With Hope - Steven Curtis Chapman

Today's post is a song of comfort for anyone who has lost a loved one. May Stephen's words bring you comfort and grace and reminding you of the hope of heaven to come.

Music and Lyrics by Steven Curtis Chapman
Speechless, 1999, Sparrow Records
No copyright infringement intended

Based on 1 Thess. 4:13-14 and Heb. 6:9, 10:23


This is not at all how
We thought it was supposed to be
We had so many plans for you
We had so many dreamsAnd now you've gone away
And left us with the memories of your smile
And nothing we can say
And nothing we can do
Can take away the pain
The pain of losing you, but ...

We can cry with hope
We can say goodbye with hope
'Cause we know our goodbye is not the end, oh no
And we can grieve with hope
'Cause we believe with hope
(There's a place by God's grace)
There's a place where we'll see your face again

We'll see your face again
And never have I known
Anything so hard to understand
And never have I questioned more
The wisdom of God's plan
But through the cloud of tears
I see the Father's smile and say well done
And I imagine youWhere you wanted most to be
Seeing all your dreams come true
'Cause now you're homeAnd now you're free, and ...

We have this hope as an anchor
'Cause we believe that everything
God promised us is true, so ...

We wait with hope
And we ache with hope
We hold on with hope
We let go with hope

We wait with hope

Support for the tremendous stress of caregivers

"People who are taking care of a family member with lung cancer need support for the entire time that their loved one is terminally ill because they encounter tremendous stress during the dying process, a new study has found."

Read more about this new study by Scott A. Murray, of the University of Edinburgh reported on Yahoo news. Click on the link below:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/hsn/20100612/hl_hsn/familycaregiversshareexperiencesofdyingpatients

Top 50 Cancer Survival Inspiration Blogs

I recently found a great post on the link below. I hope you will find it useful, inspiring and a great way to connect with others struggling with the issues cancer brings to our lives.

"Top 50 Cancer Survival Inspiration Blogs
Once diagnosed with cancer, patients can feel isolated and alone, even from those closest to them. Using the internet as a tool, now they can reach out to anyone, anywhere in the world who wants to share their experience with this devastating disease. They can research, ask questions, post their own story, or they can simply read the stories of those who have been where they are going. From breast cancer to leukemia, these 50 sites cover a variety of subjects."

http://http//radiologytechnicianschools.net/top-50-cancer-survival-inspiration-blogs/

Eating Whataburgers in the Car

Yesterday I sat in my car in Target's parking lot, eating a hamburger and thinking wistfully about my dad.

Dad died April 1, 2004 of esophageal cancer. I was down in Texas taking care of him back then. In the months preceding his death, a tumor in his esophagus left him unable to swallow anything that could not fit through a straw. This made eating quite a challenge. If that wasn’t bad enough, Dad also suffered from dementia (possibly from cancer in his brain) so he really didn’t understand or remember that he had to be very careful about what he ate.

Consequently, anytime we were eating together we'd eat only liquids or something super soft that could fit down his obstructed esophagus. His favorite, his “comfort food”, was Milk Toast, which if you’re not an "old timer" from Texas you may think that is just a term used to describe a wimp. Milk Toast is hot milk poured over buttery toast, and really not too bad, but it's not getting featured on the Food Channel anytime soon, either. Most of the time it was the Jell-O and soup which was fine for both of us. Plus it was a good reminder to me of what Dad was going through, of how much he'd lost to not be able to even eat normally.

Occasionally though, I'd get really hungry for some "chewable" food and sneak off to get a "Whataburger". The first time I did it, I sat in the restaurant and ate. When I walked into the house an hour later Dad asked me where the hamburgers were. He could smell them from my clothes and figured I brought take-out.

After that, whenever I would get the burger buzz, I'd use the drive-thru, park a block or so away from home and eat in the car. After I finished, I'd bury the trash outside under what was already in the can and leave the car windows open to make sure there was no burger aroma to give me away.

