You are officially my "if I ever get to meet someone..." person. You are hilarious! (I love to laugh!). And your husband seems matched to you level of humor the time he updated us on your status post op. Much love to you both and to your tribe. If the reign of God is anything like the 2 of yous (sic), it will all have been worth it. Happy New Year!
Cheryl, I'm late to thank you for this, but THANK YOU! You made my day. And made me think maybe I should bring my husband back as a ghost-writer for one of these monthly updates...sending prayers of gratitude your way.
I am MORE than happy to give you an update from my little corner of the world. This year started off really rough. On Jan 15 I entered the St. Vincent Stress Center via the Emergency Room because I was in severe toxic withdrawal from alcohol. I spent 5 days there. I finally mustered the courage and made the decision to enter rehab for alcohol addiction on March 25. I spent 75 days there. It was the best decision ever! The bottom line is that I now have 9 months sober and I have lost 55 pounds! I am doing REALLY well and I praise God every hour of every day for this. I am so thankful to the rooms of Alcoholics Anonymous and my church family as well. It has definitely been a year of transition. There are a lot of sub-stories that I can get into later. I am trying to write a few devotionals based on my journey.
I praise God for your continued positive journey and that He has shown us all such grace in our lives. I am excited at the prospect of being able to share my story via your page here.
May God continue to bless us both as the calendar turns the page tonight and we enter the new year with joy and praise.
Jackie, what an INCREDIBLE testimony! I am praising God with you and praying for you all the way on this journey. Thank you so much for sharing this story with us. I know you are far from alone in recovery, and we can draw so much strength from each other's courage and witness. Thanks be to God!
Ok here’s a thing I’ve been hoping would be in your next book but now I have no idea how it would fit: How to talk to kids about Jesus’ healing miracles? Namely, why doesn’t Jesus make all the boo boos better??
I’ll hang up and listen for the response. (Or whatever they say on MPR call-ins 😂)
Ok, I love that you asked to take your response off-air! My short answer: this would be a whole book in itself, and I think writing a children's book version/response might be even more challenging - because it would force us to distill any answer into the clearest, smallest kernel of truth. But I'll take a whack at it...
I talk a lot with my own kids about how God made our bodies to heal. That God gave our bodies this incredible capacity to heal, that we see even in the way our cuts and scrapes heal and our scars fade. Sometimes people's bodies go through a big hurt - an accident or a disease or some other kind of suffering. Their bodies might not be able to heal here on earth, even with the best help from doctors and nurses. Sometimes God's healing might come through different ways: though the people around them who keep loving them no matter what, or through the healing of their fears that God lifts by giving them peace. In heaven our bodies won't get hurt. There won't be any pain or suffering or death anymore. So maybe some of the healing that God promises will come once we are in heaven.
The ways that God heals can be a mystery. Even when Jesus was on earth and healed a lot of people in amazing ways, he didn't heal everyone on earth all at once, right? He showed God's power through some amazing signs and miracles, to keep reminding us that nothing is impossible with God and God can make a way where there doesn't seem to be a way. But the biggest work Jesus did was to tell us about the kingdom of God, which is even bigger than healing a few people. It's about healing and hope and goodness for EVERYONE, which is what God promises for us. Some of that can happen on earth, but all of that will happen in heaven. We get to do all that we can here on earth to help work for the kingdom of God and bring God's love and healing and goodness for people here. But we also get to hope that even better things lie ahead for us, even beyond what we can know or see.
(You are making me want to write more about this, fyi. But maybe a sliver of this might help you talk with your own kids?)
I think adults have the exact same questions. And I love the response in Richard Fischer's memoir of losing his son Adam to cancer, Stations of the Heart: Parting With A Son:
"When we talked about sickness, death, and eternal life, Adam approached those topics both with the confidence of a believer and the wrinkled brow of a seeker. He was like a man driving in the fog: he is certain there is a road out there and a way forward, but his headlights will only go so far. He complained to Tom Colley, our Lutheran pastor at St. Paul’s, that he never heard a preacher who was willing to admit, “I don’t know.” When he finally find one, it was only his dad.
“So, why did Jesus heal so many people in Galilee, and why so few in North Carolina?”
I said, “In my opinion, the healings weren’t intended as medical cures for us to duplicate. Think of all the lepers who just missed him when he passed through Capernaum, or the mothers in all the villages around Nain who had to bury their children. The miracles are like flares calling attention to the glory of God. They’re signs of the great redemption to come. I’m like you. I still find the meaning of God in the cross and not the miracles.”
