Spring, New Life, and Not Giving Up

I missed the first day of Spring on Friday. I spent last week with Judy and was on the road, traveling home on Friday. My mind was on other thoughts I suppose.

I've always celebrated the first day of Spring. Perhaps with a cup of tea and lemon cookies, or treating myself to new bulbs, or new seeds, even shopping for a new Easter dress or shoes. But I missed it completely this year.

Spring is my favorite time of the year and Easter is my favorite holiday. I love how my garden comes to life. I love Easter bunnies, the wonder of the Cross, and the awesome power of the resurrection. I like to think about what that day must have been like. What were Mary and the other Mary feeling when they realized the One they loved was living once again. Wow....

I wandered around my garden this weekend, after I got home, desperately searching for renewal and refreshment. My hostas are peeking through the earth, like little green fingers stretching for the sky. My daisies are bunching up, already looking thick and green. Even my rose bushes have new green leaves. My tulip magnolia is decked out in bright purple. New life abounds all around. I like to think about how the earth comes alive with new life at the very season our Savior resurrected and gave us new life. Surely God planned it that way.

I struggle with my love of spring this year, everything coming to life, reborn, renewal; at the same time my sister's life seems to be ending. Judy came home from the hospital this past week, and has started hospice care. She made the decision that enough is enough, no more chemo, no more radiation, it is done. I don't know what all I feel. If I let myself I feel immense sadness at the unfairness of it all. I feel angry at the irony of her life waning away in the spring, when all the earth is coming alive, when Jesus died for our sins and bore our sicknesses. "By his stripes we were healed."

Something in me will not give up. I still feel led to pray for divine healing, for a miracle for Judy. Some say I'm being unrealistic, that I'm in denial. But my God is a healer, Jehovah Ropha. I'm not ready to give up, and count this battle lost. Its never too late for God, is it?

"The prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will raise him up" James 5:15

Flying the Coop

My oldest is 24. He's been in and out of the house for several years. First leaving to attend college, then moving back home. Then he got a great job, moved out again, lost the job last year in the collapse of the real estate and new home construction market, and moved back home again.

Its been tough on him lately, trying to find work in a field that he enjoys. Its just ain't happening out there right now. So, he's settled for waiting tables, working as a cook, and catching a break doing little remodeling jobs here and there. He's really fought depression, restlessness, and sometimes hopelessness.

Then, a few days ago he dropped a bomb on me. He's moving to Key Largo. Yep, waaaay down there in the Florida Keys. He's leaving Tuesday. "What??!!" "Yes mom, this Tuesday." He has an old friend from school that is a scuba instructor there who has pleaded with him to come to Key Largo. His friend is "just so sure" that my boy can find work there. In fact, my boy already has a couple of job leads. So, he's heading that way, giving it a month to find work, and hoping for the best.

Part of me is happy and excited for him. He's excited for himself! The other part of me, that other mommy part, is worried, anxious, and prayerful for his safety. All I can do is pray, and hope. I still feel like he needs me. But he's 24 years old (insert BIG sigh here). Still, Key Largo is a loooong way from home.

"Raise up a child in the way he should go and when he grows old he will not depart from it."

I'm holding on to that right now.

Road Trip

I'm so excited. At the end of this month, hubby and I are going here http://ocw.esiteasp.com/gardenclubofcharleston/houseandgardentour.nxg. I've always wanted to do this tour and I can't wait to get a peek at the secret gardens. My camera and I are really looking forward to it. I hope the weather is beautiful and not rainy.

We'll be staying here, at a friend's house on the Isle of Palms. I can't wait to have fish tacos at Poe's on Sullivans Island, and crab soup at SeeWee's.

Snow Day? What Snow Day?

Yeah, I had myself so psyched for snow. I had fixin's for a big pot of Taco Soup. I had my snow boots (really hiking boots in disguise) out, beside the back door. I was so excited! Instead, all we got was this. I can't believe it. I feel cheated! Everyone north and SOUTH of us has snow, and a snow day from school. What gives??

I'm thankful for the rain, really I am. We desperately need it around these parts. But geez, I really wanted snow.

