There's this Tree...

 

Majestic old Cedar... gracing the field along our lake place...

 

Sun gilds it gold in the afternoon sun.

Graceful limbs bow down low...

 

And we think we have fallen just a smidgen in love with this old tree...

Not in the Tree-Hugger kind of way, 

not that there's anything wrong with hugging trees of course...

But...

There is something timeless about her vigil there along the path.

A vigil that our BullDozer man wasn't overly excited about.

As a matter of fact, he was ready to doze her down on several occasions.

We just kept saying no... leave her there.

But that old tree's in the way, he said, a junk tree out here in the pasture...

Shaking our heads, we don't care, insistence dogged our words.

We like her there.

BullDozer man rolls his eyes and points out the scars...

That old tree is weak, will probably blow down in the next storm,

Let me take it out now and save you the trouble of cleaning up the mess.

We walk around her, see where she's faced a battle or two...

 

 

We run our hands over the splintered wood, feel the storm.

BullDozer man is right, she has her scars...

But he's wrong about her being weak.

Lightning and wind have left their mark, but she holds her place right where she stands.

 

Damaged limbs re-learn to dance and graze the earth on their way back up to the sun.

There is nothing weak in that kind of strength...

So, he agrees to leave her be... I think he was mumbling, shrugging, swore I heard something about those crazy Tree Huggers... smile... and every time I drive past those swaying, ever-green branches, my heart sings, just a bit...

 

In life, each of our lives, there are storms...

 

We weather them the best we can.

The winds of fear beat us down, the bolts of searing pain leave us damaged.

Scarred.

We can still choose to stand...

and lift our broken hands up to the Son in persistent faith.

The light of Grace makes us strong to withstand even the fiercest storm.

"But he said to me,

'My grace is sufficient for you,

for my power is made perfect in weakness.'

Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weakness,

so that Christ's power may rest on me."

                                                 II Corin. 12:9

If the storms of cancer have wreaked havoc in your life, may you find this to be so very true... His Grace is always, always sufficient for our needs...  This very weakness we wrestle with is a vessel to showcase His mighty power... the scars become beautiful when turned to the light of the Son.

Lifting you up, dear one, praying for the faith that moves mountains and gives peace that holds you close...

In Grace Always,

                           Jane

Let it Snow...

It's a regular Winter Wonderland out here in North Texas!

 

Not often we see Snow around these parts, let alone in March!  For a precious few moments the world is stilled, wiped clean... pure and white... 

Schools are closed, businesses shut down... because... this is Texas.  And 2 inches of snow really freak us out!  So we find ourselves with a day to just enjoy time together.  My favorite kind of time.... treasuring the unexpected gift!

Be safe, stay warm... Praying for moments of cherished time with those you love this day...

My Love,

          Jane

We Have Water!

... and we have SNOW!

But, first the WATER!  Our well digging team has been hard at work these past few weeks...

 

 

And maybe, just maybe the water is kind of gray...What's up with that?!

Not to worry, all is well... just found out we were drilling through the shale layer... (thank goodness, was very nervous for a minute).  But our fabulous well team:

 

hit pay dirt... clean, cold water... this week past!

 

 

Our job now is to run the well 3-4 hours at a time over the next few days to clear the sediment that drilling stirred up.  Easy-Peasy!

Except for the snow... and ice... in Texas... in March!

 

 

 

 But we were able to sneak in a little painting on the one good day we've had! Which is really great because our fabulous well team covered the well head pump:

 

with this questionably beautiful, but fully functional metal cover:

 

 

 And ya'll I like Blue just fine... but Camo is so much better out here in the sticks!

 

Oh, and the well water holding tank?  We slide it into the Rail Container for safe keeping!  

 

When we get ready to run water lines to the house we're all set.  And one of these days there will be a house!  I might have mentioned before that time in the country moves SLOW...  But, oh, so worth the wait!

Next up, the septic system.  I'm sure everyone's as excited as we are!  Spring come soon and melt all this snow and ice... we're ready for some Blue Skies and Sunshine...

Bundling up in Grace,   Always,

                                             Jane

 

We are Never Abandoned...

 If there would be a theme running through my life... a silver cord binding my heart and soul... it would be Grace.

We speak of it often here on the Journey.  Grace, extragavant and undeserved... Gracious gift from a Father's Hand.

Grace, personal and real, before I even took my first breath...

