Day Three - the weather is a ten.

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"Anxiety in a man's heart weighs it down, 

But a good word makes it glad." 

Proverbs 12:25

I continue to be blessed by all the people who tell me they are praying for me, and by the concern and love from my family. Is this what it takes to realize that people care about you? In the past months I was consumed from time to time by the feeling that no one really cared about me, except maybe Riley and Emily.  But now I see that they do care, and I hope I will be around a long time to be with them and enjoy them.  It's really pretty self-centered to be thinking no one cares about you. One needs to just be caring about them.  Forgive me Lord.

Saturday morning I got up and went out to sit in the garden, and it was absolutely beautiful. I read Ephesians, and ate my breakfast, and talked with Riley. He watered plants and straightened up the upper deck so it looked more beautiful. Then at some point he went to the pool store for chemicals and I called Annie to come over and visit me. And I think after that Sarah called and asked if we'd like to got to lunch at IKEA with her and Caleb, and of course I said yes. hen just as Annie arrived my sister Nancy (I actually have only one sister) called, and that was a real blessing, and she had some really encouraging things to tell me about inflammatory breast cancer.

Annie and I sat in the garden and had a lovely chat, though we had to move the chaises a bit to get her out of the sun. Annie can be so adult and lucid when it's just the two of us talking. I was feeling very good, what with such beautiful weather and so much encouragement from people. But still there's always the underlying terror. Will I die? Will the doctors do horrible things to me? But those feelings were way under on that beautiful morning.

We all met out at IKEA at noon, and I had part of a shrimp and greens salad. And Sarah was so sweet, she had presents for me. First she gave me a Michael Card double CD. She remembered how I liked to listen to him in the car. Then she gave me some herb tea from Avida, and a Bible passage that she printed up in a lovely fashion:

Philippians 4:4-13

Rejoice in the Lord always; 

again I will say, rejoice! 

Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. 

The Lord is near. 

Be anxious for nothing, 

but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving 

let your requests be made known to God.

And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, 

will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, brethren, 

whatever is true, 

whatever is honorable, 

whatever is right, 

whatever is pure, 

whatever is lovely, 

whatever is of good repute, 

if there is any excellence 

and if anything worthy of praise, 

dwell on these things.

The things you have learned 

and received and heard and seen in me, 

practice these things, 

and the God of peace will be with you.

God's Provisions

But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, 

that now at last you have revived your concern for me; 

indeed, you were concerned before, 

but you lacked opportunity.

Not that I speak from want, 

for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.

I know how to get along with humble means, 

and I also know how to live in prosperity; 

in any and every circumstance 

I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, 

both of having abundance and suffering need.

I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.

And she gave me a book, but it hasn't arrived yet, about what to do to beat cancer. After lunch we had a nice walk through IKEA, and then Riley and Annie and I went down town so I could pick up a fountain pen that I had ordered and was in. Actually it was the nib I had to order, as I prefer a fine nib. Then it was home for a nap and more sitting in the garden. I asked Riley to invite Ken and Marilyn over for a game of cards, as I knew they wanted to come for a little visit. I like playing cards with them because we always laugh a lot, and that we did. But unfortunately Riley decided he needed to clean the kitchen before they came, and he wore himself out. Marilyn won for the first time - she wupt us. But as soon as the game was over I knew I needed to get to sleep, and that's just what I did.

"And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, 

so that the boat was being covered with the waves; 

but Jesus Himself was asleep." 

Matthew 8:24