Vitamin Sea Therapy

A good while back, my friend Lisa and I started trying to meet for lunch at least once a week.  I joked that lunch with Lisa was good “therapy” because she is such a great listener and always has the best advice.  One Sunday at church, our friend Paula heard us talking about our”therapy” lunches and said she wanted to be in on these lunch dates…….and so it began.  The three of us made efforts to meet once a week for lunch.  We never knew week to week who needed the “therapy” the most!  As soon as we were seated at lunch, one of us would always start sharing the dilemma of the day…..whether it was work related or struggles with parenting, aging parents…..the list of dilemmas was endless.  These lunches were a safe place to pour our hearts out over the pizza buffet (ya’ll know I’m a pizza lover)!

Since my diagnosis in May this year…….there were the surgeries, recoveries, and then right into chemo.  Then we had summer vacation, and everyone’s schedule sorta gets turned upside down.  Needless to say…..our “therapy lunches” have been sort of hit and miss this summer.  I know I missed those lunch dates – and I’m pretty sure Lisa and Paula did too!

Awhile back, I looked at the calendar and realized there was going to be a bit of a break between my last FEC treatment and the start of my Taxol treatment.  I tried to find a weekend during what should be my “good week” to plan a much needed “therapy weekend” with my girls…….and prayed and held my breath that I would, indeed, be feeling good when that weekend rolled around!

God is good…….he answered my prayers and last Thursday evening, Lisa, Paula and I set out for a much needed girls only “therapy weekend” in Beaufort, NC.  Vitamin Sea Therapy was just what I needed for sure……but turns out it was what we ALL needed!

What a great weekend of rest, relaxation, reflection, regrouping and recharging.  My Papa used to say that the salt water cured everything.  I’m pretty sure he was right!  I know that there was some mental and emotional “healing” that occurred for me this weekend too!  Actually, I think every trip to the beach brings about some “healing”.  The beach has always been a special place for me……something about sitting and watching the waves come in and out…..time and time again……watching the tides change……all of that is just a wonderful example of God’s power and majesty.  The same God who created me created the ocean, the tides, the waves…….what an awesome God we serve.

We stayed up late, slept in, enjoyed our morning coffee, ate some delicious food and had NO AGENDA!  One afternoon as we walked into Ulta (we intentionally went WITHOUT makeup so we could try some new foundations)…….we unknowingly walked right in to an Urban Decay Makeover event at this location.  They asked if we’d like makeovers and we quickly said “sure thing”.  We left that place looking like celebrities!  What a wonderful and unexpected treat for all of us!  We had so much fun with the make up artists!  Check us out #wegotmakeovers #girlslookinggood #canwedothisourselves #shegavemeeyebrowsagain #thoselips

So thankful God placed these girls in my life.  I’m thinking this may need to be an “annual” outing for us!  Our husbands managed so well without us……or was it our kids managed our husbands so well without us?  Either way……they survived!

Oh…..if you’re in the Beaufort/Morehead City/Atlantic Beach NC area – you simply MUST make a visit to HappyCakes Cupcakery.  Ohhhh myyyy goodness!  Those cupcakes are sinful but soooo good!  It’s a MUST STOP for my crew every time we come!  And for all my local friends – the good news is they are opening a new store in Cary, NC!  Everything is made fresh daily.  They have different flavors available each day!  They really are the best cupcakes I’ve ever had!  Beware the addiction!

http://www.thehappycakescupcakery.com

Saturday night, we ate dinner on the Beaufort Waterfront…….this was our view from our table on the deck……..just beautiful!

While it was difficult coming back to “reality”……at least we returned refreshed and renewed.  Tomorrow I start my Taxol treatment.  It will be once a week for 8 weeks.  Praying that my body tolerates the Taxol as well as it has the FEC.  I admit it makes me a little nervous…….just like with the first FEC treatment…….my body has never encountered these drugs……I just pray that I don’t have any allergic reactions and all goes well.  God’s got me through this far…….I know He will see me through this next round too!

My devotion for this morning was titled “In Your Delay, Remember God’s Faithfulness”.  The verse was from Psalm 103:2 “I will bless the Lord an nor forget the glorious things he does for me”.   One of the “thought” questions at the end was “What has God done for you that proves his faithfulness?”  Gosh…..He’s done SO MUCH for me.  He has provided me with His peace that TRULY passes all understanding.  I can’t even understand just HOW I have been so at peace with this entire Cancer ordeal.  That’s not ME that’s doing it – it’s ALL HIM.  And I will continue to give HIM all the praise.  By nature I’m a worrier……and I say this NOT to boast…..but literally since the moment the lump was found, I HAVE NOT BEEN CONSUMED WITH WORRY.  It’s crazy because I’ve worried myself sick over lesser things……truly trivial things (when my son didn’t get in the school we desired or job changes, you get the picture).  But CANCER?  That’s a biggie! But I have truly been able to rest in Him…….knowing that He’s going to see me through this.  And just like He’s seeing me through this cancer diagnosis……He will see YOU through whatever storm you are in.  Just ask Him!  He won’t let you down.

If you are looking for a daily devotional, I highly recommend these from Rick Warren.  You can have them delivered to your inbox daily.  It’s a great way to start your day.

http://pastorrick.com/devotional#fullimage7

 

Blessings for a great week!

Sonja

Jeremiah 5:22New International Version (NIV)