Monday, August 8, 2011

Update #30

Wow.  30 updates.  That's a lot. This one is a quick one, I promise.  After all, it is summer and who wants to be stuck in front of their computer reading when there are fun things to be done outside!
 
Little update on my health:  Not much has changed. Tumor markers still climbing. I'll go in next Wednesday for my next injections, blood work and doctor's visit. And they will schedule my next set of scans for the end of August  (yuck!).   I feel good. I just have some  aches in my back/hip that - while they don't really interfere with life - they cause me to not really "forget" about my diagnosis and remind me that things are still "not right" inside my body. 
 
Little update on Laura:  Most of you know or know of my best friend Laura and her two-year experience with cancer.  If you haven't heard her about the new challenges that lie before her, here is her caringbridge website (www.caringbridge.org/visit/laurarider).  Take a quick read; it's worth your while and we would both appreciate your prayers for her and her family - especially her mother-in-law, Anne Rider, who was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia a couple of weeks ago.  BTW - If you haven't had the pleasure of meeting Laura yet, you are SO missing out.  Words truly cannot describe how wonderful she is; I just love her to pieces. 
 
Little Update on a "fun" thing:  A few weeks ago I received an email from our pastor in response to an update that I had sent out.  In his email, he asked me if Chad and/or I would like to speak in church in August about our experience and how it has impacted either our relationship with one another or our relationship with God.   Chad and I talked about it and agreed that we would be willing to do this.  After we said yes to what we thought was going to be a 5 minute interview type thing, we found out that we are actually giving the message.  You know...the sermon, the homily...the thing that usually only a really, really, really qualified person does. 
 
Yikes.  
Did I also happen to mention that our church has four services?  And that I have to speak in all four of them?    
Did I say, "Yikes" yet? 
 
In truth, as I anticipate this, I am both excited and scared. More excited than scared now.  But certain that I will be more scared than excited as the weekend approaches! 
I think one more "Yikes" is in order.
Yikes.
 
So, I have two invitations for you:
 
Invitation #1:  Pray.  To pray for us as you think about it. That we'll know what it is that needs to be shared.  There's lots of stuff that could be shared, but what needs to be shared for that day, for those who are attending is still unknown to me.  The idea of sharing the same thing 4x does not appeal to me at all. However, the idea of preparing four different messages is a bit daunting so who knows what will happen!
 
Invitation #2:  Come.  If you don't have a church home I'd love for you and your family to attend one of these services.  If you do have a church home and want to go on a "field trip" on Saturday or Sunday, I'd love for you to come as well.  As you might expect, there's something comforting about looking into a crowd of hundreds and seeing some familiar faces. 
 
The Weekend of August 20 and 21
 
Wesleyan Church of Hamburg 
4999 McKinley Parkway Hamburg, NY 14075 
 
Service Options:
Saturday at 6:30 PM (a band leads worship of contemporary songs)
Sunday at 9:30 in the Worship Center (same rockin' band)
Sunday at 9:45 AM in the Chapel (think organ, choir, hymns)
Sunday at 11 AM in the Worship Center (same rockin' band again)
 
If you have children, I would strongly encourage you to take advantage of the kids' Sunday school options.  They're just excellent!  Truly.  My kids love our children's program and most parents do too - and not only because of the uninterrupted hour we get, but also because we know that our kids are having fun while learning cool stuff about God.  Also, parents of babies, toddlers and pre-schoolers get pagers when you drop off your child so if the teachers need to find you they can buzz you at any place in the building.  Give me a call or shoot me an email and I can help you out if you're thinking about coming with your kiddos.
 
Thanks and enjoy the rest of this fabulous summer!
K.
 
 

No comments:

Post a Comment