We are on the way to Rochester today to spend a couple of days at the Mayo Clinic. This is supposed to determine whether or not I am a candidate for the stem cell transplant. I will keep you posted.
I have resisted writing the blog on this theme for some time because I haven’t wanted to be misunderstood, especially of the intent of the blog. It is a blog on giving thanks for what so many people have done for us in this battle. At the top of the list is thanksgiving for all of the prayers. Only heaven knows how many people have been praying for Teresa and me in this now five-month battle of two cancers. Many of you reading this blog are praying and only God knows of those specific prayers. Paul often thanked his readers for their prayers without actually knowing the people who were doing the praying. I very much relate with that and I thank you for praying. Your prayers are making a difference, especially in my heart as I deal with things. Then there is thankfulness in my heart for so many expressions of love and encouragement that we have received. Some of those have come on Facebook and on the church’s website. Most of those we read but many we simply didn’t have the time nor the energy to respond to them. That doesn’t mean that they haven’t been received with gratitude. The same would be true of some cards, emails, and texts. If I responded to every one of them I might not be able to do much else. Please love us enough to know that if we haven’t responded, it sure wasn’t because we didn’t appreciate the encouragement. The third area is my concern over mentioning it because I in no way want anyone to think the wrong thing. When we were told that we had a second cancer, a more serious one than the prostate cancer, we decided that returning to Mayo Clinic was our best option. So many people have wanted to help in some way. Honestly, what can you do to practically help? There has been some concerted effort to help us financially, knowing that there would be lots of expenses heading back to Rochester. I knew little about that until we received a book of gift cards and I was told that many folks had given money to help pay for the travel and lodging expenses. As I have shared in previous blogs, I am a lot like my mother who was the best giver I have ever known, but the worst receiver. I am far from the giver my mom was but I am very close to being the receiver. I have been humbled by the response of people, the vast majority of them I have absolutely no clue who has given to help us. Some of you reading this blog are likely some of the people who have given to help us. I will likely never know what you have done. Jesus said, “When you give, don’t let your right hand know what your left hand is doing.” Well, I have had no clue. But I do have a great deal of thanksgiving for the loving response of so many people. This is the only way that I know that I can thank some of you for your generosity and love. Please accept it. However, herein is the struggle and why I have resisted writing this blog. In no way do I want it to be seen as a “solicitation” going forward. The Lord has taken great care of Teresa and me financially over the years. I am blessed beyond measure with far more than I could ever deserve. We have ample savings to cover any of the medical and other expenses of dealing with the treatments, including likely spending a month in Rochester in the fall. So, please hear my heart in this. We are humbled and grateful for everything that anyone has done to help us. I want you to know that and I want to express that as I have in this blog. At the same time, please in no way see anything more than that. You would be seeing something that sure isn’t there if you do. Thanks for loving us.
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Chuck Cooper
Pastor at Daybreak Community Church Archives
February 2025
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