Thankful for the Reminder

So, I haven't posted since August. And it's been a crazy few months. I've had several ideas and thoughts I wanted to share with you, but, for whatever reason, I just never did. However, today I need to share with you.
On Sunday I will have been surviving cancer for five years. Five years! That's a big deal. A milestone. The year survivors look forward to. I completed my treatments in September, but I began surviving in January. We will have another celebration when September comes! I am so thankful and happy to be at this point. It's not been easy, but I had such wonderful people who got me through. God surrounded me with people who encouraged me in so many ways. If you sent me a card, I still have it - with the date I received it written on the back. They are in a box on my closet shelf. I will keep them forever. (More on one particular group of friends later.) There are things about me that will never be the same as they were before cancer. I will always wonder when I feel a new pain. I will always dread this time of year when I am going to get my mammogram. I will probably always be a little more tired - or we could blame that on my upcoming 60th birthday! (Oh my goodness! How did I get to be 60??) I will always have a different view of what really is important during my day.
Over the last few days as I have been looking ahead to doctor visits and checkups and the ever-so-enjoyable mammogram, which, by the way is even less enjoyable when they are compressing scar tissue left from the surgery and radiation, I face the what-ifs. What if they didn't get it all? What if it comes back? What if my mammogram shows something? They are questions we face when we have had our bodies invaded by this horrible disease. I should tell you, though, that last year I got the same standard form letter as normal ladies who have a normal mammogram and it felt wonderful to get something so impersonal! AND! And my doctor told me she would just see me once a year on the day I have my mammogram so I don't have to worry about it until a letter comes in the mail. How sweet is that!?!?
But God.
Oh, there is so much I want to tell you! God has been so gracious to me this week. I'll try to keep it short, but no promises. Where do I start? Let's just start with Monday, but to do that we must look back to Sunday. At our small group meeting on Sunday we were asked to share a prayer request close to our hearts. I expressed my feelings about this time of year and asked for prayer for continued healing for myself and healing for someone close to me going through treatment. On Monday I knew my friends were praying. I had a peace that had been missing. God was reminding me that He is close and knows every detail of my life. I think it was on Tuesday when I was doing my devotion that all the scripture I turned to was a gentle yet firm reminder from God that He hasn't forgotten me. On Wednesday I saw the NP who will examine me next Wednesday in the hallway at Memorial Hospital and she greeted me with a huge smile and a hug. Later that day I found that one of my favorite authors does a weekly fifteen minute FB Live devotion.  Guess what. This week she was speaking on fear. Thursday, God gave me a renewed confidence and a reminder that I simply need to believe Him.
Then we come to today. Five years ago I was working with my beautiful GES family when I got my devastating news. They lifted me up and stood by me through that second half of the school year while I was on chemo. (There were many others in my life who loved and supported me too, but these were the people I was with for at least eight hours of the day.) I don't go visit the school often since I retired. I, honestly, stay pretty busy. So, since I wasn't aware of any reason in my life to just randomly up and go to GES today, God sent a friend all the way from California to get me there. I met her the first year I worked in the office. We spent that summer on the phone as she and her husband were getting ready to move here. I looked forward to her calls and questions, and when they arrived, it was a joy to get to know her family. They moved back to California many years ago, but she had an opportunity to come east this week so she called me and said she wanted to go see the new school. I worked it out for us to go.  We did that today.
Folks, Graysville Elementary may be in a impressively big, new, modern facility with state-of-the-art everything and you may not have to trudge up a hill to the front door and be so out of breath you can't tell the receptionist what you are there for once you get inside, but those people haven't changed. Everyone I talked to asked me how I am doing, meaning am I still kicking cancer's butt. They rejoiced with me when I told them I am well and looking forward to my celebration on Sunday. They hugged me and loved me. I so desperately needed that today. I needed a reminder that I am not alone nor am I forgotten.
On January 20, 2014, I went for a routine mammogram. The same girl had done mine for years, so when she got a strong look of concern and sent me straight for an ultrasound, I knew. The gal who did the ultrasound wouldn't talk to me or look me in the eye. When she told me the radiologist would call me at 3:00 that afternoon, I knew. I just knew. I went home and told my husband, "I have cancer." From there it was a whirlwind of appointments, and twenty-six days later I got my port and started chemo. It was Valentine's Day. (It would have been sooner, but that was the year of the ice storms that shut down the city.)
I have been surviving cancer for five years. I had my nails painted bright pink today to celebrate. I may go tomorrow and buy a new pink outfit to wear to church Sunday. I just might get a tattoo Sunday - still thinking about it. I believe God led me through my cancer journey to give me a new outlook on life and to encourage others who may have to take the journey. There are more and more people on this road. Within the last few months four people very close to me have been diagnosed. One I found out about a few short weeks ago. One I just heard about yesterday. One was my own mother. (Who, by the way, finished her treatment yesterday and is encouraged by her doctors with a positive outlook.)
Today, friend, I want to encourage you to believe God. Believe He can do a big work in your life. Your journey may not be down the cancer road, still He walks with you. We see in the Bible that God reminds the Israelites to look back and remember what He brought them through and to tell about it. We can't forget. We can't stop giving Him the glory He so richly deserves. Tell someone about your journey with God today. Let Him remind you how far you have come. Believe Him, for He cares for you and He will carry your through.
My verse for my cancer journey was Matthew 9:28. The two blind me had been following Jesus and crying out for healing. Jesus looked at them and said, "Do you believe I am able to do this?" Their simple answer was, "Yes, Lord." I believe. Oh I believe! And I am so thankful for the reminder of all He has done for me.