Thank you all who came out to day to one of the church services. I was blessed to see so many faces in the crowd. Each time I share my story whether it be cancer or my faith, I get to meet so many people that end up encouraging me. Just the fact that some of you came out just because I had 5 mins of a 90 minute service is touching. June, Rhys and I are very blessed to be surrounded by so many people that love us and support us in so many ways. I don't remember if I posted this song before, maybe I did, but I heard a few of them this week that really touched my heart. I wanted to share with you today.
Fall Apart- Josh Wilson
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXOEZJyqdsg
Blessings- Laura Story
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CSVqHcdhXQ
there are a few lines in the blessing song that brings me back to when I was in chemo- and wondering about God's plan for me...some of those wonderings are still coming to fruition.
"Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears?
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You're near?
What if trials of this life
Are your mercies in disguise?"
I pray that God meets you there, where ever you are. A place of happiness, sadness or searching. I pray for his blessings to surround you in every circumstance of life.
And for those who didnt make it out today, I will post the link to mp3 if you want to check it out. Our church also has a pretty cool easter service.
Later
Sunday, March 18, 2012
Saturday, March 10, 2012
March 10, 2012
I always said that I didn't want this blog to turn out to be like facebook. Where I was updating people on what I had for dinner or things like that. (I am not cracking on facebook- i'm just saying) I guess I always wanted to make sure I had something to say before blogging. It's been a few weeks and the health is good but life will always continue to present new challenges and trials. I wanted to post today because I know that this blog has been able to let me share my faith in an unconventional way. Next Sunday, March 18- I am sharing about my faith in God during my pastor's sermon. I wanted to officially invite everyone out. My church has 4 services and I will be sharing at all 4 of them. Come for the music, come for my pastor's sermon or come for my sharing. It would be great to see all of you, especially those I hardly ever see.
here are the times and places
Sunday March 18, 2012
9:15am- Tenth Avenue Alliance Church first service- 11 West 10th avenue vancouver
10:15am- Kitsilano Secondary School, 2550 West 10th Avenue (and Trafalgar)
11:15am-Tenth Avenue Alliance Church first service- 11 West 10th avenue vancouver
6:30pm-Tenth Avenue Alliance Church first service- 11 West 10th avenue vancouver
Hope to see you there (if you come for the 11:15 or 6:30 service- i will be around afterwards to catch up)
When it's all said and done- I really think it's the relationships you have in this life that matters the most. I want to be able to say that I invested in friendships and memories with people to last a lifetime. There is a reason that when you get together with old friends, you tend to spend most your time talking about t things that you have experienced together. Not a lot of time is spent on what material things you have attained or even professional achievements. Funny how that is.
here are the times and places
Sunday March 18, 2012
9:15am- Tenth Avenue Alliance Church first service- 11 West 10th avenue vancouver
10:15am- Kitsilano Secondary School, 2550 West 10th Avenue (and Trafalgar)
11:15am-Tenth Avenue Alliance Church first service- 11 West 10th avenue vancouver
6:30pm-Tenth Avenue Alliance Church first service- 11 West 10th avenue vancouver
Hope to see you there (if you come for the 11:15 or 6:30 service- i will be around afterwards to catch up)
When it's all said and done- I really think it's the relationships you have in this life that matters the most. I want to be able to say that I invested in friendships and memories with people to last a lifetime. There is a reason that when you get together with old friends, you tend to spend most your time talking about t things that you have experienced together. Not a lot of time is spent on what material things you have attained or even professional achievements. Funny how that is.
Friday, February 24, 2012
Feb 23, 2012- CT scan clear
Everything looks normal- that's what my oncologist said. Interesting comment. Looks normal, but is it? Yes it is, he said. You are almost back to normal. But what is normal. A year ago, I was in chemo, balding and fighting. 1 year later, I received my 2nd clear CT scan since treatment. Happy and relieved- yeah. Thanks to all who continue to pray and wish me well. There seems to be more and more people affected by cancer. Please reach out if you ever want to chat about it. I wonder if it's time to watch that movie 50/50 yet. Hmm... Too soon?