Grace, unmerited and full of favor, as we savor life's sweetest gifts...

Grace, warm and comforting, a shelter from life's storms...

Grace, steadfast and sure, even under the harrowing diagnosis of cancer...

Grace, beautiful and sweet, when friends swoop in to lift our bruised and battered hearts...

Grace, merciful and deep, as we walked the Pancreatic Cancer road with mom...

Grace, All Sufficient, as the veil thinned and eternity called...

Grace has become the mainstay of my life's journey.  And so, it is no surprise that the following quote caught my eye...and my heart.  It is from the book A Memoir of Grace by Chuck Smith...

"Grace does not shield the cruel realities of a world damaged by the fall.

We're not in heaven yet,

and God does not spare us from the crushing blows that come to everyone...

We lose people we love,

we suffer,

we grieve,

we journey on,

but we're not abandoned."

His words speak a truth.  For we all will eventually experience the harsh reality of pain and grief should we live long enough.  The heart aches for each burden we bear.

Perhaps it is a cancer diagnosis.  Perhaps a painful separation from those we love.  Perhaps a grievous abuse that defies forgiveness...

In it all, the anchor is God's steadfast Grace... We are not abandoned... He has walked this road all the way to Cavalry... He knows our pain.  He knows our grief.  He has come to extend Grace, unwavering, never changing, so completely all-sufficient, for even one such as I...

"But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me."  II Corin. 12:9

Grace breathes hope right into the weariness.  He walks right beside, holding us up when we stumble, and hurt, and weep... We are never abandoned.  Christ's power is glorified beautiful into each life that trusts His Hand.

Let Grace anchor our hearts this day, dear friends, no matter the Journey, no matter the cost...

Holding on to the One who never lets Go, Always,
                                                                     Jane

Personalized Pancreatic Cancer Treatment

What if someone could tell you exactly how to zap your cancer?

 

What if your doctor could plan your treatment protocol with confidence?

 

What if scientists could map your tumor and tell you the best battle plan to destroy the beast?

 

 

 

The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network is unveiling a new service for Pancreatic Cancer Patients.  It's called Know Your Tumor...

It's cutting edge science and holds much promise for Pancreatic Cancer patients world wide. 

Simply put, doctors can now determine the biology of specific tumors through biopsies and detail a personalized treatment plan for your individual cancer.

When mom was first diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, her doctor went to default mode and automatically set her on the traditional pancreatic cancer treatment... Gemzar Chemotherapy.

Never mind that this protocol had not changed much in the past 30 years... and was still only marginally successful.  Gemzar was the Gold Standard treatment for pancreatic cancer.  And in many doctor offices, it is still considered the Gold Standard... even though so many clinical trials and alternative protocols are showing promise. With Gemzar's low success rate, perhaps it's time to find another Gold Standard... Yes?! 

And maybe we can start by dissecting the pancreatic cancer tumor and finding out just what makes it run...so we can stop it in its tracks.

So, exactly what is this Know Your Tumor strategy? 

It is a way to test your tumor, often called molecular profiling, to find out what treatments and/or medicines will be more effective in destroying it.

The molecular profiling is done by a company called Perthera.  They describe the process on their website:

Every patient is different, and not everyone responds to the same treatment. Perthera’s job is to determine which therapies will work best specifically for your cancer, through a coordinated service designed to help you gain maximum benefit.

 

We begin the process with a biopsy where we have developed innovative ways to handle fresh tissue samples. We maintain total control over the tissue gathering process at the time of biopsy and beyond, to ensure that the fresh tissue is gathered properly. 

 

We send samples to the best diagnostic partners, each with tests that have been proven to improve the success rates of patients. Together, these tests represent the most comprehensive analysis of genomic and protein information that you can get anywhere in the world.

 

We have assembled a panel of distinguished medical professionals, each with expertise in a specific type of cancer, to constantly search for and evaluate the best available testing technologies and the latest drugs, trials and research, so they can become part of our proprietary Expert System Database (ESD).

 

We use the ESD to combine the molecular analysis of a patient's tumor with their medical history and the latest treatment options available to create a report of personalized treatment recommendations, and our panel of medical experts reviews the report and its recommendations.

 

We serve as an advocate for each patient by intently listening to their needs, constantly following up concerning milestones in the process and responding to patient inquiries within 24 hours. We also track the latest molecularly-targeted drugs and drug trials and advocate for your participation.

