March 2, 2010

Positive Attitude

Joshua 1:9 "Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."

I was recently in Baton Rouge, LA with my sister. As many of you know, she is battling breast cancer, and it has been a rough year. I am amazed at her courage and determination. She isn’t letting anything get her down. I went down to be with her as she began her chemo treatments, and have been to Louisiana several times in the last year. We have spent hours talking, often about inconsequential things, but also about concerns for what is happening to her. She has told me that she isn’t going to be a cancer patient with a big C on her forehead. She wants to live every day as a gift and thank God for it. There are problems along the way. She lost her hair, but it will grow back. She might have fatigue or stomach upsets, but the next day will be better. Her clothes don’t fit the same way, but that’s a good reason to go shopping.

We have used each day to get closer to each other, but also learning daily to be strong and have courage. God is providing for her. God is watching over her family and giving us strength to face the challenges that each day brings. Many people don’t realize that Margaret is going through chemo or radiation. She has a smile on her face and keeps a positive attitude. She reminds me of the Energizer bunny because she keeps going and going. She wants to live her life to the fullest everyday with a strong faith. There may be times she feels down, but that’s when she rests and wraps herself in a prayer shawl and spends quiet moments in prayer.

I think we could all learn from Margaret and have a positive attitude. She wants me to thank her Michigan friends for all the cards and prayers for her. She knows that having a positive attitude is her part in making all the prayers work as she struggles with the big C.

Prayer: Lord, be with all those who struggle. Help us to have courage to face the trials of our lives and live each day as a testament to our faith. Amen.

Libby Van de Putte