The Nine Day Engagement

Well if you haven’t already heard- I was engaged while on vacation (to Tammy) and married nine days later in my back yard in Fullerton in front of my family. We have been dating for about a year now and the timing was perfect. The stress level was low due to the short time to plan and it fit perfectly between chemo therapy #3 and #4 that occurred the following Tuesday. I know this sounds a bit crazy but I have decided to live and thrive during this time and not allow my joy, my future and my love to be taken from me. The truth is; I love Tammy very much and we are great together. So within nine days I moved back in my home in Fullerton that I left 18 months ago, added 2 children to my four children and attached my soul to another; all that’s missing is the reality show. Please trust me when I say this- this is the best thing I could have done; nothing else made sense.

So where do I go from here? I take every day as a new day with new mercies and new ways of doing things. I am not alone anymore! I hated Thursdays because I went home from church at night and I was alone; it’s not right for man to be alone. I have five long-term goals now; thrive with my wife Tammy, shepherd my small flock of children, be the best Pastor I can be, be the best employee I can be and oh yea- beat this cancer thing. I have so much to live for and that brings me joy and not fear. I will see light and victory at the end of this battle; you can take that to the bank! You may be saying to yourself, wow that sure sounds lofty. I can make this claim because I believe that God will give me the desires of my heart and these are my desires. You may call this a leap of faith, I call it skydiving! I vow to live like I was dying.

Lesson- The hope that God gives us does not disappoint.

Physical update- the 4^th round of chemo was the worst, I suspect that 5 and 6 will be even more overwhelming. I have a CAT scan next week that will determine how the chemo is working against the tumor so please pray. I’m praying for significant reduction in size.