We are home from my acupuncture & Mark is getting my lovely tea ready for me to enjoy <cough> I mean drink!!!   Thus far all symptoms point to the fact that it is helping me & that is fantastic news!!  it tastes terrible but that isn't a huge concern right now. I will do what it takes!  It did make me laugh when Giao walks into the room today & asked me if I survived the tea.  :D

The difficult part of this tea is not the taste so much as the cost.  It's a little more than $20 a day to keep me drinking this.  That adds up really quickly, and looking ahead at the month of December it is more than a little overwhelming.  yet again my elastic faith has to come in to play - this tea is helping, and if it's what God has for me then He WILL take care of the cost! 

I have a few little christmas things around the room to make it cheery.  I need the added cheer these days!  :)

Please do continue to pray for us here in Ottawa, I've really been missing home & my faith is being stretched  as I look ahead to the cost of this tea.  I will come through this with a stronger faith, but right now it's hard to do! 

Thank you so much for all the love & support!

G

Again I am here to say SO sorry for being awol so long.Sunday was a challenging day!!!  We woke up at 4 am with the plan to leave by 5.  By 4:30 I knew the plan was changing & just a few minutes later I was at the hospital.  We were there for 10 hrs while 2 units of blood dripped their way into my veins & then we left home at 3 pm, much much later than we had anticipated, but joyful in the knowledge that God had a purpose and a plan for us leaving that much later!  The trip was long, the weather went from rotten to not to bad, back and forth until almost here when it was suddenly dry and good driving.  We were ever so grateful to arrive! 

 We arrived in Ottawa late Sunday night completely exhausted & in need of so much rest.  I didn't get much that night, in fact I was so tired still on Monday morning that I ended up not getting treatment that morning.  Giao said she he does to me makes my body work & I would be more tired than ever when he was done. He gave me an rx for a tea made with chinese herbs & told me to go back to the motel & sleep. I did!

The tea is not any amount of fun to drink, it has a very  bitter taste, but I get through it.  I slept Monday afternoon and then last night I got 10 yrs sleep. It was fantastic!  Today I have been missing home, but ya do what ya gotta do right?

Tomorrow I will see Giao again and we'll see how things will go from here.   I'm sure there is more tea in my future ...  <shudder>  :D

I'm STILL tired tonight but will try to share more tomorrow.  Tonight I picked up just a few small christmas-y things for our room.  It brightens the place up a little!!  Our room is fantastic,  here's a few pics for y'all. :)

(I got my chair again!!!)

So you all prayed with me for a miracle, and God has granted it.  We have the funds needed o get back to Ottawa and are preparing to leave bright and early tomorrow morning.  I am having great mixed emotions -, I am thrilled to be able to return in time for treatment before Christmas & I am also struggling with being away from home for 2 weeks. I am a home body!  That said, this is very clearly the direction God is sending us in, to have raised the money as quickly as  He did. I believe this is right, I believe in HIM, We CAN Do this together!!!

I do have another miracle I am asking for.  My body responses to The treatment to stop the haemorrhaging by doing just that - bleeding heavily.  I am asking God to please keep that from happening, and I am here asking you all to pray with me, asking God for that very same miracle, and that the treatment will indeed stop the constant bleeding on a long term basis.  When that is taken care of we can start working on whatever else is going on in my body!

I will keep you all posted as we progress through this trip and we appreciate your prayers so much  Mark will be off work for the 2 weeks & while we will feel that when we get home, we also know that God has that, too!!!

thankful to have each of your prayers, and t know that HE IS IN CONTROL!!

with love and many thanks
G

Hello my friends.

It's been a few days since I was here,  I apologize for that.  However, I have had to spend most of my time in bed, hopefully sleeping.  Sleep has been tough, pain is a poor bed companion & an even worse sleep companion! 

I have also struggled mightily with eating.  My body will feel hungry but put food in my mouth and every part of me revolts.  Smoothies have been my main source of nutrition & I am thankful they can be made to be quite healthy.  

I have been in communication with the cancer centre & the acupuncturist will be away for three weeks over christmas.  The only way I'll get my two weeks in before then would be to be there this coming week.  It seems very unlikely, but I'm praying for that nonetheless.  The challenge in waiting will be dealing with the symptoms that make life rather difficult, and bring on more anxiety than I am comfortable with.  I am SO THANKFul to know that GOD HAS IT ... and yet the crazy hormones & chemicals etc in my body right now are not so willing to calm down & I find every day a challenge to get through.  We're taking one day at a time, sometimes one moment at a time, and doing all we know to do.  I am ever so grateful for the friends who step in and talk me through long hard evenings, who have an understanding & are willing to live out 2 Cor 1:3-5!!!

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God

This has been life changing for me as those around me live it out!

