Don't Let Me Miss the Glory . . .

I just recently ran across this song and fell in love with it. I guess it is because I can relate to it so well. 

 "Don't Let Me Miss the Glory" https://youtu.be/o0-0vlHB5gQ

In light of discovering I had two brain tumors last December, I am realizing every week that I have "missed" a lot of things this last year and half! Things in my own life, my families lives and life in general. This realization comes to me as I talk with my family and friends.  They will mention things that I have no recollection of hearing or being a part of or if it sounds somewhat familiar - it is sometimes very vague and distant to me.  The kids will say, "mom, you probably don't remember this but ..." and they then begin to expound on the event, person, place, things involved in that particular situation.  It is so mind-boggling to come to this realization that for the past year and half, I have actually "missed" out on so many things and I didn't even realize it. It would appear that the two brain tumors were actually squeezing the "living-life" right out of me or I should say "right out of my thoughts and brain"! Each of the two tumors was the size of a tangerine.  When I think about two tangerines inside my brain cavity pressing and compressing my brain - I guess it is no wonder that some things were squeezed out of my memory and I "missed" out on a few things! 

As I listen to this song, "Don't Let Me Miss the Glory", I'm reminded of the day-to-day "glory" that God gives us. The blessings both big and small for us to enjoy and make our days "joy-filled" and "God-focused".  Are you looking at life through the eyes of God?  Are you seeing the grandeur of His design or are you "missing the glory"?  To look through His eyes is to see the glory of God's ultimate creation!

Lord, I pray that you would open our eyes so that we do not go through life "missing" the blessings of life, the real purpose of life, the ultimate gift of life through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross. I would like to challenge you to look at each segment of life whether it is a sunrise, a bird singing, a baby crying, a hurting heart, a brain tumor, or a tragic encounter as a part of the "glory" God sends our way ... the good, the bad, the heartfelt, the tenderness ... all in the many forms of His ultimate blessings and glory. The whole earth is vibrant with every aspect of God's creation. It is alive with His blessings and most of all His presence.  "You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart ."  (Jeremiah 29:13 - ESV) Seek Him and His Glory . . . . He is right there with you in the cool of the day, when the rooster crows, when your hope may be faltering - look to Him - "Don't Miss His Glory" wherever He takes you and in whatever your situation is. Take hold of His glory and "don't miss it!"  

My hope and prayer is that you and I experience every part of His creation and that we "Don't Miss The Glory . . . any of His Glory"!  But that we experience God's glory to the fullest extent that God Himself intended for each of us.

"Don't let me miss the Glory - Don't let me miss the Grace - Don't let me miss the wonder - Don't let me miss the grand design! Lord open up my eyes - Don't let me miss the Glory!"

Able to do . . .

Able.

Able to do.

Able to do what we ask.

Able to do what we think.

Able to do what we ask or think.

Able to do all that we ask or think.

Able to do above all that we ask or think.

Able to do abundantly above all that we ask or think.

Able to do exceedingly abundantly above all we ask or think.

What do you need from God today? Go ahead and tell Him. He’s more than able.

                                                                       (Micca Campbell)

"Now to him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us” (Eph 3:20)

Don't you just love this? What an encouragement this is if we can only grasp the full extent of God and His power in us!

Brain Surgery - 4 Months Ago!

April 12th marked 4 months since my brain surgery removing the tumors! Yippee!! Originally the doctors & speech therapist said I probably wouldn't be back to work full time for about 6 months. 4 months and I am back working full time once again! I'm still going to speech therapy but doing great!! I ran into a lady last week in Omaha & she said I looked familiar & she sorta did to me also. Then she asked if I had been in Mercy Hospital recently, I said, yes I had brain surgery. Before I finished saying brain surgery she squeeled with excitment. You would have thought we were long lost friends. She was the nurse when I came into the hospital & was there when I went down for surgery the 1st time. She hugged me & was so excited to see me - said she had wondered how I was doing many times since December & said she didn't know if I was going to make it through that. She too, was amazed to see me out & about doing so well. We were both so excited by our "little" reunion. It made my day!! I am still working on some of my words that seem to be blocked from my vacabulary - I comprehend the words but just can't seem to communicate some of them! But this is also improving beyond what the speech therapist had expected. The doctors and Speech Therapist are "amazed" at the progress . . . I'm not . . . I know it is nothing less than a "God-thing"!!!  God is so good - miracle after miracle!  Thanks to everyone who has been so patient, understanding, & supportive of me during this life-changing experience for me - family, friends, pastors, church members, doctors, nurses, FB friends - the list goes on and on. You ALL deserve a "star" in your crown!! Thanks so much!