“Maybe so,” he said, touching his own cross, but like a patient who is contemplating a second opinion."
I got some very sweet Christmas cards, but none of them made me laugh or cry like your baby's first Christmas, "Happy Holidays from my new breasts" greeting! Oh my word, you are so funny and real, and like someone else said, I hope to meet you someday, as your writing has helped me through some of my darkest times. I'm grateful to continue reading your words and look forward with great hope to this next chapter of you staying cancer free. Cheers, Laura!!
as i sit here with rain pouring down (in Chicago on Dec. 31?!?!?! the planet is burning!!) on New Year's Eve morning, i cannot think of anything that would have started my year-end more marvelously than this: as cheryl (below) says, you are hilarious. and your writing has loft. you hit the exact right intersection of comic + soulful profound. and here in the trenches of CA (that's cancer not california), you're a heaven-sent voice. and i love your compassion brigade. xoxox
Barbara, crossing even virtual paths with you in the past year has been an absolute joy. You have brought light into my darkness too, and I am praying for you on this (stupid, cancery) path. May this new year bring healing for all of us, patients and planet.
Yes! I love that song! But help me out here… for YEARS, literally, I’ve wondered the following: At the very end of the song, it’s still NYE, they part, and …. “The snow turns into rain.” For the life of me, I can’t decide if that’s a sad thing (rain like tears, and like, who doesn’t want snow for the holidays..) or a happy, hopeful thing (like rain means Spring and the cold winter is coming to and end). I’ve pondered that one for a long time now. Any musical enthusiast insight appreciated. 😁
ok, I love that you have joined me in overthinking these lyrics. I always assumed the snow turning into rain was sad! Like the beauty of their past relationship melting into what could not be. But now I see that might be my penchant for pessimism?? I'm going to think about springtime hope the next time I hear this!
You are officially my "if I ever get to meet someone..." person. You are hilarious! (I love to laugh!). And your husband seems matched to you level of humor the time he updated us on your status post op. Much love to you both and to your tribe. If the reign of God is anything like the 2 of yous (sic), it will all have been worth it. Happy New Year!
Cheryl, I'm late to thank you for this, but THANK YOU! You made my day. And made me think maybe I should bring my husband back as a ghost-writer for one of these monthly updates...sending prayers of gratitude your way.
Hi Laura,
I am MORE than happy to give you an update from my little corner of the world. This year started off really rough. On Jan 15 I entered the St. Vincent Stress Center via the Emergency Room because I was in severe toxic withdrawal from alcohol. I spent 5 days there. I finally mustered the courage and made the decision to enter rehab for alcohol addiction on March 25. I spent 75 days there. It was the best decision ever! The bottom line is that I now have 9 months sober and I have lost 55 pounds! I am doing REALLY well and I praise God every hour of every day for this. I am so thankful to the rooms of Alcoholics Anonymous and my church family as well. It has definitely been a year of transition. There are a lot of sub-stories that I can get into later. I am trying to write a few devotionals based on my journey.
I praise God for your continued positive journey and that He has shown us all such grace in our lives. I am excited at the prospect of being able to share my story via your page here.
May God continue to bless us both as the calendar turns the page tonight and we enter the new year with joy and praise.
Always,
Jackie Mueller
West Morris Free Methodist Church
Indianapolis, IN
Cheers and happy new year to you, Jackie!
Jackie, what an INCREDIBLE testimony! I am praising God with you and praying for you all the way on this journey. Thank you so much for sharing this story with us. I know you are far from alone in recovery, and we can draw so much strength from each other's courage and witness. Thanks be to God!
so excited about your book! happy new year to you!!
Thank you so much, Francine!
Ok here’s a thing I’ve been hoping would be in your next book but now I have no idea how it would fit: How to talk to kids about Jesus’ healing miracles? Namely, why doesn’t Jesus make all the boo boos better??
I’ll hang up and listen for the response. (Or whatever they say on MPR call-ins 😂)
Ok, I love that you asked to take your response off-air! My short answer: this would be a whole book in itself, and I think writing a children's book version/response might be even more challenging - because it would force us to distill any answer into the clearest, smallest kernel of truth. But I'll take a whack at it...
