Rallying against Cancer

Today was the day of the John Stoddard Cancer Rally, which we had been planning to attend for several months.  Not only does the benefit support cancer, which we fully are on board with, BUT Chris Spielman, former Buckeye and Brown was the featured speaker.  Chris' wife Stephanie passed away 2 years ago from breast cancer.   Our good friends Kim and Coral Johnson are also the ones who started this rally 11 years ago and head it up year after year.  (Kim teaches our boys swimming, "Swim with Kim" and their family has become dear to ours through the years, this benefit she started in honor of her Mom who had cancer)

Late this morning, Scott got a call from Kim.  She told Scott that Chris Spielman would be on the oncology floor at the hospital starting at noon, AND ends up our friend Adam was still in the hospital.  So this afternoon I got this text photo.

Chris Spielman and our friend Adam Nelson aka "Mr. Nelson"

Very cool huh?  Doesn't Adam look great?  Love the big smile, just like he always has.  Then Kim proceeded to tell Scott she had 2 extra tickets for the VIP meet and greet before the benefit at Flemings Steakhouse, would we like to go.  Ummmm that took Scott a second to say YES to.

Then as we were getting dressed and ready for the event my cell phone rings, and it was Adam.  Wow so great to hear his voice, and SO kind of him to take time to call among his busy day, getting ready to go HOME from the hospital.  woo hoo to that!  He proceeded to tell me all about his meeting with Chris Spielman and the time they had together.  Adam asked me if I could get the reference to a bible verse that Chris referenced in their conversation when I saw him later tonight.  He even told Chris to look for the Shislers, those crazy Buckeye fans.  Adam and I had a terrific conversation and I shared how much Jack had been praying for him and how very special he was to Jack, and he proceeded to share his heart and love for Jack too.  It is a conversation I won't forget.  Be intentional in your conversations friends, if there is one thing cancer can teach us it's just that.  BE intentional , don't let things go unsaid.  Jack came in from playing and the snow and was SO excited to hear that Mr. Nelson had called.

We then packed my purse with as many Buckeye things as we could, without being rude for Chris to sign.  (Kim told Scott he would sign whatever we wanted at this VIP meeting)  SO off to Flemings we went.  We met Chris and had a great conversation, talked about Adam, I got the verse Adam had asked for. ...2 Corinthians 12:7-12 .  Chris was a very gracious guy, it was a very small group at the VIP party, maybe 25 other people so we had a lot of time to chat with him.  He enjoyed hearing about Scott's Ohio life, he knew Scott's high school well, Chris' son plays football with one of Scott's best friends sons in Columbus so we talked about that...we shared we had 4 boys and he was kind enough to sign a helmet for each of them.

We headed from there to the Rally.  AMAZING friends.  To see SO many people who have been touched by cancer...AMAZING.  At the beginning they gave us each a flashlight, they turned out the lights and then asked for people to turn their flashlights on when they mentioned the following... if Cancer had affected their Spouse, A parent, A child, A family member, A friend...by the end every single person in the room had a flashlight turned on.  Cancer has really hit our family this year...between my Dad and his prostate cancer, Scott's sister Kathy and her breast cancer, my friend Leanne's Mom, our friend Melissa's Mom, Gailen and now Adam.  Cancer is very real to us.

Then Chris Spielman spoke...I wish I had a script of everything he said.  I can summarize it best this way...once Chris' life was ALL about him and ALL about football, then the light came on and he realized life was about serving God, Family and Community.  And he has put his ALL into those things and his passion.  He spoke of his LOVE for his wife, and how we are not to feel sorry for him.  For he had 25 years with her, since they were 15.  He knows he will see her again.  He talked about how no one "loses" their battle to cancer...CANCER doesn't WIN, it can't win!  Cancer doesn't have LOVE and LOVE is what makes things grow.  Cancer will never win.  We will still FIGHT cancer and his kids will FIGHT for cancer.  He said he promised Stephanie, before she passed away from her 5th bout with cancer that he would NEVER stop fighting for a cure for cancer.  That there was still work to do and he would do it until the day he dies.  She told him "Make my cancer an excuse for NOTHING and motivation for EVERYTHING"  He wore his faith on his sleeve tonight, stating that it is by the Grace of God that he "gets it" and that he can live on.  This was God's plan for him and for his family and to never feel badly for him.  He has a love story to share.

