Intermingling

Last night as we were falling asleep, Chuck whispered, "I wish you didn't have cancer." "Me too," I agreed. But then I lay there awhile reflecting on all the good gifts that have come our way in connection with the disease--gifts of fresh insights, family solidarity, friendships, deeper thinking, personal repentance, and growing wholeness of soul. I thought of the Susan Howatch novel, Absolute Truths, that I'm just now finishing. The story of a brilliant bishop of the Church of England, it shows how a series of catastrophes over three decades brought him to discard his "glittering image" and begin to live truly with himself and others. His spiritual director told him that the verb for "work together" in the well known Romans 8:28 ("all things work together for good for those who love God") is more accurately translated "intermingle." We've often been told that it's like mixing disgusting ingredients such as raw egg whites, flour, etc., resulting in a delicious cake. But you can't mix cancer with anything and make it come out "delicious." So intermingle makes more sense. Light remains light, dark remains dark, bitter remains bitter, joy remains joy, laughter remains laughter, tears remain tears--but by the sovereign grace of God they all intermingle for GOOD. (Any Greek scholars out there are welcome to weigh in on this word.)

I'm happy to report that I completed the files for the new magazine and uploaded them on time yesterday for our designer. This morning we'll discuss the material by phone, and then it's over to him to make it come out beautiful, as he always does.

Tomorrow morning we plan to leave early to spend the weekend in Washington DC for Lisa's birthday. I hope to continue to feel strong enough.

Blessings,
Carol