"COME AND SEE WHAT GOD HAS DONE"
(This is a lovely Christmas song entitled, "Noel" that I had the honor of singing last year on Christmas Eve. This is a video of the song from one of the Christmas Eve services, 2016.)
The line from the song in the above video, "Come and see what God has done" is the title for today's blog. Because you see, God has done a lot in my life this fall. Here is a little bit more of the story of my cancer/life journey.
On Wednesday, December 20th I had my final radiation treatment! It was a big deal. They have a tradition at the treatment facility. When you finish your radiation treatments you read aloud a quote that is displayed on the wall. Sorry, I didn't memorize it or write it down; however, it was all about the journey you've completed and looking forward to the future with hope. After you read it, you ring a bell three times. Well, I rang the heck out of that sucker. Here is a pic....
Can you tell that I am quite happy? So thankful to be done with my treatments for cancer. So hopeful that the cancer is out of my body and I'm on the road to being healthy and whole. That is what we are claiming and believing. I'm healing and feeling a little bit better with each sunrise.
As I came to the finish of the prescribed treatments it seemed like a real time of reflection. I had some hard moments this fall, but at every turn I saw the grace of God. God's grace was evident in the kind hug of a radiation technician who saw the tears in my eyes before one particularly difficult treatment. God's grace was evident in a husband willing to drive me to treatments every single, solitary day. It was not convenient. It was a huge inconvenience; however, Tom wanted to support me. He shows his love through his gift of service and that gift was given to him by the grace of God. God's grace was evident in my son, who called every day to check up on me and encourage me and lift me up during this time. It was by the grace of God that my PetScan was clear and I was told I would not need to have chemotherapy, when two weeks prior they had said I would probably have to have chemo. It was by the grace of God that I was able to keep working throughout the daily radiation treatments. It was the grace of God who led my boss to write me encouraging notes and to ask my fellow teachers (public school mind you) to pray for me. It was by the grace of God that I had dear friends who called me or texted me, or sent me an encouraging note. I received many of those calls, texts and notes just at a moment when I felt alone and fearful. It was by the grace of God that I made it through one of the most difficult seasons I've faced so far in life. It will be by the grace of God that I learn to be more caring and aware of people who are sick and struggling. By His grace, maybe I can be the one who offers the hug or the kind word or note of encouragement. Now that I know how much it means to someone, I must pay it forward.
I'll be sharing some of the things that I learned during this season in the next few blogs. As a little bit of an introduction to that, I want to end today's entry with a mention of one of the main things I've gained from this journey. I have just begun to gain an elementary understanding of COMMON GRACE. I'm also growing in my theology of work. These two things are changing me in ways I never imagined. I'll be sharing more about it in blogs to come.
God is bigger than I've thought Him to be. He uses people and things that I never imagined He would use. He can use an atheist doctor to heal many people. He can be helpful and kind and compassionate. Because the doctor is not a Christian, would I refuse to be treated by him? That would be ludicrous. God gifted that man or woman...even if they don't acknowledge where their intelligence, compassion, calling and drive came from.
God's story is being told, His story is going to be told and He is writing it in whatever way He pleases using whatever people or instruments of grace that He chooses. COMMON GRACE is changing the way I see the world and I am very thankful for that.
"The Lord is good to all and His mercy is over all that He has made." Psalm 145:9
"For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them." - Romans 2:14-15
"But, I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father which is in Heaven. For He makes His sun rise on the evil and the good and sends rain on the just and the unjust." - Matthew 5:44-45
Very thankful to have seen and acknowledge God's grace to everyone.
Soli Deo gloria
Pam