He continues to fight for cancer.  The Stephanie Spielman fund has raised over 9 million dollars for cancer research.  I would say he has put his passion into action.

We saw Chris a few times at the rally, always gracious and always kind.  Happy to have a fellow buckeye to chat with.

The following await our boys in the morning....

If you weren't a Buckeye fan before tonight...hearing him would make you one.  What a class act.  A guy who left football to stay home with his wife while she battled cancer.  And to him it was a no brainer.  His job was to serve God and family first.  

   

Trust

My dear friend Lynn sent me this today...the timing was perfect for so many reasons, but of course, God already knew that. I was talking with Lynn yesterday after getting the news of Adam.  Yet another friend of ours with cancer, another member of our church family sick, another with an illness.  It's SO hard to understand why we have to deal with illness, disease and yuck on this side of heaven.  But we do.  I can't help but hope that when we are in heaven....the peace, health and wholeness will be that much sweeter for us all.  Although then I think...will our days on earth just be a blink of an eye to us and will we even look back?  I am thinking maybe not...  Then this reminded me how much MORE God loves us than anyone else.  God loves me MORE than my beloved husband does, he loves me MORE than my Mom or my Dad, he loves our children MORE than we love them...He does know BEST.  It's hard to grasp, but I was reminded through God's truth in this devotion that I have to TRUST in that TRUTH.  And I love how Max Lucado says, "Nothing comes your way that has not FIRST passed through the filter of HIS love,"  I rest in that truth...



Do You Trust Him?
by Max Lucado

I know God knows what's best.
I know I don't.
I know he cares.

Such words come easily when the water is calm. But when you're looking at a wrecked car or a suspicious-looking mole, when war breaks out or thieves break in, do you trust him?

Scripture, from Old Testament to New, from prophets to poets to preachers, renders one unanimous chorus: God directs the affairs of humanity. No leaf falls without God's knowledge. No dolphin gives birth without his permission. No wave crashes on the shore apart from his calculation. God has never been surprised. Not once.

I am the one who creates the light and makes the darkness. I am the one who sends good times and bad times. I, the Lord, am the one who does these things. (Isa. 45:7)

Some find the thought impossible to accept. One dear woman did. After I shared these ideas in a public setting, she asked to speak with me. Husband at her side, she related the story of her horrible childhood. First abused, then abandoned by her father. Unimaginable and undeserved hurts scar her early memories. Through tear-filled eyes she asked, "Do you mean to tell me God was watching the whole time?"

The question vibrated in the room. I shifted in my chair and answered, "Yes, he was. I don't know why he allowed your abuse, but I do know this. He loves you and hurts with you." She didn't like the answer. But dare we say anything else? Dare we suggest that God dozed off? Abandoned his post? That heaven sees but can't act? That our Father is kind but not strong, or strong but doesn't care?

I wish she could have spoken to Joseph. His brothers abused him, selling him into slavery. Was God watching? Yes. And our sovereign God used their rebellious hearts to save a nation from famine and the family of the Messiah from extinction. As Joseph told them, "God turned into good what you meant for evil" (Gen. 50:20).

Best of all would have been a conversation with Jesus himself. He begged God for a different itinerary: a crossless death. From Gethsemane's garden Christ pleaded for a Plan B. Redemption with no nails. " 'Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will, not mine.' Then an angel from heaven appeared and strengthened him" (Luke 22:42-43).

Did God hear the prayer of his Son? Enough to send an angel. Did God spare his Son from death? No. The glory of God outranked the comfort of Christ. So Christ suffered, and God's grace was displayed and deployed.

Are you called to endure a Gethsemane season? Have you "been granted for Christ's sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake" (Phil. 1:29 NASB)?

If so, then come thirsty and drink deeply from his lordship. He authors all itineraries. He knows what is best. No struggle will come your way apart from his purpose, presence, and permission. What encouragement this brings! You are never the victim of nature or the prey of fate. Chance is eliminated. You are more than a weather vane whipped about by the winds of fortune. Would God truly abandon you to the whims of drug-crazed thieves, greedy corporate raiders, or evil leaders? Perish the thought!

