58 BEDTIME STORIES

I am so grateful to first, attend a church where there is such an emphasis on worship, which is evident regularly every Sunday.  This past Sunday, our pastor preached on the Old Testament King David.  Of course, he made mention of the story of, “David and Goliath”.  That brings me to the second thing I am grateful for this week.  That’s a family who placed a strong emphasis on learning from God’s Word.

When I was a little girl and it was time to go to bed, my Dad would spend time reading stories to me, sometimes his own version of classic stories, sometimes teaching me Bible stories like that of David and Goliath.  We would also memorize Bible verses. After I learned some of these stories and verses, I would share my “accomplishments” with my Mom and brothers.  One of my favorites was David and Goliath.  Of course, when I told the story, “Goliath fell down dead and died.”  I’m not sure how I assumed he would be falling down dead, and then die.  Anyway, I’m glad God is still fighting giants for His children, no matter what they may look like.  He’s fighting an awfully big one for me right now and He fights smaller ones on a daily basis.

A passage of Scripture that encouraged me this week has been:

I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.

My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.

He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.

Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.

The Lord is thy keeper: the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand.

The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.

The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.

The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore. – Psalm 121

Now in Florida we don’t lift our eyes to any hills.  But I have seen a few from my travels to other countries and across America.  Of course, this is a view of Mt. Kenya that I often saw growing up.

I had the privilege of hearing the Brooklyn Tabernacle choir sing in New York a few years ago.  Here is one of their songs that also has been an encouragement this week:

PRAISES:

Safety, and strength for each new day.

Lessons God continues to bring my way about Himself, me, others around me and life in general.

**My trips to the stop sign at the end of the road are still “Painfully” slow in many people’s eyes.  However, they are getting better and I continue to make them, although a stray Florida shower soaked us  this week one time.  But it was still a nice walk as were the dry clothes once we got home. Welcome to Florida weather.  You never know when a random shower will pop up.

PRAYER REQUESTS: (I realize I keep posting the same requests, but they are still relevant/needed.  So, I’ll continue posting them, but I’ll try to add a marker if it’s something new.  No promises that I’ll remember to do that every time.)

Extra fatigue from medication.  So please pray for extra strength on a daily basis.

Continued strength to manage the physical strain of some of the treatment and exercises to improve mobility.

Courage to face the unknown and opportunities to show the grace of God through difficult times.

Safety.

Family who are hanging in there with me through this battle.

Wisdom to know my limitations and observe them.

Still working on paperwork for various devices to assist mobility as well as insurance matters.

Next MRI and doctor visit Feb 8.

**Continued progress toward walking to the stop sign and back – I believe it’s helping to build strength and it’s just really nice out, when it’s not raining. :)  There is a reason behind all this walking, perhaps next entry I’ll explain the next step.  It has to do with February 8th.

56 The Little things

God thinks of the little things to quiet/still my heart.

Before the last scan God arranged for my brother, Doug, and his wife, Donna, to be here all the way from Kenya. Nice distraction leading into another run of tests and doctor visits, which always tend to create some anxiety, despite the fact I know He has everything under control.  Well, He's done it again, lined up another visit from family right before the next scan. Coincidence??  No!! That's how my God works to say, “I love you, Debbie Stamper”.  I called this “The Little Things” because in the whole scheme of life, they are little.  However, to a heart in need, God makes them a priority. Because to that heart in need, they are a priority and I love that I am a priority to an almighty, all-powerful God.

A song that encouraged me this past Sunday at church was ‘Tis So Sweet.  Particularly this verse:

I’m so glad I learned to trust Thee,

Precious Jesus, Savior, Friend;

And I know that Thou art with me,

Wilt be with me to the end.

Refrain:

Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him!

How I’ve proved Him o’er and o’er;

Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!

Oh, for grace to trust Him more!

There is another song that continually runs through my head.  I mentioned this in #47.  But here’s the rest of the story.  This song continues to be an encouragement. 

 In 2000, “Commissioned” the singing group I travelled with while in college went to Kenya on a short mission’s trip.  My mom went with us.  While there, we received a phone call informing us that my dad who had stayed in America to keep some preaching engagements as they were on furlough at the time, was quite sick.  Later, we would find that he, too, was going to face his own battle with cancer, losing one kidney and part of the other.  Well, on the way to the airport to head back to America, one of the ladies in the group began singing this song and it continues to be an encouragement to me on a regular basis.

PRAISES:

Safety, and strength for each new day.

Lessons God continues to bring my way about Himself, me, others around me and life in general.

On Saturday of last week, I walked to the stop sign, mentioned in my last post.  Yes, I was tired but it was good for me and I intend to do it again soon.  Every time I do, it will get better and faster.

