"The joy of the Lord is your strength"......how wise. Wisdom comes from knowing where our strength comes from. Instead of being dependent on ourselves we need to put our trust in someone other than ourself. Our trust cannot be in our bank accounts, our beauty, talent or even our spouse. "The Lord is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation....", (Exodus 15:2.) He is my song. When I sing, I am joyful. I do not have a care in the world when I have a song in my heart. When I sing, I put my anxious thoughts away. How this must please the Lord! I for one need to remember this when I let everyday worries into my thoughts.
Once again I am reminded of all this in Matthew 6:31-34. "Therefore, do not be anxious, saying, "What shall we drink?' or what shall we wear?' ....and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore, do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day it its own trouble."
In our economy and the fear that comes with falling housing prices, increased living expenses, the threat of the loss of our jobs, war and the uncertainty of our country and the world, now more that ever, we need a clear prospective about the Lord and his kingdom. Seek him first. Turn all your anxiety upon him, and then trust that he will put a song into your heart. Joy in the mist of troubles.
I have only shared my thoughts on my cancer, but there are other areas of my life that I have been praying for, one being where I live. In January of 2007, I had planned on buying a home but all that came to a standstill when I was admitted to the emergency room with what I thought was stomach flu, but was really cancer of the colin. Instead of looking for a house, I needed to find a place to live for what I thought was 6 months until I made a recovery of my health. Those 6 months has turned into a year and a half. I have been thankful for this space, but it is not my home. I started looking for a home to buy this year, but obstacles of every kind seemed to have been put in my way. I could not understand how I could loose out to someone else each time a contract was submitted. I finally set a goal of moving out by this Nov 1, even if it would be a rental house. Why do I mention this, and what does it have to do with the Lord? The answer is everything. The answer is that the Lord had something better in mind. The answer is that he is able to do far more abundantly than all we ask or think. (Ephesians 3:20)
In this housing market, God lead me to call on an add in the paper. It lead me to a man by the name of Albert and his wife Esther. A man who loves the Lord. Albert is 80 and has owned many of the homes on his block. This is the last home to sell, and he wants to get his estate in order for his son. Albert reminds me of my dad. Honest and old fashioned and he does business the way it was done years ago when your word was your bond. I have prayed that God would lead me to someone who was praying for their house to sell, just as I was praying for a house to buy. Albert and I are working out the details and I trust that all this is from the Lord. It reminds me of the many times that I have wanted to go to MY plan B, C, or D....but God says, "wait a minute, look at my Plan A." He is never late to answer and always on time.
I believe that God brought Albert into my life and that he is doing what a real estate agent and mortgage consultant could not accomplish. I believe that he is into all the details of my life. I believe that he is my physician and healer and that I have nothing to fear or be anxious about. What a blessing!
I am scheduled for the following appointments:
Oct 16 Surgery for a stint replacement (This is my 3rd...stints need replacement every 4-6 months)
Oct 20 Cardiology appointment with Dr Mookadam regarding the fluid around my heart
Nov 18 CAT scan
Oncology appointment with Dr Paripati which will determine if or when I begin chemo
I am beginning to talk about this cancer as "this pesky cancer". I am hopeful that the Lord will heal me soon so that I can get on with more important things such as decorating my new home. Not really, this is not the most important thing, just a thing of joy for me. The "most important thing" is my witness to God's strength in our times of need and in our everyday life. He has blessed me with a way through this cancer and will help anyone who asks for help..no manner the request.
Thank you for your support and especially your prayers!
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