Okay mea culpa, it is no longer September, no longer Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, but I have three more posts. I could give you some heart felt sentiment that I purposefully went over into October to illustrate that cancer is never over for those of us affected. That is one truth, but my truth is better. My Survivor, now aged fifteen, and six feet tall, is playing football two nights a week, plus practices. Truthfully, I just got run over by September in the best possible way.
A couple of weeks ago, my husband took Jack to a University of Alabama football game. They stopped by the tailgate tent of our friends at A Team Ministries. Andy and Jan Thrower walked a mile in our shoes with their son, Anderson, who like Jack, is through with treatment and doing well. They used the lessons of their tragedy to start A-Team Ministries, a non profit organization that supports families going through cancer. I will include the link at the end of the post.
As the adults caught Up Jack noticed a young boy, Sam, sitting alone, a little disengaged from the action. He had the tell-tale bald head, and was sitting in a wheelchair. He went up and introduced himself, and began to share his story with Sam. Before long they were comparing scars. Jack showed him where his port had been, Sam showed him the scar on his head from surgery. They talked drugs, hospitalizations and all of it. My husband said he watched Sam come to life as he talked to someone who really understood. And as Jamie talked with Sam’s parents and encouraged them, their eyes never left Jack, devouring the sight of a healthy Survivor. He said:
“You could tell they needed to see him. It was a total God thing.”
As he related it to me that night, it reminded of the time God did the same thing for me.
January 29, 2009-CBJ
“Great is they faithfulness, great is thy faithfulness, morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed thy hand hath provided, great is thy faithfulness LORD unto me.”-Thomas Chisholm
I have a wonderful story to relate tonight. I always MEAN to take my kids to the Circus every year; but it comes right after Christmas, when you’re broke and tired, so I just never have. Poor deprived darlings right?
So, while I was at Children’s Hospital one day, I see a sign saying Camp Smile A Mile has circus tickets for cancer patients and their families. I called and talked to a nice young lady, Jennifer, who said she’d be happy to send enough for all 5 of us to go this Saturday. Great!
When the tickets still had not arrived by Monday, I emailed her to let her know. She replied that she had sent them over a week ago and verified my address, which was correct. No telling what had happened to them, and alas, no more tickets were available.
As this ain’t my first rodeo, I had not the Circus to the kids so they would not be disappointed in case something (usually a trip to the hospital) happened. So, no harm no foul, story over right?
Yesterday, I got a call from Jennifer at Camp SAM. She says:
“Boy, this must be your lucky day! I’ve just had a call from a Mom, who will not be able to use their (wait for it) FIVE Circus tickets after all.”
She then gave me the lady’s number so I could call and arrange to get the tickets. As I was punching in the number I had a sudden, overwhelming thought:
“You didn’t get those tickets because you are supposed to meet this person.”
I called her and she was very nice. We made arrangements about the tickets. Then she asked about my sick child. I told her about Jackson, and asked about hers. Her daughter Sarah Anne, had leukemia when she was two. She is eleven now, and finished all her treatment six years ago. She goes to school, she makes straight “A’s”, plays basketball, and is a “normal” kid in every way. They went on to have two more children and went on with their lives.
When I met Kelly today to get the tickets, she had all the kids with her. I could hardly take my eyes off Sarah Anne. She sat there, blonde, with big blue eyes and ear-buds in her ears listening to her ipod, bored while her Mom and I talked until the cold got to us. Being every minute of eleven years old. It was a beautiful sight.
When I looked at her I could see a day when this will all be over, and it will seem like a long time ago. I didn’t even know I needed that today, but God did. How can I not trust a God that even takes care of needs I don’t even know I have? And I got Circus tickets.
Mary
P.S. I am happy to report that Sarah Anne is still doing well, and is a sophomore in college. And the original tickets? They came in the mail the next week. God’s perfect timing.
If you would like to know more about the wonderful work being done by the A Team, go to:
Present Imperfect 