A wonderful friend of mine here in Sebring gave me what’s called an e-stem device.  It has these little plastic/rubber pads you place on your skin.  The wires attached to the pads plug into a machine that sends electrical current to the area.  Depending on where I place the pads, the device will cause my fingers or wrist to move.  The other day I was using the machine to move my fingers and it made my fingers move like they used to while playing the piano.  It was not by my effort, the machine did it all, but it was nice to experience that sensation again. I still find myself playing in my head while people at church play for the offering, playing along sometimes with my right hand. But the other evening, when all this movement was going on it was as if God wanted to remind me what it felt like to have my left hand join the "party".  Coincidence?  No!!  That’s my God again saying, “I love you, Debbie Stamper”.

PRAYER REQUESTS: (Many of these remain the same, but are still relevant/needed.)

Extra fatigue from medication.  So please pray for extra strength on a daily basis.

Continued strength to manage the physical strain of some of the treatment and exercises to improve mobility.

Courage to face the unknown and opportunities to show the grace of God through difficult times.

Safety.

Family who are hanging in there with me through this battle.

Wisdom to know my limitations and observe them.

Still working on paperwork for various devices to assist mobility as well as insurance matters.

Next MRI and doctor visit Feb 8.

55 LESSONS FROM THE DOGS

Last entry, I talked about trying to understand others a little bit more. Well, here may be a new one, I now understand my dogs a little bit better. Since I was a baby, my family has had dogs, some were pets. Once we moved as a family to Kenya, the purpose switched from just being pets to being security.  When I got old enough, I began taking over much of the obedience training.  I did a lot of research, read a lot of books and tried a lot of things.  I declared some things were not good ideas.  I feel I did a fairly good job with dogs and basic obedience and a few fun tricks with dogs ranging from a 3-pound Poodle that one visitor one day, mistook for a rat in the house, to Rhodesian Ridgebacks, German Shepherds, Dobermans, Schnauzers and other mixed breeds. There have only ever been two I feel I failed with. They are pictured below.  Spike and Chloe currently live in Kenya with my brother, Doug. Their purpose is security and while they do a good job of that, their basic obedience I failed at before I left Kenya.  Sorry Doug.   Now Sophie (here in America) is an entirely different story because of the abuse she experienced before I got her, but even she has come a LONG way.  I feel successful with all the dogs I worked with in obedience training (except these two).  However, there has always been one thing that has baffled me.  How do dogs get so tangled in their leashes?  Well, now I get it.  I went out on Tuesday of this week for some lab work.  Before I could get that done, I was so twisted in my cords, from the device I wear on my head (Optune), just from getting out of the car that my brother, David, had to come over once we got inside and straighten me out.  I thought in that moment.  “This must be how the dogs feel when they get all wrapped up in their leashes.”  You never know what you’ll learn when you go out.

Here’s Spike and Chloe when they were young, innocent and cute:

Here they are now:

You may find my humor odd that I am amused by understanding more about how dogs get twisted in their leashes and feeling the same way, myself.  However, we all need to look for amusement in frustrating situations and enjoy life.  It passes by too quickly and we miss lessons or times of joy.  Now, let me share a verse that encouraged me this week.  Despite the steps I do or do not take forward, everything I do is a gift from God, every breath, every laugh (even if at myself), every walk down the road, every day in which I may need an extra nap.

I pray my life shows that at all times.  It’s not about me; it’s about HIM.

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. - 2 Corinthians 4:7

Find something to smile about when life gets hard, you may just make someone question what’s different about you.  What an opportunity to talk about the Lord.

PRAISES:

Safety, and strength for each new day.

One thing doctors continue to check is regular lab work to ensure blood levels are where they should be.  I continually hear.  “Your lab work is great, keep it up.”  I have had very little sickness, apart from the chickenpox in November 2016.  With all the chemo, I am very susceptible to catching just about anything. Thankful for protection from all those germs out there.

I’m also thankful for the local lady who draws my blood here in Sebring, so I don’t have to travel to just get lab work done.  She is so friendly and encouraging, notices my progress physically in walking and is very skilled at her job.

Lessons God continues to bring my way about Himself, me, others around me and life in general.

On Monday I walked partway down the road. Something I haven't done since around last Easter. I went to the neighbor's property line which is actually two properties down, as there are two empty lots between here and there. Next stop will be their mailbox. Cancel that, on Thursday, that was a success. Now the next step is the stop sign at the end of the road. But for today. I'll take what I can get, since it's another step in the right direction.

PRAYER REQUESTS: (Many of these remain the same, but are still relevant/needed.)

Extra fatigue.  So please pray for extra strength on a daily basis.

Continued strength to manage the physical strain of some of the treatment and exercises to improve mobility.

Courage to face the unknown and opportunities to show the grace of God through difficult times.

Safety.

Family who are hanging in there with me through this battle.

Wisdom to know my limitations and observe them.

Next MRI and doctor visit Feb 8.