It's time to rest this poor body again, doing anything at all takes a whole lot more energy than I have.  A huge Happy thanksgiving to those of you in the US, I trust you see more to be thankful for every day!


G

I have managed to get through the last 24 hrs or so.  Things are still not ideal but I am grateful to have been able to continue to avoid more medical intervention.   It may come yet but I'll be thankful for today!

In the last couple days we've had some monetary gifts come in & that is SUCH an encouragement to our hearts.  It feeds the hope that we may get back to Ottawa after all & oh how we needed that today.

My struggle continues to be FAITH.  I KNOW God has this.  I know everything is in HIS control.  Yet it continues to be a challenge for me to live in that PEACE that comes when those truths are completely accepted.  

1 Thessalonions 5:16-18 says:

16 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Give thanks in ALL circumstances .... even when nothing makes sense & life is full of overwhelming, even when ANYTHING is happening.  This is my struggle right now folks, and I need your prayers more than I can say.  

Mark is scheduled to work tonight & tomorrow night & I am truly battling the idea of him being away & potentially out of reach.  I want him right here, beside me, at all times - but it can't be that way right now.  

Peace.  I need peace.  I must do what I have to do to get it & yet ... it seems out of my reach.  

This is my heart folks, the read, deep inside me gut wrenching emotions are here on the screen.  Im glad I haven't shorted out my computer while I typed. :)  

Writing it all helps, and the hope that I can help someone else out there helps too.  Keep the prayers coming, the messages,  the encouragement, it ALL helps.  In the end I only want to finish well, to hear my Abba Daddy say "well done, good and faithful servant".  

G

Thank you for the prayers my friends.  It has been a challenging evening here no doubt.  I'm still struggling, truth be told, but the situation is a little less dramatic than it was when I posted a few hours ago & for that I am THANKFUL. I have to hold on the 2 Cor 1:8&9.  

We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters,[a] about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. 9 Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.


I'm sure God has many purposes for what He is doing in my life these days, but i can say without a doubt that one of them is for me to learn on an even deeper level how to rely on HIM no matter what is going on around me.  It is hard. It is SO hard to do, my humanness responds with doubts & fears but victory IS found in HIM.  It can be a long fought battle, and tonight it is, but one thing I can tell you is that I WILL EMERGE VICTORIOUS.  Your prayers help with that & I cannot say eloquently enough how thankful I am for them.

Tonight I'm leaving you with a song that God has used to speak to my heart tonight.  It's an oldie ... but a goodie.  

Goodnight my friends.  Thank you for the prayers, and please don't stop.  I'm asking God for a good rest, for no bleeding going forward, and that I can return to that place of PEACE I've been in so much.  I'm doing what i can do, and I know victory will be mine.

G

I need your prayers tonight. Right now in fact, and on into .. well, I don't know how long.  I'm not in good shape, I need wisdom, and mostly I need FAITH that God DOES INDEED have a purpose.  My elastic faith is being stretched to capacity & it feels like it might break.  

Please, please pray.  I will update as I am able.

It should come as no surprise to any of you that I'm working hard to raise money for a return trip to the OICC for further incredible treatment.    For that reason I have decided to try something I have never done before. :D  I am working on monetizing my blog.  It's not a big money maker by any means, but every little bit helps.  So.  Don't be surprised when ads show up here on my blog.  In fact, you can even help me by clicking on them! It won't cost you a thing & will help me get more treatment to heal this body of mine.

I am NOT going to be having an annoying number of ads, & I will shut it down in a new york moment (the ads, not the blog) if they become problematic or inappropriate.  I just want to try this to do my part to get myself back to OICC.  Right now, since I'm barely able to get off the couch I am hoping this works & I can make a little cash to help pay my way.  

Thank you my friends for your support & the clicks I'm sure you'll give me.

G

I woke this morning to sunny skies & rain falling.  It was really quite something & brought a smile to my face.

Today I'm not in very good shape at all, but thanks to Kate I have eaten well, had some company while i watched NCIS & taken a nap for a few hours.  I'm sure my body is trying to build up more blood & I am trying to give it what it needs.  Just having some home yesterday I have so much stuff I need to do, there are bags & suitcases everywhere, but I gotta take care of this body as it's the only one I have! :)

At one point I needed to eat something & there was nobody around to help me get anything so I dragged this poor old body to the kitchen to grab some raw veggies.  This made me laugh.

Tim & Kirsten grow awesome carrots at Strawberry Hill Farm! :)

My body is already screaming for more sleep & so I must have some water & then give in to it's demands.  I do hope this doesn't last for too many days, but I will do what I gotta do to be healthy again!!

Eat your veggies & fruits people, they're good for you!!!

G

We're home.  

