My Girls – Jamaican Style

 

 

Thank you all who have helped with this Spring Break Mission Trip – Maybe you bought a Discount Card (or sold one or two), or you sent Daughter #2 a donation, or maybe you are one of the many Prayer Warriors, praying for this group…Thank You ALL!!!   I also have to thank my Deputy SIL, because he made a BIG sacrifice this week – he sent his wife (Daughter #1)!!

Daughter #2 is just an 8th Grader and she was required to have a Parent accompany her on this trip.  I really felt lead to say “yes” – we would committ to go on this trip and I was certain God would provide and HE DID!!  As a Mother of Four Girls and this trip was over Spring Break Week, I realized early on that I had to let God help me with these plans!!  I also felt a peace  that Daughter #1 was to go in my place as the weeks went by.  You can bet that Daughter #2 was confident she was going to Jamaica on Spring Break the minute Chad, our Minister to Students, announced it!

Some of you my know, but most of you do not, but Daughter #1 has always had a Big Heart for Missions…and somewhere over the past 10-12 years , that desire was stored!!  She went to Honduras as a 13 year old and Mozambique as a 15 year old and had to raise all of her support on her own!!!  I knew in my heart that she would go to Jamaica!!

They are having a great week.  Today has been rough for them and me too.  Daughter #1 has been really sick and it has moved into her chest and Daughter #2 had her camera stolen.  Needless to say – I sat and had a little meltdown this afternoon. 

A dear Friend and another Jamaica Mission Trip Momma sent me this inspiration today – But you know they are in God’s hands and He knew they would be in Jamaica before they were even born. 

I am so very proud of my girls.  Thank you for your continued prayers!!

My Sweet Little Girl

This past weekend I forced(you know as Mom’s, we are good at that – sometimes) my poor little sweet 8 Year Old – Daughter #4 to do something she did not want to do.  My Aunt said “Why did you do that?”

Well you know, I have have learned in these 40 some odd years, that we should treat people like we want to be treated, and that is really a motto I live by.  When people are sick – you take a meal, when people have th, you celebrate, when people get married or have a baby, you join in the celebration.  And when people die, you just GO!!!

Last Thursday, Daughter #4 had a Good Buddy who lost a Big Brother at the early age of 19.  Oh, I could not imagine what this family has been through.  Death is not easy to deal with EVER – but Unexpected Death is a SHOCKER.

Daughter #4 and I set out to the Funeral Home in Auburn on Saturday.  When we walked in, this precious little 8 Year Old was lost in a sea of BIG PEOPLE.  When she saw Daughter #4 and realized this person was here to see her, she lit up!!!  They talked and sat and Daughter #4 did alot of listening.

On the way home my Daughter #4 said, “Mom why was she not sad??”  I said, “Sweetie you made her happy!”

I Want to be Remembered That Way!

This has been a sad, but happy month.  Have said good- bye to a few dear friends this month.  I have so many friends that make fun of me and the funerals I attend, but I have learned that this is a part of this big ole journey that we are on called – LIFE!  Memories – of when I was a young 22 year old thing have flooded me this week.   I came to this Great Little City called LaGrange,  all by myself,  to start a new path and serve on the chruch staff at First Baptist on the Square.  Shortly after I arrived, a Real Estate Agent, who was also a Deacon at the Church, took me apartment hunting.  For some silly reason, he decided we needed to stop by a local pharmacy???  He wanted to introduce me to one of his dear friends, who was also a Deacon at the Church.  That was the day that I met Mr. Charles Forbus.  Over the years I have learned so much about this man, his wife of 58 years (58 – count them), his children, his grandchildren ( and his GREATS!!), his passion for helping, his smile, his “How is my Buddie Today??” ( I was always his buddie!!), his customers, his friends, his passion for life and most of all – His Love for Christ.  He loved everyone he met with the love of Christ!  I want to leave a Leagacy like that!  I want my friends and family to know that I love them UNCONDITIONALLY!   I want to be remembered that way!!!

Wow, Where Did February Go???

I know February is a very short mont, but WOW – It Flew!!!  I must apologize, but I have been a terrible Blogger this past month.  It was a busy month!!

The picture in my last blog post is a very dear family that I LOVE – that has had a rough couple of weeks!

Please pray for these sweet friends this morning as they travel an all too familiar path today and bury their Grandmother and Mother-in-Law.  And, exactly two weeks after they said good-bye to their Mother and Wife!  Mother and Daughter Reunited is the phrase I have heard most out of this GANG!

Please pray for safe travels as several of them travel back home.  Please pray for peace and rest for them all.  Three funerals and the loss of a baby is a BIG Burden for a family – especially in all of three weeks!!

Please Pray….

Please pray for this dear sweet family that I have mentioned before….

Amy, Nancy, Wendy, and Sharon

February Already??

Wow  -2009 has had running start!!!  And it is February already.  Before you know it it will be time to clelebrate the Only Guy in the House’s Birthday! And where did January go???

