Letter

Dear Cancer-
          You have been particularly nasty this week, while I realize you don't really have a time that you aren't nasty and you are over the top present in this broken world, this week I find myself particularly upset with you. You suck and there is nothing I like about you. In fact I would even be so bold to say I hate you.
          This week (I know you are active in claiming lives daily) you took one of my friend's mothers. A beautifully faithful, God honoring woman who served God with every ounce of her being. You ended her life far too soon. I hate the fact that you are unpredictable and that you don't care about age, race, gender, or any other factor. I hate that once you make your presence known you are always an aspect of life if even just a distant memory. You are a rough one to deal with, you don't play fair, you don't care what past anyone has or what the future may hold for them. You don't even seem to care how many times you have touched someone's family, you just show up what feels like time and time again. I hate you and I don't understand you. You have claimed the lives of many people who I love, I am frustrated with you to say the least.
          Not only have you taken the life of my friend's mother (and thousands of others) you have made your mark on one of my most favorite people in the world. You suck. I wish I could take you out of her and put you in me instead, I hate that you are in her and knowing the road she has ahead. I hate knowing that she is in pain, I hate knowing what you have done to her, I hate the way you make me nervous. Unfortunately for you, she's a fighter and the medical team caught you early. You haven't been there long, and you won't last long. You will be beaten. You will go away (seriously, consider your eviction notice posted).
          The really unfortunate thing for you is you don't have ultimate claim on her life, nor have you had the ultimate claim on the others whose lives you have ended far to short. You don't get the final word, you are not the ultimate reality. You aren't the one who wins in this world. I know you get credit for being all powerful and the one in charge, but here is the true story. I know and trust in a God who is bigger than you, I believe in the triune God who is the ultimate healer. While you may be the cause of some people's death you don't win, death never wins. I believe in God who has promised eternal life and life abundantly for all people. While people leave this earth, they are not gone forever, for this is but a fragment of what is to come. Someday, someday there will be a day when all pain is gone, when every crying tear is wiped away, and you don't exist. The God of creation is bigger and better than you, the God of peace continues to make all things new and comfort those in pain in the midst of your damage.
          I suppose I do owe you a thank you for a couple things, since the news of my friend you have brought me to God in prayer more than I can even imagine. You have reminded me what it means to pray without ceasing, you have helped to remind me what and who is important in my life. You have reminded me to not take any day or even any second for granted for you could be just around the corner. You have reminded me the of awesome God I serve. You have caused me to slow down yet again and give thanks for all that I have. You still suck, these are not redeeming qualities of yours, but I choose to find a golden lining to all things, including you.
          For all I care you can go away and never return, you can fall off the face of the earth and leave humanity (and all animals while you are at it), you aren't welcomed here. You won't have the final say, you won't be the victor in this world, while you will put up some good fights, and some may think that you have won, I know better, I trust in one who is greater than you, I trust in the creator of this world, the one who calls me to being, claims me, and bathes me in grace.

Sincerely,
    Sarah

May the odds be ever in your favor.

This post will be rambly for sure. Feel free to read on and enjoy the craziness of my mind this morning.

Confession: I LOVE LOVE LOVE the Hunger Games, I was drawn in instantly, and I would like to note that I read them long before they became popular. The movie is good on its own as well, yes, I know there are lots of differences between the book and the movie.... however they must be viewed semi-separately. They can't include all the glorious details of the book in the movie it would be 65 hours long!Anyways... I love the books and the movie. I was captivated and drawn in.

Anyways... The phrase "may the odds be ever in your favor" frequently runs through my head. I text it to a few of my friends the morning of rally Sunday (kick off of Sunday school and really the fall church year), as I begin a run (in my head) I say it and everyone I pass I pretend is competing against me. When I get on the treadmill at the Y (which I try to avoid treadmills) I am totally racing the person next to me, it doesn't matter how long they have been on or if they are even walking, we are racing. Somehow this foolishness motivates me. Seriously. I am a strange duck I think.

I know the phrase doesn't work fairly quickly, no I am not out to kill everyone around me and I am not trying to be the last one standing, however some days the phrase just carries me. Yes, there are lots of other phrases that carry me that are probably much better however, I still love this one. I love the drive and the determination of Katniss to beat the odds and rise above when no one thinks she will. I love the way in which it is assumed she will not return and death will be the victor, I love that she faces the impossible and overcomes. I love that at the end of the day death will not be my victor either, I know that death (while still really really painful for friends and family of those who have died) does not have the final say rather life and life and life abundantly in and through the life, death, and resurrection of Christ. There rests my hope, in the triune God, who continues to mold me and transform me, who continues to transform the world around me.

Totally unrelated: a dear friend of mine took some pictures of my fiance and I on Sunday (she supposidly isn't a professional photographer but rocks and could be if she wanted). Yesterday I got a cd of teh pictures and they are super fun! We had brought Dakota along and she played along really well. We had a blast hanging out at the arb and taking photos. Here are a few for you to enjoy. I love my sweet puppy and my fabulous fiance. I love the photos. It was hard to pick which ones to put up here, they all turned out amazingly. You may end up seeing a few more because I love them so much. Now to pick out which ones to hang in my house.

Do you have any phrases that motivate you?

What are your favorite books?