We Care Weekend

My friend Wanda who is currently undergoing treatment for breast cancer invited me to go along with her and another one of our friends, Bethany, to the We Care Weekend, sponsored by Memorial Hospital. This is the hospital I had radiation at and also where I had my surgery. When I was going through treatment I had read about this annual retreat that they put on for cancer patients and their family and friends but it didn't work out for me to go. So I was glad to have the chance to go this weekend and was curious to see what the Lord had waiting for me there, being 4 years out from the cancer diagnosis.

It was a really wonderful weekend! Lots of laughter, sharing, great food, lots of fun activities. I had alot of interesting conversations with a variety of folks. Other highlights included a class on journaling, a wonderful massage, time to reflect on God's faithfulness.

The retreat center really nice - just about an hour from Chattanooga. So thankful I could go!

UTC Pink Symposium

Well, this one was just way too much fun to pass up.....the chance to help break the Guinness book of records for the WORLD'S LARGEST human awareness ribbon!! Unfortunately, none of the folks I called to join me in this adventure thought it was amazing enough to go stand in the mud for a half hour to be part of history in the making! But they may have another chance year since word on the street is that we were 500 humans short of the record!

Scored another pink t-shirt to add to the ever growing collection. The event was held at Chamberlain Field on the UTC campus and tons of college kids participated.....I think the record we were trying to break was 3,500.

It rained almost all day but it had stopped by the time the ribbon was forming.

So who does one talk to in a crowd of 3,000 when you don't know anyone?! The first two people I tried to strike up friendly conversation gave me that look of "go away, I don't want to be your new best friend" but THEN I caught Jo's eye and we talked non-stop until long after the human ribbon had disbanded. Besides both being survivors we found we had lots of other things in common including being transplanted Yankees, being mothers of all boys, and last but not least, thinking McKays is just about the best place on earth!

Gotta go! Mr. Dale says the human ribbon is the next feature on the evening news!

Recycled Love

My sweet friend Carolann had shown me the teddy bears that someone had made for her from some of her husband Chuck's flannel shirts after he passed away. I thought this was a wonderful idea and when she was here for a visit this summer I gave her the coral bedjacket that mom had worn when she was in the hospital for her chemo treatments.

The bedjacket was a gift from the special group of ladies that we used to attend a weight loss group with at Hillside Church in Cutlerville every Wednesday morning. Mom and I both loved those ladies so much and they were faithful prayer warriors during our cancer journeys.

When Julie and Kori and Shane came for a visit recently they brought the completed Teddy with them! And it was already paid for - a gift from my Breakfast Bunch of friends in MI!

So this bear is full of love in all its shapes and forms! Isn't it a neat use of a piece of clothing that would otherwise lie in the bottom of a drawer somewhere?! I propped it up against a candlewick pillow that mom made. There are little pieces of mom's love and presence all over this house - there are large pieces of her love and presence in my heart.

You Can Borrow Mine

Today has been full of reminders of the pain in the lives of those I love. From phone calls and emails and Facebook messages their cries come.

I remember during my darkest days of cancer treatment how tenuous my hold was on happiness. I remember when hope seemed like an unattainable dream.

Sometime during that time period the Lord brought the song "Borrow Mine" by Bebo Norman into my life and it came to mind this afternoon after crying out to the Lord on behalf of these hurting loved ones.

I really feel that it was my family and friends faith that saw me through those days of fear and hopelessness. Lying on the mat I looked to them for the strength I could not conjure up. Over and over they brought me to the feet of Jesus. He knew I could not come on my own.

Today, Monday, October 12, 2009 I am a mat carrier. Today my faith is plentiful and I have enough to share - you can borrow mine - please, borrow mine! In this broken world the day will come that I will have to borrow yours again, but today, please borrow mine!

The words to "Borrow Mine"......

Take my hand
And walk with me awhile
Because it seems your smile Has left you
And don't give in
When you fall apart
And your broken heart Has failed you
I'll set a light up
On a hilltop
To show you my love For this world to see
You can borrow mine
When your hope is gone
You can borrow mine
When you can't go on
Cause the world will not defeat you
When we're side by side
When your faith is hard to find You can borrow mine
You can borrow mine

Sunday Mornings

Sipping Community Coffee
in our
separate
sanctified
sanctuaries
yours
with Bill & Earl & Mallory
mine
with candles and books
cinnamon rolls
fresh from the oven
our shared incense
Communion

O is for October

This picture was taken just a few minutes ago before Dale left for Knoxville for the TN/GA game. He's been composing this picture for the last week and this morning asked in his cute Dale Allen way if I would make a picture of him with his TN gear. The lamp is only allowed in the living room during football season :-)
Last Saturday was beautiful weather (look at the blue blue sky) and I had Dale until noon when he had a fishing date with Eddie. We went early in the morning to The Barn Nursery and ran into the deal of a lifetime. We were wanting to replace the shrubs in the front of our house with something that would complement the tan brick and maroon shutters. When we walked up to The Barn we saw these cute little guys on sale for $9.99, regularly $24.99! I did a happy dance and Mr. Dale grinned and we picked up 10 plants. One of those small but huge gifts from the Lord - one of those times I imagine His anticipatory grin at our fun discovery of a gift He had waiting for us. Is He too busy with world affairs to put a deal in our path? No! This is what I've always loved about Him - His attendance to the small details of His children's lives!!

Here's a close up - it gets fun maroon berries in the winter and in other seasons it has these spiky branches that are sort of mottled pink and white. Note ugly orange brick at the bottom of the tan brick that still needs to be painted - a project for a Saturday when the Vols aren't needing to be watched and the fish aren't biting! Could be awhile before this gets done!

Just thought this was such a pretty sight at The Barn last week! I love autumn! And the great thing about the Tennessee climate is that it lasts a long time! We are appreciating temps in the 70's and 80's, especially when we take our nightly walk on the Walnut Street Bridge without having to take a shower when we get home. We've had lots of rain lately and cool nights and the prediction is that the trees are going to be spectacular this year for color!

Macrina....a fellow Blogger

Today has been full of small, sweet theophanies and the latest one happened just a little while ago when I discovered that one of my favorite writers, Macrina, has a blog! If you want to you can check it out at www.macrina-underthesycamoretree.blogspot.com.

I first discovered her writing while using Jim Branch's "Blue Book" for my devotions a few years ago. Part of that devotional is various quotes from authors that speak to that week's topic. Every time I would read something by Macrina Wiederkehr I would just love it and finally I started buying her books. They were/are delicious and they speak to my heart in a really special way.

A few of my friends share my appreciation for her writing and a memory that makes me grin to this day is when we would sit on the floor of the Young Life office or the candle lit GTCA and read Macrina to each other. Such groupies we were/are! None of those girls live in Chattanooga anymore but I still hold each one of them close "in the oven of my heart." They will always be a part of me because they were there "during so much of my unfolding." (All quotes by M - see?! Delicious!)

Besides my Bible and my journal her book "Seasons of Your Heart" travels everywhere with me. Even if I don't open it while I'm away I just feel better knowing it's along for the ride.

I love that the Lord never runs out of surprises and delights for His children! I love to imagine the grin on His face when we're on the verge of a discovery of a new author, a new kindred spirit, a new favorite recipe, a new candle scent! The anticipation He must feel at the knowledge of our happiness from the large and small gifts He lavishes on us. Just as He weeps with us at the brokenness and pain, He laughs with us at the wonderful and precious!

I am excited for what and who is still out there to be discovered.......