The Cancer Monster

Mimi had her surgery on Friday and everything went well. The lymph node had grown another centimeter or more so we are glad we were able to get it out when we could. At the time of the MRI it had not attached itself to any tissue but once the surgeon began to operate it actually had begun to attach itself to tissue. However, the surgeon feels good about the amount he was able to remove though and we will just closely monitor that area. Mimi is home now at my uncle's as of Saturday afternoon.

I have had some experience with Cancer because of family and friends going through the ordeal. Everyone has the same reaction. I can't describe the facial expression with words but everyone gives the same response of fear, sadness and worry.

The Merriam Webster definition describes cancer using words like -invasion, evil, destructive, fast spreading, harmful, abnormal.

I think if we could personify Cancer it would look a lot like these monsters I ran into a few years back at Halloween parties. Scary, nasty, evil, and terrifying. The people in these costumes had one intention that night-to frighten others. Luckily at the end of the night-the costume could be removed and the fear dissipated. Unfortunately that isn't always the case with Cancer. Or for that matter-sin.




And in the same way we have to treat cancer we sometimes have to treat sin. We have to surgically remove it from our life lest we become slaves to it and then often times it is still attached, lingering and we have to monitor it and make sure we go in for checkups and get out any remaining pieces.

Sometimes sin can even lead to death much like cancer but luckily God allowed his own Son to suffer so that we can be free from the consequences of sin.

Romans 6:20-23 (New International Version)
20When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. 21What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! 22But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. 23For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in[a] Christ Jesus our Lord.


As we begin to approach the holidays thank God when you see the ugly little monsters knocking on your door for candy, that you are free from the monster of sin. Give thanks to God when you sit at your table to feast with family at Thanksgiving, that you are free from the chains of sin. And finally, thank God when you open your gifts in front of your Christmas tree, that the gift of His Son is eternal life.

Update on Mimi

Hey Blogosphere!
I wanted to update you all and let you know that Mimi's cancer is localized to that lymph node. We will find out when she can have the operation to remove it and if she will require any follow up radiation. Thank you for your prayers. I know that no matter the outcome of these tests our God is a good God.

Your faithfulness to my family and now my extended family has amazed me so much and I am so thankful to know I am not alone in this journey.

Running the Same Race

I realized this past Saturday as I was running in the Race for the Cure, that I had ran this particular race about 4 or 5 times. In addition, I am also gearing up to run my 3rd or 4th Vulcan 10K next month. You would think after running both races so many times before I would either tire of the course or decide to run something else. Perhaps that is partially true but each time I run the race there is something different about it. The weather, the shoes, my time, my training schedule or the people I enter and run each race with.

The Vulcan 10k is one of my favorite races partly because 10 kilometers is my preferred distance. It’s 6.2 miles, which is long enough to challenge me but not so far that I am exhausted. The one thing about this race is that it has a few hills. So as part of my training every year I have a mapped out a 6 to 6.5 mile route around my apartment that I like to add back into my weekly runs.

For those of you that don’t know, I live in Vestavia Hills…Hills being the key word. There are a few flat portions in the route that I have created but you have to scale a few hills to get to them and once you are there then you have to run up a few more to get back home. For any skiers out there, I would classify a few of these as black diamonds. I am thinking if covered with snow and ice you could definitely have a nice run down.

Needless to say, I have run this route several times during my training over the years. However, the problem lies in that I only remember how I feel at the end of my training and not at the beginning. So when I start out to run the route I forget that it usually takes me a few tries to get the hang of the course.

So yesterday I started out to tackle my 6 mile route to prepare for my upcoming race. About a mile into my run I had the thought; can I quit and go home?
About two miles into my run I had the thought; this didn’t seem so hard last time?!
About three miles into my run I had the thought; I feel pretty good and I’m halfway done!

I would have to say that I think those same thoughts enter my head when I am going through a lesson that God is teaching me. Though the circumstances may be different the lessons I am learning aren’t. Whether God is teaching me about pride, forgiveness, self control, bitterness, selfishness, dependency, etc it is the same lesson that I have learned before.

I am pretty sure I have asked the same questions of God. Can I quit and go home? This didn’t seem so hard last time? Or I have my “a-ha” moment and I realize, this feels pretty good and I see the finish line up ahead.

So why do I run the same race? I know right away I never enter these races to win. I am not Kenyan, as a matter of fact I am a former fat girl who still dreams of Doritos and cupcake day at the Samford cafeteria. No, I enter these races to improve myself as a runner, to challenge myself, to have fun and maybe have a PR (personal record).

Same reasons we are still metaphorically running this Christian race. We aren’t ever doing this to “win.” Luckily, it was already DONE for us on the cross. We never are required to really DO anything any more. Christ already DID it all and paid the ultimate sacrifice for us. And by his grace we are saved. But out of gratitude we “run this race that we may share in the blessings and get a crown that lasts forever.” 1 Cor 9:23-25.

Often times running this race means learning a few of the same lessons over and over. Just like with my training, I have to keep at it because I am not the perfect runner. Luckily for us, Christ also keeps at it and teaches us the same things over and over for the same reasons.

James 1:2-5 (New International Version)
Trials and Temptations
2Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.