Home Again

Hello all,
 Praise to God, I am home. Thank you all for praying. The doctors said that my surgery went well. I'm still in pain, but it feels good to be back in my own home with my family. I'll write more when I feel up to it. Thank you again!
Laura
So Thankful

Today is Surgery Day, Please Pray for Me

Today is surgery day. Please pray for me. I will be away from the blog for awhile. I'm not sure how soon I will feel up to typing again. I have excellent surgeons, and I trust God will guide their hands as well as those of the staff members who care for me. Thank you all for going through this cancer journey with me. It's not been fun, but you've all encouraged me so much along the way. Thank you for your patience with me especially these last few weeks. 

Fear not, for I am with you;
Be not dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you,
Yes, I will help you,
I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’
Isaiah 41:10

And He (Jesus) said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction.” Mark 5:34

O Lord my God, I cried out to You, And You healed me.
Psalm 30:2

Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.
3 John 1:2

Be blessed!
I'll be back when I feel up to typing again.
Thank you for keeping me in your prayers as I heal.

Laura
Trusting in my Jesus

Let me tell you about Jesus.

~~~~~

Related Posts:

He's Fighting My Battles ~ Trusting God with This Day ~ Breast Cancer Journey

The Post I've Been Avoiding The Diagnosis
The Lord is My Strength. In Christ Alone I Put My Trust
~~~~~

He's Fighting My Battles ~ Trusting God with This Day ~ Breast Cancer Journey

Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash

Dear Readers,

You all have been so sweet and kind to me through this breast cancer journey. I am so encouraged by your comments and cards and gifts. God has been so good to me as I focus on the process of getting well. 

When I found out about the cancer, I was not angry. 

God didn't give me cancer.
It rains on the just and the unjust. 

God did see what Satan was going to do, and He made sure I had all the things I needed to fight this cancer including health insurance and the Word of faith inside me. I do not feel like I am fighting cancer at all. God is fighting the battle for me.

His name is Jehovah Sabaoth 

which means Lord of Hosts, 

leader in the battle. 

Truthfully, after the initial shock, I could see so many things that God had set in motion to help me, I got rather excited!

He is an awesome God! 

He will get glory from this!

God will see me through this. He saw me through chemotherapy. He will see me through surgery. Yes, I get scared once in awhile. When I get fearful, I have to change my focus to God, trust Him, and just go through this day. He will be with me in every "this day." Every bit of strength and hope and faith comes from God Himself.

"Faith comes by hearing 

and hearing by the Word of God." 
Romans 10:17

Saturate yourself with the Word of God! Read it, listen to it on Bible Gateway or Bible.com. Listening is a great way to get the Word inside you! Listen over and over until it changes the way you think and speak!

Dear reader, there is nothing I want more for you than that you should draw closer to God. He loves you so much. No matter what you're going through, He is the one who will take you through "this day". He will never leave you nor forsake you. He is your ever present help in times of trouble. But first—you must reach out to him.

You must believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.

God bless you all!

Thank you so much for your prayers.

Laura

Trusting God with this day each day

Meet Jesus.

~~~~~

Related Posts:
The Post I've Been Avoiding The Diagnosis
The Lord is My Strength. In Christ Alone I Put My Trust
~~~~~

Out of Control

Happy Fall,

I'm choosing to be happy in spite of breast cancer and difficult circumstances! You can choose to be happy, too! Grab all the joy you can from the season!

I have a Doxie mix. Mama was Dachshund, papa was a ramblin' man.
She's got the Doxie attitude though. She's been a little rascal to train.
Who am I kidding? We didn't train her, she trained us! We've just come to
an understanding. ~grin~

She's three now. When she was six months old, the only reason I kept her is because I knew someone would tie her up to a tree and leave her there. This mama's heart couldn't let that happen. So we kept her.

