How Can I Say Thanks?

Thanks for all your prayers. God answers your prayers by giving me grace for the down days and then gives me lots of "up" days in between chemos. I'm thankful.

I'm also thankful for the Lord Jesus Christ, who is my only hope for this life and the next. I've begun to wear a cross necklace every day, as a reminder of this wonderful hope. I'm thankful.

I'm thankful for my wonderful doctors and nurses. Yesterday morning I had barely sat down so the nurse could disconnect my pump when my stomach emphatically rejected my breakfast. Instantly I was surrounded by caring nurses; one provided an emesis pan in the nick of time, another came running with crushed ice, and another brought a moist washcloth. I watch them behave this way all the time, expressing compassion and care for all of us patients. I didn't stay sick long; in fact I enjoyed my fish dinner. I'm thankful.

I'm thankful for music. At 2:35 this morning I was lying in my comfortable bed trying to go back to sleep when all at once a song came ringing through my brain. It took me a moment to remember that it was a song Jeremy brought back from Niger last April, "There Is a Higher Throne," by Keith and Kristyn Getty. I'm sure I sent you the words back then, but I'll repeat the refrain here:

Hear heaven's voices sing,
Their thunderous anthem rings,
through emerald courts and sapphire skies
their praises rise.
All glory, wisdom, power,
strength, thanks, and honor are
to God, our King, who reigns on high, forevermore.

And I'm thankful to feel much better this morning. I think I'll put in some time at the office today, although it's Saturday. Yesterday afternoon I simply couldn't find enough energy, except to get up to run a a couple loads of laundry and then return to bed. Today is good, and I'm thankful.

Finally, I'm thankful for Chuck. He keeps such excellent spread sheets of all my medical happenings--the treatments, the results of blood tests, scheduled appointments. On top of that, he battles honorably against repeated errors by our insurance company. I'm thankful.

Hey, this feels good. I think I'll keep collecting "thanks" every day, at least until our Thankgiving Day.

Have a thankful day.

Carol