our waiting is over

I wrote this yesterday evening, but didn't have time to finish and post...


We are finally with our mom.

After about 2 1/2 hrs. we were told to meet the doctor in a private room, not the words you want to hear.

My sister and I passed around the tissue box in preparation for what we assumed was news that would change our lives.  In some ways I guess it did...

We probably had mouths wide open in disbelief as a smiling doctor joined us telling us that all was well, in fact that all was really, really well!  Why are we surprised by good news?

Our prayers and our praying friends prayers had been abundantly answered - the cancer was contained in the removed kidney.  THE CANCER WAS CONTAINED!

The praises have not stopped to an all powerful God who is not done with mom yet!

This outcome means she can know her great-grandchildren more - teaching them of God's mercy, and celebrating Christ's birth again this Christmas, and continue to be involved in the church she's loved for so many years...

What would the other outcome have been?

I think in the middle of the battle the praises would have just look different - if it had been a health crisis we would celebrate little things, each small victory of a no pain day, each new step taken, each meal with no nausea, more time with our mom...

Does the Lord except our praise whenever they are lifted? ...does He wait for then, long for them?  I don't know...do we decide if He is worthy of our praise?  I pray that under any circumstance I would never withhold praises from Him...that I under any circumstance offer them unconditionally.

For now the Lord has chosen to answer our prayers in the way that we hoped for, and I am overwhelmed with thankfulness to Him and to all of our friends and family holding us up over the past few weeks!

Psalm 9: 1 & 2
I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart;
    I will recount all of your wonderful deeds.
2 I will be glad and exult in you;
    I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.