Words to Live By . . .

Someone has written these beautiful words.  Read them and try to understand their deep meaning.  They are like the ten commandments to follow all through your life.     1] Prayer is not a "spare wheel" that you pull out when in trouble, but it is a "steering wheel" that directs the right path throughout.   2] Why is a car's windshield so large and the rear view mirror is so small?  Because our past is not as important as our future. So, look ahead and move on.   3] Friendship is like a book.  It takes a few seconds to burn, but it takes years to write.   4] All things in life are temporary.   If going well, enjoy it; they will not last forever.  If going wrong, don't worry, they can't last long either.   5] Old friends are gold!  New friends are diamonds!  If you get a diamond, don't forget the gold  because to hold a diamond, you always need a base of gold!   6] Often, when we lose hope and think this is the end, God smiles from above and says, "Relax, sweetheart, it's just a bend, not the end!   7] When God solves your problems, you have faith in HIS abilities; when God doesn't solve your problems HE has faith in your abilities.   8] A blind person asked St. Anthony: "Can there be anything worse than losing your eye sight?" He replied: "Yes, losing your vision!"   9] When you pray for others, God listens to you and blesses them.  Sometimes, when you are safe and happy, remember that someone has prayed for you.   10] Worrying does not take away tomorrow's troubles; it takes away today's peace.

Pepper Jack Meat Loaf

1 lb ground beef, turkey or chicken
1 cup celery, diced
½ cup onion, diced
... 1 cup oatmeal or crumbled saltine cracker
2 eggs
2 cups pepper jack cheese shredded
¼ cup ketchup
1/8 tsp chili powder
Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a loaf pan.

Mix meat, celery, onion, oatmeal or crackers, eggs together well. Press half of the meat mixture into prepared loaf pan. Place cheese over meat mixture. Top with remaining meat mixture and press down to seal. Spread ketchup over top of meat loaf….sprinkle with chili powder, salt and pepper.

Bake, covered lightly with foil, for 30 minutes.

Increase oven temperature to 425 degrees F, remove cover and continue to bake for 20 minutes or until edges are bubbling and knife inserted in center comes out clean.

Let sit for 5 minutes then slice and serve.

No-Bake Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

2 cups sugar
Dash of salt
1 stick butter (1/2 cup)
1/2 cup milk
1 cup peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups oatmeal
Waxed paper


In a large saucepan bring to a boil the sugar, salt, butter and milk. Boil mixture over medium heat for 1 full minute. Remove from heat immediately.


Add peanut butter and vanilla; stir well. Add oatmeal and stir until thoroughly incorporated. On a sheet of waxed paper, drop mixture by the teaspoonfuls. Drizzle with a mixture of cocoa, powdered sugar and water if desired. Cool until set and firm.

These are yummy!

Be still and know . . .

I would like to be sitting on the bank of this stream. It looks so peaceful, relaxing, and beautiful! It is there at a place like this that I sense an awesome awareness of God – “who” and “what” He is! I can picture myself sitting there in the quietness of the moment taking in the scenery with all of the beauty of God’s creation – the rippling steam, the hills, the trees, the moon, the stars, the clouds, the birds in flight and I know God made all of this!  It’s at a place like this that I can settle in and say as Psalms 46:10 says, “Be still and know that I am God.”

But what about when I am in the middle of my busy “rat-race” of a day??  Some days are quite the opposite of the serene, peaceful setting above.  I love the above picture and want to “engrave it in my mind” for those busy, hectic days so I can, in the midst of my whirling world, take a moment and go back to this moon-lit stream in my mind and remember to . . . “be still, and know that He is God”!!! 

