Short but sweet

Liz's sister invited us to spend Thanksgiving with her and her family. So we packed our bags and headed South for a long weekend. When we go home, we usually stay with my folks. Mom and Dad have been very generous with their house and have a standing invite for us to stay there. When we stay there we don't see Liz's family much. Her family is usually working and we can't go to her father's house for too long because of health reasons.

We arrived at Mark and Theressa's Wednesday night and had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Liz's brother and his family and her father were over. We ate (too much) and laughed (never enough) all day. What a wonderful time.

Friday we went to Liz's Friend's house for a quick lunch and then headed over to my parents. We had a wonderful meal (mom you need to send me the recipe for the chicken). Then 13 of us played Bunko (actually 12 - mom was the referee/coach). We had so much fun. Dad was a hoot and I loved seeing him have such a great time with his grandkids. What a GREAT evening. I wish I could have seen more of them but this trip wouldn't allow for it.

We left Theressa's Sunday morning and had a beautiful trip back home. I am thankful for my family, my children, my wife, my parents, my brother and sister and their families, and Liz's family.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month -better late than never

I have NEVER talked about a patient of mine on this blog but after my last patient I am moved to do so.

I met this nice 44 y/o lady a couple of days ago. She was in for a scan to monitor her chemotherapy treatment for breast cancer. She is very upbeat considering her story. She was diagnosed earlier this year. She started treatment in March. Since March she has had two pulmonary embolisms (blood clots in the lungs-AKA: PE). PE's come from clot fragments that usually form in the legs and/or pelvis. Part of the clot breaks off and travels up into the lungs where it/they get trapped in the small vessels. They can be life threatening depending on how much lung is affected. PE's are not uncommon during the treatment of cancer. After her first PE the doctors decided to place a filter in her that should prevent any other clots from passing up into her lungs. Well it didn't. She was hospitalized again to tree the PE. But her story doesn't end there.

When I went to the waiting area this morning to get her, she had a young girl with her that had a baby. I asked the patient if the women that was with her was her daughter.

"Yes, and that is my 1 month old granddaughter that is with her"

I told her that it was nice of her daughter to come with her to the appointment.

"Well she was diagnosed two months ago with breast cancer too"

WHAT?!?! This 22y/o girl that had a baby one month ago has breast cancer?!? I was speechless. How tragic. What an ordeal that these two women have to endure.

I have been blessed that I have not been personally impacted from the ravages of this disease. I hope and pray that I will never have to.

October was Breast Cancer Awareness Month. But, just because the month is over doesn't mean that the threat is. Most doctors suggest that women 40 y/o and older should have annual mammograms. If you haven't had yours, get it scheduled today. There is a plethora of information out there. Get informed today!!

A Joke to Help You Smile

A woman and a man are involved in a car accident, Both of their cars are totally demolished but amazingly neither of them are hurt.

After they crawl out of their cars, the woman says, "Wow, just look at our cars! There's nothing left but fortunately we are not hurt. This must be a sign from God that we should meet and be really good friends."

The man thinking their might be a bright side to this, replied, "I agree with you completely."

The woman continued, "And look at this, here's another miracle. My car is completely demolished but this bottle of wine didn't break. Surely we must drink this wine and celebrate our good fortune."

Then she hands the bottle to the man. The man shakes his head in agreement, opens it and takes a few very large swigs from the bottle and then hands it back to the woman.

The woman takes the bottle, immediately puts the cap back on, and hands it back to the man. The man asks, "Aren't you having any?"

The woman replies, "No. I think I'll just wait for the police."

A New Friend

I would like to take a sec and recognize a new reader. Welcome Beck. Beck has a Blog over at "Frog and Toad are Still Friends". She writes about her family, posts some wonderful recipes, and shares some heart warming stories. Stop by her blog and say "howdy!"

A Cheerful receiver

Have you ever wondered why God created you? Why did He take the time out of His busy schedule to create you? I've often pondered this. Knowing ahead of time that I would make so many bad choices in my life, why did He mold me?

Many of you may know that I carve decoys. As an artist/carver I would NEVER waste my time on a piece of work that I knew ahead of time was going to be flawed. Why would I set out on a carving that I knew was going to sink? It would be pointless. But God knows all of our flaws and failures before He creates us and yet He still creates us. Again, I ask why?

I think I know the answer. Let me start by saying that I do not have a degree in Theology. What I say here is straight from the heart. I think the answer to the previous questions boils down to one word. LOVE. That's it. I think that God IS so much LOVE that He has to have something to love. His nature is so loving that there has to be something that can be the beneficiary of His Love. That's it. He made you and me because He wants to love us. "Warts and all" as my mother would say. Even through all of the flaws and imperfections that we have (and they are all of our doing, by the way) He still loves us. Isn't that awesome?

If you have any "Bible Background", I'm sure that you know the verse "God loves a cheerful giver."2 Corinthians 9:7
While the context of this verse is in relationship to our giving to the church , many have applied it to giving in general, giving a birthday or Christmas gift. I have always thought that there is another part to the concept of being a "cheerful giver", a "cheerful receiver". You see, without a "cheerful receiver" a gift can't be given. If you do not receive a gift cheerfully, you are denying a person the ability to be a cheerful giver. So next time you feel unworthy of God's love remember that He created you so that He could love you. If He didn't want to love you, you wouldn't be here in the first place.

So no more laying a round in self worthlessness for me. He made me warts and all and He loves me warts and all. So know matter how short I fall from all of the other plans that God has for my life I commit myself to being a "cheerful receiver"!!