And the countdown begins...

Hello, all.  Thanks to those of you who have taken the time to check out this new endeavor of mine. I appreciate your time spent and hope it is worth the read...9 days to go til my surgery date.  No serious second thoughts, but certainly some concerns/fears...but, in the midst of it all...

I am, and remain thankful for:

• Dear friends who have not let me go a day without an encouraging card, email, text, etc.
• Things to do to keep me busy! Field hockey, football, making applesauce and jelly (yeah, I know...I'm nuts)...
• New friends on the SAME journey having surgery the SAME day with the SAME type of cancer!  Coincidence?  I think not!  (This cancer is only found in 10% of women!)
• Laughter with my family this past weekend...such good medicine.
• Hugs from my son...even better medicine.
• Lunch out with my mom-in-law, after pre-admission testing.  Nice way to end a morning!
• Good reading given in small doses - thank you, Kathy and Joan.
• Wise counsel from someone who has been there.
• Looking forward to a day serving with some of my favorite people at one of my favorite events of the year...Queen for a Day.  What a precious day.  Even more precious are the people.

In light of that coming day, I would ask you to pray on Saturday for me. I am asked to sing at this event for women who are caregivers of someone with a disability...a day of much-needed and well-deserved pampering.  A song always comes that just HAS to be sung, and I picked it over the summer after hearing it at our summer camp.  Little did I know what was coming for me, and how appropriate these lyrics would be.  I've had several people randomly tell me that Tricia and I should sing this song for that day, not knowing it was already chosen or about my situation...it is called 'Blessings' by Laura Story, and I am sure many of you know it.  Pray that I get through it?  I want IT to be a blessing to many...lyrics posted below.

BLESSINGS - by Laura Story

We pray for blessings, We pray for peace
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep
We pray for healing, for prosperity
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering
All the while, You hear each spoken need
Yet love us way too much to give us lesser things

'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise

We pray for wisdom, Your voice to hear
And we cry in anger when we cannot feel You near
We doubt Your goodness, we doubt Your love
As if every promise from Your Word is not enough
All the while, You hear each desperate plea
And long that we'd have faith to believe
'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near
And what if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise

When friends betray us, When darkness seems to win
We know that pain reminds this heart
That this is not, this is not our home. It's not our home

'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
And what if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near
What if my greatest disappointments, or the aching of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can’t satisfy
And what if trials of this life - The rain, the storms, the hardest nights are Your mercies in disguise