Happy New Year

I hope you all have had a blessed holiday season...time with family and friends..and making time for our Savior. We will be wringing out the old year with our children and their friends. Wringing out all the bad things and keeping the good. May God richly bless you all with peace and may you draw nearer to Him this year.

Ringing in the New Year 2008!

With much love,

Janiver

Stanford Update

Clayton and I met with two doctors at Stanford Medical Center's Cancer Center yesterday. They gave us a couple of surgery options. Dr. Shelton has ordered an MRI and a biopsy in order to have the information they need to help us decide what to do.
We were very impressed with the facility and the staff there at Stanford. After my appointment I was treated to a free chair massage. Lovely.

I am still believing my God to intervene and keep me.

Thank you for your continuing prayers.

Your friend,

Janiver

Christmas Cookies

I love this time of year. Many of our happiest family memories are of baking special Christmas cookies. ... seeing more icing on the kids' faces than on the cookies. ...the spicy aroma of baking gingerbread. ...eating more sweets than is good for us. ...eating the crumbs.

Crumbs. The crumbs were as good as the whole cooky. Irresistible. Yummy. Just as sweet, just as spicy, just as fattening.

The woman from Canaan came to Jesus with her need and was rebuked by him. Yet she persisted. She knew in her heart that it only takes ONE TOUCH, ONE CRUMB to do the job.

"And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table." Matthew 15:27

And Jesus was amazed at her faith.

"O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. "

Dear Jesus, hear me today. All I need is one crumb from your table, because it contains everything that the whole loaf contains. I love you.

Janiver

Sunday Thoughts

Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is.
For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit. Jeremiah 17:7,8

...and hope maketh not ashamed. Because the Lord is our Hope. How can we ever be ashamed in Him?

We had a great day yesterday, worshiping our Lord with friends and family. Bro. Steve Crow from New Mexico was in services with us with his family. His message on hope encouraged us all.

I had the CT scan on Friday. They only had to poke me twice to insert the IV. : ) God bless those nurses and staff who are so patient with us patients. I will hear something this week sometime.

Thank you for your thoughts and prayers,

Janiver

More Tests

My CT scan is scheduled for Friday, 5 p.m. The radiologist will read it probably Monday or Tuesday.

"And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me." Psalm 50:15


" Thy right hand, O LORD, is become glorious in power: thy right hand, O LORD, hath dashed in pieces the enemy.
And in the greatness of thine excellency thou hast overthrown them that rose up against thee: thou sentest forth thy wrath, which consumed them as stubble." Exodus 15:6,7

"And now, O LORD God, the word that thou hast spoken concerning thy servant, and concerning his house, establish it for ever, and do as thou hast said." 2Samuel 7:25

" Remember the word unto thy servant, upon which thou hast caused me to hope." Psalm 119:49
:This is my comfort in my affliction: for thy word hath quickened me." Psalm 119:50

Thank you for your continued prayers,

Janiver

Finally...

I talked with my surgeon on the telephone today. He is ordering blood work and the CT scan. Thank you for praying with me about this. This has been quite a week for us. Fridge had to be repaired, plumbing to be repaired, when it rains it pours. : )

Bethany and I were able to take a three day mother/daughter trip which was very enjoyable. Life marches on.

Thank you again for your prayers,

Janiver

Still Waiting....

But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. Isaiah 40:31

I am still waiting to hear from Kaiser regarding the CT scan. Please pray with me this week that they will return my calls. : )

God is our strength and He continues to hold us up. I am so grateful to Him. Psalm 23 promises that His goodness and His mercy will follow me...

Our love to all of you,

Janiver

Hope Maketh Not Ashamed

" Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;
And patience, experience; and experience, hope:
And hope maketh not ashamed; " Romans 5:1 - 5


"Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD. " Psalms 31:24

God is our hope and strength...a very present help in trouble... He is a constant source of energy in this time of interminable waiting. Thank you for all your prayers and concern for us.

