Stuck in the tomb?

A fun family picnic under their beautiful Cottonwood tree last evening. 
These days of anniversary always are so powerful for me... last night as I was reading the Gospel for today I recalled that it was also the Gospel very early in our time with John - how could I forget when it was just the day after - our first day in Sioux Falls and after a couple weeks of thinking that John's vision changes were due to his having had an eye injury about 8 years before?  He had literally gotten a stick in the eye as he was running after a friend at Farmfest!  So after having gone to the eye doctor, gotten him glasses and contacts, and then watched his double vision get worse by the day... I finally faced the awful realization that it wasn't his eye, but in his brain, and sure enough after the CT scan in Marshall on Father's Day - we heard the words and saw the concerned and upset faces of the staff there when they told us that there was something in John's brain! One of the nurses had been with me as I delivered John and her son shared hockey with John for many years.  How can I not remember this moment and all that was to follow?  Am I stuck in the tomb as one of my daughters said to me last week, when I mentioned that Father's Day was here again and all that means to us?  That kind of hurt and made me ponder, if I am wrong to revisit this time often.

Sweet Luke with mom and dad... such a wonderful boy he is! 
Yes, today is the reading from Matthew about how we are not to judge and to look at the small splinter in our brother's eye when we have a beam in our own!  Reading this the day after we headed to Sioux Falls in the midst of the storm was so powerful that how can I not recall it today, and be brought to that powerful place of Trust in Jesus being in control?  John's half-hearted prayer for Faith resulted in brain cancer!!!!  John and I joked that the umbilical cord reappeared as I was so much at his side to face all that came to us!  The journey continues for us after hearing in January that there are signs of changes in his brain related to the radiation, and that could mean early dementia!  So shocking and hard to hear as a 25 year old man - "Take my arms and legs, O Lord, not my mind and ability to present myself to people!"  I have heard John say this before, and getting the hard news in January sent him into a deep depression and he abruptly quit his job and started to plead with God for healing and for guidance in his future!  No, I am not stuck in the tomb!  I am needing to recall the miracles of prayer and healing that we experienced and continue to ask for!

John's role in the summer musical here in town has given him much HOPE and joy and some anxiety  in forgetting his lines or entrances...  he plays a 16 year old boy, whose mother sends him off to school. 
John and I just prayed morning prayer together and shared the Gospel.  John's prayer was thanking God for allowing him to be back on stage and "get some of my pizzazz back!" 
The day is getting kind of crazy with Pat and Maria and her 3 kids to be here in early afternoon, strawberry picking and jam day, and getting ready for our family to arrive!  I would just like to share my page I devoted to this journey called cancer/healing...  http://familysoulstory.blogspot.com/p/johns-cancer-stories.html

Jesus, we are filled with so much as we continue on the journey that began 5 years ago.  We remember the way you touched us with your healing hand and told us not to be afraid but to trust in YOU.  May we look with eyes filled with Mercy on all those that do not know you, love you, or trust in YOU.  May we not judge, but remembering that we are far from perfect, reach out to them and give without counting the cost.  Jesus, we ask for continued healing for John - keep his brain healthy and active and use him to share your LIGHT and your JOY!  Jesus, we trust in YOU.  Amen and Hallelujah

Bless-bless, Barbara Luke
When we called France after leaving the ER in Marshall and needing to leave for Sioux Falls for an MRI... Susan was there to answer our terrified call and words of something in John's brain!  "Mom, did you remember the Gospel for today?"  "Yes, it was Jesus calming the storm."  "Mom, this is the storm and Jesus is in control."  I had to continually put it in the hands of Jesus, but this hugely helped me to find peace and "calm" in the midst of this storms of LIFE/LOVE/LIGHT!  Please continue to pray for John's continued healing, and guidance in his future! 

John you certainly have regained some of your PIZZAZZ!!!!!!!

Louis Armstrong - It's a wonderful world
John sings this before the play