Saturday, February 11, 2012
Feb 11, 2012
A few days before my next ct scan. I talked to a cancer survivor that beat it back in 1993. Almost 20 years later, he says he still thinks about it whenever he is sick. There are all these aches and pains in various areas and they mysteriously disappear as soon as you step out of the doctor's office. I totally understand how he feels. It may be in the way back of your mind but it's back there.
I went to buy a car the other day and the finance manager asked me about life insurance. I told her I didn't think I would qualify. She asked why. So I told her I was just coming off a little bout with cancer. She was shocked. I didn't mean to shock her. Just wanted to tell her the truth. She said I looked great. I said thanks but stop trying to get me to buy the extended warranty. Haha.
Lately, there has been a lot of death around me. Parents of my friends and co workers. My prayers are to them and their families. Those who are christians told me that their parent has gone home to the Lord. In their time of their mourning, they see the goodness that God gives. It is inspiring.
My new car comes with satellite radio. Listening the christian station, I heard this song and it brought me right back to a year ago- right in the midst of my chemo. Life is truly about perspectives- and how you choose to live it
Blessings- by laura story
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mmgV6mPvb0
We pray for blessings
We pray for peace
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep
We pray for healing, for prosperity
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering
All the while, You hear each spoken need
Yet love us way too much to give us lesser things
‘Cause what if your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise
We pray for wisdom
Your voice to hear
And we cry in anger when we cannot feel You near
We doubt Your goodness, we doubt Your love
As if every promise from Your Word is not enough
All the while, You hear each desperate plea
And long that we'd have faith to believe
‘Cause what if your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near
And what if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise
When friends betray us
When darkness seems to win
We know the pain reminds this heart
That this is not, this is not our home,
It's not our home
Cause what if your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
And what if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near
What if my greatest disappointments
Or the aching of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can’t satisfy
And what if trials of this life
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights
Are your mercies in disguise
Oh and June had a big birthday...but that is a story for another blog day
Peace.
I went to buy a car the other day and the finance manager asked me about life insurance. I told her I didn't think I would qualify. She asked why. So I told her I was just coming off a little bout with cancer. She was shocked. I didn't mean to shock her. Just wanted to tell her the truth. She said I looked great. I said thanks but stop trying to get me to buy the extended warranty. Haha.
Lately, there has been a lot of death around me. Parents of my friends and co workers. My prayers are to them and their families. Those who are christians told me that their parent has gone home to the Lord. In their time of their mourning, they see the goodness that God gives. It is inspiring.
My new car comes with satellite radio. Listening the christian station, I heard this song and it brought me right back to a year ago- right in the midst of my chemo. Life is truly about perspectives- and how you choose to live it
Blessings- by laura story
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mmgV6mPvb0
We pray for blessings
We pray for peace
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep
We pray for healing, for prosperity
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering
All the while, You hear each spoken need
Yet love us way too much to give us lesser things
‘Cause what if your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise
We pray for wisdom
Your voice to hear
And we cry in anger when we cannot feel You near
We doubt Your goodness, we doubt Your love
As if every promise from Your Word is not enough
All the while, You hear each desperate plea
And long that we'd have faith to believe
‘Cause what if your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near
And what if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise
When friends betray us
When darkness seems to win
We know the pain reminds this heart
That this is not, this is not our home,
It's not our home
Cause what if your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
And what if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near
What if my greatest disappointments
Or the aching of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can’t satisfy
And what if trials of this life
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights
Are your mercies in disguise
Oh and June had a big birthday...but that is a story for another blog day
Peace.
Monday, January 30, 2012
Jan 30, 2012
I have 48 hours to buy a car... procrastination at it's best. Someone out there in blogworld, please help.
I did make the Anvil brochure this year. That was on the bucket list. And it's a pic of me playing guitar in worship. 2 things off the bucket list.
Also heard an amazing sermon last sunday.
check it out: http://www.tenth.ca/media.php?pageID=29, one of the best I have ever heard.
Well, most of it, as Rhys fell in Sunday School and landed on her nose so had to run downstairs with June to comfort her. She looks like rudolph now.
Anyways, got some really encouraging words from a friend today. Regarding my second life as a photographer. Laleo Photography... watch for it, coming to website near you.
