Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Perfect Timing!

God and I have been having a little dialogue about timing lately. I've been wondering if His watch stopped...because of course things don't always happen when I think they should. He has been teaching me patience and giving me so much joy along the way, but the other day I really felt like He said to me so clearly, "Don't you think I know?? Don't you think I love you and I know exactly what I'm doing. My timing is perfect, have you forgotten?" And he used this picture in my Nana's house to do it...
This picture is from 2005. It was taken about 4 weeks after my mom was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer. We were in a whirl wind. She found out she had breast cancer, her amazing doctor suggested chemo before her double mastectomy to shrink the tumor, and within no time her chemo began. It all happened so fast that we hardly had time to process the fact that our mother, who didn't seem sick at all on the outside, was very sick on the inside. And in a few short weeks, all the world would know when she lost her hair.
My mother is so loved and many people were asking what they could do. For the most part, it was a fight she had to fight. We knew it was her and God against the cancer, but an idea was born and they were about to be part of God's perfect plan. My sister, Nana and I decided to throw a surprise "Hat Party" for mom. We asked her friends and family to come together to celebrate her and bring a hat or scarf if they so chose. The invitation read:
A wardrobe of leopard and feathers galore
she's dressed to the nines to go to the store
A true diva is the word to describe
A Woman we love who has touched all our lives
During this time you've all been so dear
But let's not forget our humor and cheer
Fun times and fun memories are sure to be made
As we dress up, laugh, and sip lemonade
Come celebrate Vicki's Brand new "do"
With hats and scarves and friendships too...
We asked mom to get ready for the day and we were going to go have lunch and a girl's day. That morning was a devastating morning. She took her shower and as she washed her hair, it began to fall out. We talked in great length about it after the fact and she said she really thought she was prepared for it. But I'm not sure you're ever quite prepared for that moment. She was obviously upset by the events of the morning, and we (my sister and I) were nervous because we had this party awaiting her only 45 minutes away! What had we done?
We hadn't done anything. God knew exactly what He was doing. She got dressed and we went to "pick up Nana" and all of her friends were there to comfort, support, encourage and love on mom and our family. Not 5 minutes after we arrived, the morning's events were a thing of the past and the love of mom's friends far out shadowed the sorrow of losing her hair. We laughed so much and of course we cried a little too. But the main message of the day was, "I haven't forgotten you. I would never ask you to do this alone!"
Sometimes I don't get it. Sometimes I think I know everything and I forget that God is so, so sovereign and He has not forgotten me. I'm not the ONE that got away. He blessed us on that day and He showed us that in the midst of one of the hardest things (if not THE hardest) that my family has faced, that he was there all along. And on that VERY day that her hair fell out, she was having a hat party! What a perfect, perfect coincidence. ;)


Look at her face! Y'all know she loves leopard print!

This one is hard to explain, but ever since she was a little girl, she twirls her hair. She twirls it every night before bed, when she is relaxing, when she is tired...she does it subconsciously. One day she looked up from her chair and she had been twirling her hair and she said, "Oh my. I'm not going to be able to twirl my hair!" Her friends know her all too well and Deborah brought her a piece of twirling hair that fastens to a scarf or bandana! ha!

Me wearing one of her wigs! I'm definitely not cut out to be a blond!

Look at all of these fabulous hats and scarves!

The party crew! Her wonderful friends. (PS....it was on a Saturday before the Texas football game and most of these women have season tickets. They aren't just crazy Longhorn fans! ha!)

Thank you to all who came on short notice on an October Saturday. You were part of God's perfect blessing to my mom and our entire family.

21 comments:

sem said...

and THIS would be why i am so obsessed with you and your family. thanks for posting this, t-rog!!!

Liz said...

Thanks for this post T-Rog. Made me cry in the middle of men screaming during the downhill slalom I'm catching up on from last night.

Love you! :)

Sara McCarty said...

Wow, this just made me cry. :) Prayers for you mom.

Elizabeth said...

Prayers for you mommy! :-)

Jamie Pickle said...

What a lovely post. Thank you for sharing!

Ginger said...

what a lovely idea. One of the hardest days of my life is when my mom asked me to shave her head. I didn't know we shared the similar bond of a mom battling cancer. You just became a part of my cancer family.

Lindsey said...

What a sweet post and what an amazing family you have!!

Kristin said...

that is SUCH a wonderful idea. after seeing my cousin loose her hair to cancer this is so touching. i'll have to remember it if she ever gets to where she needs/wants hats and stuff :)

annalee said...

what an incredible family you are apart of, with an incredibles story. thank you for sharing and thank you God for your wonderful momma's life!

Hailey said...

My mother has told me all my life that patience is a virtue that I was just not blessed with! So, its a constant struggle for me to understand His timing as well... In fact, I have a little "thingy" hanging in my bathroom (by the mirror, b/c yes, that to me was a place that I'd see it every day?! Is that terrible?) that says:

God's 3 answers to your prayers:
1. Yes
2. Not yet.
3. I have something better in mind!

I guess we aren't alone if they sell these things in stores! Thanks for sharing! You posting this was perfect timing for me to read as well...

Vanessa said...

What an amazing party idea! Your mom is an amazing woman!

Molly said...

Cute blog!! And gorgeous wedding dress :)

What a wonderful story! Your mom is a beautiful woman!

sara said...

What a lovely post, thank you so much for sharing! And thank you for commenting on my blog - I'm so glad you did, because it led me to yours. I'm your newest follower, looking forward to reading more!

Virginia Belle said...

Such an amazing story and such a cute idea on your part. Thanks for sharing!

keely said...

Oh I SO needed to hear this today! =)

Mrs. Cup said...

What a wonderful way to keep on celebrating life, even in the face of adversity. Thank you for sharing this story!

Carol {Everyday Delights} said...

Prayers to you and your mama! My mom is a breast cancer survivor and it was hard for me to understand too (I was 12) what the heck was going on with God and why did he do that to us. But I always try to remember that He does have a perfect plan for everything and I just need to trust and continue on with my faith.

Lisa Marie said...

That is SO awesome! By the way, I think blonde suits you : ) But your brown is gorgeous too! Have a GREAT weekend!

Crystal Escobar said...

oh that is just so awesome! What a cute idea! She looks like she had an absolute ball. What a great daughter you are to take such good care of your mom.

tootie said...

What a sweet and inspiring post! Thank you for sharing it!!

Nishant said...

uch an amazing story and such a cute idea on your part. Thanks for sharing!
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