A ride she won't forget

Hubby has declared that he and our daughter share something in common now that no one in the rest of our family can say....
They have both ridden in the back of a police car as teenagers!

The reasons were TOTALLY different, of course.
If you know her, then you know that there is a joke in here somewhere! And if you knew my hubby when he was a teen (before he met Jesus),
than you know that was for real. ; )

Her ride came about because her friend's dad ran out of gas on the freeway really late at night after taking the girls to an Us the Duo concert.
It was a bad spot to be out of gas and they were told to stand outside the car, lest anyone swerve to the shoulder of the road and accidentally hit their car. Triple A would be there in an hour.
Then a kind police officer came by and offered to drive them to the nearest gas station! Hooray!
- So, of course the three of them had to ride in back! LOL
And she discovered that "Perps don't get very much leg room!"

~Becky

Wednesdays in the Word

I love this quote:

"Even when it is not well with our circumstances, it can be well with our souls." Amen!

"For my soul trusts in You; and in the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge, until these calamities have passed by." Psalm 57:1


(Note: I wrote this post weeks ago, which is unusual and isn't God good since this is totally what I need to remember today! He knew!)

~Becky

The Friday our lives changed

I know that's a dramatic title but it can't be helped.
Life changed on Friday, in a way that we never expected.

We went to the cancer center definitely thinking that it was going to be our first and only visit,
even though everyone we interacted with made us feel like we'd be regulars. Ugh! It made me wonder if they knew something we didn't... 

I was certainly expecting to hear 'benign' but it didn't turn out that way.

My sweet hubby took the news with all the peace and joy of the Lord that he always exhibits in life.
And I guess the doctor thought he must need to clarify it or something.
So, he then repeated that it was cancer. (and I'm thinking -'got it the first time')
And then for good measure, he said "This is serious!"
Which we have no doubts about,
we just know that his say is not the final word!
God has a plan and He's in control.

I did not envy him, giving this news to people on a regular basis or the reactions that follow. : (

THEN because Hubby is who he is, he started encouraging the doctor about how well he was doing his job and telling him how much he appreciated all the info he was sharing with us. 

I'm married to quite a guy! 

Calling our kids with this news was so hard!!! But they were waiting to hear from us while doing all their various activities in various locations, bless their hearts. It was nice that we had the house to ourselves to pray, do a little crying and a lot of processing.

So, next up is another scan to see the actual size of the tumor, if it really is localized and if it can be removed with surgery.

Hubby's now on a dairy free, soy free, gluten free, sugar free cancer fighting diet (and that's a lot of 'frees!') and needs to eat every 3 hours. I've been scrambling to figure out how to cook for him, buying organic and reading lots of labels at the grocery store. He feels perfectly fine and has been going to work.

What I'm praying for is that when they do the next scan this week,
 they will say "What tumor?" "We don't see a tumor!" 

~"For with God nothing shall be impossible." Luke 1:37 "They shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover." Mark 16:18 

So, there's a new twist in our story and it is weird to think that we'll never be the same.  But here's hoping that God will use this for His glory because that is all that matters.

~Becky

That one Tuesday

So, my sweet hubby had an endoscopy on Tuesday for an acid reflux issue.
I dropped him off at the hospital for this outpatient procedure and then took Joy to work at the science museum and then took Andrew to work at a mansion on the other side of town, (where he's helping the grounds keeper) and then raced back to the hospital to find that my cute groggy guy, was awake and resting.

Thankfully, he's never had a reason to be in a hospital gown or on a gurney before. Ever!
 So, it was a rather startling sight to me and I said "lets never have a reason for you to look like this again!" And then I took his picture, which he thought was really weird. : )

Then, I asked him how everything went and he looked me in the eyes and told me that the doctor found a tumor.
Now, my hubby likes to say outrageous things to me in jest, all the time and I almost always believe him, so I had to have him repeat that bit of news. But, I knew by the look in his eyes that this wasn't one of those times. Rats!!! I wish it had been.

Our sweet doctor, who is at least 85 years old -if he's day, sat us down and retold us that there is a tumor and said that we had to get a CAT scan right away. Like, that very day! Then, he gave us his cell number and told us to call him if 'things got snarled up' in trying to get appointments. What a dear man!

Well, we spent 5 hours in the hospital waiting for the CAT scan!  During that time, Zac was our family's MVP! He called Nathan and gave him the news, he picked up the kids for us and made sure they made it to and from worship band practice, as well as filling them in on what was going on. What a day!

While waiting, we met THE cutest couple ever! They have been married 64 years!!! -I wanted to take their picture but I thought they might think that was a little creepy. LOL They were utterly adorable and looked amazing for their ages! We heard him say his birth date to the nurse and Hubby and I were in awe when we heard "1925." Amazing!!! He was stationed here during WWII. She was 16 and her parents took her to a GI dance and that is where they met and then they married!
He told me that CAT scans 'are nothing!' I guess that was to make me feel better. What a sweetheart.

Yesterday, our doctor called Hubby personally, to tell him that the CAT scan showed that the tumor is localized, which sounded like some good news. Then he personally set out to call our family physician, discuss things with him, find a good oncologist for us and line up an appointment. (is that normal? Wow!)

