Love Above All ~ And Friday Follow

Some of you may remember this post where I talked about my friend Wendy that is going through cancer and that my family is going to participate with her team "Love Above All" in an upcoming Relay For Life.  Now just yesterday we heard from on of Andy's best friends that his sister was just diagnosed with ovarian cancer and liver cancer.  No one here can do the surgery but a surgeon from MD Anderson in Houston has already contacted her and has scheduled her surgery for next week.  Also yesterday we heard about a friend of ours from church that plays in the orchestra and has been in musicals with us is awaiting test results from a huge mass in her colon and liver.  They are almost certain that it is cancer.  We also have another lady from our church that works in our children's ministries that is currently battling pancreatic cancer and is terminal.  I now have 4 people on my prayer list that currently are battling cancer.  Never thought I would say that.  

So...before I get to Friday Follow...I asked my friend Wendy if I could share a post from her Caring Bridge journal that she posted before Thanksgiving last year.  As you can see below she said yes.  Please take a moment to read this and then if you find it in your heart please hit the below button and make a donation.  

WRITTEN SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 21:

Several years ago my father in law gave the kids and I a pin that reads “Love Above All Else”. We all still have them, mine is attached to a hand made wooden cross someone gave me. Seems appropriate.

With no doubt many of you have heard that the last 2 rounds of my new chemo have had some unpleasant side effects. I’ve been sick for weeks, missing work, basically detached painfully from society. I’ve too many days of not being able to get out of bed, 2 trips to the hospital, not being able to take care of Nick who missed two weeks of school. Sick to my stomach every day, pain from head to foot and a rash on my face I will spare you the details of. But each time I looked in the mirror I would just start crying all over again. That was on top of a usual day of self pity and crying. I forgot about Love Above All Else.

My every blessed church family and friends have been calling, sending food, sending cards, just showing up and sitting by my bed side at home and in the hospital. We did even manage a quick trip to Florida for a very special couples wedding and 2 days of Universal Studio – was good but could have been better had I felt human. Love Above All Else. One morning when I thought my face couldn’t look any worse; Kelly came into my room found a clear spot on my face, gave me a kiss and said “Mom your still beautiful”. I cried again, happy tears. Love Above All Else.

Nick came in my room later that day had a look at me and said “Mom it’s really going to be okay, we love you.” Love Above All Else.

While I lay awake thinking at 2:30 this morning I came up with so many examples of Love that you all have given me these past few weeks. The most awesome boss who surpasses understanding of what I’m dealing with. Who knows she and I will somehow work out the work, no guilt, no worries, her main concern is me getting healthy and healed. The meals that have simply showed up at our door. The unexpected company at the hospital, the sacrifice of a friend simply showing up to spend the night. The cards, the texts, the emails. The cute pink tee shirt. The hospital treats. The unexpected company at home. Love Above All Else. How did I miss it for so many weeks?

Love really heals just about everything from skinned knees to broken hearts and can feed lost souls. It’s such a simple, selfless act. It provides warmth, forgiveness, comfort, and peace. And that no one loves us more than God, and His Love REALLY is Above All Else. God loves us so much; I know He’s not having me suffer for these pains for no reason. I know He Loves Me Above All Else and will heal me.

A conversation I had with Dr. J. sometime ago wandered back into my thoughts this morning. Just before one of my surgeries he and I got to talking about walking our path with Jesus as our guide and we have come to fork in the road, one side is a cleared and easy path. The other side is full of weeds, thickets and brambles. We talked about if we stayed with Jesus on the thorny path how much greater our rewards would be at the end. The gift of faith that would sustain us during this journey would provide us great rewards from God. We learn so much during our hard times.

So I got to reflecting on what a thorny, thicketed path I’ve been on the past several weeks. But I also came to see that there were so many treasures on that path that I realized if I had just started looking up off the cracks in the path and past the thorns there were so many sparkling jewels I missed. All the above treasures of each of you I just mentioned. And amazingly God placed them ON the path, I didn’t even have to get to the end of receive them (thought this time I did have to reach the end of it to see that they were there all the time).

LOVE ABOVE ALL ELSE BABY!

Now on to Friday Follow:

Here's how YOU can join the Friday Follow celebration:

--Link up your blog name and URL using the MckLinky below. Only need to add on one blog to be seen on all the blog hops. 
--Grab the Friday Follow and Sponsor buttons and include both on your Friday Follow blog post.
--Follow the Friday Follow hostesses listed in the first 3 slots.
--Follow as many other blogs on the linky as you'd like.
--Take a moment to comment on the blogs telling them you're from Friday Follow.
--Follow back when you get a new follower through Friday Follow.

This list is new each week. The links do not carry over. Please link up each week for new participants to find your blogs. The list is only open to add your blog links on Fridays. It will be visible all week to visit the blogs listed. 

 

Sponsored this week by: