Thursday, March 22, 2012

On Sunday afternoon Mark and I were painting the room that I like to call "The Formal Game Room".  I blogged about this room a long time ago, but we have since switched everything in the house around.  We had the windows open and were enjoying an unusually warm day in March.

The kids across the street were enjoying the day too.  They were having a lemon-ade stand and were advertising for their sale for about two hours straight.  It was not bothering Mark and I at all.  In fact we were enjoying the noise of little children and their innocence.

As we kept checking on the kids across the street, we noticed a woman walking back and forth down our road. There are only 10 houses on our street, so it was easy to know that she did not live on our street.  Her fast pace let us know that she was simply exercising and did not cause any alarm to us.  We even watched her stop and get a cup of warm lemon-ade from the neighbors.  I made a joke to Mark that I am so wanting to make friends that I should go outside and stop her just to introduce myself.  It was just a passing thought.

Now it was Wednesday night, (last night) and I was cleaning up the kitchen after dinner.  Another warm day, and the windows were open.  I looked outside and saw this gal walking again.  Some type of braveness came over me, and I got my sneakers on.  Julie asked me what I was doing and I said that I was going outside to meet this lady and ask her if she would like a walking partner.  Julie laughed at me and told me that was a sort of strange idea.  For some reason, even though I kind of think it was now, I was not afraid at all.  I put on a smile and went outside.

Out on the road, I did have a quick thought of hesitation.  But the Holy Spirit almost pushed me towards this lady.  I started to walk towards her and smiled at her.  She smiled back, not sure if I was walking to her or simply going for a walk.  I almost walked on past her with a smile, (almost chickened out!) but I introduced myself and told her that I have been noticing her walking, and that I liked to walk too.

I can hardly describe how easy this was.  Within 20 paces, we were chatting and introducing ourselves.  Her name is Karen, and since that is my sister's name I knew I could remember that.  She looked a few years older than me, which is what I have decided is my perfect "new friend age". She is new to town, and lives by herself.  Her family lives about 30 minutes away.  By the time we made our first lap around out road I knew I liked her.

I told Karen that I was recovering from a double neck fusion, and she stopped and looked at me with understanding.  Then she shared with me that at the same time I was having major surgery, (in November) she was finding out that she had pancreatic cancer.  It started with a simple stomach ache, and within two weeks, she had not only found a new primary care Dr, but an oncologist and had a diagnosis.

Karen described the long winter of chemotherapy and how sick it made her.  Then she told me that through it all, she found in herself the need for a God who could comfort her.  She told me that she had been on the wrong path with a career she held onto too tightly, and her mind on anything else than God.  But she told me that He met her in her need, and that she was sure she was fighting for a life that would be better now that she had met God.

Talk about HOLY Goosebumps.  I know I have told you before that I was convinced for the first year of living here that I was living in "The Spiritual Drylands".   Now here was someone right in front of me to prove me wrong again.  I told Karen that I was a Christian, and that I knew quite a bit about having a personal relationship with Christ.  When I told her about my business, of making wall decals out of verses from the bible, she got tears in her eyes.

Karen and I chatted out at the road for another 5 minutes after we finished her two laps left.  Tonight I am going to meet her outside at 5:30 to walk and talk.

Can you believe that just yesterday, before God had me go outside to meet Karen, that she had found out earlier in the day that the whole area around her pancreas is cancer free from the Chemo, and that she is having surgery to remove the cancer as early as April 2.  We both agreed that now we have 2 weeks to get her stronger so that her recovery will be better.

Even this morning, I am shaking my head in surprise about our God, and how he places us in each other's lives just at the time we need each other.  I will keep you posted as this goes on. For now, will you please pray with me for Karen?

Check out what verse has been on my mind this week.  Are you ready to listen when HE speaks?

3 comments:

Pamela Merritt said...

Wow!!!! I see so many blessings in this story. I have chills! God is ever so amazing :)

deckermj2 said...

It brings me back also to the verse I shared with you yesterday, "Be of good courage", You were and she is and Praise God for all things. I just know you will be a blessing to her as well as she will be to you.
God really knows his business.

Anonymous said...

Thank youfor such a uplifting story God works in such WONDER!!!!
Shelly