We finally began to bond over vegetables. I gave her some little pieces of veggies one day while cutting up a salad. She loves veggies, and she's come to love me...sort of...while I'm cutting up veggies or deboning chicken. ~smile~  After all this time, I enjoy her company. While she's not really an affectionate dog, she does show "love" in her own ways. She's not the cake I wanted, but she's a good cake. Thanks Sonya for that phrase. ~smile~

It kind of reminds me of the people in our lives. We imagine what we think our husband, our children and our friends will be like. We try to plan out our futures. We try to control everything and everyone to make them conform to our hopes, dreams, and plans. The problem is, each person has their own personality, their own hopes, dreams and plans. And they're probably not our hopes, dreams, and plans. Everyone wants to be in control. That doesn't work so well.

Nothing in this cancer journey has been what I imagined what it would be like. It's been easier in some ways; it's been harder in some ways. I've been surprised at some of the people who have prayed, encouraged, and helped me; and, I've been surprised at some of the people that I thought would help me through who seem to have checked out for whatever reason. It's all made me feel so blessed and so sad by turns.

One thing I'm learning is that I really don't have as much control as I once thought I did. I had one date in October that I did not want to have surgery. That's the date the surgeon scheduled for me. My surgery is the 20th. My daughter, Emily, will perform in public for the first time the next day at the Maple Leaf Festival. I'll still be in the hospital. That made me cry for awhile on the way home from the doctor's office.

I don't control my times for appointments, surgery, IV infusions, or radiation. I cannot control my family's behavior. Sometimes I feel like I can't even control my own behavior! But God. He's teaching me through this. What? I'm not totally sure yet, but I think trust is one thing. I have to learn to trust Him to take care of me when I cannot take care of myself. I have to trust that He will bring the right people to help me at the right times. It's hard.

As moms, we have to control so much, especially when are kids are young. Now I'm learning how to be out of control, and I'm not liking it one bit. ~smile~ The song Learning to Lean on Jesus just came to mind.

I'll leave you for now with a request that you will pray for all the people involved in my surgery on the 20th and my hospital stay. You've all been so good to pray for me through all this. I receive so many encouraging comments and notes.

May God bless you richly as you draw close to Him!

Laura

Digging Deeper Still in the Archives

Hello everyone! I thought you might enjoy reading a few posts that I've found in the archives recently. God bless you all!

Misses and Wishes and Thanks— My Mom

What Miracle Are You Depending on God to Bring to Pass?

Finding Peace in Troubled Times

Saving Money with Jars... Reduce... Reuse... Recycle...

8 - No, 10 Ways to Fight a Cold

Sharing With Sarah at Pink Sunday

Happy Homemaker Monday ~ October 9, 2017

As I write ... Sunday evening

The weather....  Pleasant day, sunny with a few clouds floating overhead, not too hot, not too chilly. As evening came on, it grew chilly—just as fall evenings should be!

Right now I am... just relaxing.

Thinking... I'm thinking about my upcoming surgery. I will have my bilateral mastectomy on October 20th. I'm thinking about who might be available to help me after my surgery. 

A quote to share... 

♥♥♥♥♥

♥♥♥♥♥ 

On my reading pile...  Believe it or not, I don't really have a reading pile right now. I usually have books to review, but I've been declining offers for the last few months. I'm still reading Bible Faith Study Course slowly. There's just so much good teaching in it.

Favorite blog post last week...  

• Buttermilk Cottage's New Corporate Headquarters - I didn't read it this week, but I just wanted to share her dreamy sewing/crafting/writing room.
• Patsi at A Working Pantry shared her Fall Bucket List
• Don't miss My Fall Bucket List.

Something fun to share... 

On the menu for this week...

• Monday...   Ham steak, broccoli, and side salad
• Tuesday...   Chicken and dumplings with mashed potatoes
• Wednesday...  Church supper - bbq pulled pork or chicken sandwich
• Thursday...  Something with chicken breasts
• Friday...  Family Movie Night at church... We'll probably eat concessions.

On my to do list... 

• Make a list of everything I want to do before surgery.
• Do some things on my bucket list.
• Put out some more fall decorations.

In the workbasket...  

• I've just cast on a hat. I love having a knitting project on the needles.
• I usually keep a dishcloth on my crochet hook. I like knitted cloths, too, but they take much longer to knit. I use dishcloths for small gifts.
• I'm embarrassed that this is still on my list! I really should hem my husband's jeans. They've been waiting awhile. I'm always afraid to make the cut!
• I need to hem my daughter's work pants, too.

