February 14, 2011

Dear friends and family,

 

I'm so sorry....it's been a while since we were last in touch this way.  I continue to feel and sense the goodness of the Lord!!  Health and strength continues to be the theme for my days.   I think it must have started very early in the new year where I really sensed a different strength in my leg.  This was really confirmed with the results from my last scan which was good.  A clear report!  Praise the Lord!!  Dr. Klimo's recommendation for a 'maintenance' program is now well in place.....I am on a hormone-blocker treatment.  

 

The evening reading for today from Daily Light is so good.....I'll leave you with one verse from Psalm 63:7 - "For you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy".

 

You all mean so much to me!  Bless you for your constant assurances of love and prayers.

 

Love, Miriam

 

January 4, 2011

Dear friends and family,

Happy New Year! Or better yet, a Blessed New Year to you!!  The Christmas season has come and gone and I trust you felt as blessed as I did to enjoy some wonderful times with family and friends. 

Friday, December 31st, was my last chemo treatment.  Again, it has been the mercy of the Lord that I have felt so good since then.  The next step, as I think I've mentioned, is to meet with Dr. Klimo to decide on the 'maintenance' program.  This appointment is set for the middle of January.

 

I don't think I could 'sum' up the past year any better than some verses that were part of Daily Light's reading for December 31.  "The Lord your God carried you, as a man carries his son, in all the way that you went until you came to this place....I am He, and even to gray hairs I will carry you! I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry and will deliver you....Thus far the Lord has helped us."  These verses were again given on January 3rd.  What a great promise that followed, " The Lord will guide you continually, and satisfy your soul in drought, and strengthen your bones; you shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail." (Isa. 58:11)

 

Love, Miriam

December 14, 2010

Warm greetings to you on a very wet day here in Abbotsford!  What a blessing to have warm, dry homes.

Well it's been a week since I last had a chemo treatment. Once again, I have been kept from any nausea and sickness.  I have no other explanation except that this is a mercy of the Lord given to me.  Bless my dear mother for her love and care this past week.

We are right in the midst of the Christmas season. My focus is on the 'reason for the season' more this year than ever before.  I have never walked closer to the Lord Jesus - the babe in the manger.  I'm thinking of the carol, "Be Near Me Lord Jesus I ask thee to stay, close by me forever and love me I pray..."  He is close by!! 

December 31st, I will have my last scheduled chemo treatment.  How fitting is that!!  At that point I will learn about a maintenance program.  One verse that is coming to mind is, "The Lord God is in your midst.  A mighty one who will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing."  He continues to be my Alongside-One.  I'm so thankful for His strength that I count on so heavily each day.

I'm enjoying a good measure of stamina.  Our family is enjoying some lovely times together including a Michael W. Smith concert this weekend.  Mom and I will be at Marylynne and Conrad's for Christmas day.

Merry Christmas!!

with love, Miriam

November 16, 2010

Dear friends and family,

It's Tuesday evening (November 16) the day after another chemo treatment - my 7th!  Sister Ruth and I were up bright and early....2 hours commuting to the hospital.  We did make it on time.  The bigger appointment that day was meeting with the doctor to get my scan results.  It was a good report.  I want you to know that because I have been enjoying a sense of good health, my expectation was it would be good news.  I've even gained some weight   I'm very thankful to the Lord! 

So here I go again making reference to the Daily Light; however, the morning reading for Sunday, Nov. 14th, was so good.  I clung to these verses..."I will sing of Your power; yes, I will sing aloud of Your mercy in the morning; for You have been my defense and refuge in the day of my trouble.  You are my hiding place; You shall preserve me from trouble; You shall surround me with songs of deliverance."

The schedule is for 2 more treatments - December 7th & 31st and THEN, Dr. Klimo will make recommendations for a "maintenance" program. 

I feel so assured of your continued prayers and want you to know I'm so grateful.

Bless you!

Love, Miriam

October 26, 2010

Dear friends and family,

 

I trust this finds you staying warm and dry on this very 'fall-ish' day.  Thought I'd give you an update after my 6th chemo treatment.  All went well.  Thank you Lord!! and you for your prayers!!!  Sister Ruth and I met with the doctor.  The tumor marker count continues to come down.  Praise God for His working.

Dr. Klimo would like for me to have a couple of scans before he decides the next step.  So that will happen in the next couple of weeks; we will meet again with him and then the decision will be either to go on a maintenance program or continue with the present treatment.

 

The Daily Light and Streams in the Desert continue to be a blessing, but this time I want to share from my Bible Study Fellowship.  The study this year is from Isaiah.  Last week seemed to be just for me!!  Isaiah 7-8.....here are some thoughts shared from our leader.  "He is the God of hosts.  He had control over the Assyrian army; He is in control -- all knowing over all areas of my life!  If I don't turn to Him for help, why not??  There's no one like our God.  Our Sovereign Lord is trustworthy."  What I find amazing in this book is that the promise of the Messiah was given to Isaiah 700 years before His birth.  "...the virgin will give birth..."  "Immanuel" -- God with us!!

 

Blessings and love, Miriam

October 5, 2010

Well hello again....following my chemo day yesterday, Daily Light was so good this morning that I wanted to share a part of it with you.

"Jacob said to his household... 'Let us arise and go up to Bethel; and I will make an altar there to God, who answered me in the day of my distress and has been with me in the way which I have gone."  "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits."

 

Our day yesterday started off with meeting the doctor. Some good news is that the tumor marker count is down again....last time was 29 and this time 23.  Normal is under 30 -- the chemo is working.  Praise the Lord!  The doctor also informed me that I have one more treatment and then will need to decide what kind of 'maintenance' program to go on.  He provided us with four options.  I know the Great Physician will guide in that decision.

 

The Lord is answering your prayers for me.  Bless you and thank you!!

Love, Miriam

October 3, 2010

Good Sunday evening to you all!  Trusting you all have had a good weekend.  Once again, I cannot believe how quickly the weeks are going by.  These past two weeks have been His strength....daily.  I am so thankful how well I've felt.  He is the God of encouragement!  I shouldn't be amazed or surprised at how He orchestrates my weeks.  I thank Him daily!

So tomorrow, sister Marylynne and niece, Chelsey will go with me for chemo treatment #5.  This is another amazing thing - to be at this point in treatment.  The reading from "Edges of His Ways" was very good for the last couple of days of September.  "The Lord will go before you; and the God of Israel will be your rearward.....He who begins, finishes; He who leads us on, follows behind to deal in love.....He is first and He is last, and we are gathered up between, as in great arms of eternal lovingkindness."

Thank you for your love, prayers and friendship.

Miriam