Cause for Celebration!

I am glad that last week has ended and a new one has begun. Once again God has demonstrated that even during some tougher moments there are still moments in life to celebrate. Moments worth REJOICING.

Last week was a difficult one for me since a number of the stressful feelings that I dealt with last year have resurfaced. It is funny how a year can pass so quickly and yet it still feels like yesterday. Although time passes, I am not convinced that time always heals. Sometimes events touch us so deeply that we are altered so much that we are never, ever the same. While I am not going to delve into the specifics, I want wholeheartedly to move on and pray that God will help me do this. "Letting go" is one of the toughest life lessons that I still have much to learn about. I think that is why God made sure that my weekend was filled with moments to remember His Goodness. Sometimes we have to just focus on the blessings - His blessings.

This weekend was packed with family - both the Tammings and the Klein-Geltinks. (Although each visit was not really long enough, my tired body tells me that it was almost too much.) We were able to spend Friday night and Saturday morning with Stephen's family in Strathroy. Then on Saturday the girls stayed, while Stephen and I attended my cousin's wedding in Ingersoll.

It was wonderful to celebrate with family and friends the union of this young couple. It was wonderful to watch "young love" in action. It was amazing to share in this one moment when love is pledged to one another. During the vows, though my mind wandered. I was struck by the memory of how "young" Stephen and I were when we made our vows almost 17 years ago. How exhilarating it was to look forward to a wonderful life with little thought to the tougher moments that we could or would face together! How wonderful it is that on the wedding day we are not clouded with what may come our way but filled with celebrating that God had brought us to that point and would be there each step of the way!

Later, I boosted several times that Saturday for me was another big day! It marked the anniversary of my first chemo blast. It was interesting to listen to a number of comments and answering the numerous inquires as to how I was doing. While I don't really enjoy drawing too much attention to myself , I openly admit that it was good, no let me say great, to receive so many comments about "How GOOD I looked!" While there were many times last year that I did not feel it so much, today I did feel good. I took the greatest pleasure in my comeback to that comment from my uncles and aunts. I had gone around the table for the usual hugs and greetings and added this comment "That FINALLY I had more hair than all my uncles!"

I have included a picture captured at the reception. I love it because it captures a good moment. What can be better than held in the arms of the one who I married almost 17 years ago and grown to love more and more each day!

Our celebrations did not end last night but carried on into our church service this morning. While it was a different moment, it was a great moment to celebrate - it was God's moment once again. It is great to witness and celebrate baptism. It was a moment to bask in the joy of how God works in hearts and lives to bring people to a point to desire to follow Him. How amazingly He moves in people's lives to bring them to Him. I loved watching and listening to how God reminds me of His promise to always be with us. I loved the video demonstrating how awesome our God is. I loved to be reminded of how much he cares for us. He cares so much he imprinted us with the image of His greatest demonstration of His love. Just take a look at how he fashioned even in the smallest of our cells - laminin.





All I want to declare that our GOD IS AWESOME! It is good to celebrate His goodness!

How Can I Keep From Singing!

At the end of this entry is the lyrics to a song that we sang in church a few Sundays ago but today the tune is ringing in my head. It is called "How Can I Keep From Singing" by Chris Tomlin.

While the words are so true as to the amazing love that is bestowed upon us from above, I was struck by how not so true those words were for me last year. While my heart knew the truth about what God has done and how dearly I am loved by the King, my voice could not sing.

Today I stand in awe of how far the Lord has brought me in one year. Last year at this time I was unable to attend our church classis meeting because I was having a core biopsy performed. Yesterday I was able to stand up and report, quite nervously I must admit, donning a whole new curly look. Later I was overwhelmed by the number of persons who commented about "how good I looked." To which my response was "Well I DO try! Last year we would drive in the van with whatever Praise and Worship CD was in the player blasting the tunes and my mouth could not utter a word for fear that I would tear up so much that I could not see the road as the words are to hard to sing. Today, the van is sometimes hard to keep on the road because of the vibration of the music and the singing and swaying to the beat of the five precious passengers. Last year I was wondering if I would see another Mother's Day. This year I was spoiled by much love and thoughtfulness of the three beautiful girls and my loving husband, Stephen. Last year I was plagued with "what if I never...?", "what will happen...?", "why is this happening NOW?", and "what is God doing with this?". Today I still don't know the purpose of it, I just hope that God is working miraculously through me with it. Last year, I was concerned deeply by how much this cancer was taking away from me - my naivety about life and death, our children's innocence, my ability to carry on all my usual household responsibilities, my love to spend time with our GEMS Tuesday nights, how my body was going to be permanently changed. Today, I thank God for the daily blessings that I receive regardless of how little or how big and just that I am granted one more day, that God is touching lives through me, and mostly that I am taken and held as a daughter of the King. For all this and much more than words can describe I can now sing these words:

"How Can I Keep From Singing"

by Chris Tomlin

There is an endless song

Echoes in my soul

I hear the music ring

And though the storms may come

I am holding on

To the rock I cling

How can I keep from singing Your praise

How can I ever say enough

How amazing is Your love

How can I keep from shouting Your name

I know I am loved by the King

And it makes my heart want to sing

I will lift my eyes

In the darkest night

For I know my Savior lives

And I will walk with You

Knowing You'll see me through

And sing the songs You give

I can sing in the troubled times

Sing when I win

I can sing when I lose my step

And fall down again

I can sing 'cause You pick me up

Sing 'cause You're there

I can sing 'cause You hear me, Lord

When I call to You in prayer

I can sing with my last breath

Sing for I know

That I'll sing with the angels

And the saints around the throne

Mother's Day

What mother can resist waiting in bed while the kids are up to "something" in the kitchen on Mother's Day. This is what happened in our home Mother's Day morning. I must admit that I rather enjoy sleeping in every possible minute that I can.