It is not “me” and what "I" am doing or where "I" am going but life is about "God".  Who He is, what He has planned for me, who I am in His eyes, where I am this very moment and what I am doing to make a difference in my little world.  God has given me a new “lease on life” since my brain surgery in December, and I want every moment to count as “God Moments”! I want to look through "His eyes" and see my little world as He sees it. I want to see the opportunities to share my faith in God with those I come into contact with and share God's wonderful love, grace and mercy. 

In the busyness of our days, the problems and trials we need take a mini-vacation to that "moon-lit stream" and listen to the rippling water and take in the quietness of the moment and "be still, and know that He is God"!  Go ahead . . . you deserve a vacation!

3-Month Follow-Up to My Brain Surgery

Well, this month marked three months from my brain surgery removing the two tumors back in December.  In ways it seems like a long time ago and then again it seems like it was just yesterday.  I have come a long way since December 12, 2012, and my Christmas miracle!  God's hand has been on me blessing and guiding me each step of the way.

This month marked my 3-month follow-up doctor visits.  I had seven doctors appointments along with speech therapy 2 x's a week. I'm getting a little tired of all the doctors visits, but I know they are necessary.  My brain surgeon, Dr. Music (isn't that a sweet sounding name - music to my ears!!) was very pleased with how I am doing.  I am scheduled for another MRI which will be interesting! He said I am doing better than most considering the size of each of the tumors but also warned me to not "over-do-it" in my eagerness to get back in the full swing of things!

My speech therapist is a real "angel" also. She has been such a help and encouragement to me - even when I could hardly talk! Slowly, I am experiencing less and less word blockages and am able to communicate my thoughts verbally.  I am working to overcome my Aphasia which is a type of word-finding difficulty. I understand what you may be saying to me but I may need a little extra time to get some of my words out and communicated verbally. This is getting better as the weeks progress.  I feel like I have gone back to school as I work on introducing 100's and 100's of words, synonyms, antonyms, opposites, & sentences -  reconnecting them to the learning & communication center of my brain. It is quite a process but the challenge is good for me! Again, the therapist warned me to watch my fatigue and stress levels. I can really tell when I reach that point!! I have had a couple of set backs but continue to plow through those times and look forward to the next week which always seems to get better. God has really worked a miracle in this whole area. Of course, He created my brain and knows it better than I . . . what better teacher and healer than to have HIM on my side!!!   

I am still in awe over the whole ordeal.  I still have lots of questions in my mind, which I may never have the answers to, but I am simply trusting in the God who made me and also knows the plans He has for me. I like to call my whole hospital experience with the removal of the tumors "My Christmas Miracle". I felt like I was this caterpillar trapped in my own cocoon when I went into the hospital but when I came home I felt as if I were the butterfly - old things behind me & all things new! Now I am experiencing the "Butterfly Blessings" that God is sending my way every week! It is exciting to see God's hand in my life and each of His blessings have been beyond my expectations. I look forward with anticipation to each new "Butterfly Blessing" that comes my way!  My only hope and desire is that God can use my experiences to help and encourage someone else along the way.  I have learned to look at life as a much more fragile thing.  We have no real guarantees of tomorrow so I want to make the most of my "todays" and make each one count! 

The Mayonnaise Jar Lesson

When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day is not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar and two cups of coffee.

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him.

When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and fills it with golf balls.

He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured it into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls.

He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else.

He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous “YES”.

The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed.

“Now,” said the professor, as the laughter subsided, “I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things - God, family,
children, health, friends, and favorite passions. Things, that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full. The pebbles are the things that matter like your job, house, and car. The sand is everything else -- the small stuff.” he said.

“If you put the sand into the jar first,” he continued, “There is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are
important to you...” he told them.

“So... pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Worship with your family. Play with your children. Take your partner out to dinner. Spend time with good friends. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the dripping tap. Take care of the golf balls first -- the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.”

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented.

The professor smiled and said, “I'm glad you asked. It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend.”

Take My Son . . . .

