Hands and Feet of Christ

 Today we felt the presence of Jesus in our home. The hands and feet of Christ, his people, came to serve our family once again. We feel so incredible blessed!

Shortly after Millie passed away, our friends in the JEC Cancer Moms group talked about taking a day to come serve our family. We had planned to have them paint our room and clean our carpets. Due to a Covid exposure, we couldn’t risk them coming on the original date; their kids are just too fragile! So, we postponed. While were waiting, David decided to go ahead and paint our bedroom a lovely relaxing grey color. We have had a tan on the walls for over 12 years, so this was a welcome change. We cleaned the room well, moved all the furniture and vacuumed ourselves, but did not get the carpets cleaned. Today however our good friends Jared and Tammy arrived with the carpet cleaner fully ready to serve us.

They cleaned both bedrooms, enjoyed dinner with us, and toured the tiny house. The best part though was just standing in the yard sharing about our warriors. Their 10-year-old son fought a Wilms tumor (kidney cancer) in May before Millie was diagnosed in June of 2019. Gratefully their path has been different than ours. Their son has made a physically recovery. We praise GOD for that!

We also know that he and their family will still forever have ‘cancer’ as a thread in their story. This is not a diagnosis that you ever get over, even if the cancer goes away. The trauma the children go through in treatment, the PTSD they experience, the worry, the fears, and the long-term side effects are all reasons that cancer has forever consequences in these young lives. It is all the reason why these families continue to need long term support and empathy, much longer than when the child appears ‘sick’. Many families leave the hospital with a fragile child AND tremendous medical bills still looming. I shared recently how high Millie’s bills were. We were incredibly grateful for wonderful insurance, but even with that the deductibles alone could purchase a car. We were cared for so completely by you all that Millie’s expenses were met. Thank you, many families do not have that. We know to be incredibly THANKFUL!

((If you feel led to give financially to a family and want me to refer you, please ask me…. Seems I know so many that are fighting!))

When they arrived today, they came bearing a special gift. A small oak tree… A tree filled with so much promise of life. David and I have talked about where to plant this little tree. Someday it will be a mighty oak and will need room to grow. We decided tonight it will be near the tiny house. A little house, built with the help of Millie’s little hands, filled with love and promise of good things to come. This house is like the acorn. It is filled with hope!

Jeremiah 29:11 ”For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

When life looks bleak, when what we know ends and we are left searching for where we should go from here, we can remember that GOD’s plan is to give us HOPE and a FUTURE. His plan is always good, even when parts of it feel so bad… Like the acorn, it is filled with a promise.

The sweet card read “A gift for you. In honor of your beloved Millie. Love the moms of JEC”

These moms, fighting for the lives of their children, took time to love on our family as we told our precious Millie goodbye. The cried tears with us, hugged us, and walked beside us. They truly are a family I would have never hoped to be part of but am so glad I am. And they, like I, am here to hold the hand of the next scared momma wondering how they will ever walk through a cancer diagnosis.

It is about love… Love God, love others!

Mark 12:30-31 “AND YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH.’ 31“The second is this, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”