I made this card with products from our new Good Morning Magnolia Suite. I think its my favorite suite in the new catalog. The message says, “Enjoy Today”, this could be used for a Birthday, Mother’s Day, Graduation or any type of a special celebration.

This message has taken on a whole new meaning with my recent health challenges! I have learned to appreciate and enjoy each new day that I am blessed to be alive and have the opportunity to take another breath!

If you follow my blog you will know that I have been dealing with some serious respiratory challenges. This has now been going on for almost 2 months. Recently, things got so bad that I spent a little over a week in the hospital.

While in the hospital I went through hundreds of tests, several biopsies and still all results came back negative! It has been impossible to find out what is wrong with me. I was admitted to the hospital because I had pneumonia like symptoms. I was experiencing high fevers, a terrible cough and my oxygen level was extremely low. Previous X-rays had shown that I have a mass of “something” in my right lung and a bunch of nodules all over both lungs, which explains why my breathing has been so shallow. But so far, after hundreds of tests, there has been no clear diagnosis so I can begin treatment.

I have an excellent team of really smart doctors but I have left them all scratching their heads wondering what to do with me.

There have been lots and lots of prayers lifted up for me. I can feel them. In fact, I was able to be released from the hospital because my health was improving! So, I went home to wait the results of a bone marrow biopsy they had done. If the bone marrow had shown something serious, then we’d know how to proceed. If my bone marrow was clear then the next step would be to have another lung surgery and this is one I really didn’t want to do.

Earlier this week I got a call that my bone marrow results were clear! That was good news. That same day I went to my church where a group of my Pastors were meeting. They anointed me with oil and prayed over me for healing. As they prayed, I could feel my lungs feeling stronger, I could breathe a little deeper too!. The next morning I went to my doctor and a scan revealed that I was showing signs of improvement. So for the past few days I have been resting, taking some cough medicines, and working on strengthening my lungs. I feel so much better. My doctor thought that I looked and sounded so much better that I wouldn’t have to have any more surgeries or tests unless I began show signs of getting worse. So far, each day I am showing signs of improvement! Praise God.

It’s still hard because I long to be stamping and going about my normal routine but God has blessed me with the opportunity to be at my Mom’s house to recover. It’s been a good time of bonding for us as I feel how much she loves me as she cares for me. I also get to witness the sacrificial love she has for my Dad as she takes care of him around the clock.

I have also been extremely blessed that leaders from my Stamped With Aloha team have jumped in to take over and keep our group activities and events moving forward. If you live in Hawaii, one not to miss is our upcoming Stampin’ Out Hunger Event at the Hawaii Foodbank. I really hope if you are local you will be able to stop by and be a part of this special event. I hope to be there but am so grateful that whether I am or not it is going to be a fabulous event!

I don’t know what tomorrow holds but what I do know is God is real and he answers prayers. Throughout this experience he has reminded me that he is with me each step of the way.

On my last day in the hospital one of my favorite nurses came into the room and we decided to call that day Miracle Monday as we hoped I’d receive some type of diagnosis. Instead, God brought a miracle in an unexpected way. Here is what happened. My friend Alec was visiting me and my nurse asked, how do you know him? I shared that we met years ago when we were on worship team together at our church. She then said, “Oh what kind of songs do you sing at your church”. Before I could answer she began to sing a song. Within seconds of hearing what she was singing I softly joined in and we sang together. The lyrics to the song are,

Thank you, Lord, for the trials that come my way. In that way I can grow each day as I let you lead, And thank you, Lord, for the patience those trials bring. In that process of growing,
I can learn to care.

I thank you, Lord, with each trial I feel inside, that you're there to help, lead and guide me away from wrong. ‘Cause you promised, Lord, that with every testing, that your way of escaping is easier to bear.

But it goes against the way I am to put my human nature down and let the Spirit take control of all I do. 'Cause when those trials come, my human nature shouts the thing to do;
and God's soft prompting can be easily ignored.

Just hearing that song brought tears to my eyes and when my nurse saw me cry, she began to cry too. I told her that the song she sang was the very first song I had ever sang in church when I was a little girl. I was thinking about the lyrics and how they were ministering to me today knowing that God was reminding me that he was with me and that this trial would soon be over and it would produce something good in me. I asked her, “Why did you sing THAT song?” and she said it was because it was her favorite song. My nurse smiled and said, “this is like a miracle”. I agree!! It was one of those moments where I may have been expecting a miracle to come in the form of healing or diagnosis but God brought a miracle via song from a caring nurse to fill me with hope and peace in the midst of the storm.

The staff at the hospital were truly amazing. I felt like I had excellent care around the clock. I met some incredible nurses and witnessed them using their God given gifts to care for me. When I am well, I plan on stamping a whole bunch of cards to take to them to show my appreciation!

Speaking of cards, while in the hospital, I received this beautiful fancy fold card from Cheryl Hamilton of Maui. It was also created with the Good Morning Magnolia Suite.

I love the sentiments on this card. Especially where it says, “we’ll get through this together”

I really appreciate Cheryl sending me such a pretty card to remind me that she was thinking of me and praying for me.

I have received several beautiful cards as well as encouraging text messages and visits from friends. These have all made me feel so grateful for the blessing of being surrounded by so much love, support and prayers!

At the end of this month I am supposed to be traveling overseas on a Stampin’ Up! incentive trip. It’s something we have been looking forward to for a really long time. As of today, traveling is something I don’t know if I’ll be able to do. However, I know God knows. So I’m going to Enjoy Today and not worry about tomorrow. Whatever His will is, I accept it. I know that because of this situation I have grown more thankful for every single moment I am blessed to be here. There is so much happening in my life that I am grateful for. God is so, so, so good.

Thank you so much to all of you who have been walking through this journey with me and lifting me up in prayer. I can feel your prayers and I am extremely grateful for you.

With much love and aloha,

Cindy

Enjoy Today

On To Adventure

Everything is Rosy

Stamped With Aloha