You are like Him

"I never thought I would end up in the field of oncology....you know, dealing with cancer," Rebecca said during a support group meeting the other night. I am not a support group kind of girl, but had decided to go see why she, Jan and the other girls would dedicate yet another two hours of their time to one Wednesday a month. "I never thought....", yeah, I'm with ya, sister. I never thought I would be 52 and still staring at this relentless monster everyday. While maybe the social workers in that room had had aspirations of helping cancer patients and their families, the rest of us, including sweet Rebecca, never thought we would be involved, entrenched, invaded by this disease. Whether you are the patient, the care-giver, or the medical support person, cancer tends to consume the make-up of your everyday life. Once you're in....you're in.

I thought about her statement quite a bit over the last two days. For me, these days have been filled with scans and good results, a new battle plan, continued amazement of what God has done for me, Ixempra has done for me,......and the confirmation of faith and hope. The times since Wednesday that I have spent in the scanners, the support group and the oncology office have once again inspired and humbled me. What an extraordinary group of women, (even the MRI and CT techs), God has put before me. The have chosen to be where they are to help little ole' me navigate a difficult part of my life.

Their position in life, their selection of oncology as their field of work is quite remarkable. They have to get involved with their patients on such a deeper level than most medical fields. Surgeons open you up, take it out, sew you up, and send you on your merry way. Even cardiologists, who deal with potentially life-ending conditions, usually do not have their hand on their patients so often, so readily, so intimately. I will always defend the position that the beautiful people into cancer treatment are the most amazing and incredible, caring and compassionate group I will ever cross paths with. It is a divine compilation, a God-given
occupation.

But the real crux of what I think about Rebecca's statement is, whether the "girls" are Christian or not and whether they know it or not, they are doing a better job than most of us at emulating Christ at His finest. He was never sick a day in His life, and yet He took on our sickness when He took on our sin. (Isaiah 53:5) The wonderful people at CCNC are doing the same.....they take on our sickness. They choose to become intertwined with our illness. They bear our disease with us. They help carry the crushing load of it all. I know God is constantly smiling at them for honoring His Son in this way.

So as I continue my journey and continue to move among the angels in Cary, I am always watching....always being blessed by what they all do. And I say to Rebecca, to all of them......you may have never thought, but I am so glad you did. And, most importantly, whether you believe in Him or not, when I watch you all and see what you do everyday....I see Jesus in you.

"And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick." Matthew 14:14