It was a great trip, tho that's easy for me to say as I slept through most of it. :) It's good to be home, and I've already had an email from my acupuncturist asking me how I am.  I am so loving OICC & the amazing professionals they have who are so able & willing to help as well as go the extra mile.  I was confident they could help me ... and now I am more confidant still.  

THANK YOU to everyone who helped make this trip possible.  We couldn't have done it without you & I am incredibly grateful for the help given to us!!!  I look forward to getting back & am ready to jump in & somehow raise the $4000 for our two week trip there.  It will be a longer trip away from home than I like, but ya do what ya gotta do.  

I am completely exhausted tonight so I'm going to say goodnight for now, but I look forward to sharing more of the journey with you!!!

Thank you so much for your help, support & love!


Au demain ....  :)

Hey there

Tomorrow morning we're leaving bright & early for home so I can pretty much guarantee you that you WON'T see me until evening. :)  

I'm looking forward to a good nights sleep & a smooth trip home tomorrow, hoping to sleep much of the trip again. :)

I wanted to share this picture with you.  This lazy boy is in the corner of our room & I loved it.  I wish I had more time to spend in it. :)  The crocheted hobbes is Katelynne's, she made it & it has become our "go to" stuffy on hard days. The monster is Bria's & it came with me to remind me of her love for me.  James loaned me his pencil case for my art pencils etc but it's not in the picture :D  

The quilt is my comfort quilt & every time I so much as SEE it it reminds me that there are people praying for me through every step of the way.  I love that quilt & am so thankful for the HOPE it puts in my heart every time I see it.  

Now I must fall into bed, tomorrow is a big day.  Goodnight all, keep on sharing my page so we can reach as many people as possible - more than we can dream of - with this message of HOPE in Christ!!

I recently found a website "Chrisbeatcancer.com".  It is a fantastic site for anyone fighting cancer or those loving & supporting those fighting cancer.  I signed up for his emails & have loved everyone of them!  Today he included a link to a video on youtube.  

It's not how you start the race, it's now what happens during the race, it's the end of the race that matters.  Finishing WELL is the important part! Acts 20:24 says:

I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.

THIS is how I intend to end my race ... it doesn't matter that I keep falling down, or getting knocked down.  It doesn't matter that I make mistakes on a regular basis. What matters is that I keep on getting UP and RUNNING, not looking back  or allowing myself to be bogged down, but looking AHEAD to what God has for me!!!

The video isn't of the highest quality but the message is clear!

Hi folks!

I'm here to try and tell you about my night. I am still sleeping a LOT (healing takes a lot of energy!!) so this may take me a few rounds to finish.  But that's ok, you won't know I've started until I've finished. :D

I was told by the acupuncturist that "it might get worse before it gets better".  He was intentionally stimulating my uterus to get rid of all the clots that were in there.  Well, he was successful.   I asked him if perhaps I would end up bleeding enough to need a transfusion again & he said that yes, that could happen, BUT that when I had gotten rid of all the clots, the bleeding WOULD stop.  I came home, aware that things were already getting heavy, and prepared to spend the evening on the down & low.  By the early hours of the morning it was bad. it was scary bad - even knowing God had it I was still afraid.  I did NOT want to have to go to a huge, strange, hospital for a transfusion & yet it was clear I was about to have to do just that.  The symptoms of low hemoglobin were in abundance.  I laid there hating that I was going to have to wake Mark up.  He was so tired & sleeping so soundly.  I stirred him, but as we were talking I was beginning to feel very strongly that God was saying "go to sleep girl.  You're going to feel better in the morning".  And so I did.  I closed my eyes & fell asleep in no time at all.  I don't know what time that happened, but when I woke again at 9 am I was NOT soaked in blood & I was NOT dizzy or feeling like my heart was racing. I'm sleeping a LOT, dealing with some pain & still feeling rather weak but I'm not losing blood at an alarming rate & we intentionally kept this day for rest & recovery so I can do what I need to do to be ready for travel tomorrow.

I don't know whether this part of the journey is over or whether I will bleed again before being able to come back to be treated by Giao, but God surely did some through & give me healing from my low hemoglobin last night.  As a friend told me, He is bringing me to a new level with HIM & I only hope & pray that some of YOU are coming along with me!!!  It will be worth it ALL when we see Jesus!!! One glimpse of His dear face, all sorrow will erase.  I love that old hymn.  

So, for now, I am going to lay down again.  I do believe it's going to be a few days before I feel anywheres near like myself again!

Hang on to HIM my friends, whatever is happening in your life He DOES have a purpose for it, and it IS best for you!!!

