Sunday, September 7, 2014

Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month

It's that time again.  September is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month!  I always find this month a bit challenging.  School starts again, life gets really busy, but with the 4th anniversary of my precious Mother's passing just about a month away, I feel like it is a great way to focus on a way to help others. 

After my mom passed away, I was crushed.  I watched her battle for 6 years before the cancer took her, and during the entire battle she smiled, took the time to care for others, and never got angry.  She said that she was going to do whatever it took to glorify God.  She said while she was sick, she was like an ugly caterpillar, but God was going to use her illness to His glory, and when He did she was going to be the most beautiful butterfly.  Well, we all thought she already was that beautiful butterfly, but what I struggled with the most was.....why? Why her?

She was such a good person, an amazing person, who didn't do anything to deserve cancer.  But then the lessons started to come to me.  That's why it had to be her.  Because she was so good, God could use her.  She showed remarkable grace in a place where she shouldn't have to.  She loved and gave of herself even though physically she didn't have much strength.  Her goodness touched so many.  Because she was such a wonderful person, and loved so many, others listened to her when she shared testimony about God and how He was working through her. I think of how many nurses, doctors, janitors, and cancer patients she came in touch with.  How she fluttered around like the beautiful butterfly in each of their lives.  She left a mark on many of their hearts.  I think of all of her friends and family who she wrote to, called, had visits from, and prayed for.  She touched their hearts as well.

When she was diagnosed, I started this blog.  I was motivated by a tug on my heart that if I could help anyone out there, even just one person, it would glorify God, and would be worth the effort.  So I decided to start spreading the word about the symptoms to all that I met and made sure I told them to never wait if they had a concern.  I told them to make sure and push their doctors to test them if they had any doubt.  I felt like that was how God wanted to use me to help others. 

But then Mom passed away.  Suddenly, I felt a tug on my heart to share with others how God had worked in me, bible verses that helped both Mom and I, lessons I learned, and struggles I dealt with.  I put it all here on the blog.  So those who came across this blog who already had cancer might look at those posts and get something from them as well.  So that if anyone who loves someone who has cancer might read a bible verse or prayer I posted and feel some peace from it.  It has changed over the years, and it is kind of a mash of many things, but I feel like everything I put on this blog needed to be there.

So read it, share it if you can, and listen to see if you have a similar tug on your heart from God.

Love,
C. (A butterfly in training)

Wednesday, April 2, 2014

Sprint for Life 2014


The 17th annual event will be held in Houston on Saturday, May 3, 2014!  Register Today at 
This will be my fourth Sprint For Life to attend, and this year my littlest will be joining me.  C was only 4 months old when my mother passed away, but he knows all about her love of butterflies (as well as mine), knows exactly who she is, and knows that she loved him to the moon and back and all around the stars. 
I have tried to take my mother's disease and death, and everything I have learned through it, to help others I meet and know who are fighting cancer or who have loved ones with cancer. That way the suffering has a purpose!
Cancer is mean, it sucks, and it affects anyone. Once you get passed that part, you realize that not only the person with cancer is suffering, but so are the people around them. How hard it is to watch someone you love deal with side effects from chemo! My mom and I used to focus on the good. If the side effects were making her that sick, just think of what the chemo is doing to the cancer! Every little good thing was lifted up in praise.  When you focus on the good, you can see what God is doing.  When you focus on the bad, you feel hopeless.   Find the good, seek the joy in each day, and you will feel God's presence.  
I have lost a dear friend, so strong in faith to cancer in the last few weeks. She did not deserve cancer, the suffering, or to die, but God used her. God showed His love through her, God brought so many closer to Him because of her. She was a pillar of faith, love, and gentleness. Oh how she will be missed, and I feel this strong desire to make sure her spirit lives on. She left a precious husband, a 6 year old son, and a 2 year old daughter behind. I can only imagine what those children will become after just a short time with their mother....it will be amazing, I know that much. 
The truth is, cancer sucks. It really, really, sucks. But we can either sit and focus on the sucky stuff, or we can find praises to God. In every bad situation, if you look for the good, you will find it.  That good is God.  
God is good! He loves all of us!