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
And through the rivers, they will not overflow you.
When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched,
Nor will the flame burn you.
For I am the Lord your God.
(Isa. 43:2-3 NASB)

We live beneath the protective palm of a sovereign King who superintends every circumstance of our lives and delights in doing us good.

Nothing comes your way that has not first passed through the filter of his love.

Learn well the song of sovereignty: I know God knows what's best.Pray humbly the prayer of trust: "I trust your lordship. I belong to you. Nothing comes to me that hasn't passed through you."

A word of caution: the doctrine of sovereignty challenges us. Study it gradually. Don't share it capriciously. When someone you love faces adversity, don't insensitively declare, "God is in control." A cavalier tone can eclipse the right truth. Be careful.

And be encouraged. God's ways are always right. They may not make sense to us. They may be mysterious, inexplicable, difficult, and even painful. But they are right. "And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them" (Rom. 8:28).

From Come Thirsty
Copyright (Thomas Nelson, 2004) Max Lucado

The Faith of a Child

Jack was working on his memory verse tonight for school, he looked at me and said "this would be a great verse for Mr. Nelson Mom" he proceeded to walk away from me, went and got the markers out and made this card and asked me to send it to him tomorrow.  It has his verse written on there and a picture of Adam in the hospital with a poster on the wall that they made at Sparks last night.  Jack has told me now twice today the following "well Mom, this must be a part of God's plan for Mr. Nelson"....if we could all have open and innocent hearts like his.  He asked if he could draw another picture later of Mr. Nelson at the Doctors telling him He is CANCER FREE!  I said for sure he could.

The surgery this morning was short, they were only able to remove a small portion of the tumor due to where it is located by speech and right hand stuff.  They will get an official report in a few days, according to Caring Bridge it is suspected to be cancer.

Please continue to keep praying for Adam, Michelle, Brynn and Cooper.  They have so much information to digest these next few days and weeks.  Pray for a miracle too.  God is still God, and he never blinks!  I am trying to remind myself of that.

Please pray too for my dear friend Sarah and her husband Josh, Josh and Adam are best friends and this is a LOT for them.  And pray for our friends Ben and Makila, who are also good friends of the Nelsons. Our friends Jen and Steve are close to their family too.   It's a lot for their entire Sunday School class to digest and take in...it's a lot of news to be waiting on.  It's a lot of unanswered questions.

Another friend told me today when she was young her Dad always wrote in their Christmas cards, "we are thankful for good health for everyone"...she said that she always thought that sounded so boring.  Hmmm not so much these days for what so many of our friends and family have gone through this year.  Not so much...

Deuteronomy 31:6  

"Be strong and courageous.  Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord, your God goes with you, he will never leave you nor forsake you.  "

Pray for "Mr. Nelson"

This is Mr. Nelson, aka Adam, and his lovely wife Michelle, aka Mrs. Nelson.  They were Jack's Sunday school teachers for 2 maybe even 3 years.  Jack LOVES Adam, he talks about him to this day ALL the time.  He loves that he sees him every Wednesday night at Sparks.  He loves that we sit a row or 2 away from them in church every Sunday.  He L-O-V-E-S "Mr. Nelson"!

Adam needs our prayers.  He is having surgery on Thursday morning, for a mass they found on Saturday.  He was swimming and working out with a friend, thankfully he was NOT by himself, thank you God for that.  He had a seizure, and then was taken to the ER where he had another.  They determined he has a 4 cm mass on the front left side of his brain.  That's all we really know right now.  

Please pray for the surgery, for Michelle during the surgery too.  Pray for their 2 young children.  Pray for the Doctors to be able to remove as much of the mass as possible.  Pray that the tumor is benign and nothing more or less than a random thing.  

Jack asks me 10 times, at least, a day how Mr. Nelson is doing, if I have heard anymore.  This is a BIG deal on his little heart right now.

here is his caring bridge site if you want to follow him..
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/adamnelson

Gailen on the bench

Update on our friend Gailen, Gailen was diagnosed in October with Stage 4 cancer.  Liver and Pancreatic and bile duct cancer.  I know many of you have followed their journey on Caring Bridge.  I know so many of you are praying for him, for Steph, for their kids.  Please don't stop.  He continues to fight this cancer.  He has been able to stay out of the hospital now since Christmas Day.  He continues to fight cancer with Chemo and prayer.  