G

It was a rough night, my body does nothing halfway (or even just whole way!) and acupuncture is no exception.  I was in bad shape for a good chunk of today & I struggled to hold on to HOPE & to the FAITH I have that God does everything for a purpose.  I reached out for prayer and OH how it helped.  Things are physically a tiny bit better ( I THINK, hard to be sure)  & emotionally /Spiritually a whole LOT better.  Once again I have that peace that passes understanding.   I would so appreciate your prayers that this will continue for me!!!

I also must hold on to hope that I can get back here soon for the continuation of this treatment. It looks impossible, like I would need a miracle .. (and I DO!) but .. you know what? I have a God who is in the business of those very miracles!

it's too late & I need to be in bed but I also needed to work through this struggle of faith before I laid down to sleep.  thank you all for your prayers & support.  Please share my blog freely, and if you are so inclined please also share my GoFundMe page.  I would love to see that rise & allow us to come back for treatment sooner rather than later! 

Goodnight my friends,
God bless you all!!!

Today started off with an appointment with a naturopath. It was FANTASTIC.  It was great to talk to her & see how much I have been doing right.  She tweaked the dosage of a few things I am taking & added two new ones to the mix.  It was a great meeting that went far too quickly!!

After we were done, I went on to my care coordinator where she asked a number of different questions getting a feel for what other services I might benefit from.  It was great talking to her, too, and it's going to be easy to communicate with all the people on my care team with her at the helm.  

after lunch & a nap I was off to see Gaio, the acupuncturist.  I can't tell you a lot about that appointment as I slept through it!  The side effects I experienced yesterday appear to be milder today & for that I am thankful! It was rough going last night & this morning!

Tonight I enjoyed hanging out with dad & Karen & now watching a good movie with hubbie.  I really needed this down time today & it feels good.  Tomorrow is my day to recover from the appointments (acupuncture in particular) and then Sunday we head home. It will be so good to see my kids again!!!

None of us would choose to need to be here ... but if you have cancer this is a place you want to be!!  OICC has helped with so much HOPE for healing  & support in this journey. Thank you to ALL of you!!!

I have ZERO energy tonight but I wanted to keep you as updated as I can. So, just a quick report on today. There will be more later. :)

The nutrition seminar was FANTASTIC & assured me that I am on the right track. It was good to hear that the decisions I have made both pro & con some diet restrictions & ideas were truly the right ones.  It was also taught by the naturopathic Dr I will be seeing tomorrow. it was GREAT to meet her ahead of time & relieve any 'butterflies' I may have had about it.

I also had an acupuncture appointment today & I feel very good about this treatment. I am convinced it's going to help a lot.  He was concerned about not only the bleeding but also my lack of appetite.  I have been drinking smoothies but not able to eat very much in the way of solid food.  He said he was also going to work on that.  I got off the treatment bed at 3:15ish (eastern time) and I have been HUNGRY constantly! I have eaten more "normal" food in the last hours than I have in the last WEEK I'll bet.  I was a little nervous about the eating thing as I do not have the tools necessary to make smoothies here. God SO TOTALLY answered that prayer!!!  How awesome is that.

The acupuncturist is going to treat me again tomorrow, and then I will need to come back for a minimum of 2 weeks as soon as we can make it happen.  I'm going to need your prayers folks, as that will NOT be a cheap trip by any means.  Both cost of the trip plus hubbie losing the overtime he would have worked those weeks will definitely hurt.  BUT ... I KNOW GOD HAS IT & I must simply continue to trust in Him.  After all, He fixed my need for the ability to EAT without my smoothies! :)

We ended the activities of the day with an NHL hockey game.  I thoroughly enjoyed myself but when I started falling asleep on Marks shoulder toward the end of the 2nd period we decided to call it a night.  We came home & met with our church family - such amazing love & support!!!  Then I hung out with my daughter for a bit. Now, as soon s I am finished this was-going-to-be-oh-so-short blog post I will get myself in to bed too.  Tomorrow starts with my naturopathic dr visit at 10:30, with my care coordinator at 12 and acupuncture at 3:45.  I will be tired tomorrow night too!!! 

Just  a shot from the hockey game tonight. I got one more thing kicked off my bucket list! :)

Goodnight all.  May each of you reach for that peace that passes understanding, it's YOURS for the taking. <3

I'm only a few hours out from my first appointment at the Ottawa Integrative Cancer Centre & I will admit I am struggling to keep that elastic faith going.  I MUST continue to hold on to Him.  I saw a quote just a few minutes ago that said "The task ahead of you is never as great as the power behind you".  Oh, is that something to shout HALLELUJAH about or WHAT??   I'm excited.  :)

It has been a morning of challenge as one thing after another happened & I felt strongly in my heart that the enemy was trying to knock me flat. I REFUSE!!!  And so that elastic faith is being stretched, indeed to the point of hurting, today but that's a GOOD thing ... what muscle can be strengthened without a little pain??  

