God Is Great. God Is Good!

Friday February 7, 1992

We take care of business around the house. At 4:30 we go to the movies to see Prince Of Tides. It's a good movie about a man with a dark childhood he has refused to face until now.

We spend the evening at home and watch a movie.

God is great. God is good! I feel so good as far as my ovarian cancer is concerned. I still believe God will heal me. I have just put my problem in His hands and I really never think of it except when I pray--often. I ask Him to touch me, heal me, take away the cancers. If I'm wrong, that's OK too. I intend to live every day as normal as is possible, making plans for the future and enjoying every minute of my life.

Her absolute faith that God would heal her reassured all who loved her that she would win this battle. Even in her final days, I was in denial that she was dying. After all, she had been reassuring me for 2 years that God would heal her and not to worry. I love her statement that she intends to live every day as normal as is possible even if God did not answer her prayers. She certainly did that!

God Helps Those Who Help Themselves

Tuesday September 3, 1991

Up at our usual 7:20. I ache all over, especially my back and knees. I'm sure it's from the housework I did yesterday. So what's new? Life must go on. I'm sure not going to ask Frank to do any more than he already does. The house is my job. The aches and pains get some better as the day progresses. I feel I would have less aches and pains if I'd lose 30 or 40 pounds. I cannot ask God to help with this problem until I've done my part by losing the weight. God helps those who help themselves. God always answers my requests in prayer but I'm careful to ask for reasonable things. I did lose one pound yesterday. I'm in the mood to try harder to lose weight.

Thank you for the inspiration, Mom. I have been feeling the same way lately. Right now I am the same age you were when you made this entry in your journal. My back has hurt every day for years, and lately my right knee hurts too. I take water aerobics 3 times per week which helps my back pain immensely, and I hike on the days when I don't have class unless it's raining, but I need to get my nighttime snacking under control. Hebrews 12:1 says "Let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us." For me the first part of this scripture is about losing the weight and how overeating trips me up and the second part is about keeping my body strong with exercise. I am claiming this scripture for myself this year.

God is Working Through Me

Monday June 24, 1991

I awake at 7:20 ready to get up. I am sleeping very well these days, and feeling very positive about my cancer. I feel so well it's easy to just know I am getting better every day. I know the tumors are shrinking daily. My thoughts are constantly positive. Actually, I rarely even think about my cancer, but somehow I seem to find a reason to share it with most everyone I meet. I don't do it for sympathy. I seem to just want to share my good news about how God is working through me. My story is so positive and good. People seem drawn to me and truly like me. It's always been that way, all my life. Maybe that's just because I'm so positive about life. Life is good, but there are always challenges.

We take our walk in the morning and go square dancing in the evening.

It has been 4 months since I began reading mom's journals and posting to this blog. I'm always excited to see what she has to say next. It has taken me almost 20 years to begin reading her journal. This journey has been an adventure for me, part travelogue, part medical education, but most importantly a spiritual journey. Her attitude is always positive, trusting God through the power of prayer. It takes alot of courage to share her story with friends and sometimes even strangers. I love her statement that she wants to share the good news about how God is working through her, about how life is good, but there are always challenges. It reminds me of Romans 8:28 which says "We know that in ALL things God works for the good of those who love Him who have been called according to his purpose." Mom did not view her cancer as a catastrophe or a crisis, but simply all part of God's plan to do good in her life.