Enjoy the Moments

 

Enjoy every moment of your life!

Love your People...

The Way of the Bee...

We love our honey bees!

And the sweet gift from each hive!

That delicious elixir is the result of very focused, very hard work.  Here's a little Bee Trivia for you... Throughout their entire lifespan of 6-8 weeks, a single worker bee will only produce about 1/12th teaspoon of honey.  And they work night and day for those precious drops of golden sweetness!

Every hive has an amazing hierarchy, starting with the Queen Bee.  She runs the roost, and in an average hive, she will have between 20,000 and 80,000 worker bees at her command.

Some guard the entrance of the hive, some attend to the queen's needs, others clean the honeycomb cells for the queen to deposit new eggs, still others become the nurse bee workers to raise the larvae, feeding them the honey and pollen stored up in the hive and some even work as the hive pallbearers, removing dead bees from the hive when necessary.

But the vast majority of the worker bees are foragers.  They are the breadwinners of each hive.  They are bringing home the bacon (uhhh, nectar) for their queen.

The foragers will fly up to 3-5 miles from the hive searching for nectar and pollen.  Once they find it, they load up all they can carry and take it back to the hive and drop it off.  Then the worker bee turns around, flies out of the hive and begins the hunt all over again...

It has been estimated that it takes over 500 bees gathering nectar and pollen from upwards of 2 million flowers to make one pound of honey... Crazy!!

The foragers will fly hundreds of miles per day, every day, seeking nourishment for their hive, until their wings are torn and tattered.  Each worker bee will forage until they collapse from sheer exhaustion. It is a single-minded pursuit.

They are working to lay up food and provisions for the next generation.  Every mile the honey bee flies, every load they haul back, every precious bit of nectar they turn to honey is laid up for the ones that follow behind...

Pure Heart... Such Truth... So much to learn from these little bees!  Every thing that a worker bee does is for the future and hope of the hive.  

Each little honey bee has a God-gifted, God-directed need to complete their mission. And nothing can deter them... We call it the way of the Bee. 

And we might learn a thing or two from those sweet honey bees... here are some of the lessons we've been applying to our lives lately...

1.  Stay in your lane and do your one thing well.

2.  Commit to your work no matter how big or how small.

3.  Step up for the good of the team, knowing that Working Together sustains one another.

4.  Choose to leave a legacy of Hope for those who follow behind.

5.  Spread Kindness wherever you go and Blessings will blossom as a sweet reward.

6.  Never doubt the importance of your One Life.

In Grace Today,

My Love, Always,

Jane

Turning Our Face to the Sun

Don't look back. You're not going that way!

Trusting in the Grace-Giver to set the path before us
and light each step of the way...

"Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet,

and a light unto my path."

     ~ Psalm 119:105

Choosing Joy

Breathe deep...
and walk straight into God's unfailing Promises.

Hold on to Hope...

Whatever you do, hold on to hope...

The tiniest thread will twist into an unbreakable cord.

Let hope anchor you in the possibility that this is not the end of your story,

that change will bring you to peaceful shores.

~unknown

From the minute we're born, our lives are telling a story.  But no one ever expects Cancer to interrupt that story.

Mom's pancreatic cancer added another chapter to her journey.   How do you ever write that chapter?

Whatever you do, hold on to Hope.  Yes... the tiniest thread of Hope

will become an unbreakable cord.

Cancer, especially a terminal cancer diagnosis, makes one think about the legacy our lives are writing... and Hope anchors us to the possibility that this is not the end of that story, but a change that will bring us to peaceful shores.

I needed these words tonight.  

Graced to Hope,

Always,

             Jane

What's it Gonna Be?

When Life gets bumpy we have 2 choices:

Step Forward into Growth

or

Step back into Safety.

What's it Gonna Be??

Daring Greatly is not for the faint of heart!

But the rewards can be breathtaking...

Happy Weekend, Friends!

May your day be filled with only the Best Surprises,

Love you,

      Jane

A Daring Goal...

Faith is the daring of the soul to go farther than it can see.

                         ~ Anonymous

Did you know?

Hello!  Did you know that this week is Random Acts of Kindness Week?

I didn't even know that was a thing!  Lol!  However, it makes me smile and I am totally on board!

All this week, Febraury 9-15th, 2019, people everywhere are celebrating ways to step out of their comfort zone and perform a random act of kindness.

According to the internet ;-) a random act of kindness is a selfless act performed by kind people to either help or cheer up a random stranger, for no reason other than to make people happier.

The Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center has shone a spotlight on one couple who are giving back in the kindest of ways:

Bonnie and her husband have found an incredibly sweet way to honor her mother's Legacy of Kindness... This is her story, shared on Roswell's Cancer Talk Blog:

Turning tragedy into kindness is no small feat, but one woman does just that every year at Roswell Park and throughout her community.

Bonnie Hoag's mother was a patient at Roswell before passing away on September 9, 2015.  "Everyone says this when someone dies, but my mom truly was a thoughful, generous, amazing person," Hoag says.  "She did kind things for people she didn't know and for people she did know.  Her birthday was coming up and I was dreading it, so I thought, What if we made it a day of happiness?"

