Tuesday, January 6, 2009

In the face of bad and sad news

Yesterday Ashley got bad news: "The results of the MRI of my spine are absurd. Multiple metastatic lesions are seen throughout the L1-L4 vertebral bodies and S1." [Looking this up online, I gather it is new tumors that can be inside or outside the spine.] Yesterday was a very sad and scary day and we cried and worried. Today Ashley is encouraged. I heard her say, in the same breath "I still don't want to die!" in a half-joking way and "I'm much better." She had joy in her voice on her way out the door to Sunny's game.

Thank you, God, for strength and healing in the face of bad news. Thank you for all the friends and family that encourage Ashley and remind her every day of how much she's loved. Thank you that she is looking forward to fighting this new growths and throwing everything she has against this cancer. Thank you that she is not so sick that she cannot get better, and that life is interesting enough, full enough, joyous enough for her and for us that it is worth fighting for. Give us strength for the journey.

God of creation, we pray for the Palestinians in the West Bank. Bring healing and peace to them. Bring healing to us and make us instruments of your peace.
Amen


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