Today was a day that changed my outlook on life, or shall I say enhanced my outlook on life! I finally was able to have my port removed! A port is what is put in your chest and connected to your veins when you receive chemotherapy and other intravenous treatments. Even though it involves outpatient surgery to have it placed and removed, you don’t feel anything during the procedure, while it’s in your chest or while you’re having treatment. It was far better than getting stuck in a vein every three weeks! I am so thankful that this part of the journey is done! So now what’s the next part of this journey? Where do I go from here?
I decided to mark this milestone in my life by reinventing myself. During my journey, there were many ups and downs, many times of confusion and many days of trepidation. Reinventing myself is my way of moving on, releasing the fear and confusion, and giving myself another chance to travel on this journey with a new set of luggage (my attitude) and a passport stamped for healing and good health! Doctors spoke about a different quality of life that I would have to get use to, new habits to develop, new inconveniences, etc. Do you think that’s going to change my outlook on life?!? Absolutely not!!! I know the journey never ends with a cancer diagnosis, but that doesn’t mean I will be slowed down or have my dreams deferred because of it! I am a Warrior, I am a Survivor and I will STRETCH myself, REINVENT myself, LIVE LIFE!!!
Last week, a dear friend of mine posted on Facebook that Sunday, our Pastor, Pastor Curney, stated that becoming better means you have to stretch…”Jesus did not ask the man to stretch his hand for examination, He asked him to stretch out for glorification!
Stretch out in order to be healed.” Mark 3:1-6
In order to heal you have to alter the way you exist; take risks with your spirituality, your heart and mind. You have to stretch. God made you to stretch. This resonates with me in every fiber of my being. When I read my friends post, I realized that God was affirming for me that I was on the right path in my journey. I am reading a book by Charles Paul Conn called, “Making It Happen: A Christian looks at Money, Competition and Success (…one of the positives out of this journey…time to read and reflect…). I found this book on my parents’ shelf. The book just jumped out at me amongst many books I’ve always seen, however, this time on our visit, I ventured to the shelf and brought it home with me. The book was written in 1981, but has so many ideas and principles that are applicable to today and specifically, to my journey. The one chapter in particular that brought together Pastor Curney’s sermon and my reading, introduced The Rubber Band Principle. This principle says a rubber band that is just there, is not doing its job. But when it’s pulled in both directions it can finally do what it’s meant to do. That’s similar to how we handle life and our mindset. If we just live in our situation and wait for something to happen, we are not stretching our selves the way God has intended. When a rubberband is stretched, there will be tension, but without that tension, the rubberband cannot hold together those pens in the drawer, that paper that needs to be together, that hair would be a mess if not held tightly by that stretched out rubberband!
Reinventing myself means I have to stretch. I have to take risks, endure challenges, and make decisions to go above and beyond when it comes to my eating, exercising, career, relationships, child rearing, etc. I have to be that rubberband and continue to stretch myself despite the tension I may feel or may be pressed upon me. The tension I feel, is supposed to be there as it affirms that I am doing the work God intended me to do. God made me to accept challenges and to take risks. He provides the relief in the tension as I stretch. He protects me and gives me no more than I can handle, so why not stretch, why not reinvent myself, why not take risks and accept challenges???
Those of us who have been through or are still facing cancer treatments, there is a sense that life stops and the focus is the never ending cycle of bloodwork, treatment, medication, rest, recovery, doctors…bloodwork, treatment, medication, rest, recovery, doctors…well I say, stretch, take just one step more than you think you can and continue to pursue dreams. Take a leap of faith and never give up. Reinvent yourself. Do something that makes you feel refreshed, change something that makes you feel renewed, and most importantly, maintain a positive attitude that keeps you focused. I’m not saying everyday on this journey is easy but I am saying that on this journey you can take a leap of faith and STRETCH!
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