I talk a lot with my own kids about how God made our bodies to heal. That God gave our bodies this incredible capacity to heal, that we see even in the way our cuts and scrapes heal and our scars fade. Sometimes people's bodies go through a big hurt - an accident or a disease or some other kind of suffering. Their bodies might not be able to heal here on earth, even with the best help from doctors and nurses. Sometimes God's healing might come through different ways: though the people around them who keep loving them no matter what, or through the healing of their fears that God lifts by giving them peace. In heaven our bodies won't get hurt. There won't be any pain or suffering or death anymore. So maybe some of the healing that God promises will come once we are in heaven.
The ways that God heals can be a mystery. Even when Jesus was on earth and healed a lot of people in amazing ways, he didn't heal everyone on earth all at once, right? He showed God's power through some amazing signs and miracles, to keep reminding us that nothing is impossible with God and God can make a way where there doesn't seem to be a way. But the biggest work Jesus did was to tell us about the kingdom of God, which is even bigger than healing a few people. It's about healing and hope and goodness for EVERYONE, which is what God promises for us. Some of that can happen on earth, but all of that will happen in heaven. We get to do all that we can here on earth to help work for the kingdom of God and bring God's love and healing and goodness for people here. But we also get to hope that even better things lie ahead for us, even beyond what we can know or see.
(You are making me want to write more about this, fyi. But maybe a sliver of this might help you talk with your own kids?)
I think adults have the exact same questions. And I love the response in Richard Fischer's memoir of losing his son Adam to cancer, Stations of the Heart: Parting With A Son:
"When we talked about sickness, death, and eternal life, Adam approached those topics both with the confidence of a believer and the wrinkled brow of a seeker. He was like a man driving in the fog: he is certain there is a road out there and a way forward, but his headlights will only go so far. He complained to Tom Colley, our Lutheran pastor at St. Paul’s, that he never heard a preacher who was willing to admit, “I don’t know.” When he finally find one, it was only his dad.
“So, why did Jesus heal so many people in Galilee, and why so few in North Carolina?”
I said, “In my opinion, the healings weren’t intended as medical cures for us to duplicate. Think of all the lepers who just missed him when he passed through Capernaum, or the mothers in all the villages around Nain who had to bury their children. The miracles are like flares calling attention to the glory of God. They’re signs of the great redemption to come. I’m like you. I still find the meaning of God in the cross and not the miracles.”
“Maybe so,” he said, touching his own cross, but like a patient who is contemplating a second opinion."
I quoted this book here: https://motheringspirit.com/2016/04/the-dark-side-of-light/
I got some very sweet Christmas cards, but none of them made me laugh or cry like your baby's first Christmas, "Happy Holidays from my new breasts" greeting! Oh my word, you are so funny and real, and like someone else said, I hope to meet you someday, as your writing has helped me through some of my darkest times. I'm grateful to continue reading your words and look forward with great hope to this next chapter of you staying cancer free. Cheers, Laura!!
HA, thank you so much, Kristi! So grateful for you and your support!
Fab f*cking tastic. Every bit of this. Happy, blessed new year.
HA, thank you so much, Lea! A belated Happy New Year to you, too!
as i sit here with rain pouring down (in Chicago on Dec. 31?!?!?! the planet is burning!!) on New Year's Eve morning, i cannot think of anything that would have started my year-end more marvelously than this: as cheryl (below) says, you are hilarious. and your writing has loft. you hit the exact right intersection of comic + soulful profound. and here in the trenches of CA (that's cancer not california), you're a heaven-sent voice. and i love your compassion brigade. xoxox
Barbara, crossing even virtual paths with you in the past year has been an absolute joy. You have brought light into my darkness too, and I am praying for you on this (stupid, cancery) path. May this new year bring healing for all of us, patients and planet.
Yes! I love that song! But help me out here… for YEARS, literally, I’ve wondered the following: At the very end of the song, it’s still NYE, they part, and …. “The snow turns into rain.” For the life of me, I can’t decide if that’s a sad thing (rain like tears, and like, who doesn’t want snow for the holidays..) or a happy, hopeful thing (like rain means Spring and the cold winter is coming to and end). I’ve pondered that one for a long time now. Any musical enthusiast insight appreciated. 😁
Oh definitely the latter (IMHO), bc they can't go back and change anything, and all is ok... 🤷♀️🎼🎶🎵
ok, I love that you have joined me in overthinking these lyrics. I always assumed the snow turning into rain was sad! Like the beauty of their past relationship melting into what could not be. But now I see that might be my penchant for pessimism?? I'm going to think about springtime hope the next time I hear this!