Sunday, November 30, 2008

Oops!

I found out that some of you were experiencing problems when you tried to post a comment. I believe it was a setting problem that should now be resolved. I'm sorry. Hope you'll try again!

- Scott

Monday, November 24, 2008

Giving thanks

I have so much to be thankful for this season. Surgery as been scheduled for Dec 3rd at 12:30 pm at Methodist Hospital. My surgeons are two of the best neurosurgeons in the state. The swelling from the tumor seems to be going away with the steroids I'm taking, this has to happen in order to do the surgery. My family from KS came to visit this weekend and we had a wonderful time together laughing playing cards and just being together. I've never experienced such an outpouring of care, love and concern from so many friends asking what they can do to help. Our church has been so amazing I don't know what to say.

Scott's mother is dying soon from cancer herself. It could be anyday. These same wonderful people who are reaching out to us are also reaching out the same incredible way to the entire McCracken family.

Thank you God for loving us so much that your love is being poured out to us abunduntly. How do people get through these difficult times without their faith, friends and family?

As you sit down to your Thanksgiving dinner this year look around at the people you love and tell them all how much they mean to you. You never knbow what tomorrow will bring.

Susie

Saturday, November 22, 2008

Where is God?

As the news came to our family last Monday night that my cancer had returned, I was in shock, numb, unable to process what it meant. My mind jumped from one negative thought to the next. What will this do to my family, how long will I live, what will I have to go through to fight this? Where is God?

It didn't take long for me to see the answer. God was in the friends who showed up at the house that night to be with us and pray with us. He was in the many phone calls of people calling to offer to do whatever we needed. He was able to get me in to see Dr Terry Horner, one of the best neurosurgeons in the city and a dear friend of ours from church. He was in the hearts of my good friends who have offered to bring in Thanksgiving dinner for the entire McCracken family. He was in the many pastors who came by to pray with us.

I know the road ahead is going to difficult but I can't imagine going through this with out the love and support of my family and friends and a strong faith. I'm counting on your prayers to support me when I don't have the strength to pray. I can't say I'm ready to accept God's will yet, it's too scary to think about. But I know this is a journey and I know God is walking beside me.

Susie

Friday, November 21, 2008

He does love us...

Well, I will allow my dad to fill you in on the details of what we are hearing from the doctors, but we have learned that Mom's cancer has spread to her liver and brain. They are planning to remove the spot in her brain on Wednesday, December 3rd. Until then, we are praying that the steroids she's taking will reduce the swelling in her brain caused by the cancer so that they may safely operate.

I want to share with you the lyrics to the song that reflects the title of our blog. As my dad said, it has given us a lot of hope during the tough times we've already had in the last couple months as we dealt with the news that the cancer has spread to her lympnodes. We are hoping to get the youtube site on here, so that you may hear the song, but the lyrics are as follows:

He is jealous for me,
Loves like a hurricane, I am a tree,
Bending beneath the weight of his wind and mercy.
When all of a sudden,
I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory,
And I realise just how beautiful You are,
And how great Your affections are for me.

And oh, how He loves us so,
Oh how He loves us,
How He loves us so

Yeah, He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves.

We are His portion and He is our prize,
Drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes,
If grace is an ocean, we’re all sinking.
So Heaven meets earth like a sloppy wet kiss,
And the heart turns violently inside of my chest,
I don’t have time to maintain these regrets,
When I think about, the way…

He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves.
Yeah, He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves.

John Mark Mcmillan


Lord, continue to let us feel your love.

Molly

Thursday, November 20, 2008

About the title

The title "How He Loves Q" is a play on the title of a song that has become somewhat of a family anthem of late. The actual song title is "How He Loves Us" by John Mark McMillan. During an emotionally dark time while Susie was recovering from her last surgery, Haley came home from school and sang that song to her mom to share God's heart toward her. Haley sang it to Susie, but God sang it to all of us in the room.
"Q" has been my pet name for Susie since we met while working on a guest ranch in Colorado 28 years ago.
-Scott