It was one of those sad/funny/guilt inducing things that you do when someone you love has cancer and you're the primary caregiver. As I sat in the car back then, I'd feel silly and guilty, with my heart aching because of Dad's illness.

The worst was probably dealing with the dementia. Dad couldn't remember why he couldn't eat or what the problem was. It was a constant struggle, but we were blessed with a strong and loving relationship of trust in each other and God got us through that oh, so difficult time. As hard as it was, it was also one of the greatest blessing of my life to be able to give back to my father just a fraction of the loving care he'd always given to me.

Today my dad is in heaven, healed, and eating heavenly hamburgers every day I suspect.

I'd like to ask you a favor. If your dad is still here, please give him a big hug or send him a loving e-mail for me today.

When Someone You Love Has Cancer Trailer

New York Times bestselling coauthor of 90 Minutes in Heaven Cecil Murphey knows what it means to walk the journey of cancer with someone he loves. As a pastor, he counseled and comforted many. But when his wife was told she had cancer, being a caregiver and encourager took on a new and personal meaning.

If someone you love has cancer, or if you know of a caregiver who needs a bit of comfort, let these simple words from someone who's been there ease your heart and give you spirit-lifting thoughts for celebrating the gift of life in the midst of troubles.

March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month.

I've got my appointment to schedule a colonoscopy. How about you?

At a recent trip to my wonderful doctor (who is just about my age 59) I mentioned that I'd been having some trouble swallowing and frequent heartburn and indigestion. I also shared that my father had died of esophagus cancer in 2004 and I was concerned that I might be at risk for that particular cancer. I asked about an exam I had read about to scope out the condition of my esophagus.

To my surprise, Dr. A told me he had some of the same symptoms I was describing and in addition to taking a look at my esophagus, he thought it would be good to take a look at the colon as well. Turns out, that he just recently gone in for same test and had a colonoscopy, too, "As long as you're "out" anyway."

(Incidentally, Dr A also mentioned that was one test he'd been avoiding, too, but was glad he'd finally gotten it done).

So, my doctor called and my appointment is for March 9, @ 1:45 PM.

How about making a call and get your own appointment scheduled today?

Scared of the unknown? Here's just one of the informative articles you can find about the procedure if you "Google" " colonoscopy". http://www.health.com/health/library/topic/0,,hw209694_hw209697,00.html

It's even possible to find video of the exam on YouTube (not to mention lots of humor from a variety of comedians about it).

Still in doubt? Here's more information from the ACS.

A timely article from the American Cancer Society.

This March, the American Cancer Society is encouraging men and women 50 and older to make getting tested for colorectal cancer a priority. See our discussion of this topic from the ACS or visit the link below
http://www.cancer.org/docroot/MED/content/MED_2_1x_Dont_be_Semi-Interested_in_Your_Colon.asp

So don't delay, you may wind up saving your own life.

Words of Comfort for Times of Loss

Through great personal loss, authors Cecil Murphey and Liz Allison, http://www.lizallison.com/index.html have gained insight to share with others who are going through uncertainty, depression, and loneliness after losing a loved one. They also offer advice for those comforting someone who is grieving.

Among comforting paintings by artist Michal Sparks, brief stories, personal experiences, and prayers offer a meaningful path toward healing for readers when they:

• feel alone and lost in their grief and want to reconnect with others and to life
• seek to make sense of their loss alongside their sense of faith, purpose, and God
• want to honor their loved one without clinging to the past in unhealthy ways

Readers are given gentle permission to grapple with doubt, seek peace, and reflect on their loss in their own way without judgment and with understanding and hope. A perfect gift for a loved one dealing with loss.

If you purchase a copy of Cec’s newest gift book, Words of Comfort for Times of Loss, for $11, I will give you a hardback copy of Heaven Is Real (a $22 value) free. (The offer is good while supplies last.) You might want to donate these books to your church library, a grief support group, a ministry, or give them to a friend. Contact Twila Belk at twila@gottatellsomebody.com or 563-332-1622.