So it was decided that on June 12, 2016, Hoag and her husband, would do 59 random acts of kindness, marking the fact that her mother would have been 59 on her birthday that year.  Every year since, the tradition has gotten bigger and bigger.  "We did 61 acts of kindness last year and over 80 this year," Hoag says.  "We do them all over - at nursing homes, fire departments.  We do anything we can think of, like paying for people's lunches.  Other people have gotten involved.  I have a good support system in the community.  My mom was so loved by so many."

At Roswell, Hoag has left bottles of water, baskets of snacks, and blankets in different locations for people to enjoy.  "It can be cold in the hospital," she explains.  "We stop and talk to families in the Intensive Car Unit, and it's easy to form bonds with people there.  We leave envelopes with meal vouchers for the staff at the front desk to give to people."  The Hoags have also left money at the parking garage to surprise patients and visitors with free parking on their way out.

"I think everyone can relate to it," Hoag says.  "Most people have been touched by cancer in their life, unfortunately.  My mom fought and didn't win, but if there was any place she had a chance to win, it was at Roswell."

As far as setting out and doing the random acts of kindness, Hoag said it's something anyone and everyone can do.  "Everyone has a helpful heart, but people don't always think to actually do those types of things.  It makes you feel good when you're doing it, and people aren't used to having something kind done for them.  The world needs more of that."

Yes!  Oh, how the world needs more of that!  I believe we have been challenged!!  

Our turn to share kindness with the people in our own corner of the world.  May we find that performing a selfless act of kindness, not only brings happiness to those around us, but cheers our own hearts as well!

The world desperately needs more of that!!  

Grace and Love tonight,

Always,

Jane

Preservers of the Legacy...

{Love}

Sign it with Excellence...

A Clinical Trial Success Story!

We need more success stories like this!

Come meet Earl...

In September 2015, Earl returned home to North Carolina after driving 5,500 miles cross-country for his first trip to the Burning Man festival in Nevada.  Concerned about a herniated belly button, he went to see his doctor.  Earl assumed the long, hard drive in his camper without power steering had put too much stress on his body.  The doctor came back with a diagnosis that was the furthest thing from his mind - stage IV pancreatic cancer, with metastases in his liver, lungs and fatty tissue.

Earl asked to call in his daughter, a physician,  Reflecting on that conversation, she says, "When you're hoping for the diagnosis to be melanoma, you know it's a very bad day."  Having treated pancreatic cancer patients herself, she understood they would have to act fast to make treatment decisions. 

His daughter immediately called colleagues to ask for referrals and flew to be with her father in North Carolina.  Reunited at the airport, the family cried and hugged before they left to start the process of setting a treatment plan.  They chose an expert medical team at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center that his daughter describes as "an amazing team of doctors and nurses who were always enthusiastic, upbeat, caring and hopeful."

While discussing treatment options, Earl's doctor suggested a clinical trial.  Earl says, "I saw it as an opportunity to get the best drugs hospitals could offer, plus more." His daughter adds, "We know that clinical trials offer the newest and often best, options for treatment."  Earl enrolled in a phase I clinical trial for CPI-613, a targeted therapy aimed at cancer cell metabolism, receiving the test drug in addition to Folfirinox, a combination of chemotherapeutic agents.

After four rounds of the regimen, Earl's tumors shrank by as much as 30%.  One year after diagnosis, he was feeling great and his CA19-9 levels had come down from around 10,000 to below normal range.

Early in his treatment, he took a trip to Disneyland with his grandchildren.  Since then, he and his wife, Juanita, have visited family in Canada seven times and gone on many family trips across the United States, including a camping trip in Yellowstone National Park.  Earl and his wife have also made the cross-country road trip to the Burning Man festival again - twice.  Earl says, "Even though it can be hard, I remained hopeful, positive and optimistic throughout the treatment."  To help maintain his positive attitude, Earl and his family made a point to spend extra time together, which has brought them even closer. 

Reflecting on his family, Earl says, "They have been so supportive - especially my wife of 49 years, Juanita.  I recently told her she may have to put up with me for another 15 years!  It is an understatement to say I'm a proud husband, father and grandpa."

Earl wants to deliver a message of hope that pancreatic cancer is not a death sentence.  He encourages others facing the disease to find an expert healthcare team, actively seek out clinical trials and try to maintain a positive attitude.  His daughter, speaking as both a family member and a physician, echoes this advice, saying, "When you're choosing a healthcare team, you must consider their experience and treatment philosophy - it will impact your entire experience.  Seek out the type of team you want and always consider clinical trials because they are very important treatment options."  Earl is currently receiving treatments with CT and MRI scans after every four rounds.  His scans have been clear for months, and his CA19-9 levels remain below normal.  He still feels good, though his many adventures cause him to be tired sometimes.  He says, "I'm extremely active for a 70-year-old pancreatic cancer patient, and I don't plan to slow down because I'm on borrowed time."

These are the stories that make my heart happy!