Got another bloodtest this thursday, followed by a CT scan on the 15th and results on 23rd. It was a year ago I got diagnosed. Still seems pretty surreal. Obviously thinking about it more and more. I thought it would get easier as the months pass but not really. Re-living the experience through this blog keeps me grounded and at peace. Alwaya realizing how blessed I have been by God throughout all this. I am sharing my story this Friday night at a youth group. Very excited. I have been surprisingly indecisive lately. Not like me. It could be the busyness of life. I daydream about being a barista at starbucks. WHat does that mean??? Also in a biggest loser competition at work...let the jokes begin.
I did make the Anvil brochure this year. That was on the bucket list. And it's a pic of me playing guitar in worship. 2 things off the bucket list.
Also heard an amazing sermon last sunday.
check it out: http://www.tenth.ca/media.php?pageID=29, one of the best I have ever heard.
Well, most of it, as Rhys fell in Sunday School and landed on her nose so had to run downstairs with June to comfort her. She looks like rudolph now.
Anyways, got some really encouraging words from a friend today. Regarding my second life as a photographer. Laleo Photography... watch for it, coming to website near you.
Got another bloodtest this thursday, followed by a CT scan on the 15th and results on 23rd. It was a year ago I got diagnosed. Still seems pretty surreal. Obviously thinking about it more and more. I thought it would get easier as the months pass but not really. Re-living the experience through this blog keeps me grounded and at peace. Alwaya realizing how blessed I have been by God throughout all this. I am sharing my story this Friday night at a youth group. Very excited. I have been surprisingly indecisive lately. Not like me. It could be the busyness of life. I daydream about being a barista at starbucks. WHat does that mean??? Also in a biggest loser competition at work...let the jokes begin.
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Jan 22, 2012
Happy Chinese New Year!
Two things I thought was worth sharing.
1. I am still working on my rule of life- living like an urban monk. It is definitely a work in progress. I wondered today if I should be crafting a rule that revolves around bringing Sunday to the rest of the week. See every Sunday, I sabbath (blackberry is off and no work). I go to church and I am invigorated and inspired by what I hear. I sit there at church and think about the application of these sermons in my regular life. Then Monday comes and work gets busy and I forget everything until next Sunday. As you know, I am all about baby steps. Last week, I heard a speaker talk about how you can be a missionary at work. He gave us a top ten list of things to do. I tried to do some of the things on the list during the week. Felt good. The question is, how can I make every day, Sunday?
2. Today was daddy daughter sports day. After church, I took Rhys to the Canucks superskills event at Roger's Arena. After that we walked across the street and watched some World Cup qualifying women's soccer. I find that my daughter does not have the greatest attention span for sports. At times, she seemed more interested in the popcorn and playing hide and seek behind the chairs. But at the end of the day when I asked her if she had a good time. She said, "I had a great time today daddy, you are the best daddy in the whole world!" Now for those of you that are close to June and I, there has been very little doubt that Rhys is a daddy's girl. I know it, June knows it. It is farely blatant. Even so, this girl seems to be teaching me more than I am teaching her. I think about how she adores me, loves to spend time with me, can't wait for me to come home and I wonder to myself: Is my daughter teaching me a lesson on what love is? Do I feel the same way toward my own dad? Of my heavenly father. Can I be like my 3 year old and love God with such emotion. Do I treat my daily devotion time like a chore? When my father calls to nag about me not owning property or working too hard after my recovery, do I just brush him off or do I take time out of my day for my parents. Not just the leftover time or convenient time. There was a tv show that was called, Are You Smarter than a 5th grader. I wonder if I am smarter than a preschooler. She seems to have it all together, except for an occasional peeing in the pants. I know that today, I was taught a lesson in love. I used to say to her, "no matter if you are good or bad, I will always love you." Now she says to me," No matter if I am a good girl or bad girl, I will always love you daddy." Haha. Faith like a child, love like a child...
Two things I thought was worth sharing.