Looking forward to this week...

•  Monday - pre-op appointment at the hospital
• Thursday - My friend is coming to help me around the house.
• Saturday - We're taking all our kids, even the grown ones, on a destination unknown. I'd love to tell you where we're going, but this would be the one time they actually read my blog if I did!

Looking around the house...  I see so much that I want done before surgery, but I'll just have to accept that I haven't regained my strength, stamina, and energy after chemo yet. 

From the camera... 

Salmon Salad

Devotional...   

• Frightened of God
• Blessed Among Women in My Own Generation

On my prayer list...

Peace of Jerusalem and Israel






Wisdom, health, and protection for President Trump, Vice-President Pence, and their families. 






Healing for our country so that we may be ONE nation under God.






Cancer will die the death in my body. My heart, brain, organs, spleen, and healthy cells will be protected. I will live and not die and declare the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Psalm 118:17

My prayer for you, my reader...

Jesus, I thank you that you hear our prayers. Father, I thank you for sending Jesus. Holy Spirit, I thank you for being our comforter and our teacher. Lord God, three in one, I thank you that you personally know each one of my readers. You know each one's needs, fears, hopes, problems, pains, and illnesses. I ask you God to speak directly to each one, to meet each person's needs, and heal each physical problem. Bless each spiritually, physically, socially, and financially. I ask it all by the power of the Blood of Jesus, in Jesus' Name. Amen.

Thanks for dropping by!

Please say hello.
Laura
Trusting in God's timing, provision, and healing power

Joining with Sandra at Happy Homemaker Monday.
~~~~~

Classical Homemaking

Fall Bucket List 2017

This promises to be a Fall like no other.

I'll be having mastectomy surgery on October 20th. 

I've made an ambitious list, I know. 

I want to squeeze all the joy I can from the season.

I'll just enjoy what I can, and trust God that 

Autumn will come again.

I'll change each item to italics as I complete it. 

• Write my fall bucket list
• Celebrate First Day of Fall September 22nd
• Celebrate end of chemo cycle September 29th
• Enjoy candy pumpkins
• Sip apple cider
• Shop for a new sweater - I've looked online. Nothing yet.
• Burn cinnamony, pumpkiny, spicy fall candles
• Queen's Apples - apple slices with caramel and pecans
• Knit a hat ~ I cast on October 7th. Finished October 12th.
• Baked cookies with Amy.
• Destination Unknown with the kids- Lamberts' Thrown Rolls
• Listen to Christmas music
• Watch Christmas movies*  
• Lunch with Rebecca and Amber
• Mastectomy Surgery October 20th - Home now. Doctors say it went well. Still in pain. Updated 10/24.
• Gaze into the fire in our woodstove
• Take a drive to look at fall foliage 
• Pumpkin pie
• Curl up with a terrific book
• Enjoy a candle lit evening
• Enjoy a play at Stained Glass Theater - Arsenic and Old Lace
• Drink eggnog
• Try a new soup or stew - A friend brought lasagna soup
• Take a walk and enjoy the maple leaves
• Read a wonderful Christmas book ~ Christmas at Grey Sage
• Bake bread ~ My Lowell did it for me.
• Worship God under the stars
• Collect leaves to decorate
• Celebrate Thanksgiving
• Hurrah for the pecan pie!
• Read by candlelight or lamplight
• Decorate Tree with the Kids
• Make friendship tea
• Bake pumpkin shaped cut out sugar cookies
• Roast marshmallows for s'mores
• Go to a bonfire or enjoy our outdoor fireplace
• Make Christmas gifts
• Harvest Celebration Cake
• Make bitty blessings from the Lanes
• Plan Christmas gifts
• Make apple crisp

Have you made a Fall Bucket List?
Please share your link in the comments.

Thank you for your prayers.

Laura
Squeezing Out the Joy

Well, I didn't finish the list, but I enjoyed
the season far more than if I hadn't made a list.
God bless us every one.
December 1, 2017

*
Christmas movies I've watched this Fall:
A Christmas Snow
Christmas Tail
 All I Want for Christmas
Christmas in Connecticut