I must soon be off to get some lunch & then find where we'll need to be for my appointment.  A brand new city has it's challenges! I do want to leave you with this song. It has been playing over & over in our hotel room this morning.  Listen with your heart open & BE BLESSED!!!

We are here! It was a fantastic trip ( I slept through most of it!) today & arrived in the mid afternoon.  Lots of time to get settled & do a little exploring before having supper (love having a kitchen in my hotel room!) and then just settling in to relax for the evening.  

I miss home.  I miss my kids.  I heard a cat meowing a while ago & missed my cats. :)  I love to travel when I have my kids with us, but without them not so much.  However,  I am convinced beyond all reason that this IS where God has me for this time.  

I am oh so tired & need to get off this machine & relax for a bit before bed, so I am going to leave you with this video.  This man has become a fountain of information on healing cancer naturally  since he did so more than 12 yrs ago & i am glad to share his information with YOU, too.  Chances are one (or more) of you will need it one day.  

As I race around the house getting ready to leave bright & early tomorrow I can't help but wonder .... where did those 13 days go?  I remember sitting here & talking about how I had 13 days with only one Dr's appointment & then foolishly said I likely wouldn't be blogging. Well, we see how THAT went ...  :D

Today is the last day to get ready.  Tomorrow morning needs to hold last minute things ONLY ... like getting my pillow & diffuser to the van.   Now, most of the things I am crazy busy doing today couldn't be done earlier.  Well, not conveniently.  I guess I COULD have packed my clothes and lived in things I'm not taking but somehow that just didn't seem like it would work for me.  And so, today, I have lots to do.    My question is .... how often do we not prepare ahead of time like we should? I'm not talking about taking a trip anymore though. I'm talking about spiritually.  I can't imagine where I would be if I hadn't spent the last few years learning about how God has a purpose in EVERYTHING.  If I hadn't learned to take my thoughts captive & make them obedient to Christ. Imagine if I hadn't laid down FEAR at the altar .. where would I be?  I'd be a mess.  An anxious, unable to cope with anything, emotional MESS.  I'd be wishing I could have the peace that passes understanding, &  hopefully I would be working hard to get there  but oh it's so much easier to already HAVE it when this sort of challenge strikes.  God has been preparing me for "such a time as this" and I am ever so THANKFUL that I listened, obeyed, and grew so much in my Christian faith.  

This makes me think of a song/scene from a kids movie.  A silly one perhaps but it does have a message.

Are we prepared?  When life throws us off the end of a horrifying roller coaster ... are we prepared? Will we be able to quickly access the tools we need (trust, Peace, faith etc) like the goat had his propeller horns,  and allow God to be completely in control of what can feel like a free fall?   It's an incredible way to live folks, & I am EVER so THANKfull for the people that God brought into my life to teach me & disciple me in such a manner that I WAS prepared!!!! 

I'm not, however, prepared for this trip tomorrow & so I must get moving.  My heart is prepared, but my body is not. :)

I really look forward to hearing from some of you. I believe God is using His work in me to reach out & encourage others.  I would LOVE to hear those stories from you!!!  I always welcome email at glenda.leigh@gmail.com !!

Have a good day ... and make sure you're working on being PREPARED!!!

Diamonds out of Dust

I had my favourite Christian radio station playing this morning when my attention was caught by a song I had not heard before.  When it was done I turned the radio off & went to youtube to find this song & have since listened to it a number of times. It is AMAZING & goes SO WELL with the challenges in my life these days.  This expressed my heart on how I want to respond to painful & difficult times, & it does it so well.  I will not allow worry & fear to dwell in my mind for he's making a DIAMOND out of dust!!!  

Have a listen. I'm sure God wants to speak to you through this, too!!!

I want to be responsible with my time!

There is nothing like friends who come bearing sweet gifts & hugs to make a day brighter.  Today and old friend (the friendship is old, not the friends!!! ) came to visit.  We used to see each other most every day, 26 odd years ago.  I miss her, and the good times that we had, but she lives too far away for that now & so we take what we can get & try to make it do.  She brought me some PJ's that I am SOOO loving as well as a colouring book (!!!) & pencil crayons. Does she know me or WHAT!!!  We have hopes of another visit before Christmas, with dreams of getting to veg & watch a movie together.  

As I thought about our visit this evening & how much I enjoy seeing her whenever we can get together, I thought of my relationship with God.  I can connect with Him ANYTIME.  Even when Deb lived close & would come in a heartbeat when/if I needed her, there were still times when we couldn't be there for each other, or hurts that we couldn't fix no matter how much we wanted to.  But with God .. He is NEVER busy, too far away, dealing with a cranky toddler .. (tho I'll betcha we appear that way often enough!!)  He is always available for us.  He WANTS to spend time with us.  Do we take advantage of that? 