Recently he and Steph were interviewed on a local Christian Radio show...


If you click on this you can listen to our dear friends Stephanie and Gailen, Gailen is our friend who was diagnosed with Stage 4 Liver/Pancreatic cancer.  Go to the bottom of the page and click on listen to radio show.  I think it will expire in another week or so...so don't waste time.


http://www.greatmarriagesandfamiliesiniowa.com/radio.php


I just listened to it, it touched my heart, I know it will yours.


Gailen has been feeling stronger this past month, he has been able to go to basketball games of Erika's, in the above picture he was feeling good enough to help coach the boys team one Sunday, he was well enough to take Grant out to Buffalo Wild Wings a couple of weeks ago for dinner...and let me tell you, watching Grant tell me that he and his Dad went to Buffalo Wild Wings MADE MY DAY..he was beaming.  Scott has enjoyed more time with him as well, which I know blesses his heart.  


I love how Gailen says " I KNOW I WILL BE HEALED WHETHER IT WOULD BE HERE OR IN HEAVEN.  I HAVE A PREFERENCE ON HOW I WANT IT TO GO, BUT EITHER WAY I WILL BE HEALED."


Please take time to listen to this...please pray for Gailen and their family.  


"I knew who God was before this...and now I really know that is true." Stephanie 

Sharing some Drumsticks

Tommy went to the grocery store with his Dad the other day and came home with Drumsticks.  :)  And a BIG smile I might add.

He ate the nuts off of one and offered some to Max...ummm Max was NOT about to give it back.  He gave Tommy the look of "what is this and WHY have I NOT had one yet!!"

Tommy was sweet and went and got another for himself.

A day off

Yesterday the boys didn't have school, teacher inservice day.  We were home most all of the day.  Drew was sick all day Sunday and most of the morning.  Jack wasn't feeling 100% either.  Max had a fever off and on Sunday.  I tried to snap some photos of our day at home...I am trying to take more of the big boys, I find myself grabbing the camera for Max so often, because he is changing so fast, but I don't want to forget to take ones of the big boys too.  :)  Max is walking a little bit mo3e every day...so fun!

 using Jack's legs to pull up on

 walking

 going down

 back up and holding Jack's "beyblade" spinning top 

(certainly not appropriate for children under the age of 3 BUT hence the 4th child)

Throwing the beyblade.  cool shot huh? (again note it is not designed for children under the age of 3, probably not even children under the age of 6 really)

playing some piano for Momma

homework even on our day off...

 catching up on reading while not feeling great

Jack's sweet hands

 bummer this isn't in focus, but I LOVE the color of their eyes showing 

A New Green

Yesterday we changed the sunroom color, the boys usually refer to this room as the "green room" so it has limited my color options. :)  I have wanted to paint this room for a long time, the green was too minty, too blue or too something for me always.  I finally got the guts up to just paint it (or have someone come and paint it), pick a color and do it.  It went from Sherwood Forest to Dill Pickle. I LOVE it, it may be hard to see the difference in these photos, BUT the top one seems so much crisper and brighter to me, and the room bigger,  Of course I did not hang everything back up either, on purpose.  Simplifying everything I possibly can.  

We love this room, we live in this room many days.  It is probably my favorite room of the house in the winter because it is so bright and cheery.  Right off of our kitchen so A great place for the boys to play while I am doing stuff, close by and always in an ear shot.  

 AFTER

(oh and it was picked up until Max snuck in right before the photo)

BEFORE

One Thousand Gifts

Read this book, One Thousand Gifts,  I have just started if on my iPad.  Amazing stuff friends.  Like I told a dear friend earlier today, while her writing can often be convicting, I am grateful to have my eyes wide open now when my kids are still young, and my marriage strong and my health good.  To hear these things later in life, or when trials are really upon us, I am not so sure I could handle it all.  Ann Voskamp reminds me what matters, and what does NOT.

Music to my ears

This morning while handing Drew freshly folded laundry he says to me "Thanks Mom for
doing so much laundry for us. I don't think we thank you enough for that."