A wealthy man and his son loved to collect rare works  of art. They had everything in their collection, from Picasso to Raphael.They would often sit together and admire the great works of art... When the Vietnam conflict broke out, the son went to war. He was very courageous and died in battle while rescuing another soldier.   The father was notified and grieved deeply for his only  son. About a month later, just before Christmas,  There was a knock at the door. A young man stood at the door with a large package in his hands . . . He said, 'Sir, you don't know me, but I am the soldier for whom your son gave his life. He saved many lives that day, and he was carrying me to safety when a bullet struck him in the heart and he died instantly... He often talked about you, and your love for art.' The young man held out this package. 'I know this isn't much. I'm not really a great artist, but I think your son would have wanted you to have this.' The father opened the package. It was a portrait of his son, painted by the young man. He stared in awe at the way the soldier had captured the personality of his son in the painting. The father was so drawn to the eyes that his own eyes welled up with tears. He thanked the young man and offered to pay him for the picture.. 'Oh, no sir, I could never repay what your son did for me.  It's a gift.' The father hung the portrait over his mantle. Every time visitors came to his home he took them to see the portrait of his son before he showed them any of the other great works he had collected. The man died a few months later. There was to be a great auction of his paintings. Many influential people gathered, excited over seeing the great paintings and having an opportunity to purchase one for their collection. On the platform sat the painting of the son. The auctioneer pounded his gavel. 'We will start the bidding with this picture of the son. Who will bid for this picture?' There was silence...       Then a voice in the back of the room shouted, 'We              want to see the famous paintings. Skip this one.' But the auctioneer persisted. 'Will somebody bid for this painting? Who will start the bidding? $100, $200?' Another voice angrily. 'We didn't come to see this painting. We came to see the Van Gogh's, the Rembrandts. Get on with the Real bids!' But still the auctioneer continued. 'The son! The son! Who'll take the son?' Finally, a voice came from the very back of the room. It was the longtime gardener of the man and his son. 'I'll give $10 for the painting...' Being a poor man, it was all he could afford. 'We have $10, who will bid $20?' 'Give it to him for $10. Let's see the masters.' The crowd was becoming angry. They didn't want the picture of the son. They wanted the more worthy investments for their collections. The auctioneer pounded the gavel.. 'Going once, twice,         SOLD for $10!' A man sitting on the second row shouted, 'Now let's get on with the collection!' The auctioneer laid down his gavel. 'I'm sorry, the auction is over.'  'What about the paintings?'      'I am sorry. When I was called to conduct this auction, I was told of a secret stipulation in the will... I was not allowed to reveal that stipulation until this time. Only the painting of the son would be auctioned. Whoever bought that painting would inherit the entire estate, including the paintings. The man who took the son gets everything!' God gave His son over 2,000 years ago to die on the Cross. Much like the auctioneer, His message today is: 'The Son, the Son, who'll take the Son?' Because, you see, whoever takes the Son gets everything!                                               John 3:16 FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, WHO SO EVER BELIEVETH, SHALL HAVE ETERNAL LIFE...THAT'S LOVE

Easter Dinner - Strawberry Cheesecake Salad

Strawberry Cheesecake Salad

Serves about 10

12 oz. whipped topping
1 small package of cheesecake pudding (just the powder, don't add the milk)
3 (6 oz) strawberry yogurts (I used Yoplait)
1 lb fresh strawberries, sliced
3 bananas, sliced (add just before serving or they brown)
miniature marshmallows (add just before serving)

Thaw whipped topping and in a large salad bowl stir together whipped topping, yogurts, and pudding powder. Let this set up in the fridge for at least an hour before serving. Wash and slice strawberries. You can add strawberries to salad or wait to add them with sliced bananas and marshmallows just before serving. Keep refrigerated.

This "yummy" salad will be going to my folks home for "Easter Dinner" at the farm this Sunday!  We will have good food, family, fun, laughter, and reflection of the past, present, and future. It is always a joy when the whole family gets together for special times like this.  A time of thanksgiving for what our Lord and Savior did for each of us - the price He paid for my Salvation - His Resurrection and sustaining power through the Holy Spirit - and His Preparation for those of us following Him as He guides us on this journey through life to Heaven.  What a reunion that will be then, with hosannas ringing out in celebration - home at last!

Are We There Yet?

How many times have you heard . . . "are we there yet?" from the back seat of your car?  In other words, have we reached our "destination" yet?

