It's so funny how when we look back at our past we see the things that God had in store for us down the road. In 2005 I lost my sweet PaPaw. Hospice was so good to him. In a mere matter of months they were there to take care of my Grandma Forrest. Grandpa Forrest passed away not long after and Hospice was there once again. I had decided that to give back to them I would do a photography book with the proceeds going to their great cause. For reasons I did not understand, the book never went anywhere. I was discouraged, but I never let the idea go away.
In the spring of 2010, I decided to mention it to Brandi, my 'cousin-in-law'. She had just been chosen to be over Stanly County's Relay for Life. She said the best thing we could do was to present it to the committee and see what would happen. I did my homework, practiced what I would say, packed away a special photo that I would use to 'pull their heartstrings', and said a prayer. How was I to know what God had in store? The committee accepted with open arms. I was thrilled. The picture had done its job.
We decided that our best bet would be to create a preliminary book using images and stories of the committee members,including my picture. We're all there for a reason, right? The book became one of those things that I would think about often and work on a little until Thanksgiving. What started out as a wonderful family gathering with lots of noise and laughter soon changed when my cousin, Suzanne, and I were asked go join our aunt Deborah in her bedroom. The door was closed and we both sat at the foot of Deborah's bed. Deborah turned to us and in the bravest voice she told us that her cancer which was defeated 15 year prior had returned. It was in her lung and it sounded bad. She handed us the report she had received and I handed it to Suzanne. She, like most everyone else in our family, is in the medical profession. What was I suppose to get from it? From Suzanne's expression I knew it was not good, but that was ok because we had seen cancer before and had beaten it. After some tears and some words of encouragement from Deborah, we went back to be with the family. My mind could not wrap around what we had been told.
That night I lay awake and in the stillness I came to realize that the book was to become my obsession. I had to tell the stories of anyone and everyone that was willing to put their hearts out there. I created the preliminary book which included that same picture I presented to Hospice several years earlier. I would, in some way, shape, or form, find a way to make this a success. My prayer that night was that God would give me whatever it took to do this. I prayed that He would use me as His instrument to show His mighty works in all of these people. I never knew where that prayer was going to take me.
The kickoff for Relay was in early January and after a brief description of what we were doing, I took my place at the table with that little preliminary book and a video. I could not even start to describe the high I was on. People came wanting more information and to tell me their stories. One little middle school girl came to me and in her sweet words she said, "I think this is a really great thing you are doing. Good luck with it." She touched my heart so deeply. She was there in support of her teacher, Mrs. Icenhour, aka Mrs. Ice. God had put her there because He knew that this hard headed girl needs a lot of prodding. When kickoff ended that night, I left with a handful of forms and so much in my heart I barely slept.
That's been almost a month now. Everyday I hear from someone who has had cancer, someone who is fighting the battle, or a family member of someone who has 'won the ultimate war' and now live in Heaven. God is bringing them out of the woodwork. My life changes with every experience I have with these people. There's not a day that goes by that I don't cry for their sorrows and laugh for their joys and accomplishments. God is doing great things in my life right now and I thank Him so much for the paths He is taking me on. What blessings I have received.
At the end of the day, everyday, I thank Him for His wonderful blessings. I pray for each of these people I now consider a part of my new famiy, the family of cancer. And just before I end my prayer I pray for that strong, precious lady who I love like my own mother, my Aunt Deborah. Without this horrible, terrible, no good, rotten illness I would not have known these people and their stories. Cancer truly is an ugly word, but the faces of it are so beautiful.
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