Wherever there are birds, there is hope.

My sister sent me a post-it with that sentiment as part of a care package a few months ago. The arrival of spring and the songbirds that come along with the season have reminded me of hope. I was so pleased to find at least five (or seven) different bird nests in the works of our new home. Not only do they sing in the trees around us, they are attempting to move right in!

Hope has been waning somewhat in our home over the past couple of days. Being on chemo may be a drag, but being taken off chemo is even worse. Shoulder/chest pain and the emergence of a cough remind us that those aggressive tumors are encroaching on heart and lung space. We really wanted to be fighting!

Yesterday I encouraged Mark to drink more water and move around the house a bit while I was gone. Simple things he could do to improve life without leaving home or getting worn out. I then spent some time alone in quiet reflection and prayer. I was wondering for what I should be hoping. To be hopeful and optimistic has been our charge for the past month or so.

Hopeful and Optimistic. I was wondering… should I focus all of my hope in the Resurrection of Jesus and the miracle of Easter? Was there still hope in a miracle of healing? I prayed for light – Light in my life and a lightening of this burden. As I drove home I was already feeling better. What a thrill to come through our door and find Mark standing – he had done some dishes and had some good work calls. He was much more engaged and told me he took my advice to move around and drink more water. About an hour later we saw that our lab results from the morning were in and they showed improvement. Together we talked about hope and we were both feeling optimistic.

When we were told he would live about two more months we felt that two more years would be much more ideal. We are now six months past (the two month marker) and have experienced miracles. We are so grateful! Our doctor called us this morning. She was pleased with the lab results but joined us in our concern that we needed to be on medication. Mark began taking 1/4 dose of the same pills. We will taper up, hoping that his body will handle it better this time.

I want to share two first-hand miraculous healing experiences in family and friends. When Jackie was going through her experience with the rare spinal tumor (chordoma) we were surprised to learn that our neighbor’s nephew of the same age had just shared her diagnosis! Most people have never heard of a chordoma. His tumor was wrapped around the brainstem and I believe it was inoperable. His congregation had prayed for him and the tumor had completely disappeared. Just like that – it was gone.

Mark’s own father had a similar experience. He was diagnosed with colon cancer and was not expected to live long. I think this was in the 1970s. With five children at home as well as an aging parent with Alzheimers, Mark’s mom had to prepare herself to support the family. Faith and prayers were offered in his behalf and when the surgeons went to remove the colon… there was simply no cancer! It was gone. He lived at least thirty more years.

To read the Bible is to know that during His time on earth, Christ walked the roads of Palestine healing the sick, causing the blind to see and even raising the dead. Of course He can heal with a word or a touch. Because He lives this can still happen today. We know this. We have hope in this. We also know that many faithful people die in spite of faith and prayers. We know this. We have hope that all will be well with us if this is our destiny.

One thing Mark has always hoped – that is to live in our new home together. We have planned it for so long and here it is finally happening. We pray for our builders and the swiftness as well as the safety of the workers. We pray that supplies will come on time. I pray just to have the mental energy for the decisions that need to be made. Just like the little birds, we just really want to live there! Wherever there are birds, there is hope!