Music is a powerful thing. The music I am playing is stirring my heart and creating a longing that I can feel physically in the depths of my being, which made me just stop for a bit and listen. I feel an almost a physical ache, a desire strong to speak praise to my Father God for sparing my life.
The song took me back to Christmas and New Years 2010. I had a double mastectomy with immediate reconstruction the week after Christmas. I got home from the hospital on New Year’s Eve.
My dear friend Sharon came from Chicago to care for me and my family while I healed. What a gift that was! A gift that brings a lump in my throat whenever I think about it. It was a hard and painful, but oh- so- beautiful week!
She is a friend of my heart, and her care for me and my family was just such beautiful love. She loved all over my girls during such a scary time in their lives.
All three girls said the hardest part of my cancer journey for them was that surgery weekend, knowing their Mommy was getting cut on, seeing me in the hospital and in pain, and watching me move slowly. Sharon came and comforted them, and helped take the sting that cancer brought into our lives. She was a soothing salve.
She calmed my heart when waiting for a key phone call that told us what they found during surgery. She took me to the Word of God and read His promises to me, promises I still cling to.
She prayed with me, served me tea, played games with my girls, did my dishes, packed their school lunches, helped change my bandages, endured looking at my wounds and stitches and drains.
She held my hand when the news of that phone call was not what we wanted to hear. She watched me break down and mourn that I might be facing even more chemo. She was just there. Love tangible.
Andrew Peterson Behold the Lamb of God
{Gather Round–the opening song}
We played this particular CD quite a bit that week and the following weeks, even though Christmas was over. The songs just brought comfort. This CD is one of my most favorite Christmas albums.
It takes one through the Old Testament up to the birth of Christ. It is really neat to hear the story in the form of song, prophecy come to life. The songs brought up wonderful discussion between my girls and I, and expanded our understanding of the Christmas story, that it did not just begin and end in that manger.
I especially love the words of the one below, which is called “So Long, Moses.” The song start with saying goodbye to Moses, and hello to the promise land. It talks about the 12 tribes. It touches on Saul & King David. It talks of the prophets and speaks these comforting words of the Isaiah, prophet of Judah:
{3:00}
So speak, Isaiah
Prophet of Judah
Can you tell of the One
This king who’s going to come
{3:20}Will he be a king on a throne
Full of power with a sword in his fist?
Prophet, tell us will there be another king like this?
Full of wisdom, full of strength,
The hearts of the people are his
Prophet, tell us will there be
another king like this?
{3:40–My FAV!}
“He’ll bear no beauty or glory
Rejected, despised
A man of such sorrow
We’ll cover our eyes
He’ll take up our sickness
Carry our tears
For his people
He will be pierced
He’ll be crushed for our evils
Our punishment feel
By his wounds
We will be healed.”
Gives me chills. He knew sorrow. He carries our tears. He was pierced & crushed for us & by His wounds, the healing comes.
And this song, While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks By Night:
{0:26}
“Fear not!” said he; for mighty dread
Had seized their troubled minds
“Glad tidings of great joy I bring
To you and all mankind
To you in David’s house this day
Is born of David’s line
Mighty dread and fear HAD seized my troubled mind back in 2010. But the birth of this tiny baby, this God-man, brings a life joy that even cancer cannot take away.
By His wounds on the cross, I am made whole and healed. Even if God chooses not to heal me physically, completely, here on earth, I know I have an ultimate healing in heaven. Oh death, where is thy sting? Jesus takes it, and through him, life on this earth is not all there is.
There is final healing and eternal life with HIM! This joy, a joy-peace, is what I am experiencing and growing in, & my heart overflows with thankfulness for every minute of this life I get to live!
What more can I say? My heart bursts forth in song, agreeing with the words of the Shepherds song chorus above; “Hallelujah, Christ is Born! Oh Glory be to God On High and To The Earth Be Peace. Goodwill Henceforth From God to Man, Begin & Never Cease!!
New Nostalgia – Chocolate Berry 4th Of July Cupcakes
July 3, 2014 at 1:10 pm[…] She is a friend of my heart and we have had many tears together, too. She is the one who came to take care of me the week after my mastectomy, and was everything I needed during that fragile time & more. I was so happy to celebrate the […]
Jane Craske
November 30, 2012 at 6:41 pmSo glad that you had that you had the song to keep you going and such a great support system. Mostly glad that you came through the other side. C: