Reflections on recent events - May 2016
Have you ever been to a church service and realized that the sermon was written just for YOU?? I got one of those last Sunday.
Here’s how it all fits together. Early in March, I went to the dentist, who discovered an abnormality in my upper palate. She sent me to a specialist who biopsied it and discovered it is follicular lymphoma, one of the rarer of the 76 types of Non Hodgkins Lymphomas. Next step - referral to Mayo clinic in Rochester, MN.
Late April saw a trip to Mayo to get some answers. We had some tests early in the week, but the last test could not be done until the following week. We elected to spend that time in Sioux Falls rather than driving back to Rapid City.
Sunday was, as always, church time. We went with our daughter to their church. Pastor Reed spoke on the theme of “Tough as Nails.” (Scripture references are James 1:2-4, 2 Cor 11:23-28, and 2 Tim 4:7.)
The theme of the sermon was that the purpose of a nail is to be hammered. A nail that’s soft will bend under the blow. A nail that’s properly made will withstand the blow and do it’s job well.
He emphasized two principles from the scripture:
- WHAT is in you will come out of you when the hammer falls.
- WHO is in you will come out of you when the hammer falls.
I really thought that was a good way to put things in one’s life into the proper perspective. We are strong or weak depending on what (and who) is in us.
Now, with that fresh in my head, we went back to Mayo for the last test - one that will tell how advanced the lymphoma is. As it turns out, it’s somewhat advanced, and typed at Stage IV-A. So that means that I will have to endure a regimen of 6 months or so of chemotherapy treatments.
What immediately came to mind was a voice in my head saying: “OK - I’ve got this. You don’t need to worry about it.”
I guess the “tough as nails” sermon was effective in putting the events into perspective for me.
OGIBTL - Our God is Bigger Than Lymphoma!