It would never fail when going on a trip, we would hardly get out of town and the kids would already be bored and start asking that dreaded question . . . are we there yet? And it usually continued until we did reach our destination!! It didn't matter if it was an hour away or eleven hours away, we still heard that chorus from the back seat in harmony with all three of the kids.  

I was thinking about that word "destination" which means port, goal, halting place, end, conclusion, finale, or close. Another word worth looking at is "digressions" which means - diverge, swerve, ramble, wander, deviate, stray, straggle, rove, dodge, meander, or veer.  I read a quote that used these two words along with the word potholes to shed some new light. It said, "Look forward to the journey and all of the potholes and digressions along the way . . . not just the destination"!

I will be the first one to look forward to the journey and it's final destination but to look forward to the potholes - to look forward to the digressions along the way!!   Whoa - wait just a minute - you mean to tell me that those are part the destination?!   

Well, needless to say, I have been thinking about that concept ALL week.  And thinking about every destination I have ever arrived at - there have been potholes and digressions!  Sometimes when the journey was long there were many and it was hard to dodge those nasty "potholes" - those "digressions"! Many times they were there when I least expected them.  Try as I might to avoid every pothole and every digression, there have been times I simply could not avoid them and ended up high-centered in the pothole!  Have you ever found yourself "there" on your journey?  And to top it all off while you sat there in the midst of this digression from the back seat you heard . . . "are we there yet"?!  



I thought back to the many "journeys" I have been on and the final destination of those journeys - Yellowstone Park, the Black Hills, Custer's Last Stand, skiing in Colorado, the Smoky Mountains, etc. and I remembered some of those potholes and digressions along the way.  No, I didn't "look forward" to them - I had my eyes on my "destination".  I was only "looking forward" to that destination!  I had not stopped to think about the things that happen along the way. My focus was only on the ending destination - did I make it, had I accomplished it, was I there yet?  

I had totally put from my mind the various people, places, and things along the way that brought me to my destination.  Some of the people, places, and things brought with them difficulties, trials, frustrations, and disappointments. In being so focused on my destination I forgot to remember that it is these very "potholes" and "digressions" of people, places and things that have made me who I am today and brought me to this place in my journey in life!  

What shape or form will the next pothole take on? Will I stop and recognize it as a pothole making up this life's journey? What digressions will I experience - will they be large ones or small ones? God only knows what particular potholes and digressions it will take to make me stronger for the journey. He knows what potholes and digressions will strengthen my faith in Him and build a bond of trust in His leading to this journey through life to that final destination - HEAVEN!  

Don't give up and lose faith because of the potholes and digressions along the way. They are there for a reason beyond our own understanding.  But remember that God rides along with us. He is there to help us avoid some of the potholes of life and sometimes He is there to help and guide us through those potholes and digressions along the way.  Either way just remember God is God and if He knows the way through the wilderness - He surely knows the best way "in", "through" and "over" the potholes on our journey . . . our journey through this life and ultimately to Heaven!

As I am sitting here typing this blog entry listening to a Bill Gaither CD, the song "Sweet Beulah Land" just came on - how appropriate as I pause to listen to the words. A song about a Journey to Beulah Land . . . Heaven!

Beulah Land, I'm longing for you. And someday on thee I'll stand. There my home shall be eternal, Beulah Land, Sweet Beulah Land.  

I'm kinda homesick for that country. To which I've never been before. No sad good-byes will there be spoken, for time won't matter anymore!

Beulah Land, I'm longing for you. And someday on thee I'll stand. There my home shall be eternal, Beulah Land, Sweet Beulah Land. 

I love to travel and see "new" places and experience and look upon God's vast creation with wonder and awe!  But as I journey among the "potholes" and digressions of this life I'm looking forward to that final destination . . . Sweet Beulah Land . . . Home Sweet Heaven!!  . . . "ARE WE THERE YET"?

Aging - Getting Old!

