Sleep in Heavenly Peace

I will miss you my friend. I love you man.

No shadow...winter coming

Pam emerged from her room yesterday evening and with her good right arm/hand (her left arm kind of dangles like Woody's from Toy Story) did her hair and changed out of her pajamas. Her goal was to join the rest of us at practice for the Northwoods Christmas Program. The timing of her cancer returning was especially disappointing as it has messed with her ability to participate in the program, something we love to do as a family. The schedule for the practices and performances is daunting and exhausting. But Pam decided she would miss no more.

She was a bit stunned to learn that the temperature was a somewhat coolish 9 outside of her room, but she pressed on. And she made it all the way to this seat in the auditorium and decided that was good enough, she watched from there, trying not to stoke the pain further.

The old and new pains she struggles to manage were making her second guess this trip. She feels bad that she didn't get any farther, that she flinched when friends came to hug, that she cringed when kids rushed near, squeezing and bumping, that she maybe didn't say hi to everyone, but she was satisfied that she did something, and she is determined to return this evening. We'll see how it goes, last night was a short practice, 8-10:30 for us. Tonight is scheduled from 5-???. She knows where to find soft chairs just in case.

Pam did get to see some friends. When not hanging out with Brian Urlacher at Chick-Fil-A, you might find Don Bowen hanging with Pam. Don was last year's Christmas program cancer recipient, getting the news he had brain cancer before one of the 2007 practices. Since then he has had surgeries, treatments and battles with pain. These two WIU alums spent some quality time comparing the drugs they take and the battles they wage, Don's above the neck, Pam's below.

Both were in pain as I took the big photo above, both cranked out great smiles and both are determined to serve God again this Christmas in this program.

Pray for these two, that they are given a break from the pain and healing from cancer.

Randy

I know this is a blog "just about Pam's cancer," but it isn't. Please, pray for Randy and the whole Shafer family right now. He has ministered to and mentored so many of us (and in Pam's case, as recently as Sunday evening, when he spent time just encouraging her as he himself labored to breathe freely). Thank you. Randy's blog is deeper and more revealing than anything I have ever read. Here it is if you are interested http://www.fogparty.blogs.com/



Watch in "high quality" if you can.