Our Light and Momentary Troubles. . .
I have been meaning to sit down and write an update on Dennis for a while now, but I feel like things have been so busy since August that I haven't had a chance to even catch my breath! But this week the Lord has been refining and encouraging me with some great things related to our cancer journey, so I felt I "needed" to sit down and organize my thoughts.
April was the two year anniversary of Dennis' surgery and the news that he was cancer free. August was the three year anniversary of his diagnosis and the two year anniversary of the end of his treatment. September 2nd was Dennis 50th birthday and we celebrated the weekend before with a Beatles-themed party. You can read about it here and his birthday day activities here. Dennis' regular blood work and CT-scan in the spring show he is still cancer free. We are so thankful! He continues to have regular check ups with his radiology doctor and oncologist, but is finished following up with his surgeon. Our family doctor sees him yearly and is working with us on the after-effects of surgery and treatment.
Overall, Dennis is doing well. He is able to work, takes care of things around the house, exercises when he can, and enjoys time with the family as much as possible. But we are never without reminders that he had cancer. He still has "issues" related to surgery. While we have altered his diet and our doctor has worked with him on trying a medication to help relieve his symptoms, we are very much still living a "post-cancer" existence.
At times I think we both miss how our lives were "BC" (before cancer) and we feel weary. For Dennis, he can't eat the things he likes, he is taken away from family activities, and looses out on sleep. For me I sometimes have to do tasks alone that we usually did together and in the evening when I am really needing a reprieve from being home with the kids all day, this is tough. We don't get as much time alone together these days as the hours in the evening are short and often interrupted. And frankly, knowing that things may be as good as they are ever going to be is a challenge.
But, while it can be frustrating at times (for both of us), knowing what the alternatives could be, we are still grateful. And this week, the Lord has been reminding me of that very thing. I've learned to "count it all joy", so I won't leave you thinking that I'm wallowing in self-pity because I am absolutely not!
When Dennis was first diagnosed with colon cancer, I was in the midst of a Women of Faith study called "Living a Life of Worship". I know God put it on my heart to begin that study to prepare me for what was to come. And He again has been teaching me through the study I've been doing with our women's group at church. We are going through a study called "Characteristics of a Godly Woman". So far we've covered building our life on prayer, God's Word and this past week on worship. These topics have really come together to remind me to look beyond the momentary troubles of this life.
The enemy would like to use our physical suffering and difficult circumstances to draw us away from our relationship with the Lord. He, being the liar and deceiver that he is, wants to get us to focus on ourselves, our pain and discomfort and to bring us to a place of discouragement and dissatisfaction instead of us focusing on God's promises, His provision and work in our lives and the hope we have in Him.
But I've learned that our suffering always leads to our good and God's glory. Warren Wiersbe writes that "each experience of suffering and trial ought to increase our faith." But the only way we can do this is by staying in fellowship with the Lord through prayer and the studying of His Word. Add to that worshiping Him for His character and you've got a good formula for avoiding feelings of self-pity.
I was reminded of Chris Tomlin's song "Blessed Be Your Name". It speaks about honoring God when the land is plentiful and the streams are flowing with abundance; when the sun is shining on us and the world seems like it's all it should be. But God also deserves our worship when we're in desert places walking in the wilderness; when we are experiencing suffering or pain. Whether God's blessings are pouring over us or He is allowing us to be in a time of darkness, we can still see His goodness and worship Him. And whether he gives or takes away, "my heart will choose to say Lord, blessed be Your name."
Our cancer journey has been frightening, sorrowful, painful, frustrating, and overall challenging; but we choose to look past those things to the One who sees us, provides for us and promises us a place of rest in the life to come. Because "though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." (2 Corinthians 4:16-18)
Thanks for checking in with us. God is good and we are loved. . . so are you!
April was the two year anniversary of Dennis' surgery and the news that he was cancer free. August was the three year anniversary of his diagnosis and the two year anniversary of the end of his treatment. September 2nd was Dennis 50th birthday and we celebrated the weekend before with a Beatles-themed party. You can read about it here and his birthday day activities here. Dennis' regular blood work and CT-scan in the spring show he is still cancer free. We are so thankful! He continues to have regular check ups with his radiology doctor and oncologist, but is finished following up with his surgeon. Our family doctor sees him yearly and is working with us on the after-effects of surgery and treatment.
Overall, Dennis is doing well. He is able to work, takes care of things around the house, exercises when he can, and enjoys time with the family as much as possible. But we are never without reminders that he had cancer. He still has "issues" related to surgery. While we have altered his diet and our doctor has worked with him on trying a medication to help relieve his symptoms, we are very much still living a "post-cancer" existence.
At times I think we both miss how our lives were "BC" (before cancer) and we feel weary. For Dennis, he can't eat the things he likes, he is taken away from family activities, and looses out on sleep. For me I sometimes have to do tasks alone that we usually did together and in the evening when I am really needing a reprieve from being home with the kids all day, this is tough. We don't get as much time alone together these days as the hours in the evening are short and often interrupted. And frankly, knowing that things may be as good as they are ever going to be is a challenge.
But, while it can be frustrating at times (for both of us), knowing what the alternatives could be, we are still grateful. And this week, the Lord has been reminding me of that very thing. I've learned to "count it all joy", so I won't leave you thinking that I'm wallowing in self-pity because I am absolutely not!
When Dennis was first diagnosed with colon cancer, I was in the midst of a Women of Faith study called "Living a Life of Worship". I know God put it on my heart to begin that study to prepare me for what was to come. And He again has been teaching me through the study I've been doing with our women's group at church. We are going through a study called "Characteristics of a Godly Woman". So far we've covered building our life on prayer, God's Word and this past week on worship. These topics have really come together to remind me to look beyond the momentary troubles of this life.
The enemy would like to use our physical suffering and difficult circumstances to draw us away from our relationship with the Lord. He, being the liar and deceiver that he is, wants to get us to focus on ourselves, our pain and discomfort and to bring us to a place of discouragement and dissatisfaction instead of us focusing on God's promises, His provision and work in our lives and the hope we have in Him.
But I've learned that our suffering always leads to our good and God's glory. Warren Wiersbe writes that "each experience of suffering and trial ought to increase our faith." But the only way we can do this is by staying in fellowship with the Lord through prayer and the studying of His Word. Add to that worshiping Him for His character and you've got a good formula for avoiding feelings of self-pity.
I was reminded of Chris Tomlin's song "Blessed Be Your Name". It speaks about honoring God when the land is plentiful and the streams are flowing with abundance; when the sun is shining on us and the world seems like it's all it should be. But God also deserves our worship when we're in desert places walking in the wilderness; when we are experiencing suffering or pain. Whether God's blessings are pouring over us or He is allowing us to be in a time of darkness, we can still see His goodness and worship Him. And whether he gives or takes away, "my heart will choose to say Lord, blessed be Your name."
Our cancer journey has been frightening, sorrowful, painful, frustrating, and overall challenging; but we choose to look past those things to the One who sees us, provides for us and promises us a place of rest in the life to come. Because "though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." (2 Corinthians 4:16-18)
Thanks for checking in with us. God is good and we are loved. . . so are you!
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