54 TIME FLIES WHEN YOU’RE HAVING FUN (BEGUN NEW YEAR’S EVE)

This is the time of year when we tend to look back on the previous year at what we did or did not accomplish, reevaluate and make plans for trying again the following year.  Growing up, I often heard, “Time flies when you’re having fun.”  Well that’s not exactly how I would describe this past year, though it seems to have flown by.  It was a year ago January 13^th that I woke up from surgery #2 in the ICU unable to move anything on my left side. Two days before, I had walked a mile with Sophie and rode my bike 5 miles.  Now it takes several minutes sometimes to get from the front door of the house to the car which sits right in front of the house.  However, I can get there.  So many other people did not see the beautiful sky that I did today, nor did they have the opportunity to be encouraged by God’s nor did they hear the beautiful music this morning at church like I did.

Verses like:

“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” – Proverbs 3:5, 6

Songs like “Though it all”

Through it all,
through it all,
I’ve learned to trust in Jesus,
I’ve learned to trust in God.

As I look back on 2017 I have been reminded of something my Dad has talked about in reference to his 1982 climb of Mt. Kenya (Point Lenana – 16,000+ feet).  He says one of the most difficult parts of the climb was the scree”.  Here is a definition:

“A mass of small loose stones that form or cover a slope on a mountain.”

My dad says you take 2 steps forward and slide 1 step back. That’s a lot of how I would describe this past year.  Right before my surgery in January, I had almost recovered the use of my left hand and was beginning to play the piano a little, then I woke up in ICU from surgery unable to move my foot or hand in any direction.  A few months later in June, I had surgery #3, at which time I was told, I would likely loose ALL mobility on my left.  However, friends, family, my wonderful church family of Southside Baptist Church (in Sebring, FL) and complete strangers jumped in and started praying in earnest and God performed a miracle again.  I’m still walking and have some use of my left arm.  Now when I say some, I do mean SOME, but SOME beats NOTHING.  I am thankful for lessons God has allowed me to see through these experiences.  Have I been discouraged? SURE!! Plenty of times. But I can see God’s hand through all of them, even if only to remind me He’s got everything under control and that I need to be more understanding of others.  You never know what they have been or are currently facing.  I sit here New Year’s Eve with fireworks going off around the neighborhood. For some reason after my radiation, my hearing became quite sensitive.  Doctors said, I would likely lose much of my hearing, instead it went in the opposite direction.  The doctors can’t explain it.  Between that and effects of some medication, I am sometimes a bit sensitive to loud noises.  So, with fireworks going off, I am a bit jumpy tonight.  I laughed that I was worse than the dogs ever were.  Then, my heart went to those brave men and women in the military who have fought for my freedom on the front lines of war and who have struggled with the same loud noises.  Now I don’t struggle for the same reason as I was never in the military, but I can sympathize with the discomfort of the sounds.

Instead of losing my hearing.  I have a lost much of my voice (my “teacher voice” and my singing voice).

Now don’t misunderstand me.  I’m human.  I still have to grab a tissue and just let the tears fall, sometimes rather heavily.  These tears do not come from fear of what comes after this life ends. I'm secure in that. I know where I'll be then. “Absent from the body. . . present with the Lord.” However, there are a lot of other unknowns and frustrations between now and then.  I can look back at this year and see when God used my experiences to show me something important about my relationship with Him and with others.  I still feel as though I’m on that scree. These past couple of weeks I have noticed a change in my energy.  Then starting back on the double chemo Christmas Day, that fatigue was intensified.  That all sat me back some more.  So really for about the last two weeks, I’ve been back on that scree again.  Then last night (Saturday) I noticed a new movement out of my foot.

(Continued New Year’s Day)

As I was falling asleep last night, saying goodbye to 2017 and hello to 2018 (not at midnight, my weary eyes had closed and I was sleeping long before that).  I was thinking about what did I do last year that I would rather not repeat in the new year?  First of all, I would rather not put the wrong Christmas card in the wrong envelope.  You know who you are.  I’m Sorry.  Now don’t tell me you’ve never done that before.  I would also prefer not to look quite so foolish or at least not worry about looking foolish when getting in the car and my left leg, which sometimes has a mind of its own, sticks out like a flagpole when I try to get in the car.

Sunday evening, I also received an encouraging email from a friend in Kenya who reminded me of another verse (see below) to get me through those stepping backward days.  This is my motto for 2018.  So welcome 2018.  You are beautiful this morning.  What do you have in store for me this year?  Better yet, what does God have in store for me this new year?

PRAISES:

Safety, and strength for each new day.

Lessons God continues to bring my way about Himself, me, others around me and life in general.

Another new year.

PRAYER REQUESTS: (Many of these remain the same, but are still relevant/needed.)

NEW – Recently I have been extra tired.  After a discussion with my doctor’s office, they informed me this will happen when a person is on chemotherapy for an extended period of time. So please pray for extra strength on a daily basis.

Continued strength to manage the physical strain of some of the treatment and exercises to improve mobility.

Courage to face the unknown and opportunities to show the grace of God through difficult times.

Safety.

Family who are hanging in there with me through this battle.

Wisdom to know my limitations and observe them.

Next MRI and doctor visit Feb 8.