When my daughter received her cancer diagnosis, I said, the “C” word was for cancer. However, this week I see the “C” word differently. I view the “C” word to mean,“Choices.” We all have options when we are thrown a curve ball in life. How do we deal with the unexpected?
As a Christian, do people see how I react as not “normal?” Am I a light despite any difficult circumstances that surround me? Yes, my daughter was diagnosed with papillary thyroid cancer, but no amount of worry is going to change any of this. This is out of my control.
What I do grasp is that these are the times where I have a choice. I can decide to focus on all of my blessings or I can choose to focus on the situation. Either I am taking my eyes off of the One that can give me peace or I am giving into the tempter to be bitter, angry and ungrateful for the circumstances. The latter isn’t being a very good example as a disciple of Christ.
I am so proud of how Danielle is handling this. I see the light of Jesus in my beautiful daughter’s demeanor as she has decided that she is not going to let this cancer define her. She has chosen to face it head on and not feel sorry for herself. She is thankful that she finally has a diagnoses for her health issues the past few years. Rather than be bitter and angry, she wants to be healthy and whole.
In fact, she and her friends decided to have a “going away party for her thyroid.” They will eat a thyroid shaped cake, play pin the thyroid on the neck and have a fun photo booth. She said, “If I don’t try and laugh about it, I will cry.” Does she have fears? Of course she does, she is human, but she isn’t letting those fears and thoughts consume her. The warrior within in her is being exposed. Rather than dwell on the word, “cancer,” she is thanking God that it isn’t terminal.
As I listened to, "This is the Stuff," by Francesca Battistelli on a run this week, some of the lyrics resonated with me on how she is dealing with all of this. "But I've gotta trust You know exactly what You're doing. It might not be what I would choose, but this is the stuff you use." Danielle knows that God is going to use this in her life to give others hope when they get a similar diagnosis.
I continue to knit my thyroid cancer awareness washcloths to give away this week. I am praying my memory verse over them and asking God to lay on my heart the people to receive them. Knitting is kind of like our life right now. Rather than take one stitch at a time as I do with knitting, I am taking one day at a time, which isn’t always easy.
This week I am thankful the peace God has given Danielle with her upcoming surgery. I praise God for her supportive friends that are there for her. I give thanks for all of the prayers covering her for this and her recovery. She has hundreds of people lifting her up in prayer. Many that do not even know her. We continue to be humbled by all of the people praying for her, our family, the doctor and medical team.