Pray Away Cancer 2010

Written by Ivy | 26 July 2010

I'm not sure if you remember my post about Aaron Jamison or not. Aaron is an artist, comedian and songwriter who was diagnosed with terminal colon cancer. When I first posted about him, he was raising money to pay for the cost of his cremation and urns. He was selling advertising space on the two urns planned for his ashes, one for his wife and the other his mom.

Aaron has raised his goal of $800, and the donations are still coming in. The extra money is helping pay his medical bills, which for cancer treatment is a big load in itself.

The success of his fund raising campaign is a heart warming story. His main goal was to not leave any more debt for his wife. Although he's planning his funeral and cremation, he hasn't given up on life yet.

He recently just started a new round of treatment that if successful would add at least nine more months to his life. If the treatments are not successful, doctors lower that prediction to only three months.

Aaron is a faithful person. He realizes there is a power bigger than any disease out there. He's asking us all to join in a day of prayer this Wednesday, July 28th. This is the favor he's asking of you (directly from his blog):

I am asking that everyone who is able; Christians, Muslims, Hindus, Wiccans (or other Neopagan religions) , Atheists, Agnostics... any one who has any concept of God, whether they believe in that concept or not, to pray for healing from my cancer. I'm not sure it'll work. In fact, my guess is that it won't. It's not that I don't believe God has the power to heal me. The fact is that I just don't believe that it's a part of His plan and I believe His plan is much more important than me or my plan. Part of this, I think, is just hoping that there are people out there who are willing to question, or put into practice, their belief system to say a few words for me.

Lately the light feels a little dimmer each day at the end of that stupid tunnel. You'd think I'd learn to stay out of that tunnel by now. Nope. Not me. Just keep staring into oblivion. But as that light seems dimmer, I look for new ways to brighten the space I'm in. This week, you're all it. I'm relying on you to pray, and I'm talking about prayer to the God I worship, not yours. Just this once. To pray for His will in my life or my healing or heck... ask Him to take me "home" for all I care. Call it an experience. Call it the last practical joke of a missionary gone too far astray for the cause. Just do me a favor and talk to God, on my behalf, at least once this Wednesday. Let me know how it feels. Whether it feels stupid, and it will for some, or pious or gravitas... or whether it feels good or bad. Let me know. I'm curious.

A couple people asked for some more examples. Which is fine and understandable. Here'd be my shot, "Hey God. Aaron really likes you and he's not a complete jerk. If you could get rid of his cancer and leave him around a while longer I'd really appreciate it. But I'm sure he'd prefer that whatever you want for him is what happens. Thanks for listening." For those with shorter attention spans (How do you read this thing with a short attention span?), "God. Heal Aaron. Thanks." It all works fairly well. Thank you so much. Some of you, I know, will be keeping Kristin, my parents and I in your thoughts and prayers all day long, some already do and some only have a moment. I'll take whatever you're willing or have time to share. Thank you for your support.

Please join me in prayer, whether it be for a moment or all day, for a man whose influence and joy for life is much bigger than even he realizes. And let me know how it feels to give a little of your time for a stranger.

Just Outside of Deliverance (pt. 1)

Written by Ivy | 19 July 2010

“I see my path, but I don't know where it leads. Not knowing where I'm going is what inspires me to travel it.”
~ Rosalia de Castro

This has been quite an adventure-filled, exciting and exhausting week.

It all started last Sunday when Sweet-D and I decided to venture through the countryside just beyond the state line. We were asked to provide special music at old-fashioned revival set at the site of the first church in the Restoration Movement (a religious movement I only learned of when I got there.)

"If I didn't know you very well, I would really be questioning your motives," I told Sweet-D as we traveled around yet another wooded turn on the one-lane road. I glanced down to see "No Service" on my iPhone. "Looks like we're in this together if we get lost out here."

"No service?" Sweet-D said hesitantly.

"Not a blip," I answered.

"Then straight it is," he said with a laugh.

The scenery was breathtaking for the most-part, but the occasional rundown house and empty farm started reminding me of something straight out of the movie Deliverance. Sweet-D and I are always up for adventures, but I have to be honest I do get nervous when I go places without cell phone service. It's an inevitable phobia that stems from an over abundant dependence on technology. I can only imagine that places like this will cave to the modern times or simply cease to exist in the coming generations.

After about 40 minutes, we finally saw a sign pointing us to our destination. The sign was right beside a field of cows, my least favorite animal on the planet (long story.... I'm sure I'll update those who don't know at some point).

"MMmmmmmooooooouuuuuueeeeeeeewwwwwww," hollered Sweet-D in a deep chesty voice. "That is my favorite thing to do to a cow."

This was enough to entertain him for another 15 minutes until we reached another sign. Low and behold, it was right outside the fence to a cow field.

I'm not sure if it was luck or just coincidence, but the cows were close to the fence. Sweet-D was still cracking himself up with his demented cow impression, so he stopped the jeep, rolled down the window and attempted to communicate with one of the spotted spawns of satan.

I almost felt bad for the poor Holstein as my husband popped his head out of the window and let out his best "MMmmmmmooooooouuuuuueeeeeeeewwwwwww" of the evening.

When we saw a spark in the cow's eye, we decided that "MMmmmmmooooooouuuuuueeeeeeeewwwwwww" was either a cattle mating call or a signal that, in not so many words, "it was on." The last thing we needed on our hands was a smitten cow trying to jump the fence or, worse yet, a cow stampede because the master of the battling heard just declared war.

Even if we had cell phone service, I have no idea who we'd call to solve this one.

Uh, 911... we have a bit of a situation here at the fourth cow pasture past the entrance to Deliverance.

When we finally made it to the hilltop where the revival was being held, we weren't really surprised to see an empty field surrounded by trees and a small make-shift stage with a canopy over it.

We were, however, surprised to see a sound system on the stage.

"Wow... who'd a thunk they'd have electricity out here," I said jokingly. "Seriously though, there are no buildings in a mile radius and I don't see a generator. Where are they getting power?"

I was ready to chalk it up to some miraculous power outlet coming out of the ground, but Sweet-D found an extension cord and followed it down part of the hill.

"That's creative," he said. "And probably a little dangerous."

Real Christians of Genius

Written by Ivy | 19 July 2010

It's been quite an adventure-filled, exciting and very exhausting week. This is the first chance since last Saturday I've had to sit down and think for more than three minutes. Great things coming this week. But until then... it's time for a little laughter: