The C Word – Day 11 Adapting with Grace

“Shepherd, show me how to go, o’er the hillside steep”

While this speaks about our true Shepherd, sometimes He sends us earthly ones to guide us.  We met with our new therapist last night.  Elisabeth gave us some very good advice going into our final few days before meeting the oncologist.  The best advice she gave for George was to concentrate on what we DO know, not what we do not know.  Stop thinking about the “what if’s” for now. She suggested that we take time out to create a list of questions.  We have already done this but we need to re-visit it in case there are new questions we have since last week. She suggested that we bring a recording device with us so that we can go back and listen to it in the event there are things said that we either did not hear due to stress or that we forgot exactly what was said.  Very good advice.  Thanks, doc!

The Shepherd is always guiding us through all of our hills and valleys.  Some journeys take longer than others.  Some evolve over time, morphing and taking on new shape.  We all have our own stories.  I will share another one of mine.  While this one has nothing to do with the “C” word, it has everything to do with the way I have had to learn to adapt to life circumstances. 

A trying time for me was finding out that my daughter was gay.  That was hard to wrap my head around.  I did not see that coming at all.  I instinctively fought to correct that.  I felt that life for her was hard enough, never mind being gay.  It did not help that so many of her early choices in relationships were not with people I deemed worthy for her.  She, too, covered things up for a very long time, choosing to leave me out of decisions she had made. I want her to be happy.  While how I feel is important, she must lead her life the way she sees fit, just like any of my other children.  The advice I give her is the same advice I give to all of my children. I encourage them to always do their best, to find work that makes them feel fulfilled, to hopefully find something that not only supports them but allows them to put something away for retirement. When choosing life partners I hope they are wise and choose people that will support them through good times and bad and help them continue to grow as adults.  As time has gone on I have become more accepting of her for who she is rather than who I think she should be. 

God has taught me tolerance.

My sister shared something online with me today.  This is how she views me…. Thank you, sis.  You give me a lot of credit for simply being me, the me that God created.  We all have choices how we want to handle the circumstances handed to us.  We can ALL be queens of our own lives.