Thanks to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network for sharing Earl's story

and for promoting Precision Promise and the encouraging work of clinical trials for all cancers, but especially for Pancreatic Cancer...

Winging prayers of love and support to Earl and his family,

Keep up the good fight!

In Grace, Tonight,

Always,

Jane

A Little Grace...

It's been a few days since I have checked in. 

Life has stretched us this past week and Love has trumped the schedule.

A sweet mother-in-law has needed her family and we have spent the days talking low and hugging long...

Lung cancer and the ensuing treatments have left her body weak and her heart failing.  And yet, she smiles... mostly listening to the family visit and share and laugh around her bed.  She closes her eyes and smiles...

It is the Blessing of a Life Well Lived... surrounded by love.

Schedules and Work and Appointments have faded this week past as we have set aside time to soak in the moments with her knowing how quickly they dwindle.

So... a little grace for the posts not yet written.  We will continue this 31 Day Journey in the days to come. 

Tomorrow morning we somehow say Good-bye, and hug her frail frame and dry the eyes that fill with tears and begin the long trip home...

Prayers for Grace are whispered this night.

Walking out this Journey...

One day you'll be just a memory for some people.

Do your best to be a good one...

Love Always,
           Jane

Leaping into Brave...

The Grief Journey

5 years ago... Can it really be?

5 years ago, I watched the sun come up through a hospital window as mom lay behind me, still and small, machines beeping, iv's dripping.  I didn't know it would be the last sunrise I would ever see with her...

And we've wandered this grief journey like a rag-tag bunch of homeless pilgrims.  Always seeking our way back to the familiar, the normal, trusting in a God of Big Grace to guide our steps.  We are finding home in a very new normal, with lessons learned, often upon our knees, torn and tear-stained, along the way:

Life goes on... whether we want it to or not.  That's the hard.  In those early days and weeks how we wanted life to stop. {It did stop... without her.}   We were broken, grieving, a mess.  And Grace pulled us back into the land of the living, with tears and love, laughter bubbled again.

Death is final... we can't go back and undo things we've said or done.  How we've longed to turn back time.  No one is ever ready to say Good-bye... we've learned to rest in the gift of those final months, knowing we said a million I love you's... knowing it will be enough to bridge the long walk until we meet again. 

Compassion is the heartbeat of Grace... my heart grieves more tender with those suffering loss.  I have learned to just be there.  Words are so inadequate when a world disintegrates, but arms to hold, shoulders for endless tears and hearts grieving together... this, I am finding, is the language of compassion and love and God's Grace.

Surprising, I have learned to live larger, take chances, find a little brave... This past cruise with Dad found us all on an adventure that simply slays me!  We, literally, leapt into brave...

Truly... Me, afraid of snakes and speaking in public and jumping off high dives... yes, that fearful, cowering me... she leapt off canyon walls and over thundering waterfalls... Seriously {!}  I did that!

Leaping into Brave... perhaps you would enjoy a picture (or two) of our Extreme Canyoning Adventure??

Did I tell you that our Extreme Canyoning Adventure took place on the beautiful Island of Dominica, home to Pirates of the Caribbean film???  Beautiful I say!

First we got suited up... 

{a lot of gear I'm thinking... hmmmm...}

Ready for Adventure

Crash course in rappelling...

{Think I've got this.  Sort of...}

Gorgeous hike thru the RainForest to get to the, ahem, jumping off point.

{Nervous yet?}

Yep, nervous now,

well, actually getting a little freaked out,

that rappelling tutorial back at home base left a few things out!

This is getting real.

{I might have been trying not to throw up... just saying}

Holy Cow!  I made it!

{In one piece... and I'm smiling!}

And you may notice that the group made me go first...What?!

Yes, they figured if I could do it then they could too... Ha!

I may have needed a push for the first Leap into Brave...

{that was a 20 foot waterfall}

No, No, No!

Yes, Yes, Yes!!!

I just did that!

I JUST DID THAT!!!

Navigating the current...

We think the water was cold, but none of us can remember.

We were just so happy to have survived the first two challenges!

Our happy and amazing guide!

More Leaping!

More Climbing!

More Waterfalls!

More Amazing!

{That Smile}

We got this now...

Gorgeous RainForest Canopy

High Above Us...

Last one... and it's a beast!

Getting our Brave on in the most spectacular way!

Done!

We just did that!

Leaping into Brave

And we survived!!!!

It's very symbolic of the past 5 years... the cliffs, the waterfalls, the hard,

the pain, the fear, the push, the pull of so many loved ones cheering us on...

It is so like our Grief Journey,

and we are making it, one cliff at a time.

5 years of missing... Time and Grace have woven their way through out our days, slowly, but surely walking us home.

Missing mom... I will always, always miss her.  Time has eased that intense yearning to hear her voice and feel her hugs, but I'm learning to allow myself to grieve those moments when nothing will do but to feel her near.

Today is one of those days... the grief digs in... and we know tomorrow the memories will swamp.

Giving ourselves permission to feel her near, and let the tears fall, and miss her so very deeply... and rest in memories forever ours.

My Love, Always,

                           Jane