Too often we wait to spend time with our friends until something 'bad' happens. Cancer, a death of a loved one, divorce, you name it. We don't redeem the time we have very responsibly at all.  So many times we do the same thing with God. We don't run to him until we're sick, or hurting, or any number of things.  What a waste!  He loves us ALL THE TIME & He has SO MUCH He wants to show us, teach us, give to us.  He is always there, always loving us, wanting to spend time with us.  We've all talked to moms whose kids have grown up & left the nest and seldom if ever call or visit.  That's tough, but oh how we do that to God! He gave His very LIFE for us & yet we ignore Him until we need Him. We need to be living as a good steward & making sure we take time to be with God ALL DAY LONG! 

I am being reminded through this journey I am on that we can, and should, rely on the LORD all day, every day.  He is the ONLY one who can see us through everything that comes our way, filling us with strength & courage if only we allow Him to.  Lets not wait until something bigger than us comes our way ... (cuz lets face it, it's all bigger than us) but rather lets learn to go to Him with everything.  This will result in us building the relationship with Him that will allow us to be STRONG in Him when the need is greatest.  

Philippians 1:20 is a verse I have claimed for this period of time in my life.  Think about it. Meditate on it.  See what God shows YOU through it!

I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.

WHOO HOO!!!

G

Things we can learn from food!

One of the biggest changes I have had to make in treating cancer naturally is the food I eat. I made dramatic changes in my diet 2 yrs ago,  I knew there was a lot of "crap" in a lot of the food we eat today but I have to say I was not as aware as I should have been.   I have begun an anti cancer diet & I have discovered some pretty amazing things.  Sun dried, organic, non sulphated figs are ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC.  They are my new "candy" - and they fight cancer!!!  Yes, they have a lot of sugar in them, but it's natural sugar & does not affect our bodies in the same way as processed sugar. (diabetes wise, yes. Cancer wise, no)  When I find myself longing for chocolate .... I grab & fig or two (or maybe three) and find myself realizing how much BETTER this is than chocolate, both in taste AND in nutrition/health.  I am eating DELICIOUS food & loving every meal, this from someone who has had issues with food for a lot of years now.  My body is grateful I am giving it what it needs!!!   It's not always easy, there's virtually no place I can eat while on the road & the chances are I am going to have to eat things that aren't ideal for me while travelling, but you know something?  God's got that, too.  I'm doing the very BEST I can do & the rest truly is up to Him.  

Food we eat to sustain our bodies & give them what they need to be healthy is such an incredible picture of how we need to feed our bodies spiritually too! Are we spiritually ready for difficult times?  What would happen if you or someone you loved was diagnosed with cancer, or some other life threatening disease? Or if you suddenly had to live with constant debilitating pain? Or maybe you do already - how does your spirit respond to this?  I heard a quote tonight while watching a movie.  

"The Funny thing about war is it shows you who you are, not who you want to be".  

That's a powerful statement! When hard times come into our lives it truly shows us who we ARE.  Not who we want to be, or think we are, or think one day we might be .. but who we ARE.  How do we respond under pressure?   Do we live out Phil 4:4? "Rejoice in the Lord ALWAYS ... I will say it again, REJOICE.  That's not a suggestion, it's how we are to respond to life!

My family & I have this thing we do now, when one of us is starting to get annoyed or frustrated, we'll shout out PRAISE JESUS & it is such an awesome reminder to walk in obedience to this verse.  

We HAVE to feed ourselves healthy, spiritual food.  Where does that come from? Well, it depends on you.  Personally, I'm not a big fan of devotional books as a general rule, but you surely can learn & grow from the teaching in a good one.  Conversations with others who are further along in this race is a good place to learn too.  But the VERY BEST place to learn is at the feet of Jesus.  it doesn't have to be time in your Bible, but  time with Jesus, talking to Him in prayer & listening for His response.  Time meditating on what you have read in His Word or what He has spoken to you during your prayers is a POWERFUL thing!!! 

I am truly thankful for the responses my family & I have had to this new found challenge in our lives.  It is incredible how much we have grown spiritually - and all because we found a GREAT place to get AMAZING spiritual food!  If you are interested in knowing more about this wonderful place of fellowship, you can click right here. 

I feel the nudge to also add this link.  This journey is not cheap, it's something that is going to take a lot more money than we have to shell out on our own.  We are SO THANKFUL to those that have already helped & are reaching out to say "we need your help" to make this happen.  If you can help financially & have a part in our travelling as well as all the other added expenses of this it would be fantastically appreciated.  Whether you can help that way or not, we would also most appreciate your prayers.  Click here on GoFundMe to see how you can help us make this journey more affordable for us! 