Grandparents???

Am I old enough to be a Granny???  Well,  I guess I will be just after my next birthday in September of this year when our first Grandchild will arrive!!!

Monday, Monday

Well today is the beginning of another exciting week!  Always busy, but exciting around this house!  It is a beautiful day and we have so much to be thankful for.

I am feeling a little old as my nephew turns 20 today!  I think he was a tot and I blinked and now he is at UGA!  Times does fly.  And before you know it, it will be Friday again!!

What a Week!!

I must say this has been an interesting and busy week.  Monday brought another school week with excitement brewing for Daughter #2 as she began to prepare for a week of Miss Troup Teen festivities.  You might be able to catch her and all the other contestants brief interview on TV33 sometime this week!  Tuesday opened a new chapter in the life of Daughter #3 – BRACES!!  Wednesday was filled with business appointments for me and 11 year old shots for Daughter #3.  Not to mention as we left the Dr. – my van would not stop.  Since Dr. Lisa picked an office right accross from the Honda Dealership, I had an easy fix in mind!!  Thursday was a day of Miracles for 155 Blessed People in NYC when they all survived an emergency landing in the Hudson River.  This event made any other DRAMA that a day could bring seem like nothing!  Friday has brought a very cold day – coldest for the year and the end to a busy week.

Today is a great day to stop and relflect and thank GOD for all  of his GRACE!

Please Pray..

When I came to LaGrange, over 20 years ago, God allowed my path to cross with an amazing family.  Bob and Sharon Niedrach and their children, Amy, Wendy, Jim and Nancy.  Sharon is one of the most Godly Women I have ever met in my life.  Very soft spoken, many times I found myself wondering how she could handle four children.  I must say she did it much more gracefully than I ever have!!  Sharon is AMAZING and really looked the SATAN that has invaded her body straight in the eye and have defied and survived Pancreatic Cancer past her prognosis.  Sharon is very sick and fraile.  She is the caregiver for her mother also.  Please read her daughter Amy’s letter and  join me in prayer:

Dear Friends, Family & PRAYER WARRIORS!
Since I haven’t sent an update over 2 months I will start with a quick recap of what has transpired over the past several weeks. Mother began the new chemo regime “GTX” in the beginning of November. By mid-December her tumor marker numbers began to go back up. While Dr. Duttera continued with the therapy he ordered her to go to Emory to have a MRI to actually get a look at how the tumors were responding to the new line of therapy. Her MRI was conducted this past Monday, January 5th. This morning Mama & Daddy met with Dr. Duttera for the results. It was “the appointment” we have been dreading for 2 years. Dr. Duttera informed Mother that the current line of therapy was no longer working. The tumors in both the liver and the pancreas were larger. Since the chemotherapy is having no effect, there is no reason to continue administering it. It has been a hard therapy. Mother is down to 94 pounds, she is weak, tired and now on a continuous cycle of pain and anti-nausea medications. Futhermore, Dr. Duttera did not know of any new medicines for Mother to try. They decided they would meet again in 2 weeks. During the next two weeks Dr. Duttera will be searching for a clinical trial that Mother may be eligible for. Dr. Kauh, her oncologist at Emory, and Dr. Spivey, also at Emory, will be looking and researching as well. He also encouraged Mother & Daddy to do their own homework.. looking and talking to others about possible research trials that may be of some benefit. If no clinical trial can be found, Dr. Duttera has said there is nothing more he can do. Mother’s attitude is still excellent. She is willing to fight as long as the battle is before her.

Sooo… here is how you can help us THE MOST. P*R*A*Y!!!!
James 5:13 “Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray.”
James 5:16 “… pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.”

The next two weeks will be a time when Mother, Daddy & the doctors will need certain clarification on what to do next.
Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all yourways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path.” Isn’t that what we need now most? The situation is impossible for us to understand with our human hearts & minds. All we can do is acknowledge His soverignty, His perfect plan, cling to Him for hope and pray He will direct the doctors in the right path. Please pray that Mother will have a strong sense of where she is in this fight. Psalm 143:8 “Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.”

We continue to ask the Lord for a miraculous healing. And we know in death, as a believer, Mother will be healed. 1 Corinthians 15:42 “so will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable, it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power…” But we also beg of Him more time with her in this life. Please pray that with us. He is our only hope. Psalm 28:7 “The Lord is my strength and my shiled; my heart trusts in Him and I am helped.”

Pray for weight gain. Dr. Duttera encouraged her to eat anything & everything that sounded good to her… (which isn’t much.)
Pray for pain & nausea management… feeling better helps her eat better.
Pray for my Daddy… her primary caregiver.
Pray for others in similar situations: The Family of Claire Beall, The Family of Tom LeGodais… we are not alone in suffering.

I will continue to keep you updated and thank you, as always & forever, for the love you give and the support & encouragement you are to Mother AND our entire family. Thank you for fighting with us.
With love,
Amy

Sharon Niedrach