 

This service is available for patients who meet their criteria:

 

1.  Have stage 4 (metastatic) pancreatic adenocarcinoma cancer (this means the cancer has spread beyond the pancreas)

2.  Have already started or will soon be starting treatment for metastatic cancer.

 

Know Your Tumor is another avenue or tool for pancreatic cancer patients to explore.  Targeted cancer therapy designed for your individual cancer tumor.

 

It is not foolproof... understand that there are still so few chemotherapies to choose from in the fight against pancreatic cancer... but the molecular profiling might show promising clinical trials that target your tumor cells... We fight the fight anyway we can... 

 

As always, talk with your oncology team.  Molecular Profiling is not on everyone's radar... Perhaps it's time to kick this fight up another notch!  Working together to find Hope in the Fight...

 

In Grace, Jane

 

The Lake Place Update...

Life in the country moves S L O W !!!!

The last time we shared about our adventure homesteading on the lake we were positively, definitely moving fast... at the slowest pace ever!

To bring you up to speed...we sold our farm last December (2013), *sigh*  then bought our lake place this past June (2014) *smile* and have been dreaming, planning and working hard every since, on country time that is... which I may have mentioned is S L O W...

But we have a driveway now... Yes!

 

 

I love how it curves thru the property...

And after all the dozer work, we are watching the pond refill...

 

It's one great, big, over-grown mudhole right now, but, oh, I see possibilities!

Just wait... this is the perfect "Before" shot.

One day, we will all Ooooo and Aaaahhh over the grand transformation!

And, then we found an off-the-wall storage container for all our "Stuff."

 

It's an actual rail-container.  Perfectly weather-tight and roomy enough for all the important stuff we had stored and scattered all over creation this past year.

 

It's incredibly comforting to have our things all back together again... 

Kind of like Christmas as we find long lost tools, books and assorted, but indispensable junk :-)

And then there have been the bonfires in the rain...

 

And the hikes along Brushy Creek in the winter sun...

 

And little gopher hills popping up all over the place!

 

but such, cute, furry little faces, makes me smile...

 

(Farmer Husband is not amused)

But, oh, so cute, just saying!

We welcomed friends to enjoy our country place...

After, of course, reminding them that we have no water, no potty,

nor even a home.

But they love us and came anyway!

 

 

And the most recent development is also the most exciting!  Just this week we began drilling our water well.  Such anticipation at the lake place!

 

 

 

We are anxiously awaiting to strike gold any day!  Clean, cold water is our prayer!

We will keep you posted on all developments...

And in the meantime, we continue to lift up all those enduring their own journey along the pancreatic cancer road.  Perhaps you might feel our love this day in a special way.  Your struggles are not forgotten and we storm heaven's gates daily for answers to the suffering of this life.

Praying you are swept up in Grace and held closely in Peace this night.

My Love Always, Jane

 

With Every Act of Love

Jason Gray's song "With Every Act of Love" speaks to my heart every time I hear it... Join me for a moment of happy joy as we lift each other up today?

Sitting at the stoplight

He can't be bothered by the heart cry

Written on the cardboard in her hands

Oh, but when she looks him in the eye

His heart is broken, open wide

And he feels the hand of God reach out through him

As heaven touches earth

Oh, we bring the kingdom come

Oh, with every act of love

Jesus, help us carry You

Alive in us, Your light shines through

With every act of love

We bring the kingdom come

There's silence at the table

He wants to talk but he's not able

For all the shame that's locked him deep inside

Oh, but her words are the medicine

When she says they can begin again

And forgiveness will set him free tonight

As heaven touches earth

Oh, we bring the kingdom come

Oh, with every act of love

Jesus, help us carry You

Alive in us, Your light shines through

With every act of love

We bring the kingdom come

God put a million, million doors in the world

For His love to walk through

One of those doors is you

I said, God put a million, million doors in the world

For His love to walk through

One of those doors is you

Oh, we bring the kingdom come

Oh, with every act of love

Jesus, help us carry You

Alive in us, Your light shines through

With every act of love

We bring the kingdom

Oh, we bring the kingdom come

Oh, with every act of love

Jesus, help us carry You

Alive in us, Your light shines through

With every act of love

We bring the kingdom come

With every act of love

We bring the kingdom come

With every act of love

We bring the kingdom come

 May we be the door for heaven to walk through this very day... Grace bring the kingdom come to everyone we meet...

Always, Jane