Well, today is my birthday!!!  Happy Birthday to me!! I love "Maxine" and her "years" of practical advice!!   I'm sure she must have seen it all in her days!!!  Really though, she can get by with saying things the normal everyday person won't think of really saying!!  But I'll take her advise on "aging" as I pass on to this next year.  I realize that I am one year "older" but I truly hope I have also become one year "wiser"!  It really isn't the number of candles on the birthday cake but the number of lessons learned in life that really count. The number of people's lives that I have touched and offered encouragement, joy, and laughter to. It is not only the number of lives that I have touched . . . but the number of lives that have touched me and been there for me.  2012 was a unique year for me wrapping up with my "Christmas Miracle". A MRI showed I had two malignant tumors the size of tangerines embedded in my brain. My "Christmas Miracle" resulted in removal of both tumors from the lining of the brain - not embedded in the brain and no sign of cancer! I thank all who have been there to encourage me.  I am looking forward to 2013 with great anticipation of new things, new hopes and new dreams. No longer in the caterpillar/cocoon mode but that of the beautiful butterfly soaring high in the sky and stopping to smell the beauty of each colorful flower along the way!  

Another birthday . . . another candle . . . another day!!!

Think Before You Speak

"May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be pleasing unto you, O Lord, my Rock and my Salvation". (Psalms 19:14)


Since my Brain Surgery to remove the two tumors back in December 2012, I have had go to Speech Therapy.  I have been working to reprogram some of my vocabulary to connect in the cognitive thinking area of my brain so I can communicate those words that are blocked and not connecting.  I may know the word and sometimes it is right on the tip of my tongue but I just can't communicate it. It is like it is just blocked out of my verbal communication.  So in Speech Therapy, I work on hundreds of words, their meanings, their opposites, I try to list as many synonyms as I can for a certain word and attempt to do all this within 5 seconds!  It is really quite challenging as I try to think of these words.  Some are really a struggle for me, others are a real breeze, and some of the words I just have to pass over and come back to them later.

Since I am working with all of these "words", I have started taking note, in a different light, of the many words and phrases people use and also those that are in what I read.  There are so many words - some I have never attempted to use! I must say that I am almost fascinated by them. Many of these words have different meanings with the different context of use. Even "opposite" words and their meanings come in different degrees!

Through all of these word exercises I am having to do, I've come to realize how import our vocabulary is . . . it can build up or it can tear down; it can spread rumors or lies or it can speak volumes of truth; it can help or hinder; it can encourage and inspire or it can put down and belittle; it can be necessary to speak or it can be idle, course joking and of little use; it can be kind and understanding or it can be hurtful and harmful.  We choose what we want to come out of our mouths, what falls upon the ears of our children, families, friends, neighbors, and even complete strangers.  We choose with ever word.  Before you speak . . . THINK!  This is such good advice for all of us to remember.

I want to think before I speak and know what the words I am speaking are really saying. Psalms 19:14 says this, "May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be pleasing unto you, O Lord, my Rock and my Salvation".  During this time of speech recovery, I have claimed this scripture to stand upon. It is my hope and prayer that as my learned words reconnect to my verbal vocabulary they will communicate what is pleasing to my Lord.

"Delight in the Lord"

He (God) is so very faithful to His children!

Glazed Orange Bundt Cake

1 white or yellow cake mix
1 small package instant vanilla pudding
1 c. orange juice (fresh or made from concentrate)
2 T. orange juice concentrate
1 T. orange zest

4 eggs
1/2 c. oil

2 T. dry orange gelatin powder

Combine ingredients together until smooth. Pour into a greased and floured bundt pan and bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes, or until cake is cooked through. Remove from oven and let sit for 15 minutes to cool. Pour bundt cake out onto a plate. Make glaze.

Glaze:

2 T. butter, softened
2 T. orange juice concentrate
1 t. lemon juice (fresh or bottled)
3 c. powdered sugar
Dash of salt
Zest & juice from one orange

Combine glaze ingredients together and whisk until completely smooth (can do this with an electric beater). Drizzle glaze all over bundt cake once it has been turned out onto a plate and allowed to cool for 5-10 minutes.