Since Stephen was gone to the office early for the service preparation, the girls were, as I suspected, wanting to make breakfast in bed for me. I heard a few whispers and waited to see what would develop. Meagan came into get me her morning hug and casually stated that she was taking a family survey of favourite cereals. Once I stated my favourite, she walked out the room and saying that she would "write that down." How clever she is!

After church, we went out to dinner - a great way for me not to think about what to cook up and just enjoy the time being served by someone else. We had a good laugh when Sarah plunked her crayon into my tea. I should have seen that coming since the cup of tea was the same type as the crayon holder on the other side of the table. At the end of the meal, the girls and I had a good laugh when Meagan sat in Stephen's spot for a minute. She was glad to sit on a warm spot. The girls laughed hard when I told them that "Dad had a hot butt!" Oh, how they are growing up and pure delight to hear their giggles and belly laughs!

Once home again the girls each ran to their rooms to find their hidden treasures. Meagan had made a necklace with beads going from a dark colour to light - even matched from the centre, and a bookmark. Sarah had drawn a picture of the two of us inside a heart frame. (I am still captured with little hair) Nicole had created a pop-out dove card. What better way to be reminded of how dearly loved than to receive three handmade gifts, each bearing their own special message. Oh, how I have been blessed to be a mother of three delightful, creative, loving young ladies!

Thanks be to God for days like this!

It is nice to be able to say that life has somewhat returned to "normal" around the Tamming household. Our schedules are filled quickly weekly with the routine meetings that Stephen attends, the school days ending with track practice, play dates as often as the girls want and we are able to squeeze in, soccer practice and swimming lessons, homework and piano practice, and the usual mundane household activities that need to be filled. While it has returned to "normal", I have not been updating the blog as frequently due to the fact that I am not sure what exactly to write about. While life is returning to normal and there are constant reminders for me of the past year, for the average person life looking in life has returned to "normal". For those who are regular viewers I will continue to post an entry at least once a week - for my shear pleasure of capturing some of the events of our family. Some may be reflective and others well just for the fun of it. Here is such an entry ---

Last weekend we ventured to Kitchener for a visit with my family. I must admit that it was nice to visit knowing that it was not cancer related. By this I mean that it was not scheduled around a doctor's visit and the need for a sitter or having to deal with the after effects of treatment (which my fatigue is subsiding - I am able to stay up til 10:00 pm - not crashing before the girls) This weekend was planned for the pure excitement.

We were able to get away on Friday night and had a wonderful meal with Mom, Dad, Ken, Denise, Elissa and Courtney. Stephen did a great job barbequing the kabobs that Mom had made. Later in the evening Scott and Ken joined in. Stephen took great pleasure later in the evening being supported be his two brother-in-laws. It was good to sit around and chat. We were excited and a little concerned for the "new addition" into Ken's life - his kitten that he rescued from the dump - yes the dump.

The next morning we did a power shop for a few summer items for the girls at their favourite store - Old Navy all before 10:30 am on a Saturday morning. The girls have grown up so much already. Three girls trying on clothes at the same time can be quite an adventure just on its own. Three distinct tastes and each one needing the approval of the parents and their view of the mirror image. Then it was back for a brunch before we got ready for the main event.

The main event was attending High Musical On Stage at the St. Jacob's Playhouse. Grandpa and Grandma had planned months ago to take the family to any young girls dream a live performance of one of Disney's musicals. All the girls were excited and even the parents could hardly hold in their excitement. The girls were quickly changed and ready to go more than a half hour in advance. Once everyone was ready the convoy made its way to the small town theatre. It was great to watch the girls take in the theatre surrounding. The wide eyes were incredible. I am not sure what they were expecting but I do know that it did more than surpass what their imagination could muster.

And then the play began..... the girls were staring with a few mouths held open. Grandpa slept through the first act. I think that I caught a glimpse of Scott singing along during his favourite songs. There was laughter at the jokes and new discovered words, swaying to the rhythm of the beat, and wonderment of the changes of the scenery and working of the performance. At the end of the play, we were encouraged to join Troy Bolton and Gabriella in bellowing out the Wild Cat Cheer. The elderly gentleman sitting beside Stephen gave a funny look at the enthusiasm of our row. That did not matter to us since it was a musical after all and joining in on the singing was strongly encouraged at that moment.

After the girls had an opportunity to meet a few of the cast members...

I could not resist the a photo opp with one of the stars of the show either!!

It was a great weekend filled with family time!