Fresh insights

So I passed the blood test for the second week in a row. My treatment was a success, the first of the fifth cycle. I slept most of yesterday afternoon. Today I'm having issue with my balance but the steroids have kicked in. For that reason I was up at 5 a.m. and I've gotten lots done that needed doing. Hallelujah!

When I woke this morning and tried desperately to fall back to sleep...I began thinking how much deeper my faith has become in these six months. All of my years I lived on faith and communicated with God. For some reason, I believed we had a pretty direct line to each other. I had a lot to say and He seemed to listen okay. Whether or not my prayers were answered didn't always matter that much. I just needed his listening ear, and then I would move on. He was always so patient with me.

Never have I done what I call 'God speak' which to me means I do not quote scripture to people. Instead, I live with love in my heart and share that love with those around me. That has always given me a strong inner peace that was quite remarkable and truly treasured.

I ran a children's summer camp for 34 years. We had campers from all cultural and religious backgrounds, so any character or moral development discussions had to be grounded in what I called 'independent living skills'. We taught the kids how to do dishes, make their beds and clean their cabins. They learned to feed and groom horses, clean stalls and work as team with each other within all our camp activities. 

We talked about love and cooperation, initiative and follow through, feelings, trust, and decisions and goals. Together we shared a genuine community spirit, and looking back, I have to say that spirit was God at work. It had to be. Today our camp family is even stronger as those campers and staff become adults and grow their own families, sharing the spirit we loved and making a positive difference in the world around them. You see, He did answer my prayers. I just never realized it.

My faith knows God as Love and the Holy Spirit. What I have spent time examining is how I feel about Jesus, remembering mostly stories about Him from when I was a little girl. He was born. He taught in the temples. He preached. He healed. He died. He was resurrected. I haven't known Jesus very well, not personally anyway.

Then I found another book by cancer survivor Lynn Eib, Peace in the Face of Cancer. She explores cancer and faith in depth. It is eye opening and inspirational. I strongly recommend it.  At the same time, I have discovered The Chosen, a series of marvelous videos that brings Jesus into life and gives my faith a fresh new look. You may love watching those meaningful videos as well.

Lynn Eib cites in her book a calling Mother Teresa heard from Jesus: "Come, be My light." Do with great love for others who are having a hard time. Step outside yourself and touch others with your love. When I explored Lynn's perception of "Come, be My light", I was deeply moved because I have tried to live that way, always. It was as if Lynn understood me, and we have never met.

Lynn puts it this way: "I believe He whispers those same words to all of us today - cancer survivors and caregivers included: Come be My light to someone else feeling the darkness. Come be My light even if you think your light is a small one; it is better than no light at all. Come be My light because when you shine with great love, it is sure to be a blessing."

So here I am sharing scripture, or not, on my blog. It is the simple invitation Jesus would happily extend to all of us: "Come, be My light." With cancer or free of cancer, we have the ability to touch others in our own small way. By genuinely sharing love, those around us hear that someone sincerely cares, and that makes all the difference. As others heal, so do we, and life is good.

With love for you all, The quilting cancer girl