When Life Gives You Lemons…

Before I launch into my post for today, I want to say – “Thank you!”. I appreciate every single one of you guys out there who have decided to follow my blog and taken the time to comment on or like a post. It’s been a challenge, keeping up with weekly posts with everything else going on, but I have no plans to give up. I will keep marching forward in this blogging world. With that thought, I do want to say, I am aiming to change the course of the blog content just a little bit. I still want to share day-to-day happenings and vegetarian recipes, but I also plan to share my after-divorce experiences and thoughts with the hope of inspiring and encouraging someone along the way.

Now, on to today’s post.

Cancer. It’s a word that none of us ever want to hear uttered by a doctor. Yet, there is a woman I know who has not only heard it once, twice, or even three times, but five times. She’s my mom and this week she heard the diagnosis of cancer for the fifth time.

Twenty plus years of dealing with the dreaded six-letter word. Twenty plus years of having her share of radiation, chemotherapy, mastectomy, breast reconstruction, mastectomy again, hair loss, fatigue, nausea…and on it goes.

This time, it’s on her liver. Small lesions that the doctor is pretty sure can be surgically removed or zapped without need for chemotherapy, so it sounds like it’ll be manageable. We’re praying he’s right.

I asked her how she’s doing, hearing another cancer diagnosis. Her response? “Well, after a while, you just say ‘here we go again’ and focus on the next steps”.

I have heard the worry in her voice; I have heard and seen the struggle it is to be upbeat, but I’ve also seen an amazing strength that, time-after-time, refuses to be pushed down despite the emotional rollercoaster ride.

Her refusal to blame God and her acceptance of His directing in her life has had a profound impact on my life. As I struggled with the why’s after my divorce and the feelings of inadequacies, I was often reminded of how she has taken her circumstances and turned them into opportunities to support and encourage other women receiving their first breast cancer diagnosis. When I was tempted to have a pity party, her voice spoke the words, “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade”. When I wondered why I went through those dark years, her favorite Bible verse showed me – “He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us” (2 Corinthians 1:4, NLT).

We don’t know the outcome of this next round, but it is comforting to me to know that, while she has her moments she is, nonetheless, at peace and fixing her eyes on Christ.

It’s assuring to me that I, too, can be at peace, no matter the circumstances because I know Who holds my hand and Who will one day make all things new.

Thanks for showing that to me, mom.

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