My Christmas Miracle - Dec. 12, 2012

~My Christmas Miracle~ 

Wherever we are and whatever we're doing, God wants to be a part of it. 
When prayer enters every aspect of our lives, who knows what God might 
do for His glory! ~Dennis Fisher

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God‘s will for you in Christ Jesus. 
(I Thessalonians 5:16-18)





I have been on a journey that I was not even aware of.  I’m not sure when it all began and I don’t fully understand why or even how I got to the point I was at in this journey.  It seemed that I was just there.  Looking back I can see tail-tail signs that this journey had begun at least a year ago (February 2012) and maybe even before that in 2011.  I have no real recollection of it beginning as this journey was so gradual. 

As this last year progressed I had good days and a few days I just did not feel myself but could not pin-point what was the matter. I was not really sick, so to speak, but just not quite myself. As the summer progressed into  fall I had friends that sensed I was not myself, either.  I was distant, unemotional, and could never decide where we should go to eat!! I did not realize that this was frustrating them, even making some of them mad at me and some even thought I was mad at them - when I was not. "In my mind", I saw no change in myself and thought everything was as usual.

They suggested I go to the doctor and that maybe I was just depressed. The doctor gave me a prescription for depression.  This really did not make any difference. I would sometimes have a bad day and then go two weeks feeling fine. At least that’s the way I saw it in my mind. Finally my girls noticed that I sometimes had difficulty expressing myself and communicating and was just not the same “mom“ they had grown up with. Not the mom I used to be!

On Wednesday, December 5, I got up to go to work and just did not feel well - I could not tell you what was wrong but I just did not feel right. I decided to call into work and let them know that I would not be in and was not feeling well. That is what I thought I said when I called the church and got the answering machine. Later I found out that what was recorded on the answering machine was, “Pastor, this is Diana and ah and ah - I want to - to leave a mes-message”.  That was not at all what I was thinking I was saying and I did not even realize that was the message I left until that was later shared with me.  About 11 AM the Pastor came over to the house to check on me and see if I was alright. I told him I was staying home, I did not feel well and wondered why he did not check the answering machine!!!  He said that was fine-take all the time I needed until I felt better.  What I did not realize was that the Pastor had also noticed a change in me. I usually answer the phone “1st Church of the Nazarene, this is Diana” but there were several times that week that I could not think of “1st Church of the Nazarene” - I was just a blank - so I wrote it on a piece of paper and put it beside the phone. My girls stopped by to check on me that same day that I stayed home and later told me I looked like I had been run over by a semi-truck! I was really out of it. I had a headache but didn’t bother to take any Ibuprofen until Liz told me to take some. I went to work the next day and must not have looked much better because the Pastor told me to go home at noon and rest. I did not understand because I felt fine . . . at least in my mind I felt just fine.  I went home and that afternoon my girls, Liz and Hannah, called the doctor and more or less forced me to go see him that same afternoon on Thursday, December 6. The girls told the doctor that I was having trouble talking and communicating. I would try to say something sometimes and then I would give up and just say “never mind”. The doctor perked up and immediately ordered a MRI for the next day. So on Friday, December 7, I had a MRI and was told to return to my Doctor and the three of us sat and waited in his office until the end of the day when he finally came in with the copy of the MRI in his hand.  He said I had brain cancer. There were two malignant tumors, each the size of a tangerine embedded in my brain and I was to go directly to the hospital and check in from his office.

None of us had eaten lunch or supper so we went to Burger King on our way to the hospital.  I rode with Liz and Hannah went home to get Noah, my son, and they met us at Burger King.  On the way, I called my mom to tell her. I was already pretty much out of it in that I was having trouble talking and could not really carry on much of a conversation.  Liz filled mom in on the details.  I guess I also called my two brothers but I don’t remember even talking to them. The three kids and I discussed the situation as best as I could while we ate and then headed directly to the hospital to be admitted - that was Friday, December 7.

From that point, I hardly remember anything - just bits and pieces.  The Doctors came in and explained what they were going to do.  I expected to have my head shaved and go “wig shopping” but the surgeon just cut a nice little line 11 ½ inches long almost ear to ear up and over my head about an inch back from my hair line and left my incision concealed in my hair.  No wig was needed! 

