cancer may take our lives, but it will never take our freedom

This day last year was the worst day of our lives...literally. The moment my parents told me my dad has cancer is this horrible nightmare that I remember so vividly, too vividly. But guess what. The doctors also told him this day last year that he only had a year to live...my dad is working full time, chopping down the xmas tree, driving us to xmas dinner, wanting to go to disneyland, and fixing everything there is to fix around the house. He has gone from completely bed-ridden, to struggling using a walker, to moving at a pace slower than I do after running a marathon , to pretty much back to "normal". He still has cancer, it hasnt gotten too much better, but the reason I am rejoicing today is because it has not gotten worse and once again we rise above cancer and the limitations science puts on us.

Last year this morning I went to go spend some time with my wonderful and wise friend Lisa, we chatted, laughed, I even held her hand int he hospital as she got a shot...little did I know I would be back in a hospital that night. I don't know if I have yet expressed the beauty of the scene when my parents told me. My cousin picked me up from my house where I was watching the office [I wish I was doing something more epic, like reading the Bible or something haha] and waiting for my grandma to bring me some of her amazing lemon chicken over. She didn't tell me anything on the way to the hospital, but naturally inside I was freaking out but also trying to hope for the best [whatever the best is you hope for when you go to a hospital], I text my 2 roommates/bestest friends and immediately got responses as well as a phone call. As we turned the corner and walked to my dad's room [I was still totally oblivious, I didn't know what the oncology floor was] there was at least 15 people outside his room, all dear family friends or family. After they told me I went to the bathroom and curled up on the floor and prayed, I have no idea what I prayed other than God come comfort me and my family. Then I called Lisa who was literally ready to drop everything and come to my side. My cousin took me home so I could chill out, as I was there all alone I opened my Bible and a fresh unhighlighted page opened up to me the verse 1Thesallonians 5:16-18 Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Do you sense a theme here? Could the night have been played out any better? God knew it was this night we would find out, and he orchestrated it perfectly for us all to be surrounded whether in person or via cellphones by the ones we love and who love us. And because of my faith God knew exactly what I needed at that moment and the days to come, comfort, so he sent those words to pray to my lips, and Lisa answered, as well as a perfect verse for this season.

I took that verse as my command from God throughout this season of my families life, and I still do. Nouwen says it best, "You have to claim that victory and not live as if death still controlled you. Your soul knows about the victory, but your mind and emotions have not fully accepted it. They go on struggling. In this respect you remain a person of little faith. Trust the victory and let your mind and emotions gradually be converted to the truth. You will experience new joy and new peace as you let that truth reach every part of your being. Don't forget: victory has been won, the powers of darkness no longer rule, love is stronger than death." and love is stronger than any emotion or pain that cancer can cause.

Everything is not perfect, in fact my Dad has chemo yesterday, but it is a lot better than we expected, so I am having a party in my heart today. I am reminded of the Braveheart quote, however because of camp I only picture Caleb as Scoots McGoots saying it...cancer "may take our lives but it will never take our freedom". It will never take our freedom to choose joy and to choose God's control of our lives instead of science and to know it is all for a greater purpose and plan.

So praise the Lord, and go read 1 Thesallonians 5:16-18, listen to 'Hope Now' by Addison Road, and keep loving on your friends and family-when something comes to knock you down they are Jesus in human form for you...Im going to do a long hard track workout to train for my 3rd marathon because I can and many can't.