My journey in Sculpture!

When I was in the midst of chemo and the journey seemed difficult to do alone, I felt so weak, so fragile! For the first time in my life I had no choice, but to lean on others to carry me through and lift me in prayer. Without those holding me up I would have felt so defeated. During that time, one day when I was at Barnel's Framing and gift shop I came across these beautiful "Women of the Way" sculptures. I was so taken be their profound messages, by the way they spoke to me. There were many to choose from, but in my brokenness, I was drawn to the one called SWEET ENCOURAGEMENT.  It's message was "Two are better than one... for if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow..." Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

There were many times throughout these past few months that I would look at that statue and  see my broken spirit in the woman being held and was so grateful I was constantly being reminded to keep my eyes on the Lord, that there were people in my life showing me the way! 

I also realized, in time, that it was a difficult time for my family and friends. They suffered as they watched me suffer. And at times I felt disappointed by the distance that cancer created in my relationships with my loved ones! Things shift and people react differently when we change. I was the STRONG one who became very weak, I needed people to show up! I remember a day when my good friend came over and she was devastated because of the shift in our friendship during the illness. Things had changed because of my brokenness  and she was desperately trying to cope with my illness and step in to a role in our friendship that was not familiar. That experience taught me so much. Our expectations of people are sometimes unfair. People who truly love you, give you what they can, what they are capable of!  And that is really all we need. Maybe there isn't a right or wrong way to love, you just love. And my dearest friends certainly loved me through my darkest hours!  

On my last day of radiation, that same friend, who felt like she hadn't done enough for me, showed up with the second sculpture, CELEBRATION! "Rejoice with them that rejoice..." Romans 12:15  It is such a joyous symbol of triumphing through the trials, significantly shared with others.  Thank all of you for CELEBRATING the finish line of treatment with me. It is truly a joyful time! I have been truly loved by many!