Music to this Momma's ears

No wonder and other rambles

Well here goes...my iMac is still at the apple store so I am posting this from my iPad, not as easy. Never have tried it so here goes. Hoping my computer gets fixed soon. It has had some struggles this week with my address book and phone numbers. I have lost all phone numbers and the addresses are doing weird things. I have over 200,000 contacts now. Hmmm I am grateful for all of my friends, know I went to a huge high school, have lived in several cities, and am proud to say I have a lot of friends.....but I don't have 200,000

Well the "no wonder" comment is for our sweet baby Max....no wonder he has been biting, chewing on his fingers, awake more in the night...somewhere in the past 10 days he has gotten 4 teeth. Yep 2 bottom molars and 2 more bottom teeth. Wow. Ouch. No wonder he has had some owie mouth moments.

Here comes more rambling....the best news of my day was that my Dad had his 6 month prostate cancer recheck and passed with flying colors. Never have I been more proud of ZERO for a score. Woo hoo praise the Lord for His protection and healing.

My beloved is currently sitting in the almost top row of the wells Fargo arena listening to Winter Jam. A bunch of Christian bands performing. Tommy and Drew really wanted to go and he agreed to take them. He has a friend of decided to come last minute with his son. But I guarantee they can't hear to chat. He has been in Chicago since yesterday so I'm guessing sitting at a loud concert wasn't top of his list...but thats the kind of Dad he is. He's there. Oh and it's -20 outside and they had to park a long ways away. Brrrr

Jack had a friend over after school, trying to be a "yes" Mom. He loved it. They played and played. Ate Mac n cheese for dinner at their request then played some more.

We think Max says "Ja" now for Jack. It's cute and he only says it when jack is around. Yells it mainly. It's sweet

Tommy's knee is still bothering him. He missed all 3 basketball games this week. X-ray came back okay but they still want him to see an orthopedic dr on Monday after looking at the X-ray? Hmmm that concerns me. Praying his knee is okay

We have stayed close to home this week with it being so cold. It is my favorite place to be. I've always been a homebody. Love being home. I'm ready to get out tomorrow for a couple of things planned. Hoping to leave Max home its so cold for a baby. I don't take my being able to be home for granted. Love it.

Lastly I've been busy trying to figure out what "casual elegance" looks like. Next Saturday Scott and I have a date night for a cancer benefit.one of Scotts favorite Buckeyes, Chris Spielman, is speaking so he can't wait. I'm most concerned with the fashion portion. :). I think I have it pieced together. Need to work on that tomorrow a bit more.

Hope you are all staying warm where you are at....not worried about you Ariana. (our niece Ariana is in Senegal, Africa for the semester and it is HOT there)

Grateful for a working furnace tonight....

Tommy's school ball

Tommy has been busy playing 7th grade school basketball.  It has been fun for him to play with his classmates and friends from school.  These pics were taken on Saturday morning at their Home game.

You can pray for him, he was playing a game on Sunday for his Clive League (some of the same kids as school) and he hurt his knee.  Our Dr. says he sprained his knee, it really is hurting him.  He needs to take this week off and hopefully next week he will be all healed and ready to finish out the season.

Reading with my Poppy

Jack, Max and I snuck to Minnesota for a couple of nights, got home today.  Max was very attached to his Poppy on this trip.  Max LOVED when Poppy read to him at night, giggled and laughed.

Melted my heart....oh and Poppy was pretty melted himself over it all.
XOXO

We are trying....

We are making a BIG effort at learning how to use a sippy cup. We have been trying off and on for a few months.  But today I am more determined for him to learn how to use one.   Since Max has only nursed, and we don't do bottles, sippies are a struggle.  But it's time..for many reasons...and it's time to try some milk, other than Momma's.

He LOVED the milk tonight, and made a great effort with the sippy.  Didn't want me to hold it or help.  We took the plug out of it to try to help him more...it seemed to work, even though it was a HUGE mess.

Busted...AGAIN

Tonight I heard a bustling baby boy on the floor and snuck up to see this....

He has switched to the Oreo's tonight.

BUSTED BABY!

Here he is trying to get away with 3 Oreo's.....funny baby