The "C Word"

If we live long enough most of us will have experiences with the "C word".  It may be our friends who are afflicted with this dreaded diagnosis.  Often it may be closer to home such as a beloved family member.  This can be devastating, especially when the disease is discovered with no warning.  We have all heard sad stories of folks who find they have an advanced case and within a few quick weeks they are no longer with us. And we've heard of those who have battled with it for years before losing the battle.  It can be a devastating situation.  We all hope that it will avoid us.  But sometimes it doesn't.  That is the nature of the world that we live in.  A few days ago the "C" word, that is cancer, was used by my doctor in an evening telephone call to me.  He called to tell me that my recent biopsy showed cancer cells.  He said that it is low risk right now, and I guess that is comforting, but it still is cancer - the same type my brother died of just three years ago.  Now I'm not sure yet what the treatment will be and I won't know until we meet with the doctor on June 1.  That is the earliest meeting with him that we could schedule. Having such a meeting is not exactly how I wanted to observe our 50th wedding anniversary, but often such things are out of our control.  I knew this day would eventually come because the statistics were against me with my family history.  And, I do understand mathematics and probability.  I guess I just hoped that it would be sometime in the future, not now.  And this did take me a little off guard since I didn't have the normal symptoms.  But the specialist just wasn't sure, again because of my family history, and he recommended more tests and a biopsy just to be sure.  And his intuition was correct.  Now I have watched many wrestle with cancer.  In particular, I was impressed with the way that my brother handled his 15 year battle and also with the way that my my Aunt Thelma handled her very brief battle.  They were so positive, even when in horrendous pain, and they drew nearer to the Lord as He comforted them in their journey.  And both had the hope of an eternal home with the Lord and being reunited with loved ones.  I don't know what lies ahead in my journey, but I pray that I may also stay positive and be an encouragement and a testimony to others who watch my journey.  There is so much that I would like to see and do before I leave, and maybe God will grant that to me.  But I also must admit that the older I get, the better the alternative - heaven - really looks.  And I have learned that God's ways are always best and right.  God is good, all the time. And He has promised to never leave us or forsake us.  So the journey ahead may be long or it may be short, but I know He will lead me now as He has always done in the past. Great is His faithfulness. Hopefully my cancer is really of low risk and treatable.  But if not, the future is still very bright.