Sophia

I'm pretty sure that was her name. She was a gorgeous young girl, 13, maybe 14 years old, with long jet black hair. Her eyes were deep and brown against her olive skin. She looked older than her tender years and I knew that very soon she would be an exotic beauty. She left an anonymous question for me yesterday, after I finished my presentation in her 8th grade health class.

It went something like this:

"So my mom is being abused, and she will not leave, for all of the reasons that we discussed today. She will not listen to me, and I am scared. I don't know what to do."

Today, during Day Two of my presentation, I could tell the question came from her. Or at least I'm pretty sure it did. As I answered the question during our anonymous question and answer session today I noticed the flicker of remembrance cross her face. I saw as her body slumped slightly down into her desk chair. As I addressed her question, I watched as she slowly dropped her head into her hand, covering her eyes. A minute later, I caught her eyes as she peered over her hand. Her eyes looked lost, almost desperate, as though she needed saving. Even as I namelessly encouraged her to seek help, to talk to a trusted adult, to talk to her best friend, to have a safety plan for her and her mom, she never looked reassured. It will take me a long time to process Sophia.

Tell someone Sophia. Tell someone....

http://www.ncadv.org/learn/TheProblem_100.html

Spring Fever

I can't stand it! I am so ready for spring (as I write this on a cold Feb evening). I'm tired of the cold, the wind, and I've almost used up all my firewood. Its time for Spring! I should take heart though, Spring is right around the corner. Finally, my jonquils are up and blooming. I've watched them for about a week now and they have finally opened. I wanted to post some pictures from last year's roses and peonies, and a lone little petunia. I have alot of pink, huh? Hurry Spring!

My Cause

Did you know....

Only 15% of women are familiar with the symptoms of ovarian cancer.
82% of women have never talked to their doctor about the symptoms and risk factors of ovarian cancer.
54% of women who haven’t spoken to their doctor about ovarian cancer don’t think it’s an issue since their doctor never initiated the discussion.
40% of women stated they are not sure about the risk factors of ovarian cancer

67% of women incorrectly believe that a yearly Pap test is effective in the diagnosis of ovarian cancer.
Many women incorrectly identified the use of high dose estrogen without progesterone (35 percent) and extended use of the birth control pill (27 percent) as risk factors.
Women who have used oral contraceptives for three or more years have about a 30-50 percent lower risk of developing ovarian cancer.
53% of women are familiar with the symptoms of breast cancer while only 15% are familiar with the symptoms of ovarian.
59% of women have talked to their doctor about breast cancer; only 18% have talked to their doctor ovarian cancer.

In women age 35-74, ovarian cancer is the fifth leading cause of cancer-related deaths. An estimated one woman in 58 will develop ovarian cancer during her lifetime. The American Cancer Society estimates that in 2008, there will be 21,650 new cases of ovarian cancer and 15,520 women will die from ovarian cancer.
Because each woman diagnosed with ovarian cancer has a different profile, it is impossible to give a general prognosis. If diagnosed and treated early, when the cancer is confined to the ovary, the 5-year survival rate is over 90%. Unfortunately, due to ovarian cancer’s non-specific symptoms and lack of early detection tests, the only 19% of all cases are found at this early stage. If caught in stage III or higher, the survival rate can be as low as 29%.
(Source: American Cancer Society)

Ovarian Cancer is a silent cancer. It whispers, so listen.

Please go to http://www.ovarian.org/ and learn more about ovarian cancer. The symptons are very very difficult to detect in the early stages, and by the time a woman is suffering from the symptoms, it is usually detected in a late stage, where survival rates drop dramatically. Ladies, do your research, educate yourself, talk to your doctor, and please please heighten the awareness of this silent killer. We have done wonderful things for breast cancer, and look how dramatically education and survival rates have soared over the last 20 years. Let us not overlook ovarian cancer. Afterall, it is the fifth leading cause of cancer deaths.

Look around the ovarian cancer website, look at the "Medical" and "Break the Silence" tabs on the left side bar. And for a treat, link to the marketplace at the bottom of the page, and check out the links to the cool jewelry and gorgeous notecards.

Thank you Kathi, www.lavenderlaceandthyme.blogspot.com for adding the Break the Silence icon and link (found here on my sidebar) to your blog.