My mother-in-love is married to a wonderful man. He had colon cancer right before they got married almost 10 years ago. Just this past summer, we found out that the cancer had returned and spread to the liver. The first round of chemo seemed to be shrinking the tumors, but after the second round, it was discovered that they were growing. The week of Thanksgiving something happened and he began to lose his ability to speak properly (sort of like a stroke victim). Our family traveled home on Thanksgiving Day and were able to see him and visit. On Friday, he made the decision not to seek any more treatment for his cancer. He is in hospice care at his home. As of this morning (11/28/10) he was unable to get out of bed. He is dying and it's going more quickly than any of us expected.
He is not afraid to die. He knows he is going to be with Jesus when he breathes his last breath here on earth. However, I know he would love more time here on earth with his wife and family. They only had a few short years together. His grandson is getting married in May. All reasons for wanting to stay here.
As you can probably tell, I process by writing. As I was thinking about how quickly he is passing, the Lord gave me this poem yesterday. I shared it at church this morning at our Thanksgiving testimony service.
THANKFUL
Thankful for my "family"
At the corner of Engler and 41
Thankful for the bond we share
Through Jesus Christ, the Son
Thankful for your heartfelt prayers
For a couple you hardly know
Thankful for this body of Christ
That supports each other so
Thankful for the comfort that comes
From knowing that you prayed
Thankful Jesus rose again
Of death we needn't be afraid
Thankful that neither death nor life
Nor anything else in all the world
Is able to separate us from the love of God
That is in Jesus Christ our Lord
Thankful to boldly come to the Throne
And receive grace in our time of need
Thankful for the Spirit of God
Who comforts us in our grief
Thankful when Howard breathes his last
He'll finally be "safely home"
Thankful for God's promise that Mavis
Will never be alone
Thankful for the peace that comes
From knowing where he'll be
Thankful he'll be completely healed
Enjoying eternity
Thankful for we know that our
Goodbyes are not the end
Thankful for the hope we have
Of being together again
Thankful one day the trumpet will sound
Together we'll meet in the air
Thankful to be reunited at last
Forever to be with God there
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Overwhelmed by God's provision
The Man of the Place is a hunter. Has been since he was a young boy. Probably will be until he's too old to see well enough and too feeble to hold the gun steady enough. So, when the first weekend of November comes around, I become a "deer widow" for a few days. This year was no different. He normally hunts "back home," around the area where he grew up. His nephew is now old enough to hunt and the two of them made plans to hunt together.
The five beautiful princesses and I did not go home to Grandma's with him like we usually do. Grandpa has been really sick and I had to do the "put-away-the-summer-clothes-and-take-out-the-winter-ones" job. So, all day Saturday I waited for the phone to ring with the news that he'd gotten one. When we talked Saturday evening, no such luck.
Sunday afternoon I went on Facebook and his sister had posted only moments before that there had been success. Two deer had been shot, one by her son and one by The Man of the Place. I immediately dialed his cell phone and spoke to a very happy hunter. As we spoke, he told me that his neice had also gotten one. TOTAL DEER - 3
The Man of the Place does not hunt just for fun. He hunts to put food on the table. He does all the butchering himself and I grind the meat into venison hamburger and wrap the steaks and roasts that he cuts out. I also can cubed meat and boil the bones off to make venison broth which we can and use all year for soup and stew. When I add up all that we get off one deer after paying only $27 for the license, it's almost like eating for free.
This year was even better. The Man came home with his nice 8-point buck and the two doe from his neice and nephew. He had his work cut out for him for the next two days. Then, on Tuesday morning at 6:30, the Carver County Police called saying that they had a deer for us (killed in a car/deer accident) if we wanted it. The Man went to get it and came home with not one, but two. Another one had been hit as he was picking up the first one. TOTAL DEER - 5
As you can imagine, Tuesday was a busy day. At 7:00 that night, the phone rings and it's the police again saying, "We've got another one for you if you want it." Yes, we did. TOTAL DEER - 6.
God sometimes blows me away. Not only did He give us what we needed, but two extra which we were able to give to friends who needed meat. I remember saying to The Man at 1:00 a.m. on Wednesday morning, "I'm a little overwhelmed by God's provision." :-)
Why am I always amazed and surprised when God does things like this? Doesn't He promise to supply all of our needs out of His riches in glory? Doesn't He promise to do exceedingly, abundantly above all that we ask or think? Doesn't He delight in giving good things to His children? Why am I always surprised by it? It's just God being who He says He is and doing what He said He would do. How these experiences build my faith and make me trust Him more. He does own the "deer" on a thousand hills. I guess He's just managing His herd by blessing our family and my friend's family with so many.
The five beautiful princesses and I did not go home to Grandma's with him like we usually do. Grandpa has been really sick and I had to do the "put-away-the-summer-clothes-and-take-out-the-winter-ones" job. So, all day Saturday I waited for the phone to ring with the news that he'd gotten one. When we talked Saturday evening, no such luck.
Sunday afternoon I went on Facebook and his sister had posted only moments before that there had been success. Two deer had been shot, one by her son and one by The Man of the Place. I immediately dialed his cell phone and spoke to a very happy hunter. As we spoke, he told me that his neice had also gotten one. TOTAL DEER - 3
The Man of the Place does not hunt just for fun. He hunts to put food on the table. He does all the butchering himself and I grind the meat into venison hamburger and wrap the steaks and roasts that he cuts out. I also can cubed meat and boil the bones off to make venison broth which we can and use all year for soup and stew. When I add up all that we get off one deer after paying only $27 for the license, it's almost like eating for free.
This year was even better. The Man came home with his nice 8-point buck and the two doe from his neice and nephew. He had his work cut out for him for the next two days. Then, on Tuesday morning at 6:30, the Carver County Police called saying that they had a deer for us (killed in a car/deer accident) if we wanted it. The Man went to get it and came home with not one, but two. Another one had been hit as he was picking up the first one. TOTAL DEER - 5
As you can imagine, Tuesday was a busy day. At 7:00 that night, the phone rings and it's the police again saying, "We've got another one for you if you want it." Yes, we did. TOTAL DEER - 6.
God sometimes blows me away. Not only did He give us what we needed, but two extra which we were able to give to friends who needed meat. I remember saying to The Man at 1:00 a.m. on Wednesday morning, "I'm a little overwhelmed by God's provision." :-)
Why am I always amazed and surprised when God does things like this? Doesn't He promise to supply all of our needs out of His riches in glory? Doesn't He promise to do exceedingly, abundantly above all that we ask or think? Doesn't He delight in giving good things to His children? Why am I always surprised by it? It's just God being who He says He is and doing what He said He would do. How these experiences build my faith and make me trust Him more. He does own the "deer" on a thousand hills. I guess He's just managing His herd by blessing our family and my friend's family with so many.
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