Thank you so much for reading folks.  I'd love to hear from any & all of you and please,  feel free to share this blog as freely as you would like.  God is speaking through me & I would love to have as many people hearing Him as possible!!

Goodnight to all of you
G

Sleep ... & Fear!

I have been very sleep deprived today.  The whole family was up before the sun this morning to do our parts in getting the chickens to the butcher.  Tomorrow 16 more birds will join the others in our freezer & we'll be well on our way to prepared for winter with healthy meat.  I wish we could have a cow .... :)

So, exhaustion being a pretty difficult place for me, I stayed busy this morning doing some usual stuff as well as making a batch of the kids favourite cookies.  Something went wrong & they didn't turn out as they should have but they are still disappearing at the normal rate.  IT seems the kids don't mind!  I am that much closer to making them so *I* can eat them & it could be said I'm rather happy about that.  

I laid down this afternoon, spending 3 hrs in bed but never managed to fall into a deep sleep.  When the phone rang that was the end & I gave up and got up.  I told Mark I wanted caution tape to wrap about me. :)  But God is SO good & with much prayer & intentionality I have made it through the evening without growling at anyone. Well, unless the dog counts ....  

Tonight has been an evening of relaxing and seeing all the ways that God has proven that He cares about even the little things in life.  There are a few things I REALLY hope to have before we head to Ottawa, nothing important enough that I feel like I can buy them, just little creature comforts that I would just really enjoy having.  I have been given one of those things without ever having spoken a word about the want!   God is supplying not only my needs but some of my wants as well, little things that I appreciate SO much.  

I was asked the other night how I would have responded to this four years ago. I can tell you, plain and simple, not like this.  I would have been living in fear, deeply anxious & depressed & felt as though I had no recourse, nowhere to turn.  The next question was "what changed to bring you from that place 4 yrs ago to where you are now wish such incredible peace & growing stretching faith.  Oh, what a story that is.  I can hardly wait to share it with you all!  For tonight, I will simply say that first .. I gave up fear.  I read 2 Tim 1:7 and realized that it is a very literal verse!!!  It says: 

For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.

There are many verses about fear & trusting God but this is the one that grabbed my heart when I was in a place of great fear for my children's safety.  I recognized that fear is NOT a thought that is obedient to Christ (remember 2 Cor 10:5?) and that I must intentionally refuse to give in to it.  I began to work very hard at doing just that, changing my thoughts every time I found myself afraid, filling my mind with God's Word & leaving no room for fear.  I remember the moment that change really came about & it has been life changing!!!  Sure, I've been afraid during the last weeks, cancer is a scary thing. But I have NOT allowed myself to live in that place, to wallow there!!!  I'm not gonna hang out in the slums of fear when my father is the King of KINGS & is in control!  NOBODY can love me, or you, more than He does so why would we allow ourselves to be manipulated by fear.

That is the beginning of my story.  I hope to share more of it with you very soon.  It has been an INCREDIBLE journey that I am looking forward to sharing.

God is God. God is good & God is FAITHFUL!!  We have no cause for fear & anxiety.  

I have been very sleep deprived today.  The whole family was up before the sun this morning to do our parts in getting the chickens to the butcher.  Tomorrow 16 more birds will join the others in our freezer & we'll be well on our way to prepared for winter with healthy meat.  I wish we could have a cow .... :)

So, exhaustion being a pretty difficult place for me, I stayed busy this morning doing some usual stuff as well as making a batch of the kids favourite cookies.  Something went wrong & they didn't turn out as they should have but they are still disappearing at the normal rate.  IT seems the kids don't mind!  I am that much closer to making them so *I* can eat them & it could be said I'm rather happy about that.  

I laid down this afternoon, spending 3 hrs in bed but never managed to fall into a deep sleep.  When the phone rang that was the end & I gave up and got up.  I told Mark I wanted caution tape to wrap about me. :)  But God is SO good & with much prayer & intentionality I have made it through the evening without growling at anyone. Well, unless the dog counts ....  

Tonight has been an evening of relaxing and seeing all the ways that God has proven that He cares about even the little things in life.  There are a few things I REALLY hope to have before we head to Ottawa, nothing important enough that I feel like I can buy them, just little creature comforts that I would just really enjoy having.  I have been given one of those things without ever having spoken a word about the want!   God is supplying not only my needs but some of my wants as well, little things that I appreciate SO much.  

I was asked the other night how I would have responded to this four years ago. I can tell you, plain and simple, not like this.  I would have been living in fear, deeply anxious & depressed & felt as though I had no recourse, nowhere to turn.  The next question was "what changed to bring you from that place 4 yrs ago to where you are now wish such incredible peace & growing stretching faith.  Oh, what a story that is.  I can hardly wait to share it with you all!  For tonight, I will simply say that first .. I gave up fear.  I read 2 Tim 1:7 and realized that it is a very literal verse!!!  It says: 

For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.