So, I don't think I'm going to get my wish,
not to see Hubby in another hospital gown ever,
but we are seeing God's faithfulness and resting in the indescribable peace that He's graciously poured out on us through all this.

~Becky

Wednesdays in the Word

Another great verse to pray for children, spouses and ourselves. May those who don't know Christ, see there is something different about us. May they say:

"I have heard of you, that the Spirit of God is in you, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom are found in you."  : )
Daniel 5:14

~Becky

Summer happenings

We've had a busy week around here.

First off, we are excited for Andrew, who has a part time summer job, helping a grounds keeper at one of the custom homes that the company Hubby works for built. Yay!

We had our neighbors over for dinner on Saturday to get to know them, and 10 minutes before they arrived our BBQ chicken looked like a burnt offering!!! I had to run out the door and buy chicken and wouldn't you know it, they were early! Oh my stars!
 They taught us a fun card game called Sets and Straights and it ended up being a nice evening even though it had such a rocky start. : )

Sunday morning we gave a breakfast for the members of our Sunday school class and had a great time with those sweet people.

Monday, Hubby had a doctor's appointment with a specialist and we found out that he needs an outpatient procedure. The doctor has to be AT LEAST 85 years old but looks to be 100! He's sweet as can be. But the fact that his hands shake, was a little unnerving to me. He's done 30,000 of these procedures, so that made me feel better. And then we heard that he just looks through a camera and tells his nurses what to do, so now I feel a whole lot better.

Last night, Joy and Andrew gave a party for the youth group's worship band. They wanted to have a bonfire. In Florida. In July. That's pretty much a recipe for rain! But they got in a few minutes by the fire in between storms and watched The Lego Movie, and played Foosball and video games. Such a great bunch of teens! Love them!

For the next two days, Joy and I get represent our favorite math company at a homeschooling convention! Yay!

And then hopefully, there's a date night in my near future! : )

Hope you are having a great week!
~Becky

Wednesdays in the Word

So, these verses really struck me yesterday:

"Pursue peace with all people.
and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: 
looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God,
lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, 
and by this many become defiled." Hebrews 12:14-15

The grace of God gives us the power to keep from "falling short" and letting bitterness "spring up" and "cause trouble." When I think of bitterness being something that "defiles" us, it makes me pray and start examining my heart to see if I am holding anything against anyone. I certainly don't want to be 'defiled.'
It is also the grace that we extend to others that keeps us free and then our souls are not fertile ground for the "springing up" of any "roots of bitterness." Amen?

"Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear." Hebrews 12:28

~Becky

Summer

I just finished reading this book and thought it was beautiful! 

It is the story of Joe Rantz, who was one of the crew members of the US rowing team that went to the 1936 Olympics in Berlin. Against all odds, they won the gold medal, as Hitler looked on. I promise that you don't have to interested in rowing to love this story! It is being made into a movie that comes out on Christmas Day! Can't wait!

I couldn't resist sunflowers from the grocery store! Love!!

I gave shish kabob making a try because it is summer and I have way more time on my hands.  But oh-my- word, I forgot a key step, which was soaking the sticks for 30 minutes first. LOL

So, that meant taking all this loveliness off the sticks and redoing them 30 minutes later. Ugh! 

They were yummy though!

Every summer we do puzzles

And not just any puzzles. We may be puzzle snobs because the kids will only do Charles Wysoki puzzles. Grandmum (Hubby's mom) had a tapestry of this print that hung in their family room:

And because of that the kids came to love Charles Wysoki. We when found his puzzles, we were hooked  and now they will ONLY his puzzles. : ) 

I have never found a puzzle of this print though, or I'd surely have to buy it. 

Best part of summer -all three kids doing something together! -I love it.

~Becky

Wednesdays in the Word

We've been singing this powerful worship song at church lately and I can't get over these lyrics:

"Its Your breath in our lungs, so we pour out our praise,
pour out our praise on you only."

Take a listen:



This got me to thinking about the time (10 years ago) when I had reactive airway disease and DIDN'T have much breath in my lungs at all. I had 20% breathing capacity which was frightening. Walking 20 steps was completely exhausting and took me 30 minutes to recover from.
But God, (I love that phrase in the Bible!)
in His abundant mercy healed me once and for all, and I've never struggled with any breathing issues since. PTL!

But I hope that I always remember that it is HIS breath in my lungs.
And since it is HIS, my actions and words need to glorify Him so that this can never be said of me:

"and the God who holds your breath in His hands and owns all your ways,
you have not glorified."
Daniel 5:23
Amen?
~Becky

Lots of fun on the fourth

Hubby was able to take off on the 3rd and the 4th this year. Yay!
So, on Thursday we had a lazy day and then headed to Busch Gardens Joy and Andrew.
They rode one ride over and over and we walked around and enjoyed the animals. Then we watched the fireworks show, because FIREWORKS on the FOURTH are my favorite!!!!

On Friday we were invited to spend the evening with Zac's girlfriends' family and some other dear friends from church.

                  There were too many desserts to choose from

and there were goofy photo ops

                                                

                                                           and lots of sparklers

and this bunch of wonderful young people, who made it a blast!

~Becky