Dan

One good thing we have to say about our doctors was that they did not try to "kid" us about the seriousness of Dan's condition. Once they were sure it was cancer, they painted a word picture preparing us for the worst possible things that might happen. As days grew into weeks, and weeks grew into months, what we actually saw was the miraculous power of prayer working in our lives.

Dan is amazingly strong. He strides along confidently as he carries 40 pound boxes to Fed Ex to ship to Romania, or to his family in Oklahoma, or to our kids. Yes, we are still discovering things that can't be disposed of in the estate sale. Now, if God will keep our minds strong so that we don't "fall apart" and just start throwing everything in the trash : > )

The 5 estate sale ladies are working as hard as they can...but we are always in their way, and they are constantly under our feet. Many times a day, they bring something to show us that we have put in the estate sale. They ask, "Surely, this is precious to you. You do not intend to sell this do you?" Or, they ask, "Aren't you going to store this somewhere until you return?" Today they were surprised to learn that we are not going to ship our couch to Romania. I wanted to say, "Do you have any idea how much it'd cost to ship a couch to Romania? Are you aware that Romania has couches?" We just said, "No, we are not shipping furniture to Romania. There is good enough furniture in our nice apartment."

Saturday all 5 ladies will be here again setting up tables, putting every little thing out on a sale table where it can be seen. Dan and I may drink gallons of chamomile tea to keep us calm AND get our suitcases packed with what we do want to take for ourselves. I wonder if I absentmindedly prayed for patience, or strength? Somebody must have prayed that for us because we are having 50 opportunities a day to work at staying calm. ; > )

In answer to my request that God give me a scripture tonight that will be helpful to me and to our loved ones who read the blog, listen to what He said, "...the Lord will be your everlasting light and your days of sorrow will end....The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor. and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn..."Isaiah 60:20; 61:1-2.

The entire 61st chapter of Isaiah is one of my many favorite chapters. May your days of sorrow end, may He bind up your broken heart, and comfort you who mourn. -- Anne and DAn