Update #5

We thought a quick update would be good to send this evening.

First off, remind me never, ever to get into any sort of physical fight with my wife!  She is the toughest person I know.  After having very major surgery with the reconstructive process started only a few days ago, she is already down to only taking ibuprofen for pain.  She is getting around the house quite well but does get tired a little easier than normal.  I guess we will grant her that….

She is also doing a good job of letting us and those around us take care of her.  The kids and I have stepped up our game and are now fully aware of how all the household items work (read; laundry machine…).  Sam and I are looking forward to taking over grocery shopping duties and started out on that adventure this weekend.  We even went a little more technical than Mom and downloaded an app to help keep track of our list!

Overall Val is recovering from surgery very nicely.  We look forward to hearing the pathology results from surgery towards the middle of the week and the start of the next adventure with a treatment plan.  Personally I will have to say this whole “waiting thing” is tough, tough, tough….. I want to know now what the next steps are and get started now…. but that is not what the Lord has planned.  I am sure that how to wait, along with many more lessons are coming our way while we walk through this next adventure.  The entire process making sure that we all grow more to be like Christ.

I want to share another lesson that I have already started to share with some of you….  As many of you know me well, my tendency is to be way on top of things, trying to be out in front as best I can and with a plan.  Over my life, one tendency is that when the Lord has provided success, a victory or whatever you want to call it, I must admit I could get the idea that I may have had my hand in that event and did it on my own strength.

The devotional from Our Daily Bread the day that Val was diagnosed (March 29th) was about Gideon from Judges 7:1-8.  It is the story of Gideon going into battle with 32,000 soldiers and God saying to Gideon “The people with you are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hand, lest Israel boast over me, saying, “My own hand has saved me”.  Then the process begins with Gideon giving a speech letting his men know there is no shame in going home to take care of your family.  That gets 22,000 men to leave, leaving him with 10,000.  Still the Lord says, “that’s too many”.  So another round of sorting and after this round Gideon is left with only 300 men……  Let that sink in for a minute.  32,000 to 300.  WOW!  And with this 300, the Lord gave Israel a great victory in HIS name…. not in Gideon’s name.

When looking at our situation, we have been blessed with many, many resources that are greatly helping us walk through Val‘s battle with cancer.  We are very grateful for access to medical folks who are able to advise us on who to see and the process that we need to walk.  It is a HUGE BLESSING.  As we tap into these resources and plan appropriately, rest assured we are going into battle with the Lord’s 300.  It is God’s victory no matter the outcome.  No matter how smart we think we are or the people that we know.  This battle with cancer is God’s battle.  Who better to have run the show than the Creator of the Universe!

Our number one prayer is that Lord’s name be praised and that His will be done.  That is a hard prayer and one I have to admit I struggle to pray.

So as you walk this road with us, you may need to remind me from time to time to fight with the 300 rather than try to do this on our own strength.  Thank you again for all your prayers, words of encouragement and help you have been already to us!  We look forward to updating you again towards the middle of this week once we get pathology results back from surgery.  In the mean time, please keep praying!

Marc