I went into the hospital on December 7 and surgery was scheduled for December 10th. I was prepared and taken down for surgery and was in surgery for about an hour while the Doctor began “mapping” the surgery out with this “mapping machine” when the machine quit working.  So I was taken back to my room and the surgery was postponed until Wednesday, December 12. (12-12-12!)  I was glad that the “mapping machine” did not quit working half-way through the surgery - what would have happened then?!  Looking back now, I see that was a blessing or a miracle from God! So many people came and went as I laid there in that hospital bed and there were many prayers going up for me from my family, friends, church families from nine to ten different states and I know God was listening to them all! So many things were said and had happened leading up to this surgery but in spite of all of that there was a "peace" that passeth ALL UNDERSTANDING that had settled over me and I knew this situation was entirely in God's hands.

Wednesday, December 12, came around and I was once again prepped for surgery.  This time it was the real thing.  Somewhere between the MRI on Friday and surgery on Wednesday another “miracle” came from God in that the MRI stated that I had a malignant tumor embedded in my brain and when the Doctor got in there - yes, there were two tumors the size of tangerines but they were not embedded in my brain but just between the lining and they were NOT malignant!  Miracles do happen, don’t they?!

I came home from the hospital, December 18, just before Christmas and went to my parents to recuperate. I feel like I went into the hospital like a "Caterpillar" trapped in his cocoon but I came out of the hospital like a "Butterfly" in flight seeing the world in a whole different light!  We had a very “low-key” Christmas.  I had not done any shopping but the kids and everyone understood.  Everyone just said me coming through this was their best Christmas present!  WOW! My son wrote on Facebook that this was the best Christmas he had ever had . . . Because his mom came home from the hospital and was with him again!  (This is where I started crying! LOL!) My girls kept saying, "our mom is back - she’s back”! I remember right after my surgery everyone kept saying, “she’s back again”. What I did not realize was that everyone said my whole personality was back to the “real me” again! I did not realize how big the tumors were until I went back to the Doctor. The Doctor, nurse, and the PA each told me and showed me the size of each of the tumors. Each one really was the size of a tangerine! They also said if I had not went into the hospital and got started on the massive doses of steroids (to stop the swelling) right away that most cases like this were fatal.  That kind of made me think and realize how thankful I was for God’s “clock-work” - His perfect timing indeed!  I just call it my very own special  “Christmas Miracle”!  Even through my stuttering and stammering, it was the most “heart-felt” Christmas ever!  Truly “my” Christmas Miracle!

My recovery was just beginning.  I was not able to talk or make much sense or even able to express what I was "thinking" most of the rest of the time in the hospital.  I would think something and something entirely different would come out of my mouth . . . and some of it was absolutely hilarious!  My daughter said I was quite entertaining there for a while!!  I could see people trying not to laugh at the crazy things I said but some of it was so funny even I could not help but laugh. The old saying "laughter is the best medicine" is so true!! What I was thinking and trying to communicate was entirely different than what came out of my mouth!  Others must have thought it was permanent because they were so serious and did not know whether to laugh or cry!  Thank goodness it was not permanent!  By the time I left the hospital I was starting to communicate a little bit and everyday got just a little bit better and clearer.  I started Speech Therapy and they had originally told me I would probably need to continue for 6-9 months, so I started the therapy two times a week after I went home.  Another miracle is that in two months I am now going to therapy just one time a week. It is very challenging and hard work but God is helping make the improvements and adjustments I need to make.  Both the therapist and the surgeon are amazed at the progress I have made in just two months!  I just told them that I had a lot of prayers going up for me, I have a BIG GOD, and HE really is the GREAT PHYSICIAN!! I have learned to appreciate God’s handiwork as I have learned so much about the workings of the brain and it’s different “learning centers”. Truly we are “fearfully and wonderfully made.”   

I can now communicate fairly well, drive, and am back to work part-time working towards being back full-time again.  The "communication blocks" (words that I know in my mind and am thinking and trying to say, are just blocked out of my vocabulary) are getting to be less and less of a struggle for me.  It is so encouraging to know that God does hear our prayers and answers in miraculous ways beyond our comprehension . . . even when we are not in the state of mind to pray for ourselves as was my situation!  All I can say is, “I have a Great-Big-Wonderful-God.”

Thank you to ALL of you that prayed and I want you to know that YOU had a huge part in “MY CHRISTMAS MIRACLE” sent straight down from God to me personally!  

(12-12-12)