Your friend,

Janiver


"Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost." Romans 15:13


" ...hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God." Psalms 42:11

Friends in Need

Bethany and I were discussing the value of family and friends when one is going through hardship. She said, "I never realized that until the day I was in the waiting room of the hospital two years ago. You were so sick. The elevator doors opened, and out walked Uncle Loren. He had gotten the call from Dad and just dropped everything and drove ten hours to be there."

Until you face sickness, death, tragedy, you really cannot appreciate the strength there is in the prayers of the family of God. Gratitude wells up inside me whenever I hear from someone that says, "I am praying", or "Our church prayed for you."

I have received many phone calls, cards, and, of course, the comments posted to this blog, and I sense the love and faith that is behind each one. I have received prayer cloths that I keep with me. Your faith strengthens my faith.

On Sunday the Hanks family, Bro. and Sis. Morgan Underwood, and Bro. and Sis. O'Keefe came to service to encourage my husband and to pray for me.
Yesterday, our family was blessed by a visit from Dennis and Valda Johnson and Elbert and Donna Hollingsworth from Albany, Oregon. They drove here to see us and to pray with me. I am so humbled by their expression of love, concern and faith.

May God return blessings to all of you who have prayed for me and our family. Our God is faithful.

Janiver

"...and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother." Proverbs 18:24

Hope for Today

"Speak unto the children of Israel, and bid them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations... And it shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of the LORD, and do them; and that ye seek not after your own heart and your own eyes... That ye may remember, and do all my commandments, and be holy unto your God. "
Numbers 15:38 - 40


"And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any,
Came behind [him], and touched the border of his garment: and immediately her issue of blood stanched. "
Luke 8:43 - 44

I find such hope in these scriptures for me. In living a life separate and holy unto God we can approach Him with a boldness that others may not know. I am confident that God sees me, knows my need, cares for me, and will not fail me. Thank you to all of you who have left comments to us. Your prayers and your kindness is a real strength.

The family of God is a blessing in times of need. May the God of all peace strengthen each of you.

Your friend,

Janiver

Stanford Update

November 14, 2007

I have just received a phone call from one of the Stanford nurses. They are ordering some imaging, CT Scan, etc. ; then as soon as the referral paper work is complete they will call me to make an appointment with one of their surgeons.

Trusting God,

Janiver

Looking for a Miracle

Greetings to all our friends and family. Thank you again for your many prayers for us for today. Someone once said that there are no impossible situations only opportunities for miracles. I had an appointment with Dr. George Berndt today regarding the possibility of surgery. He told me that it is not feasible to do conventional surgery on this tumor. He is referring me to Stanford Medical Center for a possible 'in-surgery radiation' treatment. He feels this is the best alternative for me at this time. The tumor is outside the colon and resting against the bone.

Thank you for your continued prayers.

"According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death. " Philippians 1:20

I'm singing the song:

"Praise You, praise You,
Let my life praise You.
Praise You, praise You,
Let my life, O Lord, praise You."

I am believing God for His best for me and my family.

I love you all.

Janiver

The Waiting Room

This is a new venture for me. I plan to use this blog to keep my family and friends better informed as to the journey God has chosen for me at this time. I have experienced a local recurrance of colon cancer. The tumor is 2 cm and my oncologist, Dr. Whitney, has referred me to the surgeon who performed my previous surgeries. So... we are waiting for our November 13th appointment with Dr. Berndt. Hopefully we will learn whether surgery is an option or not at that time. Radiation is not possible as it was used before and can only be used once in any one area of the body. After the 13th they will decide what regimen of chemotherapy to begin. I may qualify for a new colon cancer study that involves variations in the chemo treatment with newer medicines.

My treatments will be from Kaiser Hospital in Vallejo, about 25 minutes from our home in Napa.

I am not in any pain at this time. God has given me a peace about His plan for me during this time.

A heartfelt 'thank you' to our family, wonderful local church and so many great friends for the expressions of love and concern that you have shown to us already! It means so much to have that support.

Please continue to keep us in prayer in the days and weeks ahead for the decisions we will need to make.