I have a friend from high school who I saw at my class reunion the first of the month, and yesterday she sent me a package with this plaque with the saying above, a picture of us both, a birthday card, and this story that she said is one she has used many times for her kids as they were growing up.  I just love the saying on this plaque.  And I equally love this story.  I hope you reading this, will love it as I do.

The Refiner's Fire

There was a group of women in a Bible study on the book of Malachi.  As they were studying chapter three, they came across verse three, which says:

                                     "He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver."

This verse puzzled the women and they wondered what this statement meant about the character and nature of God.

One of the women offered to find out the process of refining silver and get back to the group at the next Bible Study.  That week, this woman called up a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him at work.

She didn't mention anything about the reason for her interest beyond her curiosity about the process of refining silver.  As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up.  He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest, so as to burn away all the impurities.

The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot---then she thought again about the verse that says,

"He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver."

She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time the silver was being refined.  The man answered that yes, he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he also had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire.  If the silver was left a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed.

The woman was silent for a moment.  Then she asked the silversmith, how do you know when the silver is fully refined?

He smiled at her and answered, "Oh that's easy---when I see my image in it."

If today you are feeling the heat of the fire, remember that God has His eye on you and will keep watching you until He sees His image-- in you.

Be blessed!



Perfect Time Of Year To Wear Wigs......HALLOWEEN. Anything goes!

So glad to find my Halloween wigs in my Halloween decorations boxes.  Hey, I will have a different wig for every whim I have each day.  Don't you wish you had so many hair choices?  Shave your head and I will share! It sure is easy to fix your hair!!!

My Mrs. Weesley look



 

Punk rocker

Sonny

    & Cher

 

Am I allergic to dishwashers? I must be.

Well, I had a setback Friday evening.  Kim and I were in an appliance store looking and when we started looking at dishwashers, I started hurting, and on a scale of 1-100, my pain level went from 1 to 110 in less than 60 seconds. I had to walk away while Kim talked to the salesman and I leaned on a dryer down the isle, and I thought I would pass out.  One of the owners saw I wasn't feeling good, and asked me if I wanted to sit down. I couldn't even answer them.  I got Kim's attention from where I was standing and mouthed to him that I was sick. He pretty much could see something was really wrong and quickly came to my side.  I thought I may have to go to the emergency room, but after about 20 minutes it started letting up and subsiding some. I didn't feel too great the rest of the weekend, but nothing like those 20 minutes that came on so suddenly that I didn't know what hit me!  It was a reminder of my illness that usually doesn't flare up.  Humm.... I felt like a wimp in that store.  I must be allergic to dishwashers is all I can figure out!

BLACK! I can't really believe I did that!

 On Tuesday, my oncologist upped my dose to 2 a day instead of 1!  Yea.  I am 2 days into it and feel great!

OK.  I have had requests for a picture of the black hair.  Here it is!  I like my regular hair color best but this has been fun just for kicks.  Hey....if I am going to be bald, I am going to have a good time with it!  So if you see Kim with someone you don't recognize in black hair, it's still just me!

Hair, no hair, hats, more hair

 

Well, that day really did come that I hoped would never come.  Over 5 weeks ago I started losing my hair.  Everyday I would get handfuls and find hair all over my pillows, sheets, in the shower drain, sink, bathroom floor, all over the house.  It has been mentally a very hard thing to go through.  I kept wanting to just shave it all off, but I just couldn't do it.  It was like a death to get rid of my hair.  But the mental part of watching my hair disappear daily and cleaning up after it was really getting to me and I finally couldn't do it anymore.  Wednesday, 9/11, I ended that turmoil and now I am at peace with myself.  I had my head shaved. The above picture was taken the day before I did it. I know it probably doesn't look sparse from the picture, but I had a lot of scalp showing.  I was very self conscious about it.  After I had it shaved at the wig shop, I put on my wig and took this other picture of me in the car, and went hat shopping!

Several hats later, I went to McKay Hospital, and through the National Cancer Society, I went wig shopping AGAIN! Only this time, I picked hair that I have never had anything like it before.  I went with black hair!  I couldn't believe I really did that!  That is my adventurous side.  I am not brave enough yet to put a picture of me on this blog, with the black wig on. 

So in the same day, Kim got a bald wife and a black haired wife.  He probably doesn't know what to think!  No, actually he has been so sweet and supportive.  I had them video me cutting my hair off, and I texted the video to him, and later that day he shared with me how emotional it was for him to watch my hair getting shaved.  We both have had a few tears over it, but hey......it's just hair right?  Hopefully it will come back.  There could be a chance it wont all come back. But I'll take what I can get.

 

I have to tell you a funny story with my 5 year old grand daughter Ava.  I was watching her and her little brother Axel while my daughter was at her doctor appointment, and that morning I had had my head shaved.  Ava and I were eating lunch. Here is what happened. 

Me: Ava. Grammy has a surprise to show you.

Ava: What is it Grammy?

I lifted off my wig, and there was my bald head.  Her eyes went huge, and she walked around me to see the back of my head.

Ava:  What happened Grammy?

Me:  Grammy had to have her hair shaved off because it kept falling out all over the house.

Ava: Now will it not be messy?

Me: Nope. It wont be messy any more

Ava: (Handing me back my wig) Here Grammy, hurry and put this back on!!!!

I couldn't stop laughing.  She DID NOT like seeing me bald.  She didn't want us wasting any more time with that wig off!!  That will be a funny memory for me. 

I saw this picture at the bookstore, and bought this pocketsize for me.

This is what I feel is happening to me.  And how grateful I am for it.

Now you see it....Now you don't!

Within 6 hours from starting my chemo, I broke out with a rash down my arms, trunk, and legs.  Much different looking rash than last time.  Nonetheless, just as itchy. I about went nuts scratching at work.  I know I am not supposed to scratch, but how do I not? I really do try not to.  I called the dermatologist and he got me in the very next morning, but alas.........there was nothing for him to see this morning!  The rash was gone.  Isn't that the way it goes!  I told him I had pictures to show him from last evening, but he didn't seem to want to see them.  Don't you hate feeling stupid when you have something doctor worthy, you go and ta-da....... You are better!

I have felt nauseated quite a bit of the day today, and extremely tired. I haven't slept well for several nights and I think my body got run down. I came home from work and went right to bed. So.....no rash today, and no itching.......YAY!

Round Two

Well, the day is almost here to begin my chemo again.  Tomorrow is the day we talked to my oncologist about starting it back up. I will take one pill in the morning and that is all for the day.  Not the four I had previously taken per day.  My fun weekend is over and it's back to a normal life again.

At my class reunion, there were many who came up to me and talked to me about my cancer and asked questions, hugged me, cried with me, laughed with me, and it was just the most fun class reunion I have ever had I thought. I had many dear friends in my grade and loved my time spent with them Saturday evening.  Thank you to those of you who were so kind. I have great memories from growing up in Payson/West Mountain.

The countdown is now on for nine days from tomorrow to see if the rash comes back or not.  Please Not!