His Grace, My Journey

Dec. 24, 2013  The Night Before Christmas            My Dad, myself & Mom Christmas 2013  Love you Mom and Dad and I am so proud to be able to call you my parents.              It is almost beyond description, what this Christmas 2013 means within the deepest place in my heart. Maybe I need to take you back a moment to last Dec. 25 th  to understand.  Honestly, I do not remember much, other than being in survival mode… not even having the strength to “Face Time” with my grandchildren, but a few minutes.  For those of you without an Apple product… that is the equivalent of a live chat with video.  We could see each other and talk at the same time.   I did not have the strength emotionally or physically to do that.  You see survival mode takes all your concentration in order to just get through the most basic things.  Sometimes it is second b...

9NOV2013 Time has sped by fast lately.... as I have no seat partner on my flight home, I will take this as a cue from God to begin my journaling.  Oct. 4th I had my second check up with my chemo doctor.  So they say, it isn't over until it's over or is it? On Friday's it is very busy in the waiting room to see doctors and wait for treatments.  Sometimes it is standing room only... this is not a small room so it saddens you heart to think of all the people on a journey with cancer.  There were two seats left in the waiting room when Jamie & I arrived.  The two seats happen to be facing the window which gives you a direct view to those people having their chemo treatments.  As I gazed in, I began to flash back to the various stages I was in physically and mentally when having my treatments.  I saw the person who was probably there for the first time getting their treatment... their face showed a positive attitude and lets get this thing facial expres...

  Jumping in the Lake - Oct. 2, 2023 Lassie’s Gift Quilted Bag - Oct. 13, 2013 Our Vacation in Kansas OCT 2013 Oct. 2, 2013 I decided to jump in Gardner’s Lake at our Lake House, simply because I could.  I wanted to appreciate the gift of life I had been given by my Lord and King.  After completing chemo & radiation treatments, every day is a richer gift of a whole different level.  Gratitude becomes you love language  After this I had experienced great trouble swallowing & was having migraines.  It was decided I needed tests to be done.  With this cancer scare,  all I had wanted to do was to go to Kansas and see my family, so Jamie (Papa) and I decided we would leave to go see them and surprise the grandkids  It would be our first vacation to see our family in Kansas since my cancer treatment journey started in 2012. Before we left, I had a surprise visit from Lassie.  Aunt Lassie to my kids and grandkids. We all love her so. ...

          Learning to Color Outside the Lines          To Move Ahead, You Can’t Keep Looking in the Rear View Mirror Sept. 11, 2013 Learning to Color Outside the Lines It’s been a long time since I completed any journaling.  Notice that I said “completed”.   It’s strange; I would start something, then not finish it.  Some days would pass and another idea would pop into my head… I would start to write again and not complete it.  Anyway you see the pattern that was forming.  Then I thought, maybe my ADD brain was coming back.  I know a lot of you out there have the same “ADD Cleaning Brain” that I have.  Your day begins with the intention to clean.  You start in the living room and find something that belongs in the kitchen, so you take it to the kitchen.  While you are there, you start cleaning your kitchen and then you find something that belon...

July 15,2013 Letter To Wears Valley Methodist Church A email message from my brother Harry Jr. that prompted this letter. “  Hi Paulette I was wondering since you write so well,  if instead of me just telling the church thank you for their prayers for you if you would like to send an email letter to me to share with the pastor and the church. I thought you might want to share some of the lessons this difficult journey taught you. Something that might help or comfort a few other church members who have recently  found out and/or started treatment for cancer. I know you are busy moving so I understand if you don’t have time, but if you do have time before Peter and Lindsey come just send something to me.   Love Harry”   To The  Wears Valley United Methodist Church Congregation: My name is Paulette Matthews   and  I  live on Campobello Island in New Brunswick, Canada.  My heart wants to thank you all for your prayers ,  as I have been ...

Be Still and Know… Lake House June 6th 2013 Our Whole Family Jamie & I so happy to have our whole family together at Gardner’s Lake Today I am sitting and looking across the Lake.  It is one of those overcast mornings where there isn't a ripple in the water except where the fish are jumping.   This morning reminds me so much of when our life is overcast with shadows and trails... He simply wants us to be still and know that He is God.  It is here you will rest and He will slowly reveal the beauty to you.  Even after you have looked at the view for many years you will see a new and deeper beauty. The other night as I sat in the sunporch at night looking across the Lake until darkness over came the light.  There were various little fireflies that lit up the blackness of the night.  It reminded me that in our darkest of moments, with faith as small as a mustard seed that we can created a spark.  Even though it may seems small to us, it will ligh...

29MAY2013 Peaks, Valleys, Joys and Sorrow Dedicated to Bernie my Beloved Friend  Today was a day filled with mixed emotions.  Funny how this journey has had a lot of peaks and valleys.  The view is very different at each place.  God has it planned that way because He wants to teach you different things all through the journey.   For the first time since last October, I got my blood tests back and everything was within the "normal" limits... white cells, red cells, potassium etc.  I am not sure Jamie will believe the fact that I am normal.  Guess what?   That means that I can go out in the real world now!  I have been confined to home, because of my low white cell count.  I think God had a purpose in even this... because staying home made me stay focused on the task at hand... cleaning out the house where we have lived for 30 years this July.  The closing date of July 26th, for the sale of our house, will come sooner than you th...