Wednesday, March 16, 2011

2 Years Ago Today

Wow! Has it really been two years?? Has it only been two years??

Yes, March 16, 2009 was the day that changed our lives - the day the doctor told us that Mark had cancer in his colon.

2 years, 3 major surgeries, 4 minor surgeries,20 nights in the hospital, 7 visits to the ER, stage 4 cancer, 12 rounds of chemo, numerous scans, shots, tests and 1000's of prayers and here we are!

How thankful we are to our Lord and Savior that today Mark is cancer free and hasn't missed a beat!

We never dreamed that day what the next two years was going to hold and you know what? We wouldn't trade it for anything! God had taught us so much and we have grown closer to Him in ways we didn't know were possible. The many people we have met on this journey and the countless ways that people have blessed us and helped to carry us though is something we never expected nor will we ever forget!

We will never forget the prayers and the words of encouragement from so many and the acts of service to us too numerous to list!

As most people know that I (Lee) am the one who writes this blog. I would just like to take this opportunity to first of all thank the Lord for healing my husband and allowing us more time together here on earth! I praise His name for ALL that He has done for us.

Secondly, I want to thank my wonderful, awesome husband who hasn't complained one time or felt sorry for himself or anything negative. He is an inspiration to me personally as I saw him look to God for strength and then to have a totally positive attitude and outlook on everything that came our way. He was humbled at the outpouring of love and support and was grateful for every day. If you talk to him you know that he looks on each and every day as a gift from God and considers each day what he is to do with that gift. Mark loves to laugh and laugh he did these past two years - I can't tell you the amount of times we would be sitting in the hospital or doctors office laughing! When things would start getting a bit too serious he made sure to squelch it with a joke or saying something funny to ease any tension that may be there. Anyone that came to visit that may have felt uneasy because of the seriousness of our situation, was immediately put at ease by Mark's demeanor and attitude.

Over the past two years I could hardly keep him slowed down - he wanted to get out to the schools and coaches and minister for the Lord through FCA - there were days that I would have to take off work to drive him because he wasn't up to driving but he wasn't going to sit home either - so off we would go! I do admire the tenacity and the drive that he displayed through all of this.

I look back and see how good he looked, and how strong he was through the whole ordeal, but I now look at him and see a miracle! No one would ever know that he's been though all of this - he is healthy and working out, playing tennis (I even saw him arm wrestling with Cameron!) - it is so awesome to see him coaching baseball again and going as strong as ever.

The most important thing I see in him though, is the fact that he learned to truly trust God and to allow the Holy Spirit to work though him - he isn't the same man today that he was two years ago - God has molded, sculpted and pruned him into an even better man than I could have imagined and that is what I am most thankful for today.

We pray daily that God will show us where He wants to use us and that we can take what we have learned and not only apply it to our own lives but to help others in any way He leads us to.

We are forever changed and forever thankful!

Praising God from whom All Blessings Flow,

Lee

Psalm 40:5 - Many, O Lord my God, are Thy wonderful works which Thou has done...they are more than can be numbered.

Psalm 103:1-2 Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits.

Psalm 121:1 I will left up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.

Psalm 147:1 Praise ye the Lord: for it is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant; and praise is comely.

Lamentations 3:22-23 The Lord's mercies...are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness!!