1. I am still working on my rule of life- living like an urban monk. It is definitely a work in progress. I wondered today if I should be crafting a rule that revolves around bringing Sunday to the rest of the week. See every Sunday, I sabbath (blackberry is off and no work). I go to church and I am invigorated and inspired by what I hear. I sit there at church and think about the application of these sermons in my regular life. Then Monday comes and work gets busy and I forget everything until next Sunday. As you know, I am all about baby steps. Last week, I heard a speaker talk about how you can be a missionary at work. He gave us a top ten list of things to do. I tried to do some of the things on the list during the week. Felt good. The question is, how can I make every day, Sunday?
2. Today was daddy daughter sports day. After church, I took Rhys to the Canucks superskills event at Roger's Arena. After that we walked across the street and watched some World Cup qualifying women's soccer. I find that my daughter does not have the greatest attention span for sports. At times, she seemed more interested in the popcorn and playing hide and seek behind the chairs. But at the end of the day when I asked her if she had a good time. She said, "I had a great time today daddy, you are the best daddy in the whole world!" Now for those of you that are close to June and I, there has been very little doubt that Rhys is a daddy's girl. I know it, June knows it. It is farely blatant. Even so, this girl seems to be teaching me more than I am teaching her. I think about how she adores me, loves to spend time with me, can't wait for me to come home and I wonder to myself: Is my daughter teaching me a lesson on what love is? Do I feel the same way toward my own dad? Of my heavenly father. Can I be like my 3 year old and love God with such emotion. Do I treat my daily devotion time like a chore? When my father calls to nag about me not owning property or working too hard after my recovery, do I just brush him off or do I take time out of my day for my parents. Not just the leftover time or convenient time. There was a tv show that was called, Are You Smarter than a 5th grader. I wonder if I am smarter than a preschooler. She seems to have it all together, except for an occasional peeing in the pants. I know that today, I was taught a lesson in love. I used to say to her, "no matter if you are good or bad, I will always love you." Now she says to me," No matter if I am a good girl or bad girl, I will always love you daddy." Haha. Faith like a child, love like a child...
Monday, January 16, 2012
Jan 16, 2012
To keep with the new year's resolution theme, this song by Tim Hughes seems appropriate.
EVERYTHING by Tim Hughes
God in my living
There in my breathing
God in my waking
God in my sleeping
God in my resting
There in my working
God in my thinking
God in my speaking
Be my everything
Be my everything
Be my everything
Be my everything
God in my hoping
There in my dreaming
God in my watching
God in my waiting
God in my laughing
There in my weeping
God in my hurting
God in my healing
Christ in me
Christ in me
Christ in me the hope of glory
You are everything
Christ in me
Christ in me
Christ in me the hope of glory
Be my everything
I think I will pick a line every day and make that my focus. God in my working (mon-fri) God in my resting (at night and weekends). God in my hurting...God in my healing...it has been a crazy 12 months. Very simple but a lot there to digest. There in my breathing
God in my waking
God in my sleeping
God in my resting
There in my working
God in my thinking
God in my speaking
Be my everything
Be my everything
Be my everything
Be my everything
God in my hoping
There in my dreaming
God in my watching
God in my waiting
God in my laughing
There in my weeping
God in my hurting
God in my healing
Christ in me
Christ in me
Christ in me the hope of glory
You are everything
Christ in me
Christ in me
Christ in me the hope of glory
Be my everything
Medical update- It's interesting how the mind plays tricks on you- my next CT scan is coming up mid Feb and my back is beginning to hurt on cue. A year ago in Feb is when my diagnosis came back positive for tumors in my lymph nodes. Feels good reading my earlier entries at times like this. Reminds me of what we went through as a family. People seem hesitant nowadays to bring up cancer with me. Funny thing is that I would love to talk about what happened. The medical and the spiritual journey. Please feel free to reach out. Yes I am even contemplating Facebook, or even twitter haha.
Family update- a picture is worth a thousand words- so here you go
Who needs real friends?
My lovely ladies
Rhys' first preschool Christmas concert
Clearly she is advanced in caroling-look how bored she is.
Progress- did not cry on Santa's lap this year
Christmas morning- Microphone with stand- Thank you Uncle Elliot and Auntie Heeya (Gonna buy Jordan a real drumset or electric guitar with 500 watt amp next year- no reason)
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