Surprises

     This morning I was reading Billy Graham's "Decision" magazine on the love seat when I got a surprise visit from a carload of Jehovah's Witnesses.  It seemed fitting to exchange the truth for their false doctrine.  The woman said she had too much reading material and didn't have time for mine.  The driver told me Billy Graham has 3 "tenants" that are wrong, one - that "hellfire" exists.  I told her the Book of Revelation said there is and that she's not to tamper with the Bible.  I told her I don't need "religion" to be saved, just the grace of Jesus.  I dropped my magazine in the seat of the car and walked back in the house.  When I returned outside, my magazine was on top of our car.  I was hoping the woman in the back seat could get her hands on it because she kept dipping her head down to see what I was saying.  I'm gonna pray for her ...and the other two.
     I had a follow up mammogram today and Melody needed to have her Christmas bicycle repaired, so she got it and the trash and a dog and two cats in the car.  The animals were due rabies vaccines.  When we got to the animal shelter for the shots, a man was leaving 5 puppies.  He said he'd given the rest of them away but had to be at the beach tomorrow.  Grrrr.
     The kids couldn't find the leash, so the county employee came to the car for the shots.  Felicia, the aloof barn cat, was no trouble.  Rusty, the beagle/bassett hound mix, doesn't like to be messed with but he surprised even me when he whipped himself around to bite.  Another woman came out and got him in a strangle hold long enough for the shot.  Meanwhile he wet everything within range.
     As she was about to release him into the crate where Cranny was also, the cat bolted and ran under the car.  He climbed into the motor and wouldn't budge.  There were 6 of us trying to coax him out, one with food.  Unbenounced to us, a guy slid under the car and swiftly grabbed him.  I apologized profusely, although she and I got such a kick out of it that we laughed all the way to the feed store to buy a muzzle for Rusty!
     On the way to the hospital, snow flurries floated in the air while the sun was shining.  It had been all day and Melody was impressed by it.  She waited while I got the x-rays that I was told were likely to be needed for clearer images.  On the 6th or 7th, the technician cleared her throat to another one and said she'd be back.  The radiologist ordered an ultrasound.  They measured, so I knew there was something. 
     The doctor said the cyst was smooth, consistent with a benign one.  BUT they can't risk not doing a biopsy.  Surprise!  I hadn't even given it any thought.  I could feel my face flushing but stayed composed and remembered this morning reading that Jesus told the disciples 3 things when he returned, "Fear not," "Bear witness," and "Receive power". 
     Here's the thing:  I'm not scared.  The fact that I still have young children bothers me most.  Else, I would deserve whatever became of me.  Funny how easy it is to believe otherwise, though.  I haven't been on hormone treatment/birth control since I was 19 years old.  I've nursed over 7 years, which supposedly leaves me virtually no chance of developing breast cancer.  I've been careful to use natural products (including deodorant) and eat unprocessed foods (avoiding nitrites), though I haven't remedied yet the dairy and meat products from steroid treated animals.  Even so, how would that explain my friend's niece, little 18 month old Mia's stage 4 Neuro Blastoma, brain cancer?
     While we were getting groceries, Melody found miniature pastel roses she wanted to surprise McKala with because she thought they'd look nice in her room.  When we got home with food, trash cans, animals, feed, and the bicyle; McKala had a surprise "get well" box from Megan and Miranda.  Today was a "score" for McKala!
     One more surprise was in store for me.  Not only had McKala been asked to the prom a few weeks ago; now Michael had also been asked to the same one.  He said they'd set a record for most homeschoolers at a prom in North Carolina.  Ha!  How it came together is a neat story.  They've all known each other since they were children and gone to camp together every summer.  I expect them to have a lot of fun at no expense to their faith.  Of course, that's not discounting for what kind of music will be played.    Unfortunately, it falls on a night that was planned for another significant event, the Right of Passage banquet we've committed to at church.  McKala has Walking Pneumonia and has been sick from her asthma for a solid year.  In that time, she hasn't looked forward to anything this much.  Mike and Michael had everything worked out before I even got home tonight, unaware of the imposing date of the occasion.  Honestly, I like the idea of the grouping.  Still, I dread explaining it to our pastor.  I hate to let people down, even when I believe the outcome will be okay.
     Here's to good outcomes altogether!