying for you and wish Texas was just a little bit closer to NY so we could get together. We love you and are calling down God's angels to minister to you, sweet sister.
Char, so glad the running is going well! Hope you have a wonderful week with your kids!
love, Bev
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Grateful for getting through a very difficult night emotional and physical. Love, Jean
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Grateful today for the much needed rain.
Um, Lord, would you please convince my dogs that they won't melt if they go outside to do their business? I, and the carpets, would be grateful.
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DAY # 25 OF 50 DAYS OF GRATITUDE
I GOOFED ON THE DAYS AND HAVE CORRECTED IT. We are half way through our 50 day journey of gratefulness.
I think possibly what the Lord wanted to teach us in this journey is that we should not set a number of days to do this but we should be doing this every single day and this is giving us a discipline to go forward in that effort.Today I am grateful for the gift of music. I majored in music in college because my love and passion for music was at the fore front of my life. I was not a Christian until the summer going into my senior year of college. Now music touches me in a much deeper and more meaningful way. God speaks to us through music. When I was driving to my mom's and praying for all of you I was listening to my Christian music station. They played this song that I hadn't heard at all this year and chills were going up and down my whole body while listening to this powerful song. I was going to post a link and decided not to. I will tell you the song and if you want to explore it for yourself you certainly can. I don't ever want to present anything that would be divisive on this board and when it comes to worship and style of music that can unfortunately become just that.....divisive. I love the old traditional hymns but the music that I listen to and experience in my church is more modern with guitars and drums etc. You probably get the picture. If you would like to listen to this song in a modern and non traditional setting here is the info.
The song is How Great is Our God the world version with Chris Tomlin on Youtube. You may be familiar with this worship song but you may not have heard it in this version. I even got chills again listening to the beginning music intro. a few minutes ago.
Have a wonderful day.
Love you all,
Nancy
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Nancy, I love Chris Tomlin, and that is a favorite hymn. I will certainly be looking for that. Thank you.
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hey Mags - dog trivia (may or may not be true - but I just read it)....supposedly dogs don't hesitate about going outside in the rain because they don't want to get wet but because the rain sounds so loud, it hurts their ears?
(not sure that helps you or your carpets though.....)
Also - I think you're the one that told us about the warm fuzzy thread - I love it! Thanks - it's always good for a smile. Don't know where you all find all the good stuff!
Hope the breathing is better....
I'm grateful for 1/2" of rain today - and now sunshine. We moved to Texas in 2011 in the midst of a terrible drought so we're always happy for rain - those flowers and green landscapes are so gorgeous. (Nancy, I don't think I ever said it but I loved the picture of your yard - House Beautiful material for sure!)
Bev
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Thanks Bev. Without my usual planting a gazillion flowers this year everything just seems out of whack. I feel like I have been in a time warp. The thought of the Holidays coming is just beyond belief for me.
BTW Your rain translated into the tornado sirens going off a few minutes ago for us. My mom is so hard hearing and has the TV so loud that I thought I heard something. I told her to turn the TV down and I opened the front door and the tornado sirens were sounding. We quickly went in the basement and Cammie was in her carrier already sleeping so I closed the carrier door and took her downstairs. It was a challenge between my cat meowing at the top of her lungs and my mom obsessing about certain things. Thank God we didn't have to stay down there long. It is an unfinished basement and in need of many things which can become easily overwhelming to me if I think about it too much.
We are back upstairs now and all is right with the world at least in our little house here. PTL
Mags, I hope you are breathing easier and feeling better. I love Chris Tomlin too and he certainly isn't bad to look at either.
Char, I am glad you were able to take your Dad out. I have never told you how much I admire you for raising your nephews. That had to be a huge sacrifice. Glad your training is going well despite your knee.
Becky, thinking of you today and praying for you. You have a lot of strength.
Katew, Even though I don't know you I am praying for your difficult situation.
Anita, How are you doing? Haven't heard from you for a little while.
Bev, I am sorry to hear when you were going through your initial chemo that things weren't as supportive on the home front as you had wished. I think men have a mindset to fix things and if they don't see that things need fixing then they might seem inattentive to your needs. I think we have to S P E L L I T O U T F O R T H E M! For privacy sake I won't say too much but I think I understand. I am still praying for the Davids, Dave and Howard.
Love you all,
Nancy
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hi Nancy and everybody,
We're getting plenty of rain these days are you? I find that my emotions are up n down. I seem to hold back from joining in to travel and activities. Uh, my company is here more later.Anita
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