Changing the World... One Thought at a Time!!

A lot has happened since I started this page.. Where do I begin... My 13 yr old niece has Hodgkins Lymphoma. For everyone who doesn't know what that is... She has CANCER. It's a mass as big as two large fists that is in both sets of lymph nodes in her neck, the ones under her left arm and it lays across her heart. We have a large family..It's not been easy for any of us to accept the fact that Crystal has cancer. It's really a long story and I won't bore you with it today...

But yesterday I stopped by her house. Crissy has been withdrawing from everyone.. Being either totally smarty pants or silent. Depending on the day or the moment. Her mom was asleep when I walked in so I tiptoed through the house. I was expecting Crissy to be asleep also. She wasn't. She was in her room, laying on the bed watching TV. She didn't have anything on her head. I think that embarrassed her when I saw her bald head. (She lost all her hair with Chemo). She had a strange look on her face when she saw me.. I knew I had come at a vulnerable moment. I sat on the end of her bed and we talked. We probably talked deeper than we ever have in our lives. Crissy means the world to me.. She is like my daughter. I know she thinks of my boys as her older brothers. She is an only child and has always been close to me and my boys.

You know.. we never know what life will deal us. How can we take it for granted. If I had cancer I would probably be on this big pitty party. Scared to death and mad at the world. I learned a lot in that hour with a precious barely teenager. I wish I had her faith and back bone. He attitude was basically. I have to deal with it.. I have no choice. Why be upset I can't change what God has given me.. I can only let it make me and my faith stronger. I will find out who really cares and who is only pretending to be my friends. Basically I have already found that out. Some stay in touch, others don't know what to say so they avoid me. She is a smart girl.. Strong in ways that have nothing to do with strength. Her exact words were "People used to think I was weak because I was so thin and didn't play sports and stuff.. But I'm strong and I'm going to beat this thing. I know God will give me the strength to pull through. If he doesn't then I will deal with that and have the faith it takes to meet him face to face."

OH MY GOD!!! All that from a 13 yr old wise beyond her years. Strong beyond any physical strength. Faith that can and will move mountains!!! Pray for Crystal.... and pray for the people she will come in contact with. God will and is talking through her and her situation to many..!!

On a different note.. I had to transport kids yesterday for Child Welfare. I have transported these children before. I kept thinking this one lady at school looked familiar but little did I remember.. Well not until I pulled up at her house with her 3 children and she came out the door. No wonder she hasn't been very friendly at school. She remembers me but I didn't place her.. Wrong place, wrong role in life I guess.??? I have no idea why her kids are in custody... I didn't ask... she is going to school to be a nurse... Does a nurse abuse her children?? Does a nurse take drugs?? What has happened in her life that her children are wards of the state and she is in the process of becoming a person who helps people?? Life is strange huh?

One of the other kids at school has me worried.. He wrote some poems.. he is so proud of them.. He printed them out and brought them for me to read... He is a troubled boy from a troubled back ground.. you can see it and hear it in his writing... I don't much about him.. but I want to get to know him. Was he a part of the system at one time, or did his mom move around a lot so the system didn't catch up? I know his dad has not been a part of his life. We have talked about that. I also know he has been in some trouble lately... Can my influence make a difference in his life? I have wondered many times why I decided to go back to school and yet as I get to know more and more people there I can't help but think, maybe it's not the school I was suppose to attend but the people God has placed in my path...

Well it's Saturday and I have a million things to do today.. Hubby is fishing this weekend. The Calcutta is today. He wants me and my daughter in law to go with him and my oldest son. But my youngest races tonight.. I don't want him going there alone.. So I guess I better get busy and get everything done so I can go one way at 3 and rush the other way at 7 to make the races... Now that leaves another decision.. What do you wear to a fisherman's Calcutta and when do you change into your racing shirt that says "MOM" of #13.... ???? Life... OH man... but you know ... at least God allowed me to be a mom and a good one I think.. I have great kids.... with great morals.. and high hopes, that look to God for guidance...
Pray for those that don't... Pray for the foster kids and the parents that put them in foster care.... when I first started to work foster care as an aide I wondered why I took this job.. I know why...my supervisor told me then.. Just remember.. what ever happens.. what ever decisions we make that someone doesn't agree with it's not our fault or the kids fault.. The parents put them here by their actions... IT's always the parents fault.!!!!
Pray for all those parents out there.. That God will guide them this Saturday night and no more children will be the victims of the system!!!!