A Free Flowing Stream of Support

I am so blessed to have such an amazing support net. So many of you have joined me in this journey by reading my blog & my dad's, by calling and sending emails, and most importantly, by praying. I continue to covet your prayers. God has given supernatural strength to come this far, and He'll carry me through to the end and beyond. I'm not saying it isn't hard. This is the most difficult event I've been through in my life, and it's a first. I've never lost anyone this close to me. Planning the memorial service seemed so surreal to me and to Sherry (my step-mom). Actually the whole thing is surreal to me, almost like it's happening to someone else. I'm just on the outside looking in. It's amazing to me how God wired us to cope with the difficult areas of life, the pain and the struggles, the confusing and unknown. He lifts us up and sustains us, much like Aaron and Hur did for Moses in the book of Exodus. You have one arm and He has the other. When my strength fails, as it does constantly, it's comforting to know that I'm not alone and that I don't have to rely on my weak strength to get by.

Inside my heart is breaking, slowly, and I much as I would like to be numb and not feel the pain, I realize the pain is part of the healing process. Like when I had my boys, it was physically painful and emotionally exhausting. I could have had the epidural, but I wanted to feel it. Of course at the end of that experience came life. And though this is the polar opposite, I realize that pain is a necessary evil and tears help heal.

I have to say how honored I was that Dad asked me to update his blog. I didn't get it at the time. Looking back, I see how important that blog is to my dad and the fact that he would entrust it to me, touched the deepest part of my soul. I hope some of you have gone and read, not what I wrote, but what he wrote. His words inspire thousands; people battling cancer, caretakers struggling to be strong, and loved ones who have lost those they most care about. This is his legacy, the accomplishment and notariety he strived for all his life. The plan is take his blogs and compile them into a book, a memoir of sorts, so that he can continue to inspire, encourage, and bring laughter to fellow warriors for gernerations to come.

At this point, the plan is to have the memorial service on Monday here in Augusta. I should be home shortly thereafter. We're going to ask that in lieu of flowers people can make a donation to the American Cancer Society. In May, I'm going to host a Pampered Chef fundraiser at my house in memory of my dad. All proceeds, including my commission, will go to the ACS. I think it's time I become part of the solution, a fellow warrior battling against a disease thought incurrable. I hope that you'll consider joining me.

Again, thank you and please continue to pray.