There are many verses about fear & trusting God but this is the one that grabbed my heart when I was in a place of great fear for my children's safety.  I recognized that fear is NOT a thought that is obedient to Christ (remember 2 Cor 10:5?) and that I must intentionally refuse to give in to it.  I began to work very hard at doing just that, changing my thoughts every time I found myself afraid, filling my mind with God's Word & leaving no room for fear.  I remember the moment that change really came about & it has been life changing!!!  Sure, I've been afraid during the last weeks, cancer is a scary thing. But I have NOT allowed myself to live in that place, to wallow there!!!  I'm not gonna hang out in the slums of fear when my father is the King of KINGS & is in control!  NOBODY can love me, or you, more than He does so why would we allow ourselves to be manipulated by fear.

That is the beginning of my story.  I hope to share more of it with you very soon.  It has been an INCREDIBLE journey that I am looking forward to sharing.

God is God. God is good & God is FAITHFUL!!  We have no cause for fear & anxiety.  

Today was a great day.  I woke up this morning earlier than I have been lately & had the energy to help out with a fair bit of housework.  I love those times!  After lunch I had an old friend drop by for a visit & it was fantastic to catch up. She brought a great deal of encouragement with her in the form of a lap quilt, or, as she calls it, a comfort quilt.  She made it, with the help of some friends, and they have all prayed for me & intend to continue.  I LOVE this quilt!  Every time I wrap up in it I am reminded that others care & they are talking to our Heavenly Father about me. 

Here's a not-so-great picture of this fantastic quilt.  

What an encouragement to me!!!  And what a picture of how we are to love one another.  1 Peter 4:8-10 says "Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace"

This really came to pass today, I opened up my home to an old friend - showed hospitality - and she served me with her gift of encouragement, by using her God given ability to make fantastic quilts!  She also encouraged me mightily by this reminder of all the prayers going up for me.  This is the Body of Christ at work folks!!!

I was also mightily encouraged by some financial support given today.  My trip to Ottawa is now nearing half paid for & that is SUCH a blessing!  Thank you so much to those who have blessed & encouraged me in that fashion.  

I have so much I want to share with you, my faithful friends, God is showing me SO MUCH that I can hardly wait to share with each of you!!! Isn't He just SO GOOD to us??? 

For now I really must fall into bed.  No nap makes Glenda a tired girl. :) 

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you for all the prayers, the encouragement, the love.  I wouldn't want to do this without each of you.

G

A few days ago I blogged about faith.  Remember the elastic?  Well .... that elastic faith of mine has been stretched BIG TIME these last few days!!!

First comes the finances for this trip to Ottawa.  Our Fredericton/Moncton/PEI trip last week set us back a little further than I had anticipated.  We did well, but things happen.  So, I have been thinking too much about how we can make Ottawa work.  That's not my job!!! We are doing everything we can do, we are doing our part in this, and the rest is up to God.  IF He wants us there ... we'll get there!!!  Stretch number 1.

Number two ...  Hubbie comes home from work last night in pain.  great pain.  Then having to go bury a dead chicken just put him over the edge.  He's not moving well at all, he's unable to go to work, and of course the voices in my head start to wonder aloud ... will he be able to drive to ottawa? Is he going to be well enough in time???  Again ... not my circus, not my monkeys.  GOD has this & HE is the one in control.  My hands must remain EMPTY of the reigns. And of course this also ties in to #1 as well ... what if he can't continue to work the over time?  What happens to our trip then?  you'd think I'd learn ... GOD HAS IT!!!

Number 3 is simply everything all at once.  I have been feeling SO overwhelmed.  Yesteray was a TOUGH day & I was looking forward to 7 pm.  Mark would arrive home & I could clock out.  Back to number 2 .. he came home needing me to help him not the other way around.   I struggled with those feelings of being so overwhelmed, but then I realized that those overwhelming feelings were NOT thoughts obedient to Christ!!! Remember 2 Cor 10:5? we take EVERY thought CAPTIVE & make it obedient to Christ.  If I was trusting the Lord with all the details of my life, including my husbands health & our upcoming trip to Ottawa... why was I even concerned? GOD HAS IT1  

You see a theme here? :)  God has it and I MUST simply REST in that & not allow thoughts of doubt or fear to creep in.  I found a sweatshirt I would SO LOVE to have in this time. Check it out!!!

God's got it.  All the time.  I don't need to feel overwhelmed, I don't need to feel afraid or anxious.  I am in HIS Hands.  He knows the end of my story  & He is doing exactly what I need to get there at just the right time for myself and for those in my life as well.  Isn't that GRAND???