Today dear friends is Day 1 of thirty-three radiation treatments.
Every weekday from now till Christmas week.
I understand that this is nothing like Chemo, that the worst is behind me and I am truly grateful.
But I want to finish strong.
That was the point of yesterday's sermon - Finish Strong.
The sermon started out with Leon Lett's story, the defensive tackle who recovered a fumble during the Cowboys Super Bowl XXVII victory over the Bills, but Lett couldn't help showboating on his way to the end zone. He slowed down and danced to celebrate the touchdown, but he was not over the goal line. With the ball in Lett's outstretched hand, Bills receiver Don Beebe caught him from behind and stripped the ball ONE INCH short of the goal line. The ball slid out of the end zone for a touch back. He never scored.
Then we moved to 2 Chronicles 16 and find King Asa of Judah (Israel was split into 2 countries by then, Israel in the north and Judah in the south). Asa started as a righteous man. By the thirty sixth year of his forty one years as king, he stopped relying on God, made treaties with other kings who weren't godly, and basically thought he could do it without God's guidance. WRONG CHOICE.) Sounds like the story of King Henry VIII's reign, for those of you who are Tudor fans.)
I'm thinking Asa didn't one day wake up and say, "Today I have graduated from God's school of life, and I don't need Him anymore." This is the tricky part. It was probably a slow movement away from God. One step off the path. Doesn't even realize his thought is in a direction God doesn't want him to take. Second step off the path, still not in a bad situation, but not where God would put him. Third step, forth, and then fifth, hanging around with a few different counselors (friends for us non-royalty), maybe new activity added. By the time you are on the fifteenth or twentieth step, your path is now headed for a totally different life than God's choice for you. But now you have around you new people and situations that maybe aren't easy to distance from because you have separated from your old life. This new life isn't SO BAD. But it is not so good either.
It is a slippery slope away from the path God shines His light on for me. Why would I veer from it? Because I don't know I am. I don't notice I'm off the path unless I look. So I must not be looking.
If I ask, God will show me. No matter how far off I am, He will lead me back. Just ask. Really.
God is not trying to trick me up, He wants me to look towards Him every day, all day long. And if I simply look to Him, He will guide me on the path of righteousness (definition: acting according to moral law, without guilt or sin.) Pretty spiffy isn't it.
Finish Strong. That's the nudge I needed... yes I will!
I even saw FINISH STRONG for the first time Wednesday, on the side of Olympia High School. When you have a phrase put in front of you twice in a week, it gets your attention.
I had a moment of "verklempt" exiting church yesterday, tears flooded my eyes as I thought, I am scared. I don't know of what. Intellectually I'm not scared. Just an emotional moment. It was a moment, then it passed. Lunch with B, didn't even talk all about me being scared. It's not the words but the love that carries us through.
Toasts at dinner last night with more dear friends, To all our healing, To being radiant through radiation, To glowing, To good friends, To our families, With much Gratitude, La'Chaim!
So, FINISH STRONG. As I come to the next chapter in this adventure, I will finish strong. I will keep my eyes on Jesus, spend time with God. I will cooperate with the radiation, picturing the Ray of Light which shines in the darkness. The darkness will not overcome it.
Thank you for your continued prayers for healing.
Thank God for the healing that we already see,
and Thank God for the healing that we will be seeing.
