THURSDAY THOUGHTS - A Peaceful Slumber

The hour was late; the house was quiet, my mind so full of happy memories I could not sleep. I arose to read a bit and found myself recalling the events of a day that I wanted to bronze and remember forever.

I saw twelve hungry people around our breakfast table eating my husband, Ron's, famous pancakes before they left on a tubing expedition.

I saw empty pop cans and empty serving dishes from our first BBQ of the season. We ate indoors due to the cold weather, but the burgers and dogs still tasted great. Every morsel of food was gone. Nobody goes hungry at Grandma and Grandpa's unless they want to!

I saw grandchildren putting on their coats and shoes to participate in the Easter egg hunt in our snowy yard. And I heard the squeals of delight as they found plastic eggs filled with candy and various dollar store treasures. It seemed almost like Christmas as they enjoyed books, puzzles, bubbles, beads, frisbees and slinkies. Our house was hoppin' as we gathered with seven grandchildren and their parents who had not been together in one place for a long time. The laughter, hugs, and bonding continued until about 10 PM when most of them left  because they had to work the next day.

Just when I thought things could not get any better, we received the text that our eighth grandchild had just been born. Tristan Robert Bernard became the newest member of this wonderful family clan.

As I sat there alone in the wee hours of the morning, I remembered that just over four years ago I had my Cancer surgery. If it wasn't for advanced medical technology, lots of support and Heavenly help, I could have missed this wonderful day and the memories we made.

I took a deep breath, looked around at the Easter baskets, scattered toys and the rest of the tell tale clutter. How grateful I am to have turned 60 this past January with my health in tact, a job I love, and a growing family to enjoy. I got up, turned off the light and went back to bed. There, with plenty of new memories to hold close to my heart, I dropped off into peaceful slumber.

-Kathy Christensen

THURSDAY THOUGHTS - Breathes Peace To Our Souls

Guest Post:

"This thought comes from Don Piper entitled “90 Minutes in Heaven.” He actually died, went to Heaven for a short time then returned and became the “Minister of Hope,” speaking all across the country assuring others that Heaven is real and the best is yet to come. This excerpt has some unique references to the Holy Spirit that resonated with me:

“ In this life we all have bad times. Stress, sickness, disappointments and heartaches. Most of us, especially if we’re Christians, would also say that we have had more good times than bad. We can trust that the best is yet to be. The proof we have, in the words of the apostle Paul, is that God has given us the Holy Spirit as a token or a down payment. It’s like earnest money in a real estate deal. The gift of the Holy Spirit is like writing us a promissory note for fulfillment when we reach the gates of heaven. At times all of us have down times and even moments of despair, but we don’t have to stay down. That’s the difference between us and those who never know the true joy of the Christian experience."

"James Faust also shares the following thoughts about the Holy Spirit. He says that, “It calms nerves and breathes peace to our souls. It can be with us 24 hours a day during our most stressful times.” I want to add my witness that the Holy Spirit has encouraged and sustained me when nothing else could. I know that it is a source of strength for each of us if we humble ourselves enough to be open to its guidance. I am sure that countless Cancer survivors know this as well as I do. I can’t imagine my life without this most significant gift. When we listen to the promptings we receive from this source, we can also be of great help to those around us; we become instruments in God’s hands. I honestly feel that those who started the Sister Survivors group were very in tune with the Holy Spirit. They have helped so many of us and in turn we have caught the vision as we continue to help and encourage each other."

Kathy Christensen
Guest Blogger
Sister Survivor


Thanks for your words of encouragement, Kathy. This group really is something special!
-Kara

THURSDAY THOUGHTS - Angel Wings

I have long been fascinated with the concept of angels. I believe in them and feel that they are ever near to help us when our earthly journey becomes difficult or uncertain. When I was called in for a second mammogram because something didn't look quite right, I was uneasy to say the least. I forged ahead with the appointment where the technicians told me that I would need to undergo a sonogram. "No big deal," I thought,"at least know they aren't painful."

I laid there as they proceeded with the process. They then told me that I would need to have a biopsy to check a particular part on my left breast. By this time I was beginning to get more than a little nervous. Especially when I saw the size of the needle they were going to use. We were experiencing some other stressful situations in our life at that time and I thought that a Cancer diagnosis would probably push me over the edge emotionally.

At that very moment, I had an indescribable feeling of peace come over me. It was almost tangible and very real. I knew at that moment there was a presence in the room to give me comfort. All fear dissipated and I had the strong feeling that my diagnosis would be positive for Cancer but all would be well. Of course waiting for the results was a tense time for us, but each night as I went to bed, I remembered the feelings I had during the biopsy and I slept like a baby.

I don't know who that presence was in the biopsy room with me that day, but I know it was an angel of some kind, sent to bring me the comfort and courage I needed. Perhaps it was my grandmother who passed away about 16 years earlier. I will never know for sure. But the situation played out just like I was prompted that it would. I did have Breast Cancer, but we discovered it early, went through surgery and radiation treatments and I am now Cancer free. This experience was one that I will never forget and for which I will be forever grateful. I want to close with a poem about angels that made me think of my experience that day back in December of 2008:

Today I stumbled and once again
Was lifted up by an unseen hand
What comfort and joy that knowledge brings
For I hear the whisper of angel wings.

The guardian angels God sends to all
To bear us up when we stumble and fall
Trust Him, my friend, and often you'll hear
The whisper of angel wings hovering near.

--Anonymous--

Kathy Christensen
Sister Survivor Member
Guest Blogger

THURSDAY THOUGHTS - River Trip

Guest blogger, Kathy Christensen sent in this post:

Back in June of 1996, I took my three sons on an eight day river trip through the Grand Canyon. It was a trip I had planned and saved for years to take. What an experience it was! We were in the hands of capable and well trained river guides and it was indeed the trip of a life time for us. On the first day they taught us what to do if we went overboard; how to breathe; how to use our feet to keep the boulders away; how to stay calm....you get the drift. Just after lunch we boarded the rafts to begin our progression through the rapid named "Hermit". They had just flooded the canyon and that stretch of water looked anything but inviting. My boys wanted to go first, so off we went (after the river guides had carefully scouted the water and how it was running) The rest of the group stayed back to photograph us as we went through. The waves were huge and to say the least, my heart was in my throat. I was in the back of the raft while my three sons were up front trying to keep the nose of the boat down as the river guide proceeded to move us through the rapids. Well, to make a long story short, the raft flipped and I kept moving forward, while my boys were picked up quickly. They had moved safely in to an eddy, and were put back in the raft. Then the river guide and my sons were off to get me. Of course I was panic stricken as I tried to decide when to breathe while those huge waves began smashing down on me. I honestly thought "This might be it....my life might end right here!" The river guides were true pros and they had us all back on the shore within 30 minutes, and no worse for the wear except my frazzled nerves. The guide told us that the river is very forgiving and the thing that kills people is panic and fear. If you relax and go with the flow, things usually work out. I have found that the same principle applies when dealing with Cancer. No good comes from unrest. Unrest, fear, panic, anger or sadness may motivate us, but our best effort emerges after these feelings have been replaced by peace. We will not accomplish our task and sooner or any better by performing it out of a sense of urgency, fear, panic or sadness. Let go of unrest. Let peace fill the void. We do not have to forget our God-given personal power (or our peace)to do the work we are called upon to do today. Let peace come first. Then proceed. The task will get done naturally and on time.

(some thoughts used from Melodie Beattie's book "The Language of Letting Go.")