Embrace awkwardness

by chuckofish

How was your weekend? Mine was a quiet one mostly spent recovering from a stressful week full of trips to MoBap, semi-annual and annual checkups and infusions etc. It has been five years since I ended chemo/radiation, but once you’ve had cancer, dark thoughts are always at the back of your mind. All you can do is trust God and live your life.

I ran across this poem, In Case I Die Unexpectedly, and I think it is really good. We should all write our own version.

for Hildegaard

Always salt your pasta water.
Watch how he treats his mother.
Ask people how you can pray for them,
then stop and pray for them
right then and there,
in a crowded restaurant,
in the grocery aisle,
during donuts before or after church.
Embrace awkwardness, or else
you will miss out on so much.
Don’t chew your nails (like I do).
Don’t open everything with your teeth (like I do).
Don’t always fill the silence. It can be a gift.
Carry the pocket knife your dad will give you,
but don’t forget to take it out of your backpack
before you go to the airport.
Wash your darks and lights separately.
If you find a good peach, give thanks to God.
If you find a good mango, get down on your knees and worship.
Give things away as often as possible. Hold everything
with open hands. Nothing is our own.
Don’t fall for fad diets. Try to eat healthy, but
don’t feel guilty for going to McDonald’s.
There is no such thing as “get rich quick,”
there is only hard work. Go to bed tired.
Put your feet in the water as often as possible:
touch, taste, and see that God is good.
Wake up with hope. Jesus is the same
yesterday, today and forever. 

–Rachel Joy Welcher

Well, daughter #1 and Mr. Smith made it home after a fun-filled visit in Mahomet.

I gather that Mr. Smith was quite a hit with the young ladies. They have gotten over their fear and pet him freely now.

Onward and upward!