From then on, we had an uneventful trip. We enjoyed a nice weekend with our roommate, Kasey's family. We did go skiing at Angel Fire, NM on Saturday. Amber had a ton of fun. I made it through the two-hour lesson and decided that was enough skiing for me. Considering that I spent the vast majority of my time flat on the ground instead of up-right, two hours was plenty long enough! Kasey's mom and I enjoyed some hot chai tea while Amber, Kasey, and Kasey's dad continued to ski for a couple more hours. That way, we were both happy!
We arrived in Levelland with Kasey on Sunday afternoon. Our other roommate, Courtney, and our friend Justin helped us unload all of our stuff. It's really amazing how much stuff you can fit into a small two-bedroom apartment! We did some shopping today and have the apartment mostly put together, just in time for classes to start tomorrow. It's going to be a good semester!
Thanks for checking in. May the Lord bless you this week!
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( 3 / 115 )Sis and I leave for school tomorrow morning at 7:00, if all goes as planned. We've had a wonderful, amazing, super-duper, fantastic break.
We're feeling sad about leaving home, but we're really excited about our classes. We successfully filled the trunk of the car this afternoon; just have to load the instruments and all the last-minute things we think of in the back-seat in the morning. We're going to spend the weekend with the Armstrong family in north-eastern New Mexico, then move into our apartment Sunday afternoon. We're going skiing at Angel Fire on Friday-- wish us luck! We've never been skiing before. It should be interesting.
We had a nice family evening tonight. Grilled steak for supper, a little "Emerson, Lake, & Palmer" music with coffee (hot cocoa for me & sis), and then a stupid movie that made us all laugh. It's awesome to have a family that laughs so much together. We were all rolling by the end of the evening.
I'm going to try to post some pictures and more stories from our break soon, but for now I need to get to bed. I have to get up at 5:30 to have any hope of getting out of here by 7. If you get bored, go check out www.scenicroots.com where we've been up-dating things. Next time you hear from us, we'll be in TEXAS!
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( 3.1 / 115 )This past week has been filled with many special moments. I am completely overwhelmed by God's goodness. I am SSOOOO blessed!
As you know, I had my CT scan and check-up with Dr. Beck. I got good news from him-- "You're still cured on paper", he told me. While that was very exciting, it was playing music in the chemo room withOUT being hooked up to an IV myself that was really special. I also found out that Dr. Beck has been using my "Quiet Sunshine" CD in the bone marrow room. When I recorded that CD, I dreamed of it being used for things like that but had no idea how to make it happen, or if it would ever would. Wow.
Thursday, I rode with my friend Kathy to Lindsborg. I was truly blessed by the conversations I had with Kathy on the way there and back. She is my parent's age, but we are definitely "kindred spirits". It was so refreshing to talk with another like-minded Christian about our relationships with God, the things He is teaching us, and they ways He is challenging us.
From Thursday night through Monday morning, we had company. Our friend Kyle Cooper (from Nashville) and two of his friends, Brian and Joel, came to town for the Teens for Christ Rally and stayed with our family. They are all talented musicians and very strong Christians. It was awesome to watch them spend time every morning studying their Bibles and praying together to prepare for their programs. Their music practice came after their quiet times with the Lord, even though the music was the most obvious part of the program. It was a joy to witness that, and also just to be servants to them, preparing & serving meals, printing sheet music, making powerpoints, etc. Now that I'm feeling well and have energy, it is a delight to do simple things like clean and cook and shovel the driveway and carry in wood... things that used to be tedious work.
Friday evening, Amber & I took "the boys" to the Beloit Juvenile Correctional Facility for the monthly Teens for Christ (TFC) program there. It was the smallest group of girls we've ever had, but they seemed genuinely touched by the message that Kyle, Brian, and Joel shared through music and testimony. This program was the one-year anniversary of TFC's presence there. It has been life-changing to spend time with the girls there. They are criminals, and yet they are just little girls who are hurting and need the love of God in their lives. That God would choose me to be a part of sharing that love with them is just incredible. It leaves me speechless.
Saturday evening was the TFC rally here in Concordia. Another one of Kyle's friends, Jeremy, came up from Wichita to play drums. The four of them also invited Amber and I to play with them on several songs. It was really special for me. You see, I have a huge heart for worship and love worshiping with my dulcimer, but leading worship is not what the Lord has called me to with my music. Saturday was one of those rare times when I got to combine my passions for music and worship, and it was enormously refreshing.
Additionally, Amber & I were honored in a really special way by Kent and Lisa, directors of TFC. They declared us "honorary staff members" and gave us each a beautiful plaque, honoring us for our support and involvement in their work with area teenagers. It was a really emotional moment. Amber & I had no clue they were going to do that, so it caught us completely off-guard. We all shed a few tears. We've been involved with Teens for Christ programs since I was in high school, and they've done so much to encourage my spiritual growth. What a blessing!
To culminate this very special week, our family will be celebrating Jesus' birthday with friends tonight for Christmas Eve. We will be having chili and cinnamon bread, and then a birthday cake for Jesus. We always close the evening by reading "Twas the Night Before Christmas" and then the Christmas story from Luke chapter 2. Through the years, our time as a family on Christmas Eve has become one of my fondest memories. We've always dedicated this night to focusing on the Greatest Gift of all-- our Savior, Jesus Christ. As much as I enjoy giving and receiving packages on Christmas morning, it is Jesus' birthday party that means the most to me.
Ok, enough rambling and sentimentality... Merry Christmas and may the Lord richly bless each of you as we celebrate the birth of our Savior!
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( 3 / 96 )IT"S TIME TO CELEBRATE! Erin's CANCER FREE! YEAH! SISTER IS HAPPY!!!
We started our morning out ROUGH. Erin's scan was scheduled for 10:00am so I was headed out to warm the car up at 8:30am. It started up just like it always does but the heater wouldn't turn on UH OH! So I thought, we'll jusst let it warm up for 5 mintues or so.....(if you hadn't heard we've got about 6 inches of snow on the groud). The heater NEVER came on, so I called mom. WHAT DO I DO?!?! We ended up taking the BIG truck. We got left just a little late. The highway was still a little slick so we took it easy and got to the imaging center.
They got her IV in with one stick but OH MY you should see the bruise. At this point I started feeling REALLY sick.hm...stress maybe?? We went shopping after the CT. Not fun when one isn't feeling good. After shopping we went to eat luch. I had some soup and erin and a soup and sandwich. Dinner didn't agree with me and right back up it came. EEEWWW GROSS!!!
Erin went to her blood draw where she got her FAVORITE and only 1 poke! YEAH!!! After blood we went to the cancer center to play music. It was NO fun being back in the chemo room even if she wasn't hooked up, but sis wanted to so I did.
Erin's doctor visit was short and sweet. Her next visit is in June. How thankful we are for the good news. It's not easy to walk in knowing you could be devistated. God continues to be good to us.
I'm starting to feel better this evening, hopefully I"ll be as good as new tomorrow. We're expecting some ice tomorrow so we all worry about dad. Hopefully it will miss us.
Love you all,
HAPPY SIS AMBER
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( 3.1 / 82 )It is very good to be home! Amber & I arrived safely about dinner time last Wednesday. We're nearly unpacked and have been thoroughly enjoying our time together as a family. We even got to play music together for a church service on Sunday evening. *happiness*
I've had a little more time to read and write and think (am I the only one who enjoys thinking?!) since I've been home from school. It's amazing how quickly a person's priorities can change, without even being aware it is happening. When I moved to Texas, I dove in head-first... exerting all my energy into making it "home". Somehow, in the midst of all of that, I quit taking the time to read my Bible everyday, to have intentional quiet times of prayer and worship, to write my thoughts, to encourage my friends going through tough times. It wasn't that I was wasting a lot of time, though I certainly did some of that (procrastinators anonymous anyone?). I just got busy doing a lot of other things and let some of those important things slip into the background. I don't have many regrets about last semester-- I made some great friends and learned A LOT-- but I am taking some time to re-prioritize again.
It comes back to reading, writing, and thinking for me. When I read, I am inspired to write. When I write, it stimulates my brain and makes me really think through things. Plus, I love writing notes to people--I learned to really value a hand-written note last year when I was sick-- and I did a pitiful job of that this semester. Right now, I'm reading "The Calling" by Brother Andrew. It's making me think a lot about what my purpose is. TODAY. It's so easy to get wrapped up in thinking about what our purpose is for the future and to forget about the purpose God has for us right now, today, wherever we are. Something to think about....
Before I sign off for the night, I have a couple prayer requests:
#1) My next CT scan and follow-up with Dr. Beck is on Wednesday. Pray for good results! Amber & I are planning to take our instruments and play for the patients and staff a little bit before my appointment. Pray that we would be a blessing and encouragement to those people.
#2) Mom and Dad have both been working lots and coming home drained at the end of the day. Pray that God would give them strength and endurance.
#3) There are many people suffering during this holiday season. Don't forget to lift them up in prayer and do what you can to reach out to them. You never know when something small you do will make a HUGE difference in someone else's life.
#4) A praise report from our little friend Darlynn. She finished radiation treatment today for her retinoblastoma. She is a little miracle and we're praising God for her!
Merry Christmas!!!
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