Update on Mom

Thanks a ton to so many of you who are praying for Mom and my family during these days. Yesterday Mom had an appointment with a specialist/surgeon in Nashville. She felt good about the Doctor. This Wednesday she has the PET scan which will be looking over her whole body for any cancer hot spots. Very soon, probably next week she will have a MRI on her breasts. The doctor is confident that the MRI will show the source of the cancer. Thus far, we still do not know where the source of her cancer is. I am still praying daily that God would fully remove all the cancer in Mom's body. While if it is breast cancer it proves to be a more hopeful situation than if it the cancer was somewhere else, Our hope is strong regardless because it is in our faithful Lord. Please pray for my family that we will provide a peaceful and loving support for Mom during these trying days. Thanks!

Trusting the Almighty Today

Most of you reading this know by now that my Mom has some form of cancer. I never thought I'd be hoping that my mom had breast cancer, but right now it would be significantly better than many of the alternatives. I'm actually praying that God would completely heal her and purge all the cancer that is in her body. He is one who raises the dead you know. Thank you to so many of you who are praying for my family during these days. Today Mom had a bone scan and a CT scan and both have come back the way we hoped and prayed. Nothing in the bone. Nothing in the pelvic, lung, abdomen area. She will go and see the oncologist tomorrow and Lord willing have a pep-scan soon to try to find out exactly what/where we are dealing with. I will try to keep you posted...and until then thanks again for your prayers.

Jack is still growing and kicking. These are the last pregnant pictures of Susan that will find themselves on the blog (or so she says). Jack is due January 1st, but we are thinking he will come a little earlier than that...see if you agree. 23 weeks vs 33 weeks...

With all of life's issues, we are Trusting the Almighty today!

Gods Purposes, Not Mine

I don’t know where you are today in life, but Freddy and I find ourselves waiting and seeking God’s will for us as we look to the near future. Sometimes for me waiting is really hard. God has been so gracious to me to bring me to a place of contentment in this waiting period, but even then I have to guard myself against the sin of being in control of my life. I’m often tempted to want to write my own story, a story that sounds like it’s the best for me regardless of what God wants. I’ve been so convicted of the pride that lies beneath that mind set.

This morning the Lord spoke to my heart as I read what Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest, has to say about this very subject.

After sanctification, it is difficult to state what your purpose in life is, because God has moved you into His purpose through the Holy Spirit. He is using you now for His purposes throughout the world as He used His Son for the purpose of our salvation. If you seek great things for yourself, thinking, "God has called me for this and for that," you barricade God from using you. As long as you maintain your own personal interests and ambitions, you cannot be completely aligned or identified with God’s interests. This can only be accomplished by giving up all of your personal plans once and for all, and by allowing God to take you directly into His purpose for the world. Your understanding of your ways must also be surrendered, because they are now the ways of the Lord.

I must learn that the purpose of my life belongs to God, not me. God is using me from His great personal perspective, and all He asks of me is that I trust Him. I should never say, "Lord, this causes me such heartache." To talk that way makes me a stumbling block. When I stop telling God what I want, He can freely work His will in me without any hindrance. He can crush me, exalt me, or do anything else He chooses. He simply asks me to have absolute faith in Him and His goodness. Self-pity is of the devil, and if I wallow in it I cannot be used by God for His purpose in the world. Doing this creates for me my own cozy "world within the world," and God will not be allowed to move me from it because of my fear of being "frost-bitten." (emphasis mine)

Baby Update

Today I’m 32 weeks pregnant. It’s been a fun journey, but I’m really starting to feel the ailments that come with the territory. Jack is taking full advantage of all the room he has and normally has his feet planted in my ribs. Every now and then he gives me a break, but it’s rare. So, some things we take for granted, like breathing, is much harder and that is just when I’m sitting down, let alone up and moving. I had a doctor’s appointment last Friday, she said everything looked good. He is measuring about a week and a half further along so he could be here by Christmas or a little before. I’d welcome him as soon as he is fully capable to live in the real world on his own.

We’ve had a few showers and people have been so generous. We’ve had a lot of fun getting Jack’s stuff organized and put away, now all we need is Jack! We’ll post a picture sometime this week. If you’ve seen me at all you know I’m huge. The doctor didn’t seem concerned. Freddy has been out of town for the past week and is due back tonight, I’ll get him to take a picture, but enjoy it… it’s probably the last one of me pregnant I’